SUSTAINABLE BRANDS Slow fashion

6 Sustainable Fashion Brands Putting People And The Planet First

Outerknown

Founded in 2015, sustainable coastal fashion brand Outerknown is the brainchild of creative director John Moore and 11-time World Champion surfer Kelly Slater. The label is fully committed to responsible sourcing, addressing the environmental impact of fashion and putting people first. Most of its collection (95 per cent) is made from organic or recycled fibres while it supports regenerative farming practices. Its corozo buttons, for example, are made from tagua palm nuts and help safeguard rainforests from deforestation. The brand works with two B Corp certified suppliers with facilities that run on renewable energy. Meanwhile, it promotes the highest labour standards and aims to improve workers’ livelihoods through the Fairtrade Premium. For AW23 its collection includes its signature sustainable jumpsuits, best-selling blanket shirt in heavy weight organic cotton and recycled cashmere blend knitwear. Wholesale prices are around £75 per piece on average while the minimum order requirement is £3,000.

CONTACT: Tel: 07947 520 806 outerknown.com

BY BASICS

Taking a 360-degree approach to sustainability, Danish label by basics offers ethically made wardrobe staples in exclusively natural fabrics. Everything is made to order for individual stockists to prevent over-stock and minimise waste. There are no minimum order stipulations for buyers and retailers are free to mix styles and colours to create bespoke edits for their customers. The brand aims to reduce waste as much as possible, cutting its wool by hand, reusing patterns and re-purposing cut-offs for other styles. Instead of working in seasons, its design team refreshes its range twice each year by adding a small number of new styles and colours. This means stockists can re-order best-sellers throughout the year. Key pieces include organic cotton t-shirts, merino wool knitwear, linen dresses and bamboo separates.

CONTACT: Tel: 0045 4080 2345 bybasics.com

Thought

Since its humble beginnings in Portobello Market in the late 1990s, Thought has always placed sustainability at its heart. The London-based brand only uses eco-friendly fabrics such as organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, Tencel, Seacell and recycled textiles. Its products and packaging are completely plastic-free too, while its glue is vegan-friendly. When it comes to the people working in its supply chain, high social standards are a priority. The label supports ethical factories and produces garments that are increasingly Fairtrade-certified. Buyers can expect limited-run garments in classic silhouettes that will stand the test of time. For SS23 its short order collection includes high quality easy-wear dresses and separates that are perfect for summer holidays and city escapes. Key pieces include the floaty Acate dobby dress made from fabric derived from renewable wood, the bamboo and organic cotton blend Neoma tie-waist jumpsuit and the breezy Skye geometric ruffle dress in lenzing ecovero.

CONTACT: E: info@wearethought.com wearethought.com

Nesavaali

Reinventing traditional Indian textiles for the global woman, sustainable label Nesavaali fuses ethnic style with Western fashion, creating a unique design signature. The label was created in 2018 by designer Shangami Muthumani to support highly skilled female artisans in India who hand weave beautiful silks and fabrics in the ancient traditions of their ancestors while facing poverty and hardship. Today her brand helps women create a better life by providing working opportunities and fair wages. Its short order range includes gold foil printed dresses, tailored suits, flared skirts and jumpsuits. Wholesale prices start from £12 per dress.

CONTACT: nesavaali.com

Amma

Greek forward order womenswear brand Amma offers a coordinated collection of dresses, separates and outerwear crafted in locally sourced natural and sustainable fabrics. Sister label Mazi, meanwhile, offers a range of stylish basics available for in-season delivery all year around. The labels were founded by successful multibrand boutique owners Rinio Kalaitzi and Nena Stamouli, who spotted a gap in the market for a contemporary brand for their own Thessaloniki-based store. The collections are offered in four different fits – slim, regular, oversized and one size – from XS to XXL. Wholesale prices are around £45 per piece on average while there is no minimum order requirements, no import duty and free shipping for orders over £5,000.

CONTACT: Tel: 07504 117 954

E: info@jpf.london

Been London

The brainchild of former BBC journalist Genia Mineeva, Been London offers unisex accessories made from recycled materials. The brand launched in 2018 with the help of a Kickstarter campaign and has gone onto win multiple awards for its efforts in sustainability. Its designers utilise a range of fully certified materials with a transparent supply chain while keeping carbon emissions to a minimum. Tannery off-cuts and trimmings are recycled into new rolls of buttery-soft leather, pineapple leaves and apple skins are re-purposed into vegan leather, and post-consumer single use plastics are remade into zips and hardware. The collections are then handmade locally in East London by an all-female team who are paid a London living wage.

CONTACT: E: partnerships@been. london been.london