Palm baja printed hemp culottes, £59.90, Thought; palm baja button back hemp top, £59.90, Thought
Olivia Buxton Smith, style writer
27 APRIL 2017 • 11:39AM
In the midst of Fashion Revolution week, we're taking the opportunity to shine a light on some little-known brands that have set the bench park admirably high when it comes to acting on the need for sustainable fashion. The fact that these under-the-radar labels source their products responsibly, means they can be proud of their production processes from start to finish.
''Since launching Fashion Revolution I've become acutely aware of the complexity of fashion supply chains and the need for transparency,'' Carry Somer, co-founder of Fashion Revolution tells The Telegraph. She advocates always asking the question 'who made my clothes' before making a purchase.
Holly Rogers, founder of ethical clothing boutique, The Acey, believes that ''the combination of media exposure of both the negative impacts of the clothing factory disasters, and the positives of innovative new brands operating with integrity, has seen consumers actively seeking out consciously created clothing.''
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And she's right. There are now a plethora of fabulous, sustainable clothing and accessory brands that defy all preconceptions. ''There's still a stigma around ethical clothing just being ‘boho’ but consumers perceptions are shifting and becoming more open minded as they see relevant, contemporary clothing that has been mindfully made,'' Rodgers continues.
From luxe activewear to affordable bag brands, and from silky evening attire to ethically produced trainers: here's our round up of the stylish sustainable you need to know about.
Thought
Thought model shot
Iris tencel denim midi dress, £69.90, Thought
What's the story? Thought was launched by two friends David and John in Australia in 1992, as a collection of men's shirts and beachwear made from sustainable ramie and hemp. In 2002, John brought the brand over seas to the UK and set up a pop-up store on Notting Hill's Portobello Road. The brand expanded into womenswear in 2005, never wavering from their sustainable roots, and is now stocked in over 1000 shops worldwide. Thought continues to use sustainable products like rayon and tencel from ethically sourced wood, recycled polyester which gives a new lease of life to plastic bottles destined for landfill, and wool from humanely reared animals.
Head there for: Sweet denim midi dresses (ideal for wafting around a sunny holiday destination as well as layering over a stripy T-shirt at the weekend), printed hemp dresses (good for teaming with black cropped trousers and trainers while it's still cold), simple cotton tops and cosy cardigans.
£££: Loungewear from £22, dresses and trousers from £39 and jackets from £69.
Silou Activewear
Silou Activewear model shot
Nadya cropped leggings, £120, Silou Activewear; Lydia sportsbra, £105, Silou Activewear
What's the story? The luxury activewear brand is the brainchild of Russian model and keen yogi, Tatiana Kovylina. Each piece is made in Lithuania - one of the most specialised textile producing countries in the EU, renowned for its aptitude in both traditional sewing and next generation materials. The brand uses non-toxic materials that are good for the body and the environment, and avoids using any harsh chemicals so that production impacts are left to the bare minimum.
Head there for: Sleek workout leggings and matching sports bras in navy and black, boxy collarless sweatshirts and coordinating trousers, simple tank tops and flattering jumpsuits. In short, this is gym gear you will want to mooch around in all day long.
£££: Leggings from £120, sweatshirts from £140 and jumpsuits from £290.
Laura Ironside
Laura Ironside model shot
Crepe backed satin silk Knight bias-cut dress, £790, Laura Ironside
What's the story? Womenswear Designer Laura Ironside recently launched her eponymous label which focuses on slowing down the fashion cycle and encouraging conscious consumption by creating seasonless and limited styles which are designed and developed in Scotland and then manufactured in London.
Head there for: Sumptuous silk dresses and two pieces which are perfect for all of your spring events, in dreamy shades of ivory, pewter and gold. If you're looking for something special to wear to a wedding but don't want to turn up in the same dress as someone else, then this might be just what you've been looking for.
£££: Tops start at £260 and dresses at £790. Pieces are also available for lease as a means of making high-fashion more accessible without skimping on ethics.
Zoe Morton
Zoe Morton model shot
CREDIT: JACK SNELL
Plantlife band, £155, Zoe Morton; Plantlife earrings, £175, Zoe Morton
What's the story? Zoe Morton set up her eponymous jewellery and lifestyle brand off the back of an eight-month trip around the world, which provided her with the inspiration for stylish, minimal products that could sit alongside an adventurous lifestyle. Morton's first collection was inspired by her grandfather who was a wood carver and painter, aptly named The Greenwood Collection, and is made in London from recycled silver.
Head there for: Delicate, simple pendants that will look just as good layered over a simple white T-shirt as they will hanging above the neckline of an evening dress, leaf-shaped earrings and band rings which are just as versatile, and chic basket bags that double up as a backpack.
£££: Earrings from £95, necklaces from £125 and rings from £135.
Baia
Baia model shot
Drawstring leather bucket bag, £300, Baia
What's the story? Founder Suzy Brown heads up a small, skilled team who are based in Yorkshire and handmake every bag that emerges from the workshop from start to finish. Brown, without the money required to go to a factory and not wanting to face the prospect of minimum orders, started the brand at home with a leather sewing machine and a hammer and watched it grow from there.
Head there for: Perfectly formed bucket bags, handy cross-body bags and hold-all totes in covetable shades of olive-green, navy-blue, dove-grey and powder-pink.
£££: Prices range from £150 for a micro bucket bag to £360 for a tote.
Veja
Veja model shot
What's the story? The Parisian trainer brand was launched in 2004 by Sébastien Kopp & François Morillion in an attempt to rethink how trainers are made. And the duo have defied all odds and done exactly that. The canvas is made from organic cotton, with wild rubber from the Amazon to create the soles. And the pair work with independent farmers to source materials to create innovative ecological fabrics, including shoes made from the skin of fish eaten by locals in Brazil, where the trainers are manufactured. Still not convinced? Emma Watson and Agelina Jolie are both fans.
Head there for: Cool, unique, versatile trainers, that come in a range of designs, from simple white styles, to multi-coloured and most recently organic silk, all complete with a subtle V stitched on both sides.
£££: Prices start at £65 (stocklists include The Acey and Selfridges).