As the world watches the events unfolding at COP26, the fashion industry (like the politicians whizzing around in private jets) should be feeling hot under the collar. Why, in a nutshell, should it care about the UN's Climate Change Conference? According to Orsola de Castro, global creative director of Fashion Revolution, because it has an obligation to change its ways. 'Fashion is one of the industries with among the highest social and environmental footprint and, as it affects pretty much 100% of the population, has an enormous responsibility to clean up its act.'
As consumers of fashion, we, too, have the same responsibility. And a huge part of that is making more considered choices about what to buy and where to buy it from. 'Right now, shoppers don't really get a chance to know, and support, a whole new generation of designer innovators and that is because the mainstream fashion industry is in itself an invasive species. It has invaded our urban environment, our online world, giving little space to anything else,' says de Castro. But there are other options outside the high street and high end. Fashion Open Studio, in partnership with the British Council, has asked nine designers from around the world to showcase their takes on the talk's themes - Adaption and Resilience, and Nature - as part of a physical and virtual schedule of events that is rolling out until November 12.
'There is a whole world out there, what we are doing is trying to increase signposting, so that more people will look for it. It’s the only, real alternative we have, when it comes to challenging the mainstream, we need to champion the radicals,' says de Castro.
These 'radicals' include South Africa's Sindiso Khumalo, who is hosting an embroidery as repair workshop; Nepal's Bora Studio, who will be teaching guests how to eco-print with autumn leaves; and Thailand's Bhukram, who will discuss the art of foraging from nature. Each is deeply committed to its community, and the environment that surrounds it. From Bhupan, a region in northeast Thailand, Bhukram will be offering a rare glimpse into Pilan Thaisuang, its founder's, studio, and an insight into the embroidery techniques that tell the story of the indigenous Phu Phan community.
'From designers that were 100% committed from the start, to brands who are continuously deepening their sustainable journey, each and every one deserve all the visibility and support they can get,' says de Castro, who won't be attending COP26, but will be following the designers via the mobile installation, as well as campaigns like #SheChangesClimate, and This Is Ecocide.
If you are in Glasgow, you can follow the roaming installation created by Peut-Porter, a south London-based design collective. Based around the concept of human billboards and Victorian 'Banner Ladies', the installation will pop up in nine locations across the city between today and November 7, hosting workshops that are based around the techniques, skills and perspectives that are cherished by each of the designers. If not, you can follow the entire project from the comfort of your home. De Castro, for one, has learnt a lot from each designer. 'That’s the thing - they call us ‘mentors’ but really, I learn just as much as I teach. We are all both learners and educators in life.'
SHOP: The Best Sustainable Brands To Add To Your Wardrobe
OMNES, Leonie Midi Shirt Dress in Black Orange Check, £69
OMNES is a sustainable womenswear fashion brand that builds the bridge between conscious consumption with eco-friendly fabrics and responsible design at its core. Look out for its beyond-pretty prints.
Baum Und Pferdgarten, Ahadi Dress, £189
Baum und Pferdgarten's Responsible Edit are made from organic cotton and recycled fabrics to be 'considerate to the planet, and its people'. The full range starts from £49, and doesn't compromise on the Scandi cool that the brand is known for.
Monika The Label, Camille Animal Print Slip Dress, £270
Monika The Label is a UK brand made in North London. They also produce the majority of the collection in organic cotton or Regenesis Light Satin (a material made out of recycled plastic bottles), and use deadstock fabric to create bandanas and scrunchies.
Mashu, Cassiopeia Cork and White, £432
Mashu, a London-based handbag label, uses materials such as recycled polyester, the natural fibre pinatex and repurposed wood from old furniture to make top-handle totes and sleek belt bags in its family-run factory of five artisans in Athens.
Shaina Mote, Lucqa Top In Salt, £142.42
This minimalist brand, based in LA, is all about timeless staples with 'made locally' credentials, such as effortless slip dresses and sweaters with added slouch. Tencel, made from eucalyptus trees, rayon, made from wood pulp, and MicroModal, from beechwood trees, are three of its sustainably harvested hero materials.
The Level Store, Linen Blazer, £69
One of the easiest ways to lower your carbon footprint is to buy second-hand. The Level Store, an online marketplace that aims to promote a circular economy, takes the rummage hassle out of vintage shopping. The edit of classic trenches, tailoring, sweaters and handbags is impressively premium, plus it donates €1 from every order to reforestation projects in Portugal.
