Subscriber nudge+ Posted October 31, 2018 Subscriber Share Posted October 31, 2018 9 minutes ago, SirBalon said: Bell & Ross Takes The Lead With Its Latest F1-Inspired Watches As collaborations go, it’s an absolute no-brainer. They are both French, have a passion for pushing the boundaries when it comes to technical excellence and look really good in yellow. First announced back in 2016, Bell & Ross’s partnership with the newly established Renault Sport Formula 1 was a new vehicular avenue for the watch brand, which had previously been the preserve of the world of aviation, but one that was bound by both partners wanting to be more creative outside of their usual universes. After two years of racing-car influenced collections that took inspiration from elements of Renault’s single-seat racing car such as the steering wheel, this year it is the chassis that takes pole position. The result is a collection of three watches that are light, durable and, more importantly, have ultra-accurate timing technology that is essential for anyone, whether you’re part of a Formula 1 team or simply enjoy bombing around your local A roads. High-Tech Structures It’s not surprising that the R.S.18 series, this year’s crop of Renault Sport-affiliated Bell & Ross watches, are based on the chassis. It is the driver’s main point of interaction with the car; how you exert your control over the vehicle, where your two personalities meld. It is so personal, in fact, that drivers will change chassis if they feel that the connection is not there. Renault also has reason to be proud of its new chassis, which it introduced in 2017 and significantly improved its standings in the World Constructors’ Championships. When it comes to a watch, the case is the chassis. It is ergonomic, engineered to be light yet withstand shocks and cossets the beating heart of the machine. In Bell & Ross’s case, that means using microblasted titanium with portions milled out to make the structure even lighter, but without compromising its strength. Rather than the usual vertical pushers, the chronograph function is operated with ones that rock to emulate the paddles on a Formula 1 steering wheel. In many ways, a chronograph is the ultimate automotive watch function. Originally invented to measure the short periods of time between horses on a race course, it is now an indispensable tool for drivers and timekeepers, allowing them to monitor the performance of the cars as they race. To make its chronographs even easier to use Bell & Ross has used Renault’s signature yellow to make all the functions instantly legible. Add to that an anti-reflective sapphire crystal and a specially designed perforated rubber strap and you’ve got a watch that’s ideal whether you’re lapping Silverstone or the M25. BR03-94 R.S.18 This is the most basic of the new R.S.18 models, though there’s really nothing basic about it. It is the ultimate pared-back sports chronograph. The perforated, microblasted titanium case comes as standard and the dial is carbon fibre; a material used in F1 for a car’s chassis. The two chronograph sub dials have been skeletonised so the gear train – the wheels and pinions responsible for evenly transmitting power through the movement – can be seen without turning the watch over. A tachymeter scale around the outer edge of the dial, to calculate speed over a given distance, allows for immediate calculations, while the rocker design of the red anodised aluminium pushers means no delays in stopping and starting the chronograph function. Limited to 999 pieces BR-X1 R.S.18 The worlds of high-end watchmaking and high-speed cars collide in this design, which is the very essence of a racing driver’s watch. To make the timepiece so light on the wrist you’ll hardly be able to feel it, the movement has been skeletonised, giving a high-tech style to the Swiss-made BR-CAL.313 with its distinctive X-shaped upper bridge. For this model, the rocker pushers are in Renault yellow to complement the tachymeter scale and thumb grip on the case at 9 o’clock to ensure there’s no slipping when using the chronograph. And, the hands and indices have been filled with SuperLuminova so you won’t have to choose another watch to time your night race laps. Limited to 250 pieces BR-X1 Tourbillon R.S.18 If it’s extra precision you’re looking for then this skeletonised flying tourbillon chronograph has it in spades. Used to reduce the effects of the earth’s gravity on the movement, this flying tourbillon – so-called because its cage is secured on an axis so the mechanism appears to float in space – is the pinnacle of complicated watchmaking. The red and yellow chronograph sub dials are operated by a single pusher, keeping the case uncluttered and allowing the mechanics, which can be seen through the skeletonised dial, to take centre stage. Despite having all these horological fireworks on display, this is still a tool watch and Bell & Ross has ensured maximum legibility thanks to the use of colour and the SuperLuminova hands and indices in a timepiece that effortlessly blends