This side of sustainable fashion often gets overlooked, but it’s so important to know how we can properly take care of clothes so they last longer. Fashion Revolution actually calculated that 25% of the carbon footprint of clothes comes from the way we care for them! And especially how we wash and dry them, so here are my best tips to make your clothes last!

This is Gaia from @ssustainably_ taking you through some of my best tips and learnings I’ve gathered over time.

Washing clothes. How often?

You’ll be surprised to know that these simple actions not only lessened my environmental impact, they also saved me so much time AND money! It’s a win-win! I learnt that washing clothes as often as we’re told to actually ruins clothes in the long run.

I used to wash my clothes after every wear, now I only wash undergarments (or anything that’s in contact with my skin) and synthetic workout clothes regularly. Synthetics especially I wash as soon as I take them off because they absorb oils and odour so if I sweat in synthetics I make sure to wash them straight away. Anything that isn’t in contact with my skin like sweaters, trousers and jackets I only wash a few times a year.

Jeans especially, as the CEO of Levis said, should never be washed! I just spot clean them (to remove a specific stain without washing the whole garment) and if they’re smelly I just air them out so they freshen up. And this is actually valid for all clothes! Another thing to try is just steaming clothes which deodorizes, sanitises and softens then. To remove germs you also don’t need to wash clothes! Elizabeth Cline in her book The Conscious Closet explains that line-drying clothes in the sun is as effective as bleach in killing germs! A very important thing is to always remember to check the care label of a garment before washing it.

How to wash them?

I like to wait until I have a full load before I machine wash clothes, that way I save energy, water and time! Although I avoid overfilling when machine washing my clothes because that can cause too much friction which damages fibres. When I do my washing instead of using normal detergent I use a laundry egg which is a refillable ball with biodegradable pellets that replace detergent and fabric softener.

I also use a guppy bag which is not only great to reduce the number of microplastics that synthetics garments shed, it also significantly reduces fibre breakage, protecting your clothes from wear and tear. Read more on the topic on Renoon’s previous post by Anastasia.

I usually wash in cold water as it saves so much energy and colours remain vibrant.

Drying our clothes. What are the ways?

After washing my clothes I avoid machine drying whenever I can. This is obviously easier in summer but can be easily done in winter too, it just takes a little longer. Air drying clothes is not only a way to save energy, it’s also so much better for your clothes. Just keep in mind that white clothes brighten if left to dry in the sunlight but with dark clothes it’s better not to leave them in direct sunlight or else the colour might fade.

Storing the clothes

Washing less and better is not the only way to make clothes last longer, storing them properly is also important. I always make sure my clothes are clean before putting them away as dirt can attract moths. Lavender is also useful to get rid of them.

Another important thing that I try to do as much as possible is organising my clothes to reduce clutter, give them breathing space and reduce wrinkling! Repairing our clothes is also crucial to make them last, I’m personally not very skilled at sewing so I bring my clothes to a tailor when they need to be repaired or altered.

Don’t avoid the tags

As Ruth McGlip said in this article, it’s important that brands as well put in the effort to encourage their consumers to make their clothes last. She stresses the importance of offering clear and concise washing instructions on care tags and she adds that clothes should be sold with extra replacement buttons or embellishments to make mending and repairing clothes easier and therefore increase clothing longevity.

To me it’s imperative that I try to do better and extend the life of my clothes through these small, simple steps, but I also know that I can’t take all the responsibility for “greening” the fashion industry. As well as making our clothes last, I like to be part of a movement that supports brands that are doing their best to manufacture garments that are durable and easy to care for.

Originally published at https://renoon.com.

The Level — on Renoon

With the real and intensifying threat of climate change, we all need to do our bit for the environment and shopping secondhand is a great way to do so!

Numbers on second-hand and sustainability

Producing new clothes requires huge amounts of resources both human and natural, as I touched on in previous blog posts. On the other hand, secondhand clothes have already been produced and extending their life reduces their impact on the environment.

Fashion Revolution calculated that doubling the useful life of clothing from one to two years reduces emissions over the year by 24%! This obviously also means that re-wearing your clothes is the most sustainable option before you go out and buy new ones, but if you do need something you don’t already own, chances are that you can find it on the preloved section on the Renoon app, that combines what’s out there from multiple websites at once!

