This week we've been championing sustainable fashion and investigating the sad facts that the fashion industry relies on cheap fabric, exploitative labour and a lengthy, complicated supply chain. Want that £3.99 T-shirt? There’s a good chance that the desire for this basic garment comes at the expense of an underpaid garment worker in a developing country. Things are, however, changing slowly – the combined effect of new legislation, increased consumer awareness and the tireless work of non-profit organisations like Fashion Revolution. Still, union workers are being jailed in Bangladesh for striking over criminally low wages, activists are being attacked and silenced by untrustworthy governments, and factory fires are still a relatively common cause of death for garment workers. We need to do more.
It may sound an unachievable mission but a new generation of design talent is proving that, with enough creativity and commitment, clothing can be both innovative and sustainably made. Some use organic fibres or recycled textiles. Others work with local craftspeople, eliminating the need for global exports and the air pollution caused by fuel transit. These are all small changes which ultimately prove that style doesn’t need to come at the expense of others.
Better still, these designers are using a new language of sustainability. Devoid of press buzzwords, their explanations of their brand ethos and design aesthetic break down the complex web of effects so often reduced to terms like ‘ethical’ or ‘green.’
Bethany Williams, for example, works with local communities and creates a cycle of income still anomalous in the fashion industry. The Autonomous Collections make unique garments from scrap fabric in their east London studio; Jodie Ruffle uses couture embroidery techniques with small adjustments, which results in a beautifully imperfect aesthetic. Elliss incorporates sustainable manufacturing without compromising design, whereas ONEBYME has created an entire world around their gender-fluid vision that turns fabric waste into delicious cupcakes.
These inventive minds are exploring and expanding their creativity without exploiting workers or polluting the environment; they’re part of a new generation for whom sustainability is a natural consideration, not a passing trend intended to sway new consumers. Ultimately, they are part of today’s fashion revolution.
The Autonomous Collections
“The word ‘autonomous’ means independent, free or self-ruling, and that is what The Autonomous Collections is about: expressing autonomy through fashion. Our London-based brand takes an ethical approach to fabrication and design, offering a bold aesthetic that is wearable and considered.
We think about how to create each step of the design process responsibly, whether that be using scrap fabric, zero waste or organic and natural fibres. All of these can be used in the same design.
We hand-make all of our products in our studio in east London, ensuring each garment has its own unique characteristics. We believe that fashion should represent the uniqueness and originality of the individual wearing it.”
Jodie Ruffle
“My work centres around a return to traditional craft; deconstructed embroidery techniques that value the beauty of imperfections and unpredictabilities are applied to an easy-fit, sportswear silhouette.
I take a wabi-sabi approach, often creating my textiles inside out – working from the back to reveal the raw qualities of stitch on the front. I want each of my pieces to have a story behind them, so I emphasise all the imperfections that happen during the creative process; every stitch and knot is visible.
Each piece is created by hand in my London studio, always with consideration for sustainability. It’s semi-couture, socially responsible streetwear.”
Bethany Williams
“The brand identity of Bethany Williams is about working and collaborating with a charity each season. Sustainability is integral, social responsibility is imperative; we aim to create a brand that is socially engaging, helping and supporting local communities. Through this collaboration we hope to create collections embedded with real people and cause a real effect through a cycle of exchange and generation of profit given to connected charities.
Our charity engagement, closed-loop system and alternative fashion production mark us apart – we believe fashion’s reflection on the world can create positive change. We encourage British craftsmanship by working with local craftsmen, women factories and suppliers to create traditional, hand-crafted techniques within print, woven, knitted and embroidered textiles. Similarly, all garments are 100% recycled or organic, including their component parts such as materials, zips and threads.”
Elliss
“The pieces are clean, flattering cuts with unusual detailing and print. The ethos of the brand is ‘Unconscious Clothing’, which is a play on the idea of the ‘Unconscious Customer’. The women who buy our clothes may not be looking for something eco-friendly, but they may choose a piece because of the design – to be unconsciously conscious.
The placement of the print is very important because I work with the body but also against it, challenging and jolting the female form. Collection I was inspired by the women who spoke out before others would; I incorporated 18th and 19th century portraiture into prints. The most recent collection is a commentary on nudity and what sexualises the human body – specifically, the female body.”
ONEBYME
“ONEBYME is a gender-fluid, urban luxury fashion brand. We craft garments from ONE piece of cloth, woven from 100% natural fibres by mills here in the UK.
Imagine a world where fashion waste turns into food. That’s the ONEBYME World. We place our fabric offcuts into our Wormery. Our Wormery yields compost, and from the compost we grow herbs – like the basil used to make our delicious Lemon Basil Cupcakes.”
Further reading
These Brands Prove Sustainable Fashion Isn't Boring
Why I Gave Up Fast Fashion (& How You Can, Too)
...or find everything in 'Fashion Conscience' here.
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