As a self-confessed shopaholic, I thought it would be appropriate to write about shopping sustainably, if I’m going to continue buying clothes…. Therefore I need to make sure I am doing it responsibly! I am sure I am not alone in this admission, my online purchases have skyrocketed during this lockdown period, so it becomes even more relevant to ensure I am minimising my impact on the environment whilst still feeding my unhealthy habit!
It seemed to make sense to go from head to toe, creating a sustainable, yet affordable look. You may be familiar with a few of these brands already, but hopefully not all of them.
Hat- RAPANUI
Price: £20
Products: All Clothing
Sustainability: All of their products are made from natural materials using renewable energy. The thing that I find the most amazing is when your item is worn out, you can send it back to them to reuse - their supply chain is completely circular! What makes them even better is that they make the products to order, meaning there is no worry of mass production or surplus stock. To part with twenty hard earned pounds may seem a lot, but when you are supporting a small, sustainable and ethical brand it makes it much easier to swallow.
2. T-Shirt- neutrale.
Price: £29
Products: All clothing; basics
Sustainability: The slogan on the back of this t-shirt optimises my feelings on buying clothes in this day and age, “Less, but better”. Wise words to live by, in my opinion! This brand is based in Madrid, their mission statement vows to look after the world and cherish it for years to come. All of their products are made from organic, natural or recycled materials, approved under the GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) as well as their packaging being 100% recyclable or biodegradable. Their designs are classic, simple and timeless.
3. Jumper- Sanchos
Price: £68.50
Products: All Clothing
Sustainability: With two shops on the ground in Exeter, Devon, this shop stocks a wide range of sustainable and ethical brands - see it as your new John Lewis, yet sustainable. They are committed to supplying their customers with long lasting quality from organic and fair trade suppliers, focusing on supporting local economies all over the world. As such a small business it is truly a personalised online experience.
4. Jeans- Lucy&Yak
Price: £50
Products: All clothing; dungarees
Sustainability: Run by a couple, whose mission was to create an ethical dungaree brand. All of their products are made using low impact dyes and organic cotton. What is even better is, they have installed solar panels to the roof of their factory in India, so that they can be self-sufficient energy wise. For me, a pair of their jeans or dungarees beats Topshop any day of the week.
5. Trainers- Veja
Price: £100
Products: Trainers
Sustainability: Only 5 years old, yet Veja is probably the most well known of my list so far. With their innovative upcycling of plastic bottles and use of wild rubber, they continue to create stylish and guilt free trainers, without compromising the comfort of a classic white trainer. All aspects of their trainers are sustainable and ecological, as well as having a vegan range. Their main focus is transparency from start to finish and they believe in action rather than words. For me, they have certainly proved to fulfil both of those aims.
6. Activewear- Bam
Price: £49
Products: All clothing; active & underwear
Sustainability: All of their products are made using bamboo, which requires half the land than that needed for cotton. Plus bamboo absorbs 5 times the amount of carbon than hardwood trees! Their whole supply chain is ethical and ecological from China, to Turkey, to you. Their products are extremely soft and lightweight, they are a great alternative to mass produced polyester leggings. To top it off they are anti-allergy and absorb the sweat from your exercise!
Hopefully this provides you with a starting point to explore the world of sustainable brands. As the number is rapidly growing and now, more than ever, is the time to support smaller businesses, which most of these are, as they strive to reduce the impact on our planet. It is our duty to understand how and where the products are made, so that we can continue to shop with a clearer conscience and make conscious steps to living a more sustainable lifestyle.
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