It’s no secret that the fashion industry causes a lot of harm to the environment. It’s the third most polluting industry after fossil fuels and agriculture - and produces 10% of our annual carbon footprint (which is more than shipping and flying combined).
So lumping the words ‘sustainable’ and ‘fashion’ together feels like an oxymoron. Yet we can barely move for brands that claim to be sustainable and putting the environment first. Any new piece of clothing that gets produced is not going to be 100% sustainable - and in order to be truly sustainable, the answer is to not consume another item of clothing. Ever again. But not only is that not realistic from a practical sense, a lot of people (myself included) get a lot from the creativity and expressionism that fashion and playing with style brings.
I’m certainly not perfect in my clothing consumption (I love the high street as much as the next person) but as I’ve gotten older, one element of a piece of clothing I’ll look at is where it’s made. We’ve all seen (and heard about) the horrific conditions of factories and sweatshops around the world, where workers are expected to churn out garment after garment in gruelling, unsafe conditions for little to no pay. Then there’s the further detrimental impact on our planet as these masses of clothing get shipped to countries much richer than the ones in which they were made.
So in this post, I’m shining a light on the brands that make their clothing, shoes and/or accessories in the British Isles. Brands that favour keeping production local, which not only helps keep the industry here alive but it helps to minimise that carbon footprint.
Cawley Studio
First up is Cawley, by designer Hannah Cawley. It was founded in 2017 and has since gone from strength to strength, establishing a unique design point of view with its utilitarian-meets-feminine styles that transcend trends and seasons. Cloth is sourced from traditional fabric mills in England, Ireland, Portugal, India and Japan, then each piece is made in London - many of which are made to order. Expect oilskin jackets, vests in wool or quilted cotton (like I’m wearing in the image above), balloon trousers in delicious Irish linen, and super-warm sheepskin jackets.
Good news for menswear and homeware fans: Cawley has recently started creating those collections too. Find it online at Cawleystudio.com, Matches, and Young British Designers (YBD currently has 50% off everything too - use code FINAL50 at checkout).
Calm Amongst the Chaos
Calm Amongst the Chaos is a brand based in the New Forest, where a small team designs and makes every item using natural fabrics. Each piece is made to order (that means no excess stock or wastage) and any fabric scraps are sent to a local charity to be reused or recycled.
Not only is Calm Amongst the Chaos’ production method to be applauded but its designs are up there with some of my favourites. Proportions are oversized, silhouettes are genuinely interesting and each piece can be easily dressed up or down, depending on the occasion. Find it online at Calmamongstthechaos.co.uk.