Fashion is big business. It’s estimated that in 2016 around £40 million was spent on shoes and clothing in the UK alone! But how much do we know about where our clothes come from? What happens when we decide to get rid of them? What is the real price of fast fashion and who is paying it?

We care greatly about the individual and environmental impact of our products and we know you do too. We also know that like us, there are so many companies who care deeply about what goes into their products and the impact this has on the people who make them as well as the planet!

That’s why this week we are celebrating ethical fashion, to help inspire and guide our conscious customers to do the same!

Of course, one of the easiest ways to make sure you are shopping ethically is to buy second-hand. Not only does this mean you are recycling and reducing waste, but by shopping in charity shops and thrift stores you are contributing to small businesses and good causes. What’s not to like about that?

Fashion Forward

There are also a growing number of brands who are choosing to tread a more sustainable path in Fashion.

High Fashion, has seen a rise in young eco- conscious designers. Organisations such as Esthetica, set up by the British Fashion Council in 2006, have been supporting the likes of Katie Jones and Christopher Raeburn, promoting sustainable design at London Fashion Week.

Young Menswear designer John Alexander Skelton is also strongly focused on tackling fashion’s footprint, using repurposed materials and low impact local production methods.

Newcomer Crop by Kate Morris has been making a stir with her vegan knitwear range which just won at the EcoChic Design Awards! Well done Kate!

Finally Who could forget Stella McCartney? The famous vegetarian has been dedicating an increasing amount of attention to promoting ethical practise within the fashion industry. As a part of the Ethical Trading Initiative, the company takes responsible sourcing incredibly seriously, to ensure that no human or animal has been exploited in the making of their products. The company has also been very vocal on the issue of waste and consumption within the fashion industry. The Autumn Winter 17 ad campaign, shot at a Scottish Landfill site, highlights this very clearly! 

Ethical Fashion doesn't have to cost the earth

However, for most of us high fashion prices are out of our reach. The good news is there are also many affordable companies working hard to make a difference too! Here are some of our favourites:

Seattle based Girlfriend Collective have created a capsule collection of stretch sportswear using material created from recycled plastic bottles, available in 10 beautiful colours. For the recent launch of their new ‘Dusty Rose’ line they donated 100% of the profits to Breast Cancer Research! We are in awe. Keep it up girls!

P.i.C this small London company is all about minimal style. The designers have created a capsule collection of 8 pieces. Diverse and interchangeable it is possible to create 50 looks from the tiny range. Emphasising that when it comes to shopping, less is more. All garments use sustainably sourced materials and are made in London.

Fair Trade Fashion Veterans People Tree continue to offer shoppers an ethical alternative to fast fashion. Using sustainable fabrics such as Tencel which is derived from wood pulp and Organic Cotton. Their classic, casual range of simple separates works well with any style.

Even highstreet giants H&M are starting to look more towards eco friendly solutions with their Conscious Collection, which uses sustainably sourced cotton and recycled materials.

Fashion is all about creativity and self-expression! For us creativity is a huge part of what we do. We see creativity as a way we can all make the change we want to see in the world. It’s amazing to see so many designers and shoppers who feel the same becoming more creative with their style and choices to create a better future for us all.