Icelandic textile designer and artist Ýr Jóhannsdóttir has recently been making waves in the realms of fashion and textiles for her whimsical, colourful and fabulously eccentric garments, all produced under the label Yrurari. Knitting is the backbone of her practice, but her response to the craft is far from traditional, ranging from upcycling old jumpers…
Category Archives: SUSTAINABILITY
The quilters of Gee’s Bend have achieved worldwide recognition for transforming the act of quilting into an artform, one which they have passed from generation to generation over the past 200 years. Their work is now held in museums worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum and the Smithsonian. But it is only in recent years, thanks…
Sustainability and zero waste might be buzz words in the world of fashion today, but legendary Belgian designer Martin Margiela was one of the first to experiment with the genre. From 1988 to 2008 he produced some of the most bizarre and eccentric garments the fashion world had seen, making necklaces from champagne corks or…
British-Iraqi designer Walid al Damirji is obsessed with fabric. His London studio is bursting to the brim with a fascinating treasure trove of historical textiles, from embroidered Chinese silk to Victorian taffeta, Edwardian linen and 19th century religious robes. This rich archive of collected fabrics is the backbone of his eponymous fashion brand By Walid,…
One of the greatest problems faced by the fashion industry is the ongoing production of virgin materials, in a world that is already overflowing with waste. The fashion accessories brand BEEN London are one of a new generation of designers tackling this issue head on, by only working with repurposed, recycled and renewable materials. From…
Founded in 2018, global fashion brand Pangaia make minimalist, relaxed lounge and sportswear with a difference. All their fibres and fabrics are made from naturally derived or recycled sources. They also work with some surprisingly unconventional raw materials, including seaweed, wildflowers, mushrooms, fruits and vegetables, many of which would otherwise end up in waste. Working…
Global sportswear brand Patagonia are passionate about the great outdoors, and the role we play within it. On the one hand, their clothes are tough, durable and built to last, designed to withstand the wildest and most remote adventures the planet has to offer. But Patagonia are also deeply aware of the destructive impact clothing…
From remnants of antique rugs to recycled denim and swatches of old cashmere, Uruguayan-American designer Gabriela Hearst demonstrates how high-end fashion can be made in the most sustainable and ecologically aware way. Along with her eponymous fashion house, Hearst is also creative director of the established fashion house Chloe, and in both ventures, Hearst wants…
As the word “sustainability” becomes more mainstream, it is important to understand what it means and how to recognise true sustainability. We need to look after our planet, our resources and our people to ensure that we can live sustainably. What is Sustainability? United Nations defined sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without…
The most sustainable clothes are the ones we already own. This is, of course, common sense. And anyone who has read or watched Marie Kondo on Netflix will be more than ready to hold their hands up and admit that they have enough clothes to happily see them – and their entire families – through…
Kombucha is an acquired taste. As you may know, it’s really not everybody’s cup of tea. But its enjoying quite a moment. We see it in a whole range of drinks these days, in supermarkets and the healthier sorts of cafes. It even has its own extremely popular hashtag on Instagram, highlighting this fizzy, whizzy…
I once attempted to set up my own little silk worm farm. I was hoping to grow my own silk as part of my research for a book I wrote, Green is the New Black: How to change the world in style. In theory, it was all very simple. I ordered some silk worm eggs…
My teenage daughter recently joined one of the Youth Strike 4 Climate days instigated by the Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg. It was part of the Fridays for Future campaign where pupils from around the world walk out of school to protest about the lack of urgency they feel the adults in power are…
Picking your way through the minefield of which fabrics are kinder to the planet, there is a lot of confusion around cotton. As consumers and makers we tend to think cotton is one of the most humble, natural and biodegradable fabrics on the market. It comes from the natural world – we can all picture…
Getting dressed in the morning, buying clothes in store or textiles for the home, the questions on our minds, as consumers and makers, are usually along the lines of: does it fit me? Do I like the style and colour? Is it easy to wash? As the world is waking up to the hidden cost…
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