DAY 5: ETHICAL OUTERWEAR
Welcome to day 5 of the blog series…YES, i’m still here! Today we are focusing on outwear, something I am so glad to say we won’t (hopefully) be needing this bank holiday weekend. Outerwear is probably the weakest part of my wardrobe and one that I will have to most probably look into for next winter as I noticed this year my vintage jacket is a little small and my Everlane jacket (a company I rated when I bought it and since have had some concerns over) is in need of some repair/some way of making it a bit warmer. With that in mind, I will be looking in sales of some of the brands below to make it work for our budget, second-hand and saving up and selling on what I already have to find something that works!
Enjoy!
Who: Men and Women
What: Clothing and accessories
Where: Based in the Isle of Wight, made in India and Isle of Wight
Favourites: Women’s zip jacket, Smock Jacket, Flannel Shirt
Price: £
Closed-loop system- circular
Their factory is certified by Social Accountability International - SA8000. It traces all of its supply chain. It visits its suppliers regularly and pays a living wage
Owners of Teemill
Send old products back and get rewarded with a coupon
T-shirts printed in real time so there is no waste
Work with organic cotton and a high use of recycled materials
Who: Women, men and kids
What: Outdoor clothing
Where: Based in the US. and production between the US and China
Favourites: Women's Down With It Parka, Women's Down Sweater Hoody, Women's Micro D™ Snap-T® Fleece Pullover
Price: ££
“Patagonia is in business to save our home planet”.
They turn revive old/unworn Patagonia items into something else if you send them back
Since1985, they have pledged 1% of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment.
There is a high level of transparency on their website and you can learn more about the factories, farms, and mills of those they partner with.
Factories they work with all pay a living wage
Video about patagonia’s social responsibility
Founding member of the Fair Labor Association (FLA),
82% of their line is fairtrade sewn. By 2025, the pledge that 100% of their apparel products will be made in factories that pay a living wage ( currently only 35% pf their factories do). The rest of the factories pay according to the law with regard to the minimum wage
Who: Unisex
What: Small runs of various items- clothing and accessories
Where: Based in the UK, produced in a range of family-run factories from Bucharest to the UK.
Favourites: Somerset Chore Jacket
Price: ££
Small limited runs of each item
Made to order so to reduce waste
Steer clear of on trend-pieces as a means of producing long-lasting products
Fair wages paid
100% natural materials and some recycled
Radical transparency on their website showing the breakdown of each item
Who: Men, women and children
What: Ski wear/winter wear
Where: Based in France, produced in Turkey and India
Favourites: Delva tech jkt, clay pullover, Seen jacket 20w
Price: ££
Certified Bcorp
part of the fair-wear foundation
high use of natural, recycled and organic materials in their production
The finish on their waterproof wear is 100% PFC Free solution : Teflon EcoElite™
Everything is designed to last as long as possible
Working at becoming circular one of their ways is through packaging that you send back.
Incredible video of some of their processes and another one here
High traceability and fair wage paid
Every year, our employees have the opportunity to take part in the Picture Social Program
100% powered by renewable energies, solar panels to produce 40% of our power needs, energy efficiency, collecting rainwater, car/motorcycle recharge stations, a vegetable garden cultivated by employees, a music room, and even a skatepark
Half of our staff takes classes paid for by the company to acquire new skills, either work or non-work related. Would you like to learn a new language or how to play the piano?
We redistribute the resources generated by our business to support environmental and humanitarian causes that we believe in.
100% Maritime shipping as well as optimized trucking for local deliveries
Who: Unisex
What: Clothes and accessories
Where: Based in the UK, produced in Bolton, India and Portugal
Favourites: Pollard jacket, Sherpa gilet, Jenson desert sand
Price: ££
Their hope is to have minimum impact on the planet and as positive an impact on its inhabitants as possible
Use organic cotton and water-based inks for all t-shirts
Vegan
High value on recycled and repurposed products
Products made ethically in Bolton, India and Portugal
Artisans paid a living wage
All factories are GOTS certified
For every piece of clothing from the 1+1 collection bought, an item is donated to someone less fortunate.
Who: Women
What: Clothing, luxury items
Where: Based in London, made in London and South India
Favourites: Over Shirt, Mini-Check, Leila Shirt, Ecru, Frida Shirt, Herringbone
Price: ££
Only work with natural fibres or recycled ones
Where possible they opt for naturally dyed or un-dyed fabrics
The majority of the fabrics are woven in India on traditional wooden handlooms. This age-old technique requires a high level of skill and runs entirely on the expertise and hand-power of the weaver, requiring no electricity throughout the process.
During each December they donate a portion of their profits to charities
Fair wage paid
Small timeless collections
Close relationships with artisans
Host online sewing workshops encouraging you to make yourself
Female founded company who empower other females in their supply chain
Also check out: Stella Mccartney, Finisterre, Thought clothing, Brava fabrics, Fjallraven, story mfg
Incase you missed yesterday’s post on ethical denim, find it here- these brands also do some great denim jackets!