The fashion industry has an undeniable duty to change. Both as a clothing brand and then individually as consumers, it is our responsibility to make sustainable choices from process to product to purchase.
The evolution of eco-fashion alternatives is well underway, a movement that we at Heist are fully committed to. However, we are conscious that eco-fashion, on the whole, has to battle against a number of stereotypes and misconceptions. In this article, we put those misconceptions to bed and outline the ways in which we are committed to eco-fashion as a true force for a better world.
1. Eco-fashion is only fabric deep
Our commitment to sustainable fashion goes beyond just the fabrics we use and how environmentally friendly they are. For us, responsible operation means disrupting the production line and reducing the rate at which products end up in land-fill.
Warehouse waste plays a huge part in this and the wider issue of fast fashion. That's why we've adopted a ‘make on demand’ stock replenishment approach. We only make what you want when you want it. When we get this right, it means there’s nothing left over, which means zero floating stock. Our warehouse is, of course, working to streamline and better all processes too. They’ve registered with the Sustainable Air Freight Alliance (SAFA) and have promised to launch a Carbon Foot Calculator by the end of 2022.
2. Eco-fashion is uncomfortable
We’ve all worn fabrics made from sustainable materials that have felt itchy and uncomfortable - and this has certainly added to the taboo that eco-fashion isn’t quite where it needs to be when it comes to wearability. We’ve gone above and beyond to source sustainable fabrics that genuinely look and feel incredible against your skin. Our Eco Lace Collection is underwear designed to keep you in your comfort zone and is made from 100% recycled and recyclable lace that is lightweight, smooth and silky-soft to touch.
3. Eco-fashion is boring/ugly
When you think of sustainable clothing, what comes to mind? Something beige, hemp-based and lacklustre? Too often our assumption is that choosing an eco-wardrobe means choosing sustainability over style, and therefore making a compromise. We believe that when it comes to pioneering craftsmanship, design and artistry, brands and businesses do not, and should not, compromise. At Heist, we use the latest sustainable fabrics and technology hand in hand with the beautiful designs created by our all-female in-house design team, Lab12. We believe that our products should always be trade-ups, and never trade-offs. We make sustainability look and feel good.
4. Eco-fashion means less choice
Sustainable fashion options can feel limiting but we, and the wider industry, are working to change that. We launched our first recycled product. The Fishnet, in 2019 and since then we’ve launched a whole range of sustainable tight styles, including patterns, made from recycled yarns (recycled Polyamide, Q-Nova® by Fulgar and recycled Elastane, Roica Eco-Smart™). We chose to tackle tights first because out of all our products, they are most likely to end up in landfill.
Since then, we have launched The Eco LaceCollection, our first sustainable underwear line; the lace components of which are 100% recycled and 100 % recyclable - This marks another step towards our ongoing commitment to reduce our environmental impact and use of sustainable materials across all of our product categories.
5. Eco-fashion is greenwashing
‘Sustainable’ has been a buzzword in the fashion industry for some time now, so how do you spot the difference between the virtue signallers and the genuinely eco-conscious brands? There is no easy answer to this, however, the ways in which we are trying to navigate this space is through transparency. Today, we are focusing on the areas that will have the biggest immediate positive impact. There’s more to do, and we are determined to do better and be better.