sport and luxury. Limited to 20 pieces BR V2-94 R.S.18 The French Grand Prix returned to the Formula 1 calendar this summer. To mark the occasion, Bell & Ross delved into its archives to produce an additional vintage piece to the trio of chronographs above. And it’s arguably even racier. This colourful chrono has a yellow internal minute track and two counters, one in red for optimal legibility of the subdial. There’s also a tachymeter scale which allows you to calculate a car’s speed in an instant while bonus racing kudos comes in the form of a carbon fibre dial emblazoned with numerals taken from the Renault Sport Formula One Team. The steel case comes on a rubber strap with go-faster stripes in the colours of the French flag. Or for something that nods to the great heritage of motoring watches, there’s also a perforated calfskin strap and a satin-finished steel bracelet. Limited to 999 pieces Explore the full collection at bellross.com A perforated rubber strap on a 17000€ watch, seriously?... Personally, I think it looks tacky af. If you want a F1 inspired watch, you can get one of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 watches or even one of the classy TAG Heuer Monaco watches which is basically the definition of sexy for just a fraction of price of this overpriced stuff that isn't even aesthetically pleasing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted October 31, 2018 Author Share Posted October 31, 2018 11 minutes ago, nudge said: A perforated rubber strap on a 17000€ watch, seriously?... Personally, I think it looks tacky af. If you want a F1 inspired watch, you can get one of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 watches or even one of the classy TAG Heuer Monaco watches which is basically the definition of sexy for just a fraction of price of this overpriced stuff that isn't even aesthetically pleasing... I think they're amazing Nudge. TAG Heuer although very respectable, aren't innovative amongst the high end watches anymore. I get what you're saying on the aesthetics, I understand where you're going with that but innovation is testing the boundaries of what we feel comfortable with in what's been fed to us as a traditional structure in any walk of life's even clothes. For example in this selection I've posted the biggest waste of money is that final model which funnily enough feeds all our comfort zones on what we tend to lead through in our mindset. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber nudge+ Posted October 31, 2018 Subscriber Share Posted October 31, 2018 22 minutes ago, SirBalon said: I think they're amazing Nudge. TAG Heuer although very respectable, aren't innovative amongst the high end watches anymore. I get what you're saying on the aesthetics, I understand where you're going with that but innovation is testing the boundaries of what we feel comfortable with in what's been fed to us as a traditional structure in any walk of life's even clothes. For example in this selection I've posted the biggest waste of money is that final model which funnily enough feeds all our comfort zones on what we tend to lead through in our mindset. Oh give me a break with your marketing nonsense 'Aesthetically pleasing' is of course subjective in nature - you might find it cool-looking while I find it distasteful and tacky and that's perfectly fine; but if we are talking innovation, a watch is much more than just a design - it's a craft, and I'd certainly expect to get something more for that price than a stock, off-the-shelf automatic ETA movement they bought off someone else and which is used in thousands other much cheaper watches... That, and I still think they look horrendous P.S. I'm not in love with TAG Heuer either, with the exception of Monaco and some Carrera models... Give me Breitling any day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rab Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 TAGs might not be the greatest on the planet but at least they don't look like watches for children. All that's missing from Bell Ross is some superhero logos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted October 31, 2018 Author Share Posted October 31, 2018 9 minutes ago, nudge said: Oh give me a break with your marketing nonsense 'Aesthetically pleasing' is of course subjective in nature - you might find it cool-looking while I find it distasteful and tacky and that's perfectly fine; but if we are talking innovation, a watch is much more than just a design - it's a craft, and I'd certainly expect to get something more for that price than a stock, off-the-shelf automatic ETA movement they bought off someone else and which is used in thousands other much cheaper watches... That, and I still think they look horrendous P.S. I'm not in love with TAG Heuer either, with the exception of Monaco and some Carrera models... Give me Breitling any day I'm a traditionalist when it comes to things like this and I admit I am totally conditioned by it without any embarrassment. I own a very nice Omega and I'll never ever move from the