Re-wearing is so important if we consider that we buy 60% more clothes than we did 15 years ago and only keep them for half as long! (Fashion Revolution) With the pace of the industry constantly increasing, to the point where around 150 billion garments are produced annually (Sustainable Apparel Materials 2015), clothes we bought just 6 months ago can start to feel old as new styles are rapidly introduced.

Where to get started on second hand

Have you ever rummaged through your mum or grandma’s wardrobe to discover that the now very trendy bell bottom trousers were also popular back then? If not, what are you waiting for? Trends are circular, nothing you see on shelves today is really new, a lot of it is actually inspired by looks of the past!

This is why I absolutely love shopping secondhand, you can find a lot of gems that resemble current trends but are likely to be made with better, more durable, quality materials! Clothes in the past were more expensive and made to last, unlike the current fast fashion garments which are cheaply made to be constantly replaced.

Secondhand stores store unique quality garments for all pockets! If charity shops aren’t your thing, try looking for consignment stores or vintage stores which are usually more expensive but sell more high end, luxury items in great conditions.

Keeping clothes alive

As we currently produce and consume so many garments, you’re probably wondering, where do they all end up? Aside from our crowded closets filled with impulse purchases we regret, a great deal of clothes are landfilled. In the UK, an estimated 300,000 tones of clothes, worth around £140 million, are thrown away and go to landfills every year (Wrap, 2017). This goes to show that by wasting garments, we are wasting value and all the precious resources that went into the making of those garments. Aside from re-wearing, restyling and repurposing our existing clothes, we can lessen this waste by giving another life to someone else’s clothes.

Diverting clothes from landfill is so important as garments in landfill release harmful substances and especially synthetics take around 500 years to decompose. We need to buy and dispose of items more mindfully.

Rewear — Restyle — Repurpose — Renoon

75 million people are working to manufacture our clothes and 80% of them are women between the age of 18 and 24. Buying clothes has become such a frequent activity that we don’t put much thought into — in fact we could definitely know more about the women who make our clothes. When if not on 8th March for Women’s day?

Inside fashion

If you start to think about it, it would be fair if we could take more interest in knowing more about who makes our clothes and under what conditions. We need to know what we’re buying into. Lack of transparency in the industry means that there is no light into making sure that people who make our clothes can afford life’s basic necessities and comfort.

Living vs minimum wage

A best practice in the fashion industry would mean giving a living wage to workers. This means that their salary allows them to satisfy their essential needs. A living wage must cover the cost of food, housing and other necessary expenses such as healthcare and clothing.

The legal minimum wage in some countries where manufacturing happens is lower than that: in Bangladesh for example, the monthly minimum wage is 49.56 euros, only 18% of a living wage, in Indonesia it’s 82.14 euros, 31% of a living wage and in Cambodia it’s 72.64, 25% of a living wage (clean clothes campaign). This happens because governments fear that setting higher minimum wages would damage the domestic industry’s ability to compete in the global market.

Credit: Francois Le Nguyen

Cheap, but at what cost?

Pricing garments so little has become a claim to democratise fashion, unfortunately this has led many of us to unnecessary overconsumption. Clothes are becoming cheaper and cheaper, but the cost of manufacturing isn’t decreasing, it’s just borne by someone else. Especially this year, with retail stores shutting due to the pandemic, some businesses have decided not to pay garment workers for the clothes that they had made, or were making, as they couldn’t sell them. Thanks to the Remake Our World’s payup campaign, some brands did the right thing and paid their workers after the petition gained traction and received a lot of signatures.

This shows the impact that such a simple action can have!

We can ask the industry to take responsibility for the people who make their clothes and signing the pay-up petition is a great place to start.

Credits: Rio Lecatompessy

So, how can you care about the women making your clothes?

We vote with our shopping decisions but we’re also citizens and as such we must use our voices and voting power to demand change in the industry.

Our shopping choices also have an impact, I personally like to take part in active boycotts, where I no longer shop at fast fashion brands while telling them why, be it through social media, emails or petitions. I believe shopping less but better is a good starting point, but it’s even more powerful to engage with brands telling them what they need to do differently, and hopefully governments will then step in too.

P.S. You’ve probably seen ‘feminist shirts’ sold in stores — make sure to ask the question of: “was this made ethically?”.

