One new independent British brand, Know the Origin, is performing quite outstandingly in the sustainable fashion scene. The main selling point of this brand is that all its products are made from 100% organic cotton, with some Fairtrade certified. It is also unique that consumers can follow the production journey of each product for processes and factories on the website.
Founded 27 years ago, People Tree has become one of the most recognized sustainable fashion brands. It was the first to achieve Global Organic Textile Standard certification on a supply chain for organic cotton from farm to final product. It claims that the majority of their cotton certified organic and Fairtrade and all clothes are dyed using non-hazardous and azo-free dyes. It sources as many products as possible locally, chooses natural and recycled products, weaves fabric by hand and ships products by sea to reduce impacts on the planet.
Reformation, a startup based in Los Angeles, has gained much attention for its spirit of sustainability since its first pop-up store launched to sell upcycled vintage clothing in 2009. It aims to offer accessible, sexy and sustainable fashion to everyone. In a very short period, Reformation has built 8 stores across the US and an international website. It purchases deadstock fabrics and vintage clothing accounting for 10 per cent and 5 per cent respectively of its collections. It uses cellulosic fibers such as Tencel, Viscose and Refibra for lifecycle reasons. It also runs its own free, garment recycling initiative Recycling, and reports the transparent environmental impact of its products through RefScale. Besides, it established a sustainable sewing factory in Los Angeles with about 500 workers, and controls the factory waste, water and chemical and recycling in a vertical way.