time piece I own. But I also respect what I see as pushing our comfort zones in what we at first determine as ugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber nudge+ Posted October 31, 2018 Subscriber Share Posted October 31, 2018 19 minutes ago, SirBalon said: I'm a traditionalist when it comes to things like this and I admit I am totally conditioned by it without any embarrassment. I own a very nice Omega and I'll never ever move from the time piece I own. But I also respect what I see as pushing our comfort zones in what we at first determine as ugly. I don't respect what I see as putting stock inner workings and a rubber bracelet (!) together and selling it for over-bloated five figure price in name of "innovation" and "extraordinary design" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted October 31, 2018 Author Share Posted October 31, 2018 1 minute ago, nudge said: I don't respect what I see as putting stock inner workings and a rubber bracelet (!) together and selling it for over-bloated five figure price in name of "innovation" and "extraordinary design" I'm gonna make you respect the rubber! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber RandoEFC+ Posted October 31, 2018 Subscriber Share Posted October 31, 2018 My phone tells me the time already so I'll pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panna King Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 I am still happy with my Watch i've had for 20 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Tommy Posted October 31, 2018 Moderator Share Posted October 31, 2018 23 minutes ago, RandoEFC said: My phone tells me the time already so I'll pass. Exactly what I've always been saying. I prefer my wrists naked and breezy. That yellow G-Shock I had in middle school will always be a classic though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted November 8, 2018 Author Share Posted November 8, 2018 The Best Sustainable Fashion Brands Helping To Save the World In Style We all want to dress well. The problem is, keeping up with the latest trends often comes at a grave cost. Admittedly, not a financial one – fast fashion is relatively cheap fashion – but therein lies the problem. Cheap clothes mean cheap production, which often means subpar labour conditions for workers. It also means low-quality, which equates to less time in your rotation before it ultimately ends up in landfill. Researchers have estimated that we’re buying 60% more garments than we were in 2000, but wearing them less. According to consultancy firm McKinsey & Company, 60% of the 100 billion garments produced each year end up in landfill or an incinerator within 12 months. And the global textile industry produces more CO2 in a year than international flights or maritime shipping. It’s something that brands are slowly beginning to think about. However, with some of the biggest retail chains in the world churning out endless imitations of every fleeting fad, paying not a blind bit of notice to the consequences, it’s clear we still have a long way to go. We’ll take sustainable style over momentary trends any day, though. It’s better not just for the environment but for your wallet and wardrobe too – and there are those brands for which sustainability is at the very core of what they do. Labels that were either founded with the planet in mind or are doing everything they can to change their production methods and materials to reflect a more environmentally harmonious fashion future. Allow us to introduce you to them. Patagonia Built in the image of its founder, bedraggled 79-year-old mountain man and activist Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia is a brand that has had the planet’s best interests at heart since day one. All of the Californian climbing label’s hard-wearing and well-fitting products are made from recycled materials and it has even run advertisements telling consumers not to buy a new Patagonia jacket, but to have an old one repaired instead. It’s also unapologetically political, often weighing in on ecological issues. Most recently, this extended to filing a lawsuit against president Donald Trump for reducing natural land. It doesn’t get much more hardcore than that. Finisterre You don’t have to be a pro surfer to know the south-west coast of England probably isn’t the warmest place to catch a few waves. Still, that doesn’t stop thousands from flocking to the edge of the Celtic Sea every year in search of the perfect break. One of those people is Finisterre founder Tom Kay, whose love for the south-coast surf prompted him to create a line of clothes geared towards the people riding it. Naturally, when you love the sea this much, you’ll do everything you can to protect it. Finisterre is living proof of that, creating long-lasting garments (that are colourful, comfortable and technical) with sustainability and the environment at the very core of everything it does. Christopher Raeburn Fashion Week shows aren’t traditionally the most eco-minded events in the calendar. However, when Christopher