Haven’t we all felt overwhelmed by the amount of clothes in our wardrobes and thought: “what was I thinking?!” It’s not a nice feeling especially when, despite the huge amount of garments we own, we feel like we have nothing to wear!

This is Gaia from @ssustainably_ and here I’m sharing with you some tips that helped me — so you can also shop mindfully and make sure you’re only bringing home things you love

Start by figuring out your style

To buy better I like to start from my wardrobe. What kind of garments do I like? What looks best on me? What shape/silhouette enhance my figure best? What do I feel most comfortable in? What colours look best? Figuring out my style has proven to be essential for me to become a more conscious consumer. The days of buying just anything I laid my eyes on are over.

Rearrange your clothes

When my wardrobe starts to feel overwhelming, I usually divide the clothes I love and wear often from those that are totally not my style. By doing so, I can understand what my favourite clothes are and notice what about them I like, in order to have a clear idea of what to look for next time I go shopping.

Decluttering is also good for our mind, Researchers at UCLA’s Centre on Everyday Lives and Families found a direct link between cortisol, the stress hormone and clutter!

Focus on what you really need

I’m not a minimalist, but coming to terms with the amount of clothes I own, made me realise that I bought many things without giving it much thought, I now try to focus on what I really need and question every purchase reminding myself of all the resources that went into making that item.

I have come to the conclusion that clothes shouldn’t be the frivolous buys that I quickly accumulate at the back of my wardrobes; they should be thoughtful purchases I care about and treasure for a long time.

How to do this on Renoon: look for something specific in the app and save all the filtering in your “saved searches”. This will help you keep the focus on what you really need.

Start buying according to your style

After doing my best at decluttering (which doesn’t mean disposing of anything I no longer like) I like to make a list (mental or physical) of what I need in my wardrobes. Here comes the tricky part…trying to stick to that list when I go shopping isn’t always easy. I like to remind myself to choose versatile items instead of trendy ones that will quickly become outdated. This doesn’t mean that I only buy plain boring beige basics, it means understanding my style and buying what looks good on me so that it’s more likely to last. Our bodies and our preferences might change, of course, but well made garments will be able to be resold or donated.

How to do this on Renoon: add the brands that you find matching your style to your list. This way you can keep an eye on them in the “following” section of the explore and avoid distraction.

Finally, what? browsing online?

Most of us have replaced physical shopping with virtual, online browsing. Having a lot of choices can be overwhelming which is why I love the new Renoon app that allows you to save your favourite brands and set your preferences so that you only see what’s relevant to you instead of feeling drowned in infinite product pages.

I find that using filters when browsing online is essential to not be distracted by irrelevant products.

Another aspect of mindful shopping is learning to just browse. This one was quite challenging for me as I always felt like I was missing out if I didn’t buy anything when going shopping, but it’s important to appreciate just looking at clothes without the need to always buy something.

How to do this on Renoon: we are designing a new feature in the app that will help you create your “collections” and keep them organized. Send us your opinion in the meantime.

Waiting is not always easy but so important! If I see something I like, I try to keep it in mind and if I still want it within a week/month then I go ahead and buy it. Also something I categorically avoid is shopping when I’m sad or upset, I used to always browse online shops whenever I felt low, and often bought items just to feel that rush of excitement. It is hard to break old habits, and I often find myself doing the same thing, but the happiness that comes from purchases is short lived and not a real way to deal with negative feelings.

Now if I can’t be rational with my purchases I don’t tempt myself but step away!

Your takeaway

This is a lot of information but the takeaway should be, don’t be hard on yourself, it’s okay if you make impulse purchases that weren’t ‘on your list’ , just putting more thoughts in your buys goes a long way.

Ask yourself do I already have something similar? Can I find x item secondhand or perhaps I could rent instead of buying if I need something just for one occasion? What company am I supporting with this purchase? Questions like that can guide you in your purchases and help you distinguish really useful buys from impulse purchases which you’ll regret soon after.

Remember that how you buy is more important than what you buy, you shouldn’t deprive yourself of anything, if you really like something and you know it’s going to last and you’ll wear it and love it for many years, then go for it.

Sustainable fashion is all about choosing quality over quantity and avoiding impulsive purchases. Changing the way you shop will lead you to a better wardrobe and you’ll no longer feel like you have nothing to wear.