Sheep Inc, 001 Medium Knit Lupin Lilac, £160
The clue's in the name. Sheep Inc is a carbon-negative, 100% transparent sweater brand. Each wool jumper comes with a digital tag, meaning you can track its manufacturing journey from New Zealand to your wardrobe. Test out its mantra – 'Strangers will want to pet you' – for yourself.
Hereu, Plaited Padded-detail Shoulder Bag, £346
Mediterranean Spain, and its legacy of craftsmanship, is the inspiration behind accessories label Hereu. The shoes (flat loafers, espadrilles and lace-ups) and bags (baskets and woven leather cross-bodies) are all designed and produced in Barcelona.
O Pioneers, Milly Blouse, £170
If you can't get enough of prairie dresses, you need to know about O Pioneers. Founded in north London, the limited-edition and one-off designs are handmade using deadstock and vintage fabrics. Fun fact: co-founder Clara Francis made the beaded headress Emma Watson wears in Little Women.
Ssōne, Joanie Embroidered Recycled-Cashmere Sweater, £473
Fashion insiders are already falling for Ssōne, the London label that specialises in socially-conscious, environmentally friendly statement pieces, each of which comes with facts about its provenance.
Hai, Puff Gina, £122
So there's never any leftover stock that's wasted, Hai's playful scrunchies and bags are produced in small batches (also minimising your chances of unwanted 'twinning'). Silks are coloured with eco-reactive dye (less damaging than regular versions), and its packaging uses zero plastic.
All Blues, S-link Gold-Vermeil Bracelet, £500
The weighty chain-link necklace is set to continue its reign as one of the year's most-desired pieces. Join the club the sustainable way with All Blues, which handcrafts its designs in Stockholm from recycled sterling silver. The definition of a forever piece.
Rave Review, Striped Upcycled-Wool Jacket, £715
All of Rave Review's big personality patchwork coats – a firm street-styler favourite – are made using upcycled garments, resolutely proving that second-hand doesn't mean second-best.
ESSĒN, Foundation Flats, £149
Flat mock-croc Chelsea boots, glove-fit ballet pumps and chunky ankle-strap sandals – all of which are big for SS20 – are all part of ESSĒN's pared-back designs. Collections are designed with a small carbon footprint in mind. Its new styles are produced through a pre-order model, so they're only made when ordered, thereby avoiding overproduction.
Veja, Rio Branca Ripstop Kaki Pearl, £105
The Duchess of Sussex is a fan - and you will be too once you hear the roll call of Veja's sustainable and ethical credentials. Founded in 2005, it buys agro-ecological cotton and rubber directly from family producers in Brazil, signing one to three year contracts to guarantee income, its logistics workers are part of Atelier Sans Frontieres, an organisation promoting the professional integration of people who have been excluded from the labour market, and it's the first trainer brand to use B-mesh, a fabric made entirely from recycled plastic bottles. It has also purchased 195 tons of wild rubber, to preserve 120,000 hectares of the Amazon rainforest, since 2004.
Reformation, Mandy Minimal Block Heel Mule, £215
Reformation is as dedicated to sustainability as it is to making Insta hit after Insta hit. Its RefScale tracks its environmental footprint - adding up the pounds of carbon dioxide emitted, gallons of water used and pounds of waste generated - so that the company can then offset those resources. International shipping is now free - and totally offset, naturally.
Allbirds, Women's Wool Runners, £95
This New Zealand sneaker brand's mantra - 'Light on your feet, easy on the planet,' - tells you all you need to know. The trainers - made from superfine merino wool, processed using 60% less energy than materials used in synthetic shoes, tencel lyocell, which uses 95% less water than cotton and sugarcane, a renewable resource transformed into Allbirds's SweetFoam soles - really do feel like clouds for your feet. It also takes its carbon footprint seriously - good news for a shoe label - and is a 100% carbon-neutral business.
Mother Of Pearl, Zariah Belted Ruched Cotton-Blend Poplin Midi Dress, £175
Mother of Pearl isn't just committed to making sustainable clothes, it also cares deeply about its company culture reflecting its ethos. It has a vegetarian lunch scheme for staff, with produce sourced from local producers via Farmdrop, the office itself runs on green energy and it even uses toilet paper from Who Gives A Crap, a charity who donates 50% of its profits to improving sanitation in the developing world.
Peony, Gingham Check Print Swimsuit, £155
This Aussie brand has prettily printed bikinis and swimsuits made largely from Econyl, nylon that has been regenerated from abandoned fishing nets and nylon waste. All its fabrications also meet the Oeko-Tex Standard 100, the highest certifiable standard for ensuring responsible use of chemicals during the fabric construction.