Raeburn is parading his seasonal collections down the runway, it’s a very different story altogether. The award-winning designer’s entire approach to fashion is centred around sustainability, with high-ticket items made from recycled materials and others that are simply old garments reconstructed. Raeburn calls it REMADE. It’s an approach that’s seen him celebrated as a revolutionary within the fashion industry. And now, with a creative director position at Timberland under his (probably recycled) belt, the Christopher Raeburn ethos is filtering into the mainstream, too. Veja In 2003, Sébastien Kopp and François-Ghislain Morillion were left shocked after conducting a social audit on a factory in China for a French fashion brand and witnessing first-hand the poor conditions workers were being forced to live in. They decided to dedicate their lives to doing something about it and in 2005 launched Veja, a Parisian sneaker brand devoted to ethical trading, eco-friendly production and materials, and sustainability. Ever since, the label has been a runaway success, favoured by everyone from vegans looking for leather-free footwear, to the fashion crowd, drawn in by the products’ sleek minimalist designs. Nudie From offering free denim repairs to detailing its extensive commitment to fair trade and sustainability in a 30-odd page annual report, Nudie is a brand that takes saving the planet seriously. The Swedish label is well known the world over for producing some of the best jeans outside of Japan or America, and when you couple that with its commitment to being ethically and ecologically sound, it’s a wonder anyone buys denim from anywhere else. Keep an eye peeled for fairtrade organic cotton, raw denim (or ‘dry’ as Nudie calls it) and one of the best customer care programs in fashion. Outerknown Everyone cares about their home, and given that 11-time World Surf League champion Kelly Slater practically lives in the ocean, it’s no wonder he feels so strongly about protecting it. After a two-decade sponsorship deal with one of the world’s biggest surf brands, Quiksilver, Slater veered off on a quest to prove that it’s possible to create clothing that’s both stylish and sustainably made. He enlisted the help of fellow surfer and award-winning menswear designer John Moore and the two put their heads together to make it happen. The resulting label is Outerknown – a subtly styled beach-lifestyle brand with a strong code of environmental ethics at its core. Alyx Visual There are many things 2018 will be remembered for when it comes to fashion – fleece, the brown trend and the continued rise of the chunky trainer to name a few. Another is the chest rig – a suspicious-looking pocketed vest that would see anyone wearing it at an airport swiftly apprehended by armed police. The brand behind this curious accessory is breakthrough streetwear label Alyx and when it’s not decking out Kanye and the like in its signature brand of warcore, it’s flying the flag for slow fashion by upcycling pre-loved clothes into new garments via its ‘Visual’ collection. Arc’teryx Ask any climber, backpacker or skier what the best brand of outdoor apparel is and it’s highly probable their answer will be Arc’teryx. The Canadian outdoors label has been leading the industry for almost 30 years with its boundary pushing technology and surgically precise craftsmanship. Then there’s sustainability. The Arc’teryx approach to reducing its environmental impact is simple: create products that last a lifetime and offer an extensive repairs program in the rare cases they don’t. By taking this straightforward approach, the brand has drastically decreased its footprint while creating top-of-the-line outdoor equipment at the same time. Yatay Sustainable vegan footwear with hemp laces. Sounds like something you might find a harem-pant wearing stoner flogging ‘herbs’ out of a stall at WOMAD Festival, doesn’t it? Not particularly appealing in the style department. Or at least that’s what you might think. However, that’s exactly what promising startup Yatay is doing and its shoes are serious lookers. With minimalist styling a la Common Projects and animal-free uppers that look and feel just like high-grade leather, this young label is reshaping the the footwear industry, one hemp shoelace at a time. Noah In spite of regular praise in the media, former Supreme creative director and founder of Noah, Brendon Babenzien, is quick to stifle claims his New York-born brand is “sustainable”. His reasoning is that true sustainability would mean turning back the clock on over a century of clothing consumption and production trends. Obviously, that can’t be done now, but Noah is still doing everything within its power to make fashion a more environmentally and ethically sound industry. The brand regularly donates money from purchases to charities such as Sea Shepherd and uses recycled materials to make clothes. As Babenzien says, there’s still a long way to go, but Noah is one brand that’s striving to do more with each passing season. Satta After gaining attention