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Saving the planet one designer dress at a time
Just because we love us some stylish new threads doesn’t mean we don’t care about the impact our obsession has on the world. Which is why we’re all about supporting environmentally friendly and sustainable companies and designers. Even though being eco-friendly, or ‘green,’ has been a global trend for over a decade, it’s only recently that the proliferation of consciousness can be seen across the fashion industry (a multi-billion dollar industry, at that!). Designers and major brands know the value in creating clothing that is not only aesthetically and commercially pleasing, but that does not – quite literally – cost us the earth. We’re excited to see sustainable, ethical and environmentally friendly fashion gaining popularity. Even global houses such as Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, Reformation and H&M are all taking part in the emergence of “conscious couture.” This Earth Month, we’re highlighting a few fashion eco-warriors who hope to change how our perception of what it means to be fashion forward.
A Boy Named Sue
Local fashion duo Tania Reinert-Shchelkanovtseva and her partner, Sam, founded A Boy Named Sue, an all-encompassing “eco-boutique” determined to prove “ethics and aesthetics are not mutually exclusive.” Founded more than five years ago, this cool-girl-with-a-conscious approach to sustainable fashion ticks all our boxes here at Sassy: reduced ecological footprint, socially beneficial systems, locally produced designs and an overall effortless chic you want to have in your sartorial repertoire. A Boy Named Sue manages local designers concerned and committed to creating fashion with a strong focus on using natural, sustainable or recyclable materials and processes.
Kay Li
HK designer Kay Li offers consumers contemporary chic that straddles the line between sustainability and luxury. Eco-fashion should be timeless, made with consideration and longevity at its core, and Kay Li keeps all that in mind when she creates her designs. Androgynous, edgy and transitional, Kay Li is a brand that allows women invest in clothing, knowing it has been made with Mother Nature’s best interest at heart. For a list of stockists, click here.
Read more: Hong Kong-Based Designers We’re Watching – And You Should, Too!
Redress
Christina Dean is on a mission to reduce waste in the fashion industry in Hong Kong (and beyond!). Founder and Board Chair of Redress, an NGO promoting eco-design, she and her team coordinated an Eco-Chic Fashion Show that has gone global and showcased major fashion names including Diane Von Furstenberg. Redress informs and encourages sustainable fashion consumption here in the 852, and, with a strong social media presence and generally awesome approach, it is no doubt that it has had such a positive impact on our perception of the ease of sustainability. Check it out on Instagram and get in sync with its second-hand clothing challenges.
RUMI X
If fitness is your fix then look no further than Hong Kong’s RUMI X for sustainable sportswear! Founded by Melissa Chu, who pioneers eco-athleisure locally, RUMI X delivers on a promise of fashion and function whilst boasting a green card. The activewear brand is playful, vibrant and seriously sustainable – all products are made from what is known as upcycled waste (another term is ‘creative reuse’ and it refers to the process of transforming wasted, useless garments and materials into newer, better quality products for better environmental value). RUMI X’s standout prints, bright colours and designs offer an eco-edge when it comes to street style. And the coolest details about RUMI X? Its bottoms are all made from upcycled plastic water bottles and the tops come from used coffee grounds. I know; I am as flabbergasted as you are! If you’re ready to hit the gym looking cool and conscious then shop the brand here.
H&M
H&M has done a fantastic job at popularizing the idea of conscious fashion, ensuring we can still have a positive impact environmentally without losing our sartorial sass. Its recycling campaign #CloseTheLoop focuses on reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills by encouraging customers to donate unwanted clothes – from any brand – in return for a discount on their next purchase. Better yet, its brand, Conscious Collective, has already seen a number of fashionable seasons, with the latest Conscious Exclusive launching officially April 20th (supported by Lucky Blue, Chrissy Teigen and Hailey Baldwin, to name a few). At a star-studded event in LA last month, it previewed this showstopper: a plissé dress made from BIONIC – polyester made of recycled shoreline plastic. This is just one of the many notable pieces in the new green collection, which focuses on all senses and, of course, sustainability. Look out for it in major H&M stores around Hong Kong just in time for spring! Find out more here.
