According the the Fashion On Climate report, the fashion industry produces approximately 4% of all global greenhouse gas emissions that's 2.1 billion tonnes! Around 70% of these emissions come from the production, preparation and processing of raw materials.
That's why developing a more sustainable approach to sourcing materials is so important for any fashion brand if we want to reduce fashion's impact on the planet. From organic cotton to ECONYL® , level up your knowledge about sustainable fashion by diving into this guide to the fabrics we use in our collections, and why.
Organic cotton
Conventional cotton uses 24% of the world’s insecticides and 11% of pesticides, which threaten the health of workers, wearers, and microorganisms. Plus, it's a very thirsty crop which requires about 10,000 litres of water to grow just one single kilogram of cotton. This system has caused vast bodies of water like the Aral Sea to completely dry up due to excessive irrigation.
For many of our tops, dresses and skirts, we decided to use GOTS certified organic cotton. The GOTS standard ensures that the cotton is not only grown in a way that honours the natural environment, but that honours the hard-working farmers who grow it too.
To be certified 'organic', cotton must be grown from non-GMO seeds and without the use of pesticides, insecticides or chemical fertilisers. Organic cotton farmers are therefore not exposed to harmful substances that threaten their health, and they're also guaranteed to be paid a fair wage for their work. The GOTS certification also helps protect against human rights abuses such as forced labour and child labour.
Unlike conventional cotton, organic farmers use ancient, regenerative farming methods, including crop-rotation, mixed farming and no-till farming to preserve the soil and increase biodiversity. Organic cotton also uses up to 88% less water than conventional cotton. What's more, organic cotton has the exact same quality as conventional cotton, but a much smaller impact on the planet. It's a win-win!
ECONYL®
ECONYL® is the fabric we use for all of our swimwear, because we wanted to avoid extracting new plastic fibres such as virgin polyester and nylon. Instead, ECONYL® is made from reclaimed, recycled and regenerated nylon that turns waste found in landfills and oceans, such as deadstock fabric and fishing nets, into a high quality stretch fabric.
Reusing nylon to make ECONYL® reduces the carbon impact of nylon by up to 80% compared with the material produced from oil, and even better, it can be continuously recycled without losing any quality.
Specifically designed for swimwear, the ECONYL® we use is lightweight, soft and breathable. ECONYL® complies with the Oeko-Tex® Standard 100, so it is guaranteed to be free from harmful substances, making it perfect for children’s delicate skin.
Thanks to its innovative construction, it also highly resistant to chlorine and suncream and offers UV protection, so it's perfect for sunny days by the pool. Find out more about ECONYL® here.
Lyocell
Lyocell is the fabric we use to create some of our dresses and trousers in the SS21 collection.
Lyocell is a plant-based fibre extracted from trees such as Eucalyptus or Bamboo. It is categorised as a 'man made cellulosic fibres' along with viscose and modal, because it is made by extracting and regenerating the cellulose from the plant. TENCEL is the brand name for the manufacturer that creates lyocell.
Production of viscose and similar fabrics can be highly resource-intensive and contribute to deforestation and pollution, but TENCEL works hard to ensure a more sustainable process. For example, they ensure chemicals are not discharged into the water, and only use Eucalyptus trees that are responsibly sourced and grown without pesticides and herbicides.
Lyocell is fully biodegradable and does not use any synthetic materials in it's composition. Plus, it's silky soft, ultra-versatile and gentle on the skin, making it a perfect choice for our eco-friendly kidswear. Find out more about lyocell here.
It's important to remember that fabrics are just the canvas, and that what we add to them matters too. From dyes to finishes, we have banished all nasty chemicals from our process, keeping it natural so the textiles are kind to both skin and soil. We don't use any animal-derived materials either, so you can rest assured that your kids' clothing is vegan-friendly too.
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