for its handcrafted skateboards made from recycled wood, it wasn’t long before Brixton’s Satta turned its attention to the guys riding them. And more specifically, what they were wearing. Founder Joe Lauder was influenced by the time he spent travelling the world and visiting Buddhist retreats in Nepal, shamen in the Amazon rainforest and Zen gardens in Asia. The resulting clothes are laid-back, simple and spun from organic cotton in earthy tones. Couple this with a focus on small-scale production and the use of natural, sustainable materials and you’ve got a line of clothing you can feel good in for more than mere aesthetic reasons. Apolis Founded on the idea that when it’s done right, business can create social change for the better, Apolis is a clothing label on a mission to make the world a fairer and better place for everyone. The brand was set up to support organic farmers and native artisans in the most rural corners of the earth, and in the 14 years since it was born it has done just that. Apolis has achieved this by creating positive change and opportunities through action as opposed to charity. Expect trans-seasonal staples in muted colours for maximum wearability. Community Clothing The outsourcing of clothing manufacture to cheap-labour countries brings with it a number of issues – poor working conditions, unfair pay and increased production output, which leads to pollution, to name just a few. This is something Manchester’s Community Clothing is well aware of and so strives to keep things local. The label is on a mission to restore pride in Britain’s textile industry by producing high-quality garments in low volume, using skilled workers. It does this by making use of British textile factories’ spare capacity, during quieter periods of the year when seasonal lines aren’t being produced. The resulting clothes are then sold direct to consumer, eliminating the high retail markup that can often put people off buying British. Filippa K Vikings aside, Scandinavia isn’t exactly known for waging war. However, Swedish minimalist clothing brand Filippa K is an exception to that rule, armed to the teeth with sustainable materials and ready to do battle with fast fashion. The label works on the principle that choice of fabrics can have a major social and environmental impact. This considered, it pours huge amounts of time and thought into what materials it uses and where it gets them from, with some garments in the works that will be completely biodegradable. Others you can lease from and return to the company. The end goal is for Filippa K to be using entirely sustainable materials by the year 2030. Phipps Spencer Phipps is no newcomer to the world of fashion. After cutting his teeth at Marc Jacobs and the School Of Fashion in NYC, Phipps embarked on a three-year stint at Belgian fashion house Dries Van Noten as a menswear designer. However, after becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of stylish, environmentally-friendly clothes, Phipps set about creating his own solo project. His label’s pieces are made predominantly in Portugal, a country known for the rigorous environmental and human rights codes that govern its factories. There’s also a focus on sustainable materials and pushing boundaries to see how much can be done with them. The resulting garments aren’t cheap, but it’s the price you pay for saving the planet and looking runway ready at the same time. The White T-Shirt Co. The perfect white T-shirt. It’s the Bigfoot of menswear. Some people say it exists; others even claim to have found it. Still, you’re yet to see any convincing evidence for yourself. Well, obviously you haven’t heard of The White T-Shirt Company – a brand that believed in the perfect white tee so much, it just went out and created it itself. As if that wasn’t good enough, the Newcastle-based label has a deep-rooted commitment to sustainability, too, using ethically-sourced materials and keeping its footprint to a minumum by producing clothing that’s built to last. @nudge, You may already know about this and I wouldn't be surprised but if not, then I thought you may be interested in reading a little bit about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber nudge+ Posted November 8, 2018 Subscriber Share Posted November 8, 2018 56 minutes ago, SirBalon said: The Best Sustainable Fashion Brands Helping To Save the World In Style We all want to dress well. The problem is, keeping up with the latest trends often comes at a grave cost. Admittedly, not a financial one – fast fashion is relatively cheap fashion – but therein lies the problem. Cheap clothes mean cheap production, which often means subpar labour conditions for workers. It also means low-quality, which equates to less time in your rotation before it ultimately ends up in landfill. Researchers have estimated that we’re buying 60% more garments than we were in 2000, but wearing them less. According to consultancy firm McKinsey & Company, 60% of the 100 billion garments produced each year end up in landfill or an incinerator within 12 