Sustainable & Ethical Fashion - How We're Doing Our Bit!

Sustainability and ethics aren't black and white.

Like everything in life, there's always a balance to be had. There's not one material which doesn't have its downfalls when it comes to sustainability and ethics and we'd be wrong to try and claim otherwise! For me, and in everything we do at Sprawling & Osborne, it's all about making the best choice given the knowledge and resources we have available to us.

When we talk about sustainability at Sprawling & Osborne, we mean the environmental impact that not only the production of our garments has on the planet but also our business practices - packaging, shipping, waste etc. Meanwhile, by ethics, we are talking about the impact that our business has on people; whether this be during the manufacturing of fabrics, the production of our garments or any other materials, businesses or services which we use in order to run our business.

We take all these factors into account when making any choices and are always looking for the best way to balance our objectives. We don't always get it 100% right and we also know that as a small business, sometimes, we don't have the same opportunities when it comes to sourcing fabrics, materials or any other supplies however we can guarantee that we are doing our best, always learning, in order to make the most informed decisions.

Fabrics

We source fabrics from a number of different places:
1. British Mills - if we can use a British mill this is generally my preferred choice as it supports our economy and helps to sustain a traditional industry.
2. British Small Businesses - we always work with a number of small British businesses that have partnered with small overseas textile producers. This not only supports a British business, it is also supporting families and communities for whom textile production is their main source of income. By partnering with these factories, our suppliers can ensure they have a greater understanding of the working practices and we know that they are being paid fairly.
3. Deadstock Fabrics - these fabrics are the left overs, created by both textile and garment factories, which haven't been used or sold and would otherwise go to landfill.
4. Remnants & Off Cuts - these are the end of rolls at fabric shops or pieces left over from creating other garments.
5. Repurposing - sometimes we repurpose old garments which may have been discarded but where the fabric is still in good condition and can be reused to create something new. These come from my own, my families or my friends wardrobes, as well as charity shops.

Materials

When choosing materials to purchase as new we look for mostly natural fibre fabrics such as organic cotton, silk, linen, hemp and bamboo. These fabrics are gentler to the environment during their production than many purely manmade fabrics and will also eventually break-down in the environment if they are discarded.

If an item is not made of a natural fibre or recycled material it will generally be because it was a deadstock fabric or remnant.

Packaging

We source the majority of our packaging supplies from a British Business - Lil Packaging - their packaging is made in the UK and comes with a number of guarantees regarding the sourcing of the raw materials they use.

Our tissue paper and note cards are also produced from recycled materials.

Manufacturing

Moving into 2021 all new releases are made in Britain by myself or my team of local dressmakers, seamstresses and embroiderers. Where we still have items for sale from our previous collections these come with a GOTS and a Fair Wear certification which ensures the garments have been produced in factories with safe and ethical working practices.

If you have any questions about the sustainability or ethics of any of our garments or have suggestions on ways in which you think we can improve our practices, please let us know! You can get in touch via our contact us page, on any of our socials or via email - contactus@sprawlingandosborne.com.