Rental fashion is on the rise and not just for Carnival. While before rent was mostly popular for the gentlemen who hired their special occasion tuxedos, now can rent the runway. Yes, that’s right! Rental fashion stretches from luxury designer labels to the dresses of famous personalities, some celebrities will even post the clothing to your door and have their maids do your laundry.

When is renting better than buying?

Because most clothes we buy end up in the back of our closest or landfills, renting clothing you probably end up wearing a couple of times (before tossed or forgotten) is a more responsible solution.

More clothing circulating in the economy means less clothing needs to be produced to meet demand. So when less clothing is produced, the less we use earth’s precious recourses and thus we pollute less.

On the other hand renting gives us endless possibilities of styles. A study has revealed that one in six young people say that they don’t want to appear in the same outfit if it was already shown on their social media accounts…sounds familiar! ‘Renting’ could fix this problem, especially for those items we are not planning on keeping/wearing a lot.

Science says it: renting is more eco-friendly and has proven to be a successful way to reduce climate impact and water usage when it is done for occasion clothing!

#1 Renting is an alternative to purchasing fast and disposable fashion. Plus, you have better chances not to been seen in a place wearing the same Zara dress as everyone else does.

#2 If you want to cover yourself in labels and glam, it’s better for your wallet too. Let’s assume you have a special occasion and you need a new outfit. A fast fashion dress you wear once versus rented designer dress you also wear once, the price is pretty much the same, the only difference is that you get a designer brand.

How does rent work?

Ok, by now you probably know if rent is for you or not. And if the answer is ‘yes’ or you just want to try it out, here is how rent works on Renoon:

#1 Think of it as if you are renting an Airbnb for the weekend. First things first you’d check the availability and see whether or not the your perfect dress is available for the days you are looking to rent. We recommend to check the availability of products in advance to ensure you get to reserve the best option for your special occasion. (Ahh, and of course make sure to know your measurements).

#2 Ok now that you ‘checked out’ the dress is on the way. Delivery usually takes one or two days and the dress arrives in a high quality reusable garment bag which are rather fancy making it feel very special and festive.(this is specific to when you renting via Renoon).

#3 At the end of the rental period the garment is picked up free of charge. By the way, if the fit was not perfect you can return the item within the reservation period and you will receive a voucher worth the rental amount (minus shipping costs).

What to rent this holiday season

Here are some of many you can find on Renoon.

P.S. Dresses are shipped in high quality reusable garment bags, that are cleaned and reused continuously. No single use!

Get ready for Renoon’s new app coming this February 2021.
Invite only access. Join the early list.

Originally published at https://renoon.com.

Well, the good news is that there are ways to reduce these micro-plastics — and it starts with our washing machines.

So here is how to wear your recycled polyester leggings with no guilt. Keep reading.

First things first: What are microfibers?

Essentially, microfibers are a form of microplastics that our synthetic clothing releases every time we do our laundry. When the clothes release hundreds of these small synthetic fibers they are so small they end up going down the drain, pass through our water treatment plants, and eventually they end up directly in the waterways.

A study showed that each day the Hudson River in New York carries around 150 million microfibers into the Atlantic Ocean. Now this just one example. Think of all the other rivers like the Ob River, the Nile river, the Mississippi-Missouri River they all empty into the ocean.

And this is not the end of the journey for microfibers. Microfibers can be toxins to aquatic ecosystems. They can also act like a sponge and soak up toxins in the water. When fish and other wildlife of the ocean inject these microfibers, these toxins are released into their bodies, so often that eventually are consumed by humans too.

There can be as many as 100,000 microplastics in a cubic metre of ocean, researchers say, which are then eaten by marine creatures.

Where to start?

Okay, now that we established that microfibers are no friend of the environment let’s see how to reduce them. Here are some options:

#1 Buying clothing that are made from natural materials

One thing that could be done is avoiding synthetic clothing altogether. Fortunately, we already have a wide selection of natural materials available to us. Number one and the obvious one is organic cotton, then there is linen, organic wool and finally vegan silk. Unfortunately, as good as this solution may sound, this is not entirely realistic as we cannot change our wardrobes overnight to all organic and natural. Even if we could, still organic clothing at times can contain synthetic additions or stitches to make products more durable and optimize for confort, for example. Plus, there are other sustainability points to take into account.

As much as 60 percent of our clothing is made of “plastic” for different reasons. So now what?

Start your search for sustainable and organic clothing.

