With the world’s first sustainable fashion week upon us, it’s time to address one of the biggest questions conscious consumers frequently ask – ‘how do you know if a brand is truly sustainable or just greenwashing?’.
It’s a tricky question, so to help parents decipher between marketing jargon and the brands making a genuine difference, Anjelic Kumedzina, mother of three and founder of sustainable fashion brand KOOKOO BUT KIND has put together a list of questions to ask before making your next.
•Does the brand lead with purpose? What are they doing beyond what you see? How are they contributing to protecting our planet?
•Check the materials and their origin. What materials are the garments made out of? Did forests have to be cleared to grow the materials? Are they cruelty-free? Where are the fabrics sourced from, and what dyes do they use – are they vegan, vegetable ink?
•Are they transparent in their manufacturing processes? Where in the world are the clothes made, and how ethical are the conditions of any non-UK partners. What, if anything, are they doing to respect and give back to the local communities?
•Are they greenwashing? Customers need to look beyond the 100% organic cotton label. For example, many companies produce organic clothes, but they may be sent in plastic packaging or shipped from the other side of the world.
•What do they do with unsold clothes? At KOOKOO BUT KIND, we only produce limited runs to avoid waste and only reproduce collections if the demand is high. In the rare circumstances that our clothes don’t meet production standards, we give them away to a range of children’s charities to reduce waste.
Anjelic Kumedzina comments “The truth is, no fashion purchase is without its sins, but the fashion industry is making good strides towards becoming more sustainable, thanks to conscious consumers.”
“At KOOKOO BUT KIND, we are proud of our sustainable credentials, and if there’s one piece of advice to offer parents, it’s this – buy less, buy better. Our clothes are super-soft and designed to last. They’ll withstand life’s most demanding tests and inspire children to do good as well as look good” continues Anjelic.
Check out the new collection and the brand’s sustainable credentials HERE.