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…
Fashion labels across the world, including G-Star Raw, H&M, Gucci, Adidas and North Face, are using fabric made from recycled plastic to create new items of clothes. Both this year’s World Environment Day and World Oceans Day drew our attention to the scourge of plastic…
For five months, Luanne has been studying, writing and reading about sustainable fashion. Closet Wise is a bi-monthly column about her journey to becoming a sustainable shopper. When you decide to embrace eco-fashion, and in particular, an ethical approach to how your clothes are made,…
Heather Moore, the creative force behind much-loved South African décor brand, Skinny laMinx, believes that her transparent relationship with her clientele plays an important part in her success. “People who follow Skinny laMinx can’t help but know that real people work here. For us it…
Jackie Burger has been buying and wearing vintage since she found the freedom to define her own style as a student. “I still love the fabrics, the quality, the story… there is so much contained in a well-chosen vintage item. It can only add a…
Fashion Revolution week has been and gone. But, that doesn't mean we should forget about what the campaign is all about. A key aim of the Fashion Revolution is to keep asking #WhomadeYourClothes? throughout the year. We asked four South African fashion activists to tell…
A good winter coat is an investment, and puffer jackets are a timeless classic that speak to the mountaineering, outdoor lifestyle of Patagonia and Kathmandu, whose names alone evoke wintry wildernesses and wild geese in flight. If you’re looking to replace your old winter coat,…
Local Cape-based innovators, Mike Schlebach and Jasper Eales of Sealand Gear, have developed a new range of bags, Sealand Eco Collection, which they have launched on Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform for the creative industry. Sealand Gear produces a range of some of the strongest, most durable…
Carin Smith, a freelancer in the creative industry, does a “ little bit everything”. She’s a crafter, stylist, painter, illustrator, window display-maker, paper-flower artist and occasionally she hosts workshops. Recently she and her brother, Norman, formed Next of Kin and are making rings using waste.…
When I visited PICHULIK’s new Cape Town studio in mid-April the ground around my house (I can no longer call it a garden) was bone-dry. I had an appointment with fashion designer Nadya von Stein to talk about the PICHULIKbyNadya FW18 collection called Talisman for…