#2 Cora Ball

This invention mimics the way corals filter water in the ocean, hence the name “cora”. All you need to do with the cora ball is toss it in the washing machine with your clothes and tadaa!

The ball will then do the work for you by catching those tiny evil microfibers in the washing. Research suggests that the Cora Ball can remove up to 35% of microfibers from a washing load.

#3 Guppyfriend washing bag

Another option for catching microplastics during washing is buy using a guppyfriend washing bag. The bag not only catches the tiny plastics but also the clothing inside the bag tend to shed up to 85% less.

All you’ll need to do is place the synthetic clothes into the washing bag, close it and toss the bag into the washing machine.

When microfibers are released during the wash, the corners and seams of the bag prevent them from going down the drain. Once your washing done all you have to do is scrap the visible microfibers by hand.

If you only have a few items, the Guppyfriend is your best option. While the Guppyfriend catches more micro plastics, it is a bag and can only fit a certain amount of clothing. But if you have many items (as most of us do) that won’t fit in the bag or you need to wash an entire load of synthetic fabrics, it’s recommended to use the Cora Ball into your washing machine.

Or both?

OK, now that you know all about the Guppyfriend bag and the Cora Ball and where to buy them, you are ready to start your search for organic and recycled clothing from multiple websites at once.

Start you search for sustainable fashion on Renoon.

Originally published at https://renoon.com.

Why 100% recycled jeans?

Kuyichi’s main goal is to reduce the environmental impact of the products created. And how do they achieve it? By using waste streams “Circularity is the future, when our supplier came up with a technique to create a 100% recycled denim, we were super stoked”.

Click here to view the 100% recyclable Nora jeans.

Dyeing with 85% less water

Besides the fact that this fabric is made from recycled materials, there’s more to its sustainable story. The wash is created using the SaveBlue indigo dyeing technique. This technique reduces water consumption in the dyeing process by up to 85%.

Kuyichi tells us, that indigo dyeing can actually be one of the highest impact dyeing methods out there, since the indigo dye needs certain kinds of chemicals to stick to the fibre. Even so, Kuyichi, has found the way to challenge how denim is indigo-dyed.

But that’s still not it. Kuyichi and its manufacturing partners go beyond materials and fabrics. Their jeans are stitched together with recycled polyester stitching threads, crafted by SARP Jeans.

Click here to view more of Kuyichi’s sustainable jeans.

What is clean wash?

Then, the jeans are washed with the lowest impact possible. This particular wash technique tends to reduce water usage by a hefty 56%, when compared to the traditional way of washing. But how do they do it? For this they use a sustainable e-flow machine which works with nano-bubbles instead of water, giving the jeans a cool light vintage wash.

Finally, the jeans are finished with a vegan patch made from corn waste. Making the jeans 100% vegan and officially PETA approved vegan, to be exact. Sound good right?

What about the fabrics?

Bossa in Turkey, with whom Kuyichi has been working for many years now, makes the fabrics from production waste. The sustainable and innovative denim factory, Bossa, uses the latest technologies for the products they make.

The issue with recycling is often that the fibre length becomes shorter in the fiberizing process — and therefore less strong and durable material. Their partner has found a mechanism to keep the recycled fibers as long as possible and turn them into a beautiful heavier weight fabric with their guaranteed high quality.

The result: this 100% cotton fabric is just as good and strong as any other fabric made from new cotton.

Start your search for sustainable Kuyichi jeans made from 100% recycled material

Renoon has a new experience coming this winter! Sign up to the newsletter to have exclusive early access.

Reference: This post is made through content from Renoon Retalks (IGTV) and with our partner Kuyichi.

Originally published at https://renoon.com.

Julia, one of our members: “I have only recently started reading the composition labels, then I found Renoon’s Instagram live…

Let’s start! Here are the basics I’ve learnt so far.

The composition label describes the textile materials our garments are made of. In other words, it indicates which fabrics the brand has used to make the garment (eg. cotton regular denim, viscose and so on) and composition percentage of the material (eg. 100% cotton). The composition label allows us to get an idea of the future life of the garment and the use we will get out of it. Building our wardrobe and choosing the best materials that suit our needs is not obvious at all but it is important, because it allows us to avoid disappointment and frustration during the extended life of the garment.

