As consumers grow more aware of the harm caused by fast fashion, it’s been refreshing to see sustainability rise as a trend. But wait, what exactly is sustainable fashion?
Sustainable fashion uses materials that are carefully sourced and produced with the environment in mind. It’s also known as ethical fashion as it ensures safe and fair working conditions for their employees. In some cases, sustainable fashion can also refer to thrifting and repurposing – this involves upcycling old clothes and turning them into completely new pieces of clothing!
We’ve been seeing more and more local brands commit to making a difference, and they look good while they’re at it. Here are 6 local sustainable fashion brands you can support:
Terrae, which means ‘Earth’ in Latin and Italian, is a sustainable activewear brand that focuses on being both durable and timeless.
Their clothes are made from a material called ECONYL, which is regenerated nylon derived from discarded fishing nets, and fabric scraps that would otherwise end up in landfills. This virgin nylon alternative has great recovery power, so you don’t need to sweat about its performance! Even their packaging is produced from recyclable and biodegradable materials.
Inspired by the Russian word ‘озеро’, which means ‘lake’ in English, Ozero stays true to its creative name with each swimwear design being named after lakes.
By using ECONYL, their fabulous pieces are made from rescued plastic waste, such as fishing nets and industrial plastic, and offer everything you look for in good swimwear – like great shape retention, chlorine and suntan cream resistance, and excellent UV protection!
Batik lovers, this one’s for you.
Dona Plant Base is a sustainable brand that strongly believes in ethical practices and giving back to the community. Their beautiful batik pieces are made by artisans in Bali and therefore, each piece is completely unique and made in limited quantities – like a work of art.
They use natural dyes from locally grown plants, upcycled textiles, organic sustainable materials, as well as plastic-free packaging. Dona Plant Base offers the most gorgeous tops, dresses, bags, face masks and more!
Fast fingers are needed to get a Ghostboy piece since their tops are always sold out within minutes!
Founded by David and Cyii Cheng, Ghostboy Club is known for its distinctive one-of-a-kind pieces that can be spotted from a mile away. Each item is uniquely designed and handmade with used clothing sourced from thrift stores and donations. The end product is an eccentric piece of art that’s attracted their cult following.
Lazii Vintage is a sustainable brand that turns the oversized ‘dad shirt’ into all-the-rage goodness!
They rework and upcycle vintage sweatshirts and other clothing to increase the lifespan of each item. Their pieces are carefully curated and uniquely reworked by hand with no two pieces alike. Lazii also extends its sustainability efforts to the packaging by using eco-friendly and recycled materials.
Lemon by ACK is a slow fashion label that uses ethically sourced fabrics and materials such as 100% organic cotton to create eye-catching apparel and accessories.
Their beautiful tops, bags and swimwear are manufactured at a local sewing facility run by the non-profit organization, Life 2 Life El Shaddai, which focuses on fostering life-long skills and knowledge to displaced individuals.
Feed two birds with one seed and shop from these sustainable brands – you’ll be saving the Earth, ensuring fair practices and supporting small businesses!
It has been mandatory to wear a mask in public places, but with the ongoing spike in Coronavirus cases – we’re all left fearing another nationwide lockdown that poses a major threat to our economy, social well-being and mental health. Although it is more likely that they will continue with regional lockdowns and strict travel restrictions, marginalized groups like lower-income workers, along with women, youth and minorities, will still be deeply affected.
Social enterprises have helped out with the crisis from feeding the underprivileged to even providing them with jobs. Many have seen the increasing demand for washable, more environmentally-friendly face masks as an opportunity to supply B40 women, Orang Asli mothers, the OKU Group and refugee communities with an income.
Here’s where you can buy a reusable face mask that contributes to these charitable causes:
Posted by Cuci Ceria Project on Thursday, October 1, 2020
The Cuci Ceria Project uses recycled cotton fabrics for their face masks, which are made by refugee and B40 women. With every adult mask purchased, they will donate two masks to those who are unable to afford it.
Made in Sabah, Changgih Designs hires local moms and artisans to produce their products from handbags and wallets to face masks. Their #Give10ToSabah program sees 10% of their profits being used to help other Sabahans and the community.
Earth Heir is a luxury brand that is fair trade certified with the World Fair Trade Organisation. They engage in ethical partnerships by supporting ethnic and refugee artisans with income opportunities and career development.
A collaboration between grassroots organisations and local artisans, INKAA partners with marginalised communities to produce their products and ensure fair wages. Each purchase supports the livelihood of these communities.