Bassike, Printed Cotton-Twill Shorts, £87.50
The Aussie brand Bassike, founded in 2006, already has some impressive stats under its (pleasingly minimal) belt. Its organic cotton jersey was developed and is made in Melbourne with 95% certified-organic fibres, which biodegrade and are produced without pesticides, it donates past season samples to a company that turns them into cleaning rags and its paper and cardboard packaging is 100% recyclable and biodegradable.
Fisch, Select Fish-Print Low-Back Swimsuit, £195
Fisch's eco-credentials are as on-point as its scoop-backed, squared-necked cossies. They're made out of Italian Econyl, a 100% regenerated nylon fibre created from fishing nets and other types of nylon waste, which is woven in Lombardy, Italy.
E.L.V, Mid Blue Match Boyfriend Jean, £285
The denim sector of the fashion and textiles industry is one of the worst culprits in terms of sustainability because of the amount of water and chemicals involved in the dyeing and production processes. Each pair of zero-waste E.L.V jeans, however, is made from two pairs of discarded jeans that would otherwise end up in landfill and are produced in a five-mile radius between Dalston and Walthamstow.
RE/DONE, Wonder Woman 1984 Cheetah-Print Stretch-Jersey Body, £155
As its name suggests, the LA-based Re/Done is all about making something new out of something old. That 'something old' is previously worn Levi's jeans that are hand-picked and hand-cut in limited quantities. The result is the perfect straight jeans, bell bottoms and ankle crops.
Everlane, The Utility Barrel Pant, £71
Everlane, the San Francisco-based start-up that proves sustainable clothes don't have to cost the earth, has a simple mission statement: 'radial transparency'. It has extensive information about each of its ethical factories online - from the loafer factory in Brescia, Italy, to the knitting factory in Fujian, China - and lists where every single garment was made, and from what materials, in the product information.
Adidas By Stella McCartney, Treino Mid-Cut Print Shoes, £170
No luxury label has made bigger waves in the sustainable fashion market than Stella McCartney. Some of her most innovative experiments under the adidas by Stella McCartney umbrella involve the 'Infinite Hoodie' - 100% recyclable and created with advanced textile innovation company Evrnu from garment waste - and the biodegradable 'Biofabric Tennis Dress', made in partnership with Bolt Threads, a company specialising in bioengineered sustainable fabrics and fibres. While neither was put into production, both prototypes prove that closed loop clothing is not only possible, but desirable.
Ninety Percent, Tie-Dyed Organic Cotton-Jersey Track Pants, £91
Ninety Percent does exactly what it says on the tin, donating 90% of its profits, and has a platform on its website that allows customers to vote for their chosen cause after making a purchase. Its materials are strictly sourced from reputable suppliers, and features a lot of tencel, a fabric made from renewable wood pulp in a closed loop system.
Lee, Breese in Dark Joni, £52.50
Every season, Lee find new ways to create with lower impact on the planet, whether it be reduced water, less waste, or using organic fibres. The brand's 'For a World That Works' programme employs multiple innovative techniques and initiatives to make a blue planet greener. This includes recycled fibres, Indigood foam dyeing, Crystal Clear dyeing, organic fibres, recycled hardware, biodegradable back patches and more.
Mercer, W3RD Vegan Wine Sneaker, £225
Dutch sneaker brand Mercer has been a pioneer in sustainability for nearly eight years. Aiming to change the average shoppers perception of sustainable and vegan fashion as cool and contemporary and 'not all socks and sandals', they produced the first-ever sneaker made from pineapple 'leather', and more recently wine leather, cactus leather, and soles from algae and more.
WEAR DEADSTOCK, Dickies Lagrange Peach Hoodie, £49.99
WEAR DEADSTOCK is a small family run business passionate about sustainability and providing quality deadstock pieces. Deadstock is a term used to describe an item which is no longer in manufacture so all of their pieces are exclusive and limited.
SlowCo, D THE BRAND, Red Tulle Midi Dress, £227
SlowCo are a multi-brand slow fashion retail platform, specialising in sustainability and inclusivity. The brand believes in a "less but better" philosophy, and has created a space where everyone is represented.
Damson Madder, Faith Check Fleece Over Shirt, £85
Damson Madder are passionate about each of their pieces featuring as many sustainable attributes as possible, and being completely transparent it. The brand's aim is to be open about the origin of their fabrics and to the fact that they might not always get it right every time.