Your experience is probably similar to mine: you bought a new garment and your first thing you thought to was to cut the labels off because they are annoying and can be itchy. That is really common, right? But why so many labels? Well, because globalised brands have to translate the information in so many languages that the “number” of pages becomes uncomfortable (read: scratchy and obnoxious).

Printing the information directly on the fabric in the inside of a garment could be a solution. But many brands don’t do that. Why? Because brands would then have to send the fabric panel to a supplier, wait until it has been printed and sent back to finish the garments. It would be expensive, both in time and expenditures. It’s much easier for brands to buy printed labels and attach them, that’s why we don’t see the information printed on the inside as much as we would like.

The “care label”

The information provided in the “ care label” is also extremely important as it guides how to care and clean the garment. Companies usually provide the most basic information because it is easier and faster. You will only find one method of washing and it is usually the harshest way. Most people, and dry cleaners as well, prefer to stick with those indications as it is the “safest way”. However, but most of the time it’s not necessary and there are many others more sustainable ways to wash them.

Is it really “Made in Italy”?

Another important topic to be aware of is the denomination of origin (the “made in …”). Firstly, it is relevant to mention that in Europe it’s not mandatory to disclose where the item has been manufactured. That is because of a law created to avoid discrimination based on where the garments are produced. Secondly, it’s important to know this information is mostly only partially true. For example, when you see “Made in Italy” it means that minimum two stages of the production process (called substantial transformations in technical jargon) had to be done in Italy to obtain the certification, but the other substantial transformations can have been contracted in other places. In fact, brands usually do everything in cheaper-labour countries and only complete the last stages (ex: to assemble the garment and to pack it) in Italy.

I hope I motivated you to pay more attention to labels in the future! Not only you will more conscious of your purchasing decisions but you’ll also have longer lasting, better quality garments. Now that you have started your journey to conscious consumerism you can find your sustainable options on renoon.com.”

Renoon’s mission is to make sure you can combine your love for fashion and planet by finding sustainable clothing from multiple websites at once. Start searching today or follow our Instagram account to stay tuned.

Launching a new app this winter! Get early access.

Credits to Julia Polo one of our ReAmbassadors for writing and sharing this nice and very insightful perspective.

Originally published at https://renoon.com.

We interviewed Camilla Carrara, a zero-waste designer, about how she is advocating for an environmentally responsible production process with her own brand, ZEROBARRACENTO. From what she looks for when shopping sustainably for her own closet, to what the fashion industry can do to reduce its environmental impact, discover what zero-waste fashion in 2020 means to this designer who is shaping the industry from within.

Why did you decide to embrace a zero-waste technique in your designs?

When I was studying Fashion Design at Politecnico di Milano, I was visiting several textile companies and I discovered the huge quantities of waste that were produced annually. The fact that such a substantial amount of leftovers were produced by premium companies made me think that I wanted to optimize the textile and fashion supply chains. Ambitious, no? The challenge inherent in the design strategy is to bring together the luxury fit, feel, and aesthetic, within the constraints of zero-waste. Working with zero-waste requires time and a commitment to on-going research.

What are the best ways the fashion industry can employ to reduce its environmental impacts?

I think that, instead of inventing new solutions, the fashion industry must rethink and redesign all the already established processes. And that’s why, as a designer, my research is addressed to this goal: optimising the way we do fashion.

What can consumers themselves do?

Ask brands about their sustainable efforts. Consumers have the power to influence with their choices. They are not only buying items but they are deciding which values they want to incorporate into their lifestyle.

Was it challenging to introduce zero-waste fashion into your existing closet?

For now, there are not so many brands adopting the zero-waste pattern making technique as it is challenging to scale it to an industrial level. Other sustainable fashion strategies such as upcycling owned piece, purchasing from companies who sustainably source their materials, and buying second hand are more common and attainable for conscious consumers.

What do you look for when you shop sustainably?

Design and quality at first, and then, it is fundamental for me to understand if what is declared as sustainable is truly sustainable. But I can understand that, for a conventional consumer, this could be extremely challenging as brands still need to develop an appropriate and trustable communication around responsibility.

What can fashion designers and labels do to make zero-waste fashion easier for their consumers to adhere to?

Be transparent and improve their communication skills, and I think also creating synergies is fundamental. At ZEROBARRACENTO, we are proud to collaborate with realities such as Renoon, Cikis, and to adhere to the “WearMe30Times” campaign as these are all ways to prove our commitment to final consumers.

