Considered Materials: Get to Know Our Latest Drop

Fashion can be a great form of self-expression, it can represent or uplift your mood, it can tell a story and make you feel bold and confident. Unfortunately, fashion is also a great contributor to the climate crisis we’ve been experiencing for the past decades. Now the fashion industry won’t be disappearing any time soon, like we say at Glassworks, fashion is inherently unsustainable, but it is also illegal to leave the house naked! For this reason, it is important to learn about not only more considered fabrics, but to also engage in a more conscious production and consumption. The conversation around sustainability in fashion shouldn’t stop at clothes, it has to include its people and processes. Earth Day 2024 is particularly focused on reducing plastic use, something we’ve been working to improve at Glassworks since the brand was born in 2010. To honour Earth Day this year, we wanted to share some initiatives and changes we’ve implemented as a brand:

Changing our sock packaging.

In 2021 we changed our socks packaging to reduce the amount of plastic. They used to be displayed on small plastic hangers that have now been replaced by hangers made of fully recyclable kraft paper.

Wooden hangers only.

We don’t use plastic hangers – in stores we use wooden hangers, and our stock is never delivered on hangers. This way we avoid the use of single-use, poor-quality plastic hangers that many retailers have their stock delivered on.

In-store and online packaging.

We don’t use plastic to wrap or package our in-store and online orders. We use recyclable tissue paper to carefully wrap orders, and only use paper bags and envelopes.

Renewable energy.

In 2021, we swapped to renewable energy across all stores.

We know we’re not perfect (and we don’t claim to be!) but we’re on a mission to continue pushing ourselves to reduce plastic as much as possible in all areas of the business. As part of this mission, we’re looking to get rid of plastic used on swing tags and quick tags and to replace this with a more sustainable option.

You might have heard us brag about our weekly drops of limited edition fashion, and cry about the lack of range in our end-of-season sales. Our unique production model allows us to bring constant newness in very small quantities, which not only means you get a constant flow of limited edition pieces, but it also helps us avoid piling up end of season waste (this is why our sales are often limited in stock, most styles sell out very quickly!). To celebrate Earth Day, and as part of our ongoing commitment to discover more considered fabrics, we’ve dropped a range of new pieces made of considered materials, including linen (our absolute favourite sustainable fabric) and versatile TENCEL™.

LINEN

Linen is a natural fibre that has been used for thousands of years. It comes from the flax plant and it is known for being strong, breathable and durable. The flax plant is resilient and able to grow in poor soil, which means it requires less water and pesticides than other plants used for textile production, making it a more sustainable alternative to cotton.

Linen is hypoallergenic and a natural moth repellent! This fabric becomes softer the more it is worn and washed, making it a great addition to your wardrobe to style across many, many seasons.

TENCEL™

TENCEL™ is a fabric made by dissolving wood pulp. Its production requires less energy and water than other materials such as conventional cotton. On top of this, the chemical process to produce this fibre uses a closed-loop system that recycles the solvent and minimises waste.

TENCEL™ is known for its versatility. Depending on how it’s processed, it can have a cotton-like breathable and flowy quality, or a luxurious silky feel.

100% RECYCLED COTTON

Cotton is one of the most used fabrics in fashion. Breathable and light, this plant-based fibre forms a large part of many wardrobes. But growing cotton requires large amounts of water and harmful chemicals like pesticides, which has an impact on the planet and the people working to produce these textiles.

Recycled cotton aims to lower the impact of cotton production on the environment and has the potential to not only reduce water and energy consumption, but also to prevent clothes made out of cotton from ending up in landfill. Made from post-industrial and post-consumer cotton waste, recycled cotton is a more considered alternative to conventional cotton.

SEE ALL NEW ARRIVALS

Browse the latest drop to find the new range of considered materials like linen, 100% recycled cotton and tencel.

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