Sustainability is rapidly becoming a word that companies across all sectors want to use to market their brand. It’s been talked about within fashion for decades, but maybe 2021 will be the year we really demand it from the fashion retailers we know and love?
If you’d like to add sustainability to your style must haves, here are some great places to look:
The Independent: 13 best sustainable clothing brands for women that are ethical and stylish
Happy sustainable fashion shopping!
First and foremost, AmaElla lingerie is beautiful.
A quick look at their Instagram or website will show you an artful combination of strong and delicate colours and patterns. Deep navy velvet trim on crisp white linen sits alongside delicate florals in lilac and blue and the softest blush pink… and (spoiler alert) there’s red to come. Sounds like I have inside information? I do, but more about that later.
Luckily, the enticing look of AmaElla’s nightwear and underwear is matched by how it feels. You’re going to want to put it on. I’d describe it as the perfect balance between thickness and softness to feel lovely against the skin without compromising on support.
Each piece is designed to make a female body look and feel its best. Careful consideration has been given to front opening bras and knickers with a tie on the side. Everything is flexible and comfortable – no underwires or spiky catches anywhere.
And guess what else… AmaElla have asked me to work with them!
It was such a privilege to take part in a recent shoot for their upcoming product launches and meet some of the people behind the brand, including brand co-founder Lara Miller. Lara has clearly been passionate about the environment for some time. She described how her knowledge of the massive polluting effects of conventional cotton production combined with an eye-opening experience volunteering in Madagascan marine conservation gave rise to the idea of creating organic cotton lingerie.
Environmental sustainability
AmaElla’s commitment to sustainability is multi-faceted. Their lingerie is made using GOTS certified organic cotton and prints are created using GOTS certified printing. You can read an explanation of both here.
Also of major environmental impact is the lifespan of each product. It’s shocking to know that according to a report in the Mail Online, most garments are worn as few as seven times each before being sent to landfill or donated to a charity store in the unlikely hope that someone else will treasure our trash.
You’ll be pleased to know then that AmaElla’s garments are created with a view to durability and longevity. From sourcing the best quality fabrics to the skillful design and fitting process and meticulous construction AmaElla promise their goodies are as good as new even after 50 washes!
Social responsibility
To date, AmaElla have partnered with garment manufacturers in the UK and Portugal, to support the development of valuable skills in safe, properly paid careers. Both partners have a focus on providing opportunities and training to young women.
Body positivity
So, how can I help a brand which seems to have everything so thoroughly sorted? As well as spreading the word here, I’ll be featuring in their social media as well as sharing my favourite pieces and images from the shoot via Instagram. Yes! As well as all their other admirable qualities, AmaElla are totally body and age positive, choosing to promote their brand using a diverse range of models and aiming to make us all feel great about ourselves. To say I’m nervous about seeing my 46-year-old, post-six-baby-body on screen is an understatement! But I love the brand and all it stands for so much that I’m doing it anyway.
The bottom line
AmaElla: sensuous, organic lingerie… thoughtfully designed… well made… with maximum positive social impact and environmental sustainability right at the heart of every lovely piece.
Acne Studios is an ethical ready-to-wear fashion brand which features sublimely quirky tailoring and an eclectic mix of custom-developed fabrics. You get the feeling that every detail on every garment is unique to the brand, down to the last oversized button, asymmetrical collar or monogrammed feature-zipper. It’s a bold brand – you won’t find someone else wearing something similar from a different label – with a quintessentially Scandi feeling.
Acne Studios produce men and women’s clothing ranges, footwear and accessories, as well as sturdy and colourful children’s basics. I think of their adult clothing pieces as statements: there’s nothing shy about them! Creative Director Jonny Johansson’s captures the edginess of contemporary art and culture, but although his style is very much cutting-edge, it is well worn on younger and older people alike.
My personal favourite range has to be their ethical outerwear. Invest in a super-luxe anorak or trench coat and you’ll be seeing off the cold in style for years to come. It’s not cheap, but it couldn’t possibly be! It’s too rich in every detail to come at a bargain price.
Acne Studios are proud members of the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) since 2008. Have a read of their Corporate social responsibility policy and even review their Social report and FWF Brand performance check, from links on the same page.
Let me know if you love Acne Studios… what’s in your wardrobe and what’s on your wishlist? kate@strippedbarefashion.com or @stripped.bare.fashion
Ethical fashion for teens and young peopleWhile organic and ethical babies’ and children’s clothing abounds, it suddenly dries up once your child turns about ten. By the time you have a teenager, you are often left with few options that are nothing short of compromise. This brand saves the day.
Mums and Dads looking to help their teens make sweatshop free fashion choices are going to love this one… Nobody’s Child. And the best bit is, your teens are going to love it too! And they’ll keep loving it right up until their twenties and thirties… The dresses might not be lined, the back might not cover bra straps and the tops might reveal a midriff, but that’s what they are supposed to be like! Garments are well and consciously made and not intended for those of us with, let’s say more mature expectations from our clothing.
Having said that, I’ve borrowed a few Nobody’s Child pieces from my daughter and loved wearing them myself. I’ve also shopped their accessories – lots of cute bags and sunglasses – which make perfect presents for Tweens.
My eldest daughter was actually the first person in our house to discover Nobody’s Child and couldn’t wait to sit me down in front of the computer to peruse their fashion forward range. Edgy cuts, up-to-the minute detailing and styling which shows you exactly how to wear their garment right now. It’s become very much the go-to brand for both my teenage daughters.
Eco credentialsEnvironmentally, Nobody’s Child promote their hatred of waste and control their production process from fabric design and dyeing to knitwear, all in their own factories in the UK, Europe and Asia. More information here on their ethical credentials.
And if you – or your youngster – think you can’t afford ethical fashion, think again. These are well made, sweatshop free garments at high street prices.
Topping it all off, the Nobody’s Business magazine is a lot of fun with styling and lifestyle tips that appeal to anyone interested in social media, vlogging, styling and young women’s issues (#girlpower hello!) …and there’s 15% student discount.
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I’d love to hear about ethical fashion brands your young people love! Email me at kate@strippedbarefashion.com or visit the media page for more details.