Oftentimes, amidst the mass of big name brands showing at New York Fashion Week, the homegrown artisans get lost in the mix. These are designers who are turning rags to riches, and making those rags look darn good in the process. They are the heart of the sustainable movement, and the reason why several headliners are adopting a message of sustainability. Here are some smaller houses who deserve recognition for igniting widespread change across the industry.
Femail Forever
Launched in 2013 by two Parsons graduates, Femail Forever embodies everything it means to be a sustainable fashion brand. Which is, perhaps, the reason why Teen Vogue chose them to participate in their Generation Next showcase at New York Fashion Week. In an interview with Teen Vogue, Founders Camilla Harper and Janelle Abbott said that they believe the fashion industry could benefit from being more accountable for their production, use of natural resources, and overall role in climate change; something that Femail is already doing by using repurposed fabrics and embellisments. Each item for sale on the website includes a breakdown of what was used, how much it costs, and how these costs add up to the price of the garment. It doesn’t get much more transparent than that, and other brands should take note.
PH5
Dongguan may be known as the home of “Made in China,” but one brand that has taken up shop in Guangdong Province aims to stand out from the sea of fast fashion factories with a message of zero waste. PH5, a knitwear brand produced in a mill owned by Founder Wei Lin’s mother, is taking slow fashion to the next level. And, they decided to spread that message on the streets of New York City this past week. Their Spring/Summer 2020 collection consisted of rather simplistic colors and patterns, but each garment is to be appreciated. Every collection takes countless hours to knit, and there is virtually no leftover fabric in the end. Therefore, no wasted material. The only thing that is left over is yarn, which is repurposed for future projects. While PH5’s approach to sustainable fashion is a bit straightforward, it provides an interesting perspective on how we can prevent textiles from being wasted in the first place.
Cie Denim
CIE Denim has made several “Ones to Watch” lists over the course of New York Fashion Week, and deservedly so. They have incorporated sustainable denim, as well as deadstock fabric across their entire collection; one that was a hit, due to their collaboration with Naveena Mills. Naveena Mills uses significantly less water and chemicals in the production of their denim fabric, making them the ideal partner for a brand on a mission to make denim more environmentally-friendly. As for what the future holds for CIE, Founder Kelcie Schofield told Cools.com, “Staying sustainable is at the heart of the brand… and ethically producing everything is our ethos.” We look forward to seeing what’s to come.
These three brands have proven that even though you may be small, you can still make a large impact. We cannot wait to see where they are headed, and we encourage all those reading to keep them on your radar. This surely isn’t the last you will hear of them, as they are destined for success.
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