Komuniti Tukang Jahit provides women who are home-based tailors with job opportunities. This enables housewives, single women and single mothers to earn a sustainable income from home.
6. Mangosteen
Mangosteen uses 100% of their profits to help empower the lives of women and children in Southeast Asia. Their hand sanitisers are made by Orang Asli mothers, and their reusable face masks are made by mothers from the B40 and refugee communities
A transformational enterprise, Sew x Dignity empowers youth and women from refugee communities. All profits are put back into the Foundation to train more students on how to start their own enterprise.
8. Surya Bags
Women/teenager
Posted by SURYA BAGS on Thursday, September 24, 2020
Surya Bags are handmade in Malaysia by refugees from Myanmar. They help those who fled their homeland to escape dangerous situations and forced labour.
9. The Asli Co
The Asli Co works with Orang Asli women to support their children’s education. By employing women from marginalised communities, they are also able to help keep indigenous kids in school.
By hiring local artisans to produce their batik products, The Batik Boutique is able to provide them with a fair, sustainable income, as well as marketable skills. Their vision is to empower hundreds of women with the opportunity to provide for themselves and their families.
11. The Y Shop
Posted by YWCA KL on Saturday, May 23, 2020
The Young Women’s Christian Association started a sewing workshop for young women in the B40 community. This grew into an online store with bags being made by these women, providing them with an income.
Do you remember how exciting it was to find a tin of Danish butter cookies at grandma’s house? Our little fingers would struggle to pry open the shiny blue Royal Dansk container, but once we finally managed to get the lid off – our hopes and dreams of stuffing our faces with crispy cookies were shattered by the presence of a sewing kit.
That’s probably where our trust issues stemmed from (along with the other unpleasant surprises we’d find in different food containers), but it was also, most likely, our first introduction to sustainability.
According to the United Nations Brundtland Commission (1987), sustainability is defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. So when grandma needed a place to store her raw seasoned chicken – reusing a Neapolitan ice cream tub was her way of reducing waste and protecting the environment.
We might have laughed and even rolled our eyes as they hoarded plastic items, but now their methods of reusing and recycling are considered admirable and are highly encouraged. This makes them the true pioneers of the low waste movement. Here are a few familiar throwbacks to their sustainable living:
- Must. Reuse. Every. Container.
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter might be the name of a margarine brand, but it’s exactly how we felt every time we opened a tub of butter to find last night’s leftovers instead of a spread for our toast. We did not enjoy that guessing game!
- Triangular Plastic Bags
These were more enjoyable to do – we’d help fold plastic bags into triangles after grocery shopping and then store them in another plastic bag for future use. Plastic bags aren’t biodegradable, so this helped prevent them from ending up in landfills, waterways or the ocean.
- The Plastic Drawer
There was always that one drawer filled with, what seemed to be, the most random things from McDonald’s sauces and Domino’s chili flakes to plastic cutlery, straws and bread ties that were ready to be reused. Maybe hoarding had some points.
It has become our responsibility to protect the planet from further harm. Take a page from grandma’s book and reduce your waste by reusing single-use items (if you can). Through waste prevention and simple waste management, you’ll be able to reduce your negative environmental impact and help conserve the earth’s resources!
We’ve done a great job of replacing plastic straws with reusable alternatives, but what about the multiple cotton pads we dispose of everyday? Whether used for removing makeup or applying toner, it produces a lot of unnecessary waste that, fortunately, we can now cut back on. Here are six sustainable beauty products to make our everyday habits less wasteful (and more economical):
These super soft alternatives from The Mine Raw come in a set of five – just toss them into the washing machine before reuse.
Made with bamboo sticks and natural cotton, these compost-friendly swabs from The Hive are 100% biodegradable.
The size might be intimidating at first, but menstrual cups aren’t just greener – they’re also easier and healthier, according to the award-winning, OrganiCup.
If you’re still not convinced by menstrual cups, The Hive has a few eco-friendly pad options which are washable.
Antimicrobial and hypoallergenic, these bamboo cloth wipes are a brilliant alternative to makeup remover wipes, especially for sensitive skin.
- Silicone Masks
Swap out sheet masks for a single silicone mask cover from Daiso – place it over a hydrating mask or essence to lock in the moisture.
Not only are these options more sustainable, but they simplify your life too! You won’t have to make as many trips to the store as these products last-longer – that’s a win for your time, money and the earth! Reduce consumption, reduce waste.
