As the fashion industry continues to seek new design and manufacturing alternatives in the wake of the current climate crisis, sustainable fashion labels have never been more in demand. Innovative brands and pioneering designers are working hard to create new, eco-conscious ways of working that will allow us to invest in beautiful pieces that don’t cost the earth. From Anya Hindmarch’s collaboration with Dye Lab to the world’s first carbon negative footprint t-shirt, these are the new sustainable fashion collections you need to know about.
The Glossary Edit
New sustainable fashion collections
E.L.V. Denim White Cotton collection
East London sustainable fashion label E.L.V. Denim has collaborated with The Ned London to create their new White Cotton Collection, with pieces crafted from the hotel’s otherwise discarded luxury bed linen. The range features a selection of wardrobe staples, from smock dresses and maxi skirts to blouses and tailored shirts, each picked out in crisp, cool white. The capsule prioritises a slower, upcycled approach to fashion and true to the Founder Anna Foster’s sustainable ethos, the collection is sourced, designed and produced in London, keeping its carbon footprint minimal.
Ninety Percent x Vivien McDermid collaborative capsule collection
Responsible luxury fashion label Ninety Percent – whose name derives from their pledge to donate 90% of their profits back to the people who help make their collections happen and five charitable causes – is collaborating with artist Vivien McDermid on a new capsule collection. Designed as part of one of their AW23 collection drops, the capsule is the first collaboration under Elliot Atkinson’s creative direction, broadening on the brand’s unique creative universe. The seven-piece collection is made from quality, low-impact vegan and certified organic materials and features six woven styles and one jersey t-shirt, all adorned with McDermid’s vivid oil-painted landscapes.
Available from Thursday 24 August
ninetypercent.com
Muzungu Sisters Lotus Voyage collection
Slow fashion brand Muzungu Sisters, founded by friends Dana Alikani and Tatiana Santo- Domingo, has launched their new collection, Lotus Voyage. The range features a playful selection of dresses, kaftans, sustainable swimwear and matching separates in beautifully detailed prints and was inspired by the lotus flower, which is deemed sacred in Southeast Asia. In keeping with the brand’s conscious and conservative approach to consumption, the collection was made with the assistance of expertly skilled artisan communities and designers, with the bags crafted by women’s cooperatives in Ecuador and Colombia and the signature Frangipani and Touba dresses hand stitched and embroidered in a small workshop in Mumbai.
Sheep Inc. Ultra-Light T-Shirt
London-based knitwear label Sheep Inc. was created with one mission in mind: to shake up the fashion industry with their sustainable take on clothing. Not content with simply being carbon neutral, they’ve set out to become the world’s first carbon negative fashion brand. Their latest launch, the Ultra-Light T-Shirt, delivers on that promise. The natural carbon negative piece is made from ultra-fine Merino wool sourced from regenerative New Zealand farms and knitted using solar-powered, zero-waste machines in a seamless knit. Available in an array of nature-inspired hues, it even comes with a removable NFC tag to trace its origins to the farm it came from, right down to the exact sheep the wool was harvested from.
Anya Hindmarch x Dye Lab
Accessories queen Anya Hindmarch has collaborated with small batch Nigerian brand Dye Lab to create a capsule collection of vibrant ready-to-wear kaftans. Handmade in Lagos and inspired by Nigeria’s rich artisan heritage, the pieces offer up a modern take on the Agbada, a traditional Nigerian garment, updated in whimsical, colourful prints and made with hand dyed textiles using Adire wax resist dyeing, a technique unique to the Yoruba people. Each piece has been hand designed and hand dyed and features specialty Nigerian and Ivorian hand-woven cloths, while also aiming to promote and employ sustainable practices and minimise waste.
Lydia Bolton x Lime Re-Cycle Collection
Slow fashion designer Lydia Bolton has collaborated with bike and scooter rental company Lime to create a cool and sustainable capsule collection to make cycling in style easier than ever. The cleverly named, limited-edition Re-Cycle Collection has been specifically designed to be scoot and cycle friendly, with every piece made from 100% second hand materials and textile waste provided by leading charity retailer Traid. Highlights include an adaptable coat with a detachable lower half that turns into a handy attachable bag, a chic version of a high vis vest and a range of smart clothing clips for cinching in trousers, dresses or skirts.
