As you might already know, the textile industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world, second to oil. At Stella Carakasi, we are committed to creating eco-friendly clothing by using sustainable fabrics without sacrificing quality or style. Read on to learn more about why it’s so important to choose sustainable clothing, what we do to uphold our commitments, and all about Tencel® denim—one of our favorite sustainable fabrics.
Why Sustainable?
The garment industry makes up 10% of our carbon emissions worldwide. From water waste to polluting dyes, to greenhouse gas emissions—crafting your new favorite t-shirt or pair of jeans is more wasteful than you can imagine!
And fashion pollution doesn’t just stop after manufacturing. The average person throws away 81 pounds of clothing per year which contributes to the whopping 11 million tons of fabric in landfills each year! And if you think that sounds bad, some textiles can take up to 200+ years to decompose in landfills, causing massive amounts of unnecessary waste on our planet.
The good news is that not all fashion is bad for our environment. In fact, it is mostly fast fashion companies that contribute to the mass amount of pollution each year. Fast fashion companies sell inexpensive, trendy clothing that consumers typically only wear for a season or two before getting rid of them. On top of that, they manufacture huge batches of clothing at a time to keep their costs low and frequently use toxic dyes and finishes which are major contributors to water pollution. The unwanted clothing often gets incinerated, causing air pollution or it ends up in landfills. The problem with these garments is that they are typically made with microplastics that not only take forever to decompose in a landfill but also shed plastic microfibers into our oceans when washed.
Sustainability is in our DNA
Taking a stand for slow fashion means cultivating an environment that supports sustainability across the entire supply chain. We put major emphasis on being sustainable.
When we produce clothing, we partner with suppliers and manufacturers that support innovation and solutions to global challenges as developed by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization). In addition, our partners are BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative), WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production), and BVNA (Bureau Veritas) compliant.
- We believe that we all have the power to make a positive difference and it starts with our daily choices, big or small.
- We believe that less is more when less is better. We do not follow the unsustainable fashion calendar that forces designers to constantly produce clothing without empathy for the environment or customer’s needs. Instead, we offer high quality garments that can be worn over and over and be treasured season after season. For us it’s quality over quantity so that we can provide our customers with top quality designs without having to sacrifice the safety of our planet or the people who live on it.
- Unlike fast fashion companies that produce mass quantities of new garments each week (crazy, right?!), we work with our manufacturing partners to produce our clothing in small batches, allowing us to maintain our high-quality standards with the lowest possible impact to our environment.
- We partner directly with mills to develop fabrics that are sustainable, feel great on the skin and are durable. We use sustainable fabrics like Organic Cotton, Modal®, recycled fibers, and one of our personal favorites, Tencel®.
The Lowdown on Tencel ® Fabric
Choosing the right fabrics for our clothing is super important for us to maintain our quality and sustainability standards. While we work with a variety of sustainable fabrics, Tencel® has become a mainstay in our fabric offerings. Tencel® is a fiber brand that makes a sustainable type of rayon. It is produced by dissolving the pulp of sustainably grown trees and drying it through a special process called spinning. Before the wood pulp is dried, it is pushed through holes to form threads which are then spun into yarn and made into fabric.
What makes Tencel® so special is that it doesn’t require as much water or energy to produce as other more traditional fabrics do. It also doesn’t require as much dye to be used in the finishing process. On top of that, Tencel® is made to be pure white so it doesn’t need to be bleached which has a huge positive impact on the environment. Lastly, because Tencel® is made from wood, it is biodegradable, so it won’t sit in landfills for hundreds of years when it’s time to dispose of it.
Tencel® can be used on its own or blended with other types of fibers such as cotton, wool, or silk. It is also known for its strength, moisture-wicking ability, and softness.
Evolved Denim: Eco-fashion That Fits Your Body & Your Values
We use Tencel® denim to create a range of garments from tops to dresses and pants. Like the traditional Tencel® fabric, Tencel® denim is made with lower amounts of water and a low carbon footprint. We love the touch and feel of Tencel®, it is soft as silk, absorbent, and drapes well. Our lightweight Tencel® denim is eco-friendly and garment washed to perfection in a classic “vintage” finish with select pieces garment dyed in luscious colors, Lagoon & Port and Black.
Featured are a Few of our Favorite Pieces:
Washed Indigo Tunic — Our Washed Indigo Tunic is a great closet staple that can be worn in a variety of different ways. It’s available in three different colors that you can pair with leggings, jeans, capris, and more! And the best part is that it’s made with 100% Tencel® denim in small batches so you can feel good about what you’re wearing.
Heatwave Tunic — Our new Heatwave Tunic is perfect for those easy days to throw on with leggings or a pair of trousers. We currently offer it in a beautiful “vintage” wash. The contrast stitching and decorative button-loop design and the deep side slits offer the perfect balance of style and comfort. It also features handy front pockets!
Free and Easy Dress — Looking for a new closet staple? Our brand new Free and Easy Dress is perfect for those breezy summer days. It features a zip-front and has a flattering but airy silhouette which makes it perfect for the warmer days ahead. Like the rest of our Tencel® collection, it’s eco-friendly and produced in small quantities.
City Pants — Ready to add a pair of bottoms to your wardrobe that you can dress up for work or tone down for a casual lunch? Our City Pants are the perfect fit! We designed these cropped pants to be comfortable and loose fitting, versatile and flattering. They’re available in “vintage” wash and black garment dye to compliment any outfit.
Prime Time Tunic — This eco-friendly, A-line shaped tunic is an ideal go-to style all year around at home or out and about. Worn open as a lightweight jacket or buttoned up as a comfy tunic. One style, two looks!
This is what sustainability looks like.
Click here to check out these Stella Carakasi Tencel® denim pieces and more!
For more sustainable outfit inspiration check out our Looks We Love page. It only takes a few great designs to create a wide variety of fresh looks. We invite you to get inspired.
The post Evolved Denim: Tencel® Denim Top, Tunics, Dresses and Pants for the Most Eco-Friendly Fashion appeared first on Stella Carakasi.