Top 5 Sustainable Fashion brands you should know!

When we entered the world of ethical and sustainable fashion a whole new world opened up to us. Put your hands up if you have heard these words before. When it comes to sustainability and ethics it sounds like popular words a lot of people know about. But in a country like Suriname, these words and concepts are very unknown.

For us to build and introduce the concept of an ethical and sustainable brand in Suriname is quite a challenge.Wanna know what we are dealing with?

" So much money for a tote bag? Hell noh. These ladies must be crazy. I can buy this fabric and make myself a cute bag. Byee !"   But you know what that funny thing is?They will buy Michael Kors and Gucci bags, for 2- 3x times the price we ask for a handmade bag that creates sustainable jobs for the people.

Let's not get hyped out here and let us just try to create more awareness and understanding out here. 

What does sustainable and ethical fashion actually mean?
When you ask Google to help sort out these concepts you get a wide range of explanations.
The ones that speak to us the most are:

ETHICAL FASHION?

Ethical fashion is human-centered and this term refers to the way the local makers are treated. Are the local makers getting fairly paid, no crazy working hours and is there a safe and clean working environment?

 

  SUSTAINABLE FASHION?

Sustainable fashion means creating in a way that is most considerate of humanity and the environment. The goal is to have a system that works without leaving a negative footprint, working with eco friendly materials.

Let this sink in for a little and when you are ready to treat yourself with a new wardrobe try to look for ethical and sustainable brands. This way you also help out to make the fashion world and Mother Earth a little healthier.  

Don't know what to look for?

Here are our TOP 5 headstarters of sustainable fashion brands we like!

1. Lucy & Yak: This brand breathes ethical and sustainable vibes. This brand is making a social impact by producing colorful dungarees, pants and shirts from organic fabrics. And they make sure the factory workers in India are paid 4 times the minimum wages.
   
   Check them out via  www.lucyandyak.com
   
   
2. Goats: This cool apparel brand is not only selling affordable t-shirts. They are ethically produced from 100% organic cotton. Produce their products in Bangladesh under strict people-first standards, such as freely chosen employment, safe and hygienic working conditions are their core business.
   
   For more see www.goatsorganicapparel.com
   
   
3. Know Supply: This brand is breaking the cycle of poverty by providing life-changing job opportunities to women in need. Each product is signed by hand so you know exactly who made it, giving you the opportunity to have a deeper connection to their clothing.
   
   Go check  www.knowsupply.com
   
   
4. Return to sender: This brand builds a bridge between dutch designers and designers from developing countries. Together they look for materials and techniques from foreign countries. With this collaboration they creates colorful products like home-deco, jewelry and bags.
   
   See for your self  www.returntosender.nl
   
5. Patagonia: Last but not least. This outdoor and adventure wear brand is also keeping their sustainability high. They produce their collections with organic materials and with their no harm policy they make a positive impact.
   
   Check them out: www.patagonia.com

How sustainable are we?

In the last 6 years we worked hard on the Ethical side, Making sure the women are getting paid fairly, flexible working hours. but We’re not there yet. We have a lot of goals ahead to become a fully sustainable brand. Like using organic materials. Our primary goal was creating a positive and educational environment first. Next step is to incorporate organic materials into our company.

We also want to hear from you! How you think we score on sustainability? Learn more about our projects here  our transparency here