From Buckingham Palace to saving the planet, it’s all in a day’s work for Prince William.
The Prince, a big advocate for sustainability, rocked up at the Earthshot Prize in Cape Town this week sporting a bit of a hipster makeover.
In line with Earthshot’s mission to find innovative solutions to climate change, the evening’s dress code centred on sustainable fashion - and Prince William certainly delivered.
Gone were the stuffy suits; in their place was a second-hand vintage blazer (we’re big fans) paired with stylish white trainers from sustainable brand Purified Shoes - a choice that caught the attention of the label’s founder, Will Verona.
“It’s not everyday His Royal Highness Prince William wears your shoes. You can only imagine my surprise when I flicked on the Earthshot Prize to see the future King sporting a pair of the PURIFIED HEVEAs,” he wrote.
“It’s amazing to be represented at the Earthshot Prize among so many world-changing companies who share our vision for a sustainable future.”
Good news: with more sustainable brands springing up than ever before, you can be both eco-friendly and fashionable at the same time. Even if the budget doesn’t stretch to a pair of Purified Shoes (though at £130 per pair, they’re surprisingly affordable), the market is thriving: here are our picks of the brands to check out.
Purified Shoes
Of course. This was founded by Verona after a visit to Sri Lanka’s infamous ‘trash mountain’: a 50m high tower of plastic waste that collapsed in 2017, killing 32 people.
The brand champions eco-friendly materials and processes, and the shoes themselves are designed to ‘return to the earth’ once they’re finished being worn. They’re minimalist – the shoes are black and white – they’re unique, and they’re recyclable. What could be better?
Organic Basics
Sustainability, but make it affordable. Organic Basis only does one thing – cotton – but it does it extremely well. Designed in Copenhagen, they boast a range of T-shirts, underwear, hoodies and socks, which are made from organic cotton and recycled materials. They use renewable energy to make their clothes, and they also boast surprisingly low price points – proof, as if it were needed, that you don’t need to splash out to buy responsibly.
Sezane
The ever-chic French label Sezane is also a bit of a pioneer when it comes to sustainability. They’re B-Corp certified, and three quarters of the materials they use to make their designs are eco-friendly. 90 per cent of its cotton is organic, 85 per cent of its viscose comes from sustainably-managed forests. Combine that with their excellent knitwear and air of je ne sais quoi cool, and what you have is a very tempting prospect indeed.
Damson Madder
Everybody’s favourite cool-girl London brand also has a lot to say when it comes to the planet. Damson Madder uses organic cotton, recycled and re-purposed fabrics to make its cult-favourite clothes – while the materials themselves are ethically sourced, via supply chains with fair labour practices. So you can wear the gilet (or quilted jacket, or bow-adorned dress) that everybody’s talking about and feel good about it too.
E.L.V. Denim
Another London sustainability champion – and one that uses denim destined for the landfill to create stylish new designs: two-toned jeans, Seventies silhouettes and classic faves. Clothes are created in East London and the label uses low-impact materials with the aim of limiting its chemical and water waste.
Reformation
This celeb favourite brand (Taylor Swift, Sienna Miller and Kaia Gerber are all fans) is the go-to place for statement denim, floaty summer dresses and chic satin gowns. But it’s also low-impact. Reformation has been carbon neutral since 2015, sources its energy from wind suppliers, and uses renewable, recycled and regenerative materials to make its collections. It publishes a Sustainability Report every year, and it’s all small batch – which, on the downside, means they sell out quickly.
House of Sunny
One of the best ways to make fashion more eco-friendly is to reduce your output – and that’s exactly what House of Sunny has done. What’s more, it’s quickly become a Gen Z staple for its fun designs, knitted dresses (a favourite of Kendall Jenner) and baggy denim offerings. The label only produces two collections a year, uses recycled cotton and polyester and has introduced new technology to avoid excess water waste when making its denim pieces.
Away That Day
Can swimwear ever be sustainable? Away That Day says it can. The swimwear itself is classic and elegant (think flattering high-waisted bikinis and stylish one-pieces that sell out every year); it’s made by small workshops in the UK, Europe and India. Even better, the brand uses ocean plastic, nylon and ghost fishing nets, as well as biodegradable linen and recycled polyamide, in its designs.
Nudea
Underwear designed to last – and designed to be kind to the planet, too. Nudea is B-corp certified and only uses recycled or sustainable fabrics. There’s a bra recycling scheme (turns out, they’re surprisingly difficult to dispose of responsibly). And the underwear itself is both hard-wearing and flattering: the golden crossover in the Venn diagram. It’s pricy, but worth it.
Sheep Inc
Bringing knitting back to the basics, by making everything small-batch. This is the world’s first carbon-negative knitwear brand, which includes information about where exactly your knitwear comes from with every purchase. Even better, the brand has pledged to pay back 10 times the carbon footprint of every buy. They’re made to last a lifetime (in fact, they come with a lifetime guarantee), and Tom Hardy is a fan: what’s not to like?
People Tree
One of the sustainability OGs, People Tree has been going for 20 years, and is still leading the way for others. Championing everyday fashion, it makes all its clothes from environmentally friendly materials, uses natural dyes and low impact materials to limit chemical and water waste from the creation process. Plus, its supply chain is certified for paying a living wage.
