This Sustainable Brand Keeps Making Clothes Which Sell Out, So Why Is It Consistently So Popular?

The idea of a sustainable label making clothes which consistently sell out and are worn by influencers on social media may feel oxymoronic in many ways, at odds with the very idea of sustainability. Ninety Percent, however, is doing things rather differently and, as a result, it's experiencing the kind of success of which most smaller brands dream – all while staying true to its ethos of responsibility and transparency.

If you're not instantly familiar with the label, you're not alone, but chances are you've already seen its wares on your Instagram feed. For the last year, Ninety Percent has cropped up in the posts of countless influencers, seen as part of understated, chic outfits which inspire thousands of screenshots from those keen to recreate them. It's thanks, in large part, to Elliot Atkinson, the label's creative director of almost two years now – formerly of cool Swedish brand BITE Studios – who has helped to reinvigorate Ninety Percent and significantly elevate its offering.

'The main focus has been to elevate the product offering and brand aesthetics, Atkinson says. 'We have evolved the essential wardrobe offering with luxe materials we have developed ourselves. We have also introduced woven [fabrics] through soft tailoring, shirting and shirt-dresses. We are well-known and loved for our sustainable, organic jersey and sweats, so [it's been about] really building on that and establishing this uniqueness as a UK brand championing sustainable clothes at this quality and aesthetic level.'

Originally founded in 2018 by Para Hamilton and Shafiq Hassan, the ethos of the brand has always been fiercely strong, with the entire business model built around sharing 90% of profits with the people who make the clothes, as well as five chosen charities. As a result, it needed to approach manufacture in a very different way, as Atkinson explains: 'The brand is fortunate enough to own its supply chain to a large degree. Shafiq Hassan, our co-founder, created Echotex manufacturing facility in Bangladesh in the 90's. Here, we develop our own sustainable materials using organic and cellulose fibres. We recycle our water and by June 2024, 100% of our water will be recycled on-site, so no chemicals are deployed into rivers and streams.Design-wise, we curate our product offering so as not to bombard our customer with choice, focusing on quality over quantity.'

This has clearly paid off, as the 'sold out' labels often seen on the website would suggest. While the collections are, at first glance, fairly pared-back and simple, the focus is on the fit, the materials used and the way each piece hangs on the body. The Tino trousers, for example, sold out in five days last year when they first launched, and have been restocked several times since. Crafted from organic cotton, the high-waisted silhouette and wide (but not too wide) leg makes them flattering, practical and something easy to wear that still feels special.

'We have an appreciation for women's lives and needs, so we build around that,' says Atkinson. 'This starts as building a foundational everyday wardrobe of jerseys, sweats, trousers, shirts and knits. Our customer has varied uses for our clothes, so creating hybridity through day-to-evening looks is key. Our customer's lifestyle is diverse. We think of the working day, as well as weekend and holidays – what our woman wants for those occasions.'

Other huge successes include the Iphis top – a super-soft, perfectly draped style that could be worn with everything from jeans to long skirts – as well as the Priam dress, which sold out in every colour last summer. So popular were both of these pieces that they have been reintroduced as 'essentials' pieces in the Ninety Percent collection. Given such an incredible sell-out rate, does Atkinson think this compromises the brand's sustainable approach?

'Not necessarily, We have success, but to look at brands who create tens of thousands of units of one style, we have an incredibly low impact comparatively. We edit and curate collections to be succinct and with purpose. We listen to our customer and carry-over styles which are popular. We want to build reliability in relationship with our customers, our community.'

Also, the fact that the brand must adhere to strict sustainability goals means that it has a more innovative approach than most when it comes to choosing fabric. 'Fortunately, we are able to develop a lot of our own materials ourselves in Bangladesh, so this takes some of the pressure off. Recently we have introduced luxe heavyweight organic cotton rib, as well as organic cotton luxe fleece back sweats. One of our popular fabrications is a butter-soft Micromodal for dresses, tops and essentials. For tailoring and shirting, we try to stick to sustainable viscose or Tencel.'

What Ninety Percent shows is that it is possible to create desirable, practical clothes while adhering to a more responsible way of manufacturing. These are clothes with purpose – they have clear intent and are designed to sit happily in a wardrobe for years to come. We've long been bombarded by the idea of a 'capsule wardrobe', which has become a fairly nebulous concept over the years; Ninety Percent really is creating that, however. Clothes which, with a little imagination, could take you to any event, in any season.

Since he is at the helm of a brand so pioneering in its way of working, what does Atkinson feel is the best way to tackle fashion's terrible environmental impact? 'Over-production is a huge issue. There is too much new product being made. Our solution is to offer less, only styles we think have real purpose. There is a broader socio-economic picture as to why so many consumers feel their only option is the cheaper high-street brands. Instead of assigning blame, we hope to invite more women to our community, choosing quality over quantity and more sustainable materials with lower impact.'

Shop: Ninety Percent's Best Pieces

Hannah Banks-Walker is Grazia's head of fashion commerce. She has previously written for the likes of Harper's Bazaar, The Financial Times Glamour, Stylist, The Telegraph, Red, i-D and The Pool on everything from fashion to curly hair (hi!) to the patriarchy. Not necessarily in that order. Find her on Instagram and Twitter. But please don't look for her MySpace profile, which until now was the last time she wrote about herself in the third person.