With a passion for the natural environment and a fascination with the secret language we all speak through our clothes, Hanri Taljaard is currently knee-deep in a PhD study, focusing on “voluntary simplistic” clothing consumption practices in South Africa. Nadia Krige asked Hanri a few questions:…
On the first day of New York Fashion Week, slow fashion had its moment in Hong Kong. Last Thursday 11 emerging sustainable designers from around the world showed their collections at the Grand Final of the Redress Design Award 2018, the world’s largest sustainable fashion…
On the small mezzanine level of a house in Johannesburg, the Wrapt team is busily working at knitting machines. It’s been a few months since they joined Hannelie Bekker’s new knitwear label but already Oupa Nhovela, Anna Setloboko and Felicity Mhlanga have created multiple designs…
Rowena Bird is picking up trash when we meet. Her hair is soft pink, her lips painted a brighter pink and she’s wearing Parly Adidas sneakers made from recycled ocean plastic. On her recent visit to South Africa, she’s cleaning up Milnerton beach, across the…
When Dirty Fashion was released in June last year, most of us woke up to the horrific production processes of viscose. The Changing Markets Foundation which researched and compiled the report has since established a roadmap to better production processes and last month it released,…
We all love the feel of viscose. It’s soft and luxurious to the touch. So, it shouldn’t surprise you much that after it was first commercially produced in 1905 it was often called “artificial silk”. The silkiness is obvious. But artificial? Maybe this comes as…
Shoes aren't an easy product to make sustainably. Most mainstream mass shoe manufacturing involves toxic glues and plastics and unsustainably-sourced rubber and leather. A few companies have succeeded in making a shoe that is credibly sustainable and looks cool too. I noticed some exciting social…
In the Kullu Manali Valley valley lies Bhutti, a small hard-to-access village on the foothills of the Himalayas in Northern India. It’s here you’ll find one of the world’s last hand-weaving societies in the world. And it is here that Cape Town-based designer Ben Nivison's…
In this extract from How to Give up Plastic: Save the world one plastic bottle at a time, author Will McCallum gives us the lowdown on plastic and our clothes. You'll be surprised by what he has to say. It comes as a surprise to…
With a few short weeks to go before the eco Helsinki Fashion Week, there is growing excitement about this big and relevant event happening in a small Nordic country. Founded by Evelyn Mora, the three-year-old fashion week in Finland sponsors its designers and shows only…
News of our planet’s degradation dominates headlines. Everyday we read stories about the devastating effects of climate change; plastic waste clogging our oceans; carbon emissions; food grown in compromised soil; additives in products we use daily; chemical residues – including plastics – in our skin’s…
When Werner Winterboer provided leather veldskoen for a bridal shoot, he had no idea that this would lead to his making a collection of vegan vellies. Sapmok was founded in 2015 by Werner, an outdoor enthusiast and entrepreneur with a deep passion for nature conservation. The…
If you're pledging to give up single-use plastic shopping bags this Plastic Free July, you'll be looking for a great shopper. We've curated a collection of sustainably-made ones for you. The bag featured in the main image is made in Australia by Molly Younger using…
If you're interested in innovative solutions, you'll be interested in Piñatex. Lucky for us, WeAllShareRoots, a small French-South African company, is the first African brand to feature this new fibre. Piñatex is a PETA-certified leather alternative made from pineapple leaves. It is produced by felting…
A curiosity about fabric is what sets her brand apart, says fashion designer Emma Longden. Her team, she says, "is always learning about textiles". Since the ethos of Cape Town-based Sitting Pretty is based on environmental awareness, ethical trading and integrity, Emma uses eco-friendly and…