Tell us about ZEROBARRACENTO’s values as a sustainable fashion brand.

The core goal of ZEROBARRACENTO is to develop a complete zero-waste production chain; starting from sustainable textile production waste, through the development of textiles, and resulting in a small outerwear collection of zero-waste pieces. Our collections are clean, essential, and Italian. We have developed full-traceability in our sustainable production chain. Ourmindful manufacturing means choosing factories that are near the raw materials and suppliers that hold the most expertise in working with sustainable materials.

What does it stand for?

0 and 100 are our statements. It means 0% of waste as well 0% of gender. We promote a brand that aims to be 100% sustainable in factual terms. This means being 100% factual, 100% clean, 100% inclusive.

Where do you draw inspiration for your designs from?

The goal of ZEROBARRACENTO is to achieve the perfect fit often sought by luxury consumers, without compromising on sustainable practices. The idea was the creation of a cocoon-like feel through the use of large volume, soft materials, and enveloping closure systems. The collection silhouettes are directly inspired by the art of Burri, Giacometti, and Brancusi. In addition to this, inspiration was taken from contemporary trends. The project looked to Max Mara, and other ‘big masters’ of fashion such as Balenciaga, McCardell, and Thayath. The patterns are built from a foundation of geometric shapes that envelope the body in volume when worn. Each detail and material is chosen specifically to create durable and long-lasting garments. Within the context of this brand, the design does not only mean the creation of attractive garments; it refers to the overall design of the project. Each step in the process has been developed with mindfulness of the larger project picture. Designing outerwear means thinking about the full life-cycle of a product.

What are the advantages of zero-waste in fashion?

Zero-waste must be a 360° choice; it should be a commitment in our daily lives as it could allow us all to truly reduce our impact. As a creative person, I think it is both a challenge and an opportunity to experiment with new ways to design.

What is the future of sustainable fashion?

I truly hope sustainable fashion will become the new normal in a few years. Fingers crossed.

ZEROBARRACENTO is an Italian fashion label built on a commitment to ethical practices, a transparent supply chain, and zero-waste techniques. Discover more here

Originally published at https://renoon.com.

This is why (amongst many other reasons) every 4th Wednesday of October we celebrate Sustainability Day. So, this year 2020 we celebrated on 28th October.

What is sustainability day?

Firstly, what is sustainability day? Well the name is says it all! Sustainability Day was created to remind people of the importance of caring for the environment and the steps to do so. Currently, on the last Wednesday of every October, schools, universities, business and organisations dedicate the day to sustainability.

How do they do that? Some spend time of the day teaching colleagues about what is recyclable in their office and what is not. Some dedicate the day build sustainable strategies, others pledge to double-sided print on paper or buying only recycled paper and stationery. Using natural sunlight and ventilation for the day and so on.

The Netherlands is no stranger to this day, ‘“ Dag van de Duurzaamheid” they call it. The day is intended as a showcase for sustainability initiatives. Thousands of schools participate in sustainable campaigns, starting from lessons about waste separation to conferences at a universities. And that’s not all, the Dutch Sustainable Fashion Week, was to part sustainability campaigns.

How to get involved

There are many ways you can get involved and you can do this alone or collectively, you don’t have to necessary do something extraordinary or start a riot. To celebrate this day you could simply re-think some of your habits and rituals. As easy as that!

Here are some ideas we wrote down:

#1 Donate your clothes instead of throwing them in the bin.

#2 Today, why not ride the bike instead of the car (why not every day!).

#3 Can you shorter shower?

#4 Recycle, reuse, repurpose clothes (eh, not just clothes).

#5 Use a reusable water bottle, or reusable straws anybody?

#6 Support and look into brands that are sustainable. Don’t know where to find them?

#7 If you you are shopping online today, order locally.

#8 Why not try to buy second-hand clothes.

#9 Give it a go to vegan boots and bags

#10 And finally, buy less and buy better!

Ta-dah! That’s it and this is just the tip of the iceberg of a whole lot of strategies.

By the way, at Renoon is always sustainability day!

Check out what our partner LVRSustainable is doing for Sustainability Day, from sustainable initiatives to eco-friendly packaging.

Some items we love from LVRSustainable

Find Jeans: upcycled Marine Serre

Find Underwear: organic Underprotection

Originally published at https://renoon.com.