Simply Sustainable

Circular Thinking

Stephen Webster is an influential legend.  Taking his inspiration from the muses for art, fashion, music, literature and the natural world, his collections are fuelled by his own nomadic life experiences and his deep appreciation and understanding of cross cultural references.   Never, ever forgetting British craftsmanship and paying homage to state of the art techniques, he breaks rules beautifully, creating thought provoking and visionary jewellery that will become legacy pieces. Stephen Webster also offers RESET – a jewellery recycling service born from the belief that everyone has items of jewellery that just need a refresh and some tender, loving care.  RESET repurposes beloved items of jewellery turning them into current pieces, breathing new life into something that is very precious to the wearer.  The designer will also be releasing a sustainable report – out soon.

Sweet scent of kindness

This very special listed building has been inspired by the Art Deco hotels of the 1920’s and is now a luxury five start hotel in a quiet garden square, close enough to the must-see boutiques, galleries,  museums and neighbourhoods (Marylebone, St James’s and the West End)  and yet far enough away to experience peace and quiet.  Early in 2020, they began pioneering an exciting initiative to introduce a 95% plastic free solution for their bath, body and haircare products – introducing an innovative new collection of toiletries from D.R. Harris – reducing consumption of single plastic use to zero. Included in the collection is a ground breaking shampoo bar and solid body wash as well as body cream and hair conditioner in fully recycled and recyclable aluminium tubes, which are air- travel friendly and last much longer due to their concentrated formulations – which means whether you’re using them at home or away, you’ll always be doing the right thing for the planet.  

Time for change

Since 1904, Oris has been industrial watch making – with craftsmanship at the centre of their philosophy.    Their credo is also at the heart of everything they do – that ‘Things must make sense’ and that belief defines the quality of the work.  When it comes to sustainability, their commitment doesn’t falter.  By the end of 2021, the company will be carbon neutral – which means that what they do will have a zero balance effect on the environment – and that covers their Hölstein factory, their watches and their boutiques.  Their better practices like recycling and reducing emissions as well as carbon offsetting have been key and they also support a number of foundations in the spirit of sustainability.  Check out their fabulous watches including the Whale Shark Edition, which is a tribute to Carl Brashear, the first African American master diver, celebrated with a brace of limited edition pieces in marine-grade bronze, with sea blue dials.

Sky’s the limit

With luxurious cashmere at the heart of key collections, Les 100 Ciels believes that every piece should be as kindly made as it is beautiful.  That’s why ethical practices lie at the heart of their business – clearly demonstrating that style and substance make a beautiful partnership.  Every element of what they do is handled in house – from the raw yarn sourced from their goat farm in Inner Mongolia to the creative design and production that the material is taken through to achieve the classic silhouette pieces that have become a mainstay of so many wardrobes.  The designers also work with other natural fabrics including wool, cotton, silk and linen and the company runs sustainable initiatives, including one where customers can return any cashmere item bought in store in exchange for a voucher to go towards a new item.  They also hold a range of undyed cashmere pieces – which have all gone through the high standard production process but have missed out the dyeing stage leaving each piece unique – reflecting the natural tones and nuances of the yarn itself.   

Empowering the truth

Lone Design Cub describes itself as the antidote to fast fashion.  Their mission is simple and empowering – connecting you to ethical, independent fashion and lifestyle brands so you can discover ethical and unique clothing and accessories – staying kind whilst you stay beautiful. Thorough their pop up and online store, they maintain a tight ship – ensuring that all designers show commitment to one of their three LDC Values – which include  – ‘How It’s Made’, ‘What It’s Made With’ and the demonstration of ‘Charitable or Social Work’.  A tough ask in the world of fashion?  Not for these passionate fashionistas who work directly with designers (many of whom create their pieces and products by hand) to grow close, honest and open relationships between the designers and the customers, so that each and every time you purchase something from Lone Design Club – you know the back story.

Changing the way you shop – one piece at a time

We’ve all heart of slow food, but slow wear?  It turns out that Slowear is on to something really rather special – creating sustainable and durable clothes that encourage you to ‘buy better, buy less’.   The Venice based family-run business starts the whole process from the moment you enter the store – it’s a stress free zone here, meaning that everything – even your heart beat- slows down.   Every time you pick out an item, you’ll see that the craftsmanship is on point.  The quality comes from tradition – and attention to detail.  The business was started in 1951 where Roberto Campagno’s father worked on uniforms for the army – so knew how important well-made and durable items ware and how important the fabric plays in the process.  Fast forward to the present and you’ll find a fabulous collection of menswear, womenswear and accessories to suit the life you want to live.