Recapping the Marie Claire UK Sustainability Awards

The fashion industry has always had a major impact on our planet!  It's never ending… This is why we strive to work together to put an end  to this. We have witnessed several methods that fashion brands are  utilising to make a shift into a more sustainable future. However, it  cannot stop just here, we must keep supporting these brands to  insure a cleaner time to come.   Marie Claire UK is definitely amplifying this support, through  presenting us with its first-ever fashion sustainability award! It  offers us a glimpse of what fashion’s future should be like! Fashion  should definitely not cost us our earth! Therefore, the award is  broken down into several categories, such as; Best Ethical Retailer,  Best Progress Towards Circularity, Best Sustainable Designer  Brand, Best Sustainable Accessory Brand…etc. The award gives  insight to what the winning designers and companies are carrying  out to insure a greener future for fashion.   Amongst the several winning designers is Sylven New York; a plant based luxury footwear brand who are offering some of the most  cutting-edge materials innovations around apple leather produced  from organic food waste, insoles made from coconut husks, to even  soles made from tree sap! Amazing how much the earth can help  us sustain it! Sylven New York won the award for “Best  Sustainability Accessory Brand”, where plastic and chemically  derived synthetic materials are avoided at all costs; as they believe  that using nature-derived and animal free materials is one of the  most impactful things to do to reduce its carbon emissions.  However, their approach to sustainability does not just stop here,  and goes beyond just their materials used in the designs. They also  use fully recycled and plastic free packaging, which ensures that  their products are sustainable from start to end. Sylven New York  definitely recognises the wearer’s value as much as their style!  Highly commended for the same award would be one of our current clients Watson & Wolfe,  a brand revolving around sustainability, by always looking at new,  innovative materials which are coming into the market. Alongside, another accessories designer brand that has  successfully won the award for “Best Sustainable Brand” is Marici; a  brand that was founded to take on the issue of brands using  environmentally toxic materials such as PVC leather as a claim to  be animal and environmentally friendly. Instead the chic and elegant  handbag designs are crafted using pinãtex, a pioneering fabric  made from the waste plants of existing industries. The brand is  considered the first fully established plant-based luxury brand. The  ethical values of the company are also a strong aspect in their  identity, where the brand is focused on working with local and small  scale businesses in their supply chain, to help empower and grow  them. Sustainability does not just stop with the choice of materials  used!  It is quite clear that vegan materials are definitely being employed  by fashion designers today. Nevertheless, some designers are  utilising a different method for cruelty-free designs, such as Jakke;  who have won the “Best Vegan Brand Award”. The outerwear brand  focuses on making use of old offcuts from previous collections in  their current designs. The range of materials used include a blend  of recycled polyester fabrics that are constructed from 100%  recycled plastic bottles. Their focus is to give another life for objects  and materials that are not biodegradable, and will eventually end up  in landfills. What an interesting way to look at sustainability!  Definitely an eye-opening brand that gives us insight to how being  green does not necessarily mean just making use of new and  innovative materials, but deconstructing and recycling those that  were already existing!  When it comes to the “Best Sustainable High Street Brand '' the  award was given to [R E S E T]; which focuses on the concept of  inclusivity. Targeting a bigger scope of the market, including those  with disabilities to help them gain confidence and independence.  Their work is focused on using prints and colours, to aid those who  do not fit in the current fashion climate. Everyone should be able to  take part in fashion, and at [R E S E T] that is the goal! Their  forward and innovative thinking proves how much fashion can affect an individual’s life! Fashion is the base for everything! [R E S E T] is the biggest proof that sustainability is not only a physical act, but  through innovation and the mindset! It is a way of living, and a  catalyst for a brighter time to come!  To sum up, the awards give a great look into how different parts of  the fashion industry are working hand in hand to ensure a promising  destiny for fashion! We want to take this time to champion all the awards. Here they all and let's raise a glass to them:

• • Best for Carbon Footprint: Allbirds (Winner), Mondaine (Highly Commended)
  • Best Ethical Brand: Birdsong (Winner), Aspiga (Highly commended)
  • Best Ethical Retailer: Wolf & Badger (Winner)
  • Best Progress Towards Circularity: Baukjen (Winner), ECONYL (Highly Commended) 
  • Best Re-commerce: Thrift+ (Winner), Vivobarefoot (Highly Commended)
  • Best Rental Brand - Womenswear: Rotaro (Winner)
  • Best Rental Brand - Kidswear: thelittleloop (Winner)
  • Best Supply Chain: Vivobarefoot (Winner), SO JUST SHOP (Highly Commended)
  • Best Sustainable Accessory Brand: Sylven New York (Winner), Watson & Wolfe (Highly Commended)
  • Best Sustainable Designer Brand: Marici (Winner), Alicia Swim (Highly Commended)
  • Best Sustainable Fabric: Spinnova (Winner), Aqua and Rock (Highly Commended)
  • Best Sustainable High Street Brand: [R E S E T] (Winner), Superdry (Highly Commended)
  • Best Sustainable Jeans: unspun (Winner), Fanfare Label (Highly Commended)
  • Best Sustainable High Street Jewellery Brand: With Love Darling (Winner)
  • Best Sustainable Luxury Jewellery Brand: Otiumberg (Winner), Monica Vinader (Highly Commended)
  • Best Sustainable Small Business: Onesta (Winner), BEEN London (Highly Commended), Monika the Label (Highly Commended)
  • Best Sustainable Swimwear Brand: More Than Swim UK (Winner)
  • Best Sustainable Underwear Brand: Stripe & Stare (Winner)
  • Best Sustainable Watch Collection: Mondaine - Essence (Winner)
  • Best Vegan Brand: jakke (Winner), Pieferi (Highly Commended)

 Congratulations to everyone who took part in the awards! Now let’s put our hearts and minds together to work for a greener future! There is definitely light at the end of the tunnel!