2020 is the year of changing how we live and consume and sustainable fashion is a priority for this. The back of 2019 showed fashion weeks’ bombarded by protest for change. Fashion houses even themed their shows around sustainable fashion. We have entered a stage of climate emergency with time to act before it is too late.
Let’s make right what we humans have have done wrong. We have started to destroy our precious planet. The change can start with you, as a consumer, looking at your habits and the way you choose to shop. It’s time to ditch fast fashion and here are 5 sustainable fashion start-ups you haven’t heard of until now.
IN THE SOUL SHINE
Sustainable retailer In the Soul Shine designs and creates clothing in a small production house in Bali, Indonesia. Clothes are produced in a clean safe and brightly lit environment. With employers being paid per piece of clothing there is an opportunity for workers to earn over 40% over the normal wage.
Clothing is produced from organic cotton, is vegan, cruelty free and products are not packaged in plastic.
The company also donates a large amount of profits to animal sanctuaries and charities. The clothing range is for men, women and kids and designs aim to raise awareness of being sustainable. The relationships with employees, consumers and, most importantly, mother nature are the driving force behind this clothing company which is part of a global fashion revolution.
FOR DAYS
Retailer For Days Founded by Kristy Caytor and Mary Saunders allows consumers to purchase ethically and sustainably produced clothing from the online retailers. When the consumer has outworn the clothing and seeks newer designs and styles, they can send their worn clothing back to the retailer and receive new items. The company takes back the old clothing and recycles garments into their new designs. A full loop.
TAYLOR STITCH
A men’s wear company with zero waste is the brand’s backbone. Each garment produced is created from 95% recycled cotton and industrial hemp. The company has a re-stitch program so once a piece of clothing has been worn out the customer can return it to either be re stitched or recycled and made into brand new designs.
The brand also goes a step further to ensure sustainably before a new design is released. The company holds a vote to see which designs customers want. This ensures the absolute minimum of their stock ends up in land fill.
KNICKEY
Even your choice of underwear can help the global effort of cleaning up the fashion industry. Knickey is an online underwear company with a promise that your garments are created from organic cotton with zero toxic ingredients used in production. This really is the finest and healthiest underwear for you.
The brand goes all the way with sustainably encouraging their customers to recycle their old underwear when they receive their new items. The company works with a industry partner and old underwear can be recycled into insulation and mattress filling.
MUD JEANS
Mud Jeans is a denim company that really understands how the textile process of making a pair of jeans can be extremely harmful to the environment. The brand has taken on a sustainable process with a promise to consumers of good quality ethical jeans. Each pair of jeans contains 23-40% consumer recycled denim, with the recycling process saving resources and energy.
Mud method created jeans have said goodbye to the old and harmful ways of dying denim. Their jeans are dyed with indigo dye and 95% of water is recycled. Fair fashion is also an important factor to the brand. Their supply chain is kept short to ensure everyone within the chain has an above minimum and fair wage.
So...
The next time you consider buying an item of clothing, ask yourself these 3 questions: Is this product ethically and sustainability created? Can I get a product like this from a vintage or thrift store? How many times will I wear it and what will I do with it when I am finished wearing it?
A lot of things to consider when all you see is the cute top in the store and think how great it’s going to go with those new cowboy boots you got. But seriously with a little more thought and consideration into each of our purchasing decisions it’s not too late to save our planet from something that soon we won’t have the chance to undo.
Please think sustainable and do not let your clothing and buying habits contribute to the climate emergency.