July’s Eco Edit: Sustainable Swimwear, Repurposed Denim, Handbags Made From Waste & More
July’s edition of the Eco Edit has dropped, bringing The Handbook readers fashion and style with a conscience and this month, we’ve discovered some incredible brands delivering on fashion whilst caring for the planet. There’s the brand creating ethical and sustainable swimwear, an innovative Brit label making beautiful bags from apple skins and a new book that will inspire you to seek the joys of sharing.
Scroll on to read what’s happening this month…
Swimwear by Poetry By Locals
If you’re still under the impression that sustainable swimwear can’t be sexy, take a look at Poetry By Locals. Turning the swimwear industry on its head, the UK brand creates swimwear made of recycled materials and no dyes that are harmful to our oceans or environment.
Fabric is also a huge part of their mission, predominantly using ECONYL®, a regenerated nylon that turns waste problems into fashion solutions. The fabric is versatile, hyper-resistant to things like chlorine, sun cream and oils, it’s also super soft against the skin and breathable for long hot days on the beach.
The designs speak for themselves. Hot pink, high-waists to channel your inner ‘90s supermodel, chic monochrome pipped details and pastel-hued triangles for a nod to noughties fashion.
Prices start at £40.
Womenswear by Align
This isn’t the first time we’ve featured brilliant British brand Aligne in our fashion pages, but we thought it deserved a shout out all of its own.
The womenswear label is committed to create a stylish edit built from planet-friendly foundations and democratic decisions.
With that in mind, 100% of their collections are made from at least 50% conscious materials, and over half of Aligne’s collections are 100% planet-friendly. The label only works with factories that are committed to change too, things like zero waste, waterless production and renewable energy. Plus, they are always fair and transparent about workplace standards every step of the way.
The collection is a timeless edit that will make you fall in love with dressing again. Think the perfect bohemian blouse to pair with flares or the perfect denim shirtdress we have ever seen – pointed button-down collar, cinching tie-waist, structured wide sleeves and a super flattering midi hem. And finally, trench coats that will see you through seasons to come.
SHOP THE FULL COLLECTION AT WWW.ALIGNE.CO
The New Book Release, Thanks For Sharing by Eleanor Tucker
Part memoir, part guide book, part walk through history, Thanks For Sharing takes you on a journey of discovery through the beauty of sharing stuff. Whether that’s staying in an AirBnB instead of a hotel for your city break, going to a charity clothes swap or borrowing that Rixo dress you’ve been eyeing up for your best friend’s wedding, sharing has never been more accessible. It is in fact a billion dollar industry with figures showing that the total value of the global sharing economy is predicted to reach around 335 billion US dollars by 2025. Phew!
Journalist Eleanor Tucker writes with both witt and indepth research as she takes you on her own personal journey of less buying, more sharing the love. It will make you pause for thought on your consuming habits and hopefully be inspired to make change for the better.
Repurposed Denim & Linen By E.L.V
White linen is to summer what grey knits are to the winter months. If you’re in the market to invest in some wafty separates to take you from city heatwaves to dinners barefoot on the beach, check out E.L.V.
Founded by renowned fashion stylist Anna Foster in 2018, E.L.V is predominantly a denim first brand, using 100% upcycled materials to create a collection of fashion forward jeans. This summer, they have expanded into cotton linens with a coordinating line of shirts, dresses, skirts and shorts in soft, wafty whites that tap into the timeless quiet luxury trend.
In an unlikely partnership, the brand has teamed up with luxury London hotel, The Ned, to take their old bed linens that can on longer be used due to imperfections, but are perfectly suitable to create clothing that will be worn and loved for years to come.
The pre-loved fabric has been worked into a button-through midi skirt that’s a riff on the classic white shirt; a cute ruffle edged collar ideal for adding to a denim shirt or fine knit; and an open-neck, drop waist summer dress, perfect for throwing over a bikini by the pool, or for picnics, lunch dates and beyond at home.
Price points start at £300 and the collection is available to shop online at elvdenim.com
SHOP THE WHITE CAPSULE AT ELVDENIM
Recycle Your Trainers At Harrods With The Hylo Athletics Pop-Up
Hylo Athletics, the sneaker brand founded by ex-footballer Michael Doughty are already B Corp and vegan certified, but they are upping their sustainability game another notch with an innovative pop-up at Harrods.
Running throughout July, customers can take their old sneakers – any brand, any style, any age – to be recycled and receive £20 Hylo credit as well, so you can invest in a pair of trainers made using sustainable materials such as sugarcane, corn, wood pulp and even mushrooms.
It’s a welcomed initiative when you think about 90% of the world’s shoes which will eventually end up in landfill.
Whether you wear your trainers to pound the streets or you rock them at brunch, this is a brand that cares about the pieces on your feet and the impact created in making them.
The Hylo Athletic pop-up will be in Harrods, Knightsbridge throughout July.
For more information visit hyloathletics.com
Ethically Made Sunglasses From The Avantguard
THE AVANTGUARD
MONTMARTE CATEYE IN MERLOT
£320.00
Be honest, how many pairs of plastic sunglasses have you gone through in your life? Most of us don’t think twice about picking up a few new pairs for our summer holidays, but when it is estimated that 4 million pairs end up in landfill every year, it may be time to rethink how you shop for them.
It is estimated that 4 million pairs end up in landfill every year.
Enter, The Avantguard, an ethical sunglasses brand that’s good for your eyes and the planet. First of all, they use a premium biodegradable recycled or plant-based acetate in all of their glasses and use Japanese artisans to create a beautiful product that will last. Secondly, the lenses the brand uses are the best – an incredible UV400 and blue light protection – far higher than most designer specs.
Sustainable Bags From Been London
BEEN LONDON
MILLAIS BAG
£310.00
If you’re in the market for a sustainable but affordable designer handbag, it’s time to check out Been London. The brand creates beautiful bags from materials otherwise deemed as waste and works them into sophisticated, timeless designs, from wear-anywhere cross-body slings to roomy everyday totes.
Been are super innovative when it comes to saucing sustainable materials, which bags being made from things like off-cut leather, discarded clothes, and even apple skins. This ensures that all their bags have an 87% lower carbon footprint compared to high street equivalents.
Been use everything from discarded clothes to apple skins in the production of their bags.
Our favourite design has to be the Annis in classic black. Handcrafted in the softest smooth grain recycled leather, it will only get better with age, whilst the sling shape means you can fit so much more in than you’d expect. It really is the perfect go-anywhere, everyday bag.
All made in the UK, Been uses an almost zero-waste design approach and calculates their CO2 emissions at the design stage, making sure the final product has the lowest carbon footprint possible. They also work with Treekind by Biophilica and are experimenting with turning agricultural waste into home compostable leather alternatives to create the world’s first entirely compostable bag. Watch this space.