months. And the global textile industry produces more CO2 in a year than international flights or maritime shipping. It’s something that brands are slowly beginning to think about. However, with some of the biggest retail chains in the world churning out endless imitations of every fleeting fad, paying not a blind bit of notice to the consequences, it’s clear we still have a long way to go. We’ll take sustainable style over momentary trends any day, though. It’s better not just for the environment but for your wallet and wardrobe too – and there are those brands for which sustainability is at the very core of what they do. Labels that were either founded with the planet in mind or are doing everything they can to change their production methods and materials to reflect a more environmentally harmonious fashion future. Allow us to introduce you to them. Patagonia Built in the image of its founder, bedraggled 79-year-old mountain man and activist Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia is a brand that has had the planet’s best interests at heart since day one. All of the Californian climbing label’s hard-wearing and well-fitting products are made from recycled materials and it has even run advertisements telling consumers not to buy a new Patagonia jacket, but to have an old one repaired instead. It’s also unapologetically political, often weighing in on ecological issues. Most recently, this extended to filing a lawsuit against president Donald Trump for reducing natural land. It doesn’t get much more hardcore than that. Finisterre You don’t have to be a pro surfer to know the south-west coast of England probably isn’t the warmest place to catch a few waves. Still, that doesn’t stop thousands from flocking to the edge of the Celtic Sea every year in search of the perfect break. One of those people is Finisterre founder Tom Kay, whose love for the south-coast surf prompted him to create a line of clothes geared towards the people riding it. Naturally, when you love the sea this much, you’ll do everything you can to protect it. Finisterre is living proof of that, creating long-lasting garments (that are colourful, comfortable and technical) with sustainability and the environment at the very core of everything it does. Christopher Raeburn Fashion Week shows aren’t traditionally the most eco-minded events in the calendar. However, when Christopher Raeburn is parading his seasonal collections down the runway, it’s a very different story altogether. The award-winning designer’s entire approach to fashion is centred around sustainability, with high-ticket items made from recycled materials and others that are simply old garments reconstructed. Raeburn calls it REMADE. It’s an approach that’s seen him celebrated as a revolutionary within the fashion industry. And now, with a creative director position at Timberland under his (probably recycled) belt, the Christopher Raeburn ethos is filtering into the mainstream, too. Veja In 2003, Sébastien Kopp and François-Ghislain Morillion were left shocked after conducting a social audit on a factory in China for a French fashion brand and witnessing first-hand the poor conditions workers were being forced to live in. They decided to dedicate their lives to doing something about it and in 2005 launched Veja, a Parisian sneaker brand devoted to ethical trading, eco-friendly production and materials, and sustainability. Ever since, the label has been a runaway success, favoured by everyone from vegans looking for leather-free footwear, to the fashion crowd, drawn in by the products’ sleek minimalist designs. Nudie From offering free denim repairs to detailing its extensive commitment to fair trade and sustainability in a 30-odd page annual report, Nudie is a brand that takes saving the planet seriously. The Swedish label is well known the world over for producing some of the best jeans outside of Japan or America, and when you couple that with its commitment to being ethically and ecologically sound, it’s a wonder anyone buys denim from anywhere else. Keep an eye peeled for fairtrade organic cotton, raw denim (or ‘dry’ as Nudie calls it) and one of the best customer care programs in fashion. Outerknown Everyone cares about their home, and given that 11-time World Surf League champion Kelly Slater practically lives in the ocean, it’s no wonder he feels so strongly about protecting it. After a two-decade sponsorship deal with one of the world’s biggest surf brands, Quiksilver, Slater veered off on a quest to prove that it’s possible to create clothing that’s both stylish and sustainably made. He enlisted the help of fellow surfer and award-winning menswear designer John Moore and the two put their heads together to make it happen. The resulting label is Outerknown – a subtly styled beach-lifestyle brand with a strong code of environmental ethics at its core. Alyx Visual There are many things 2018 will be remembered for when it comes to fashion – fleece, the brown trend and the continued rise of the chunky trainer to name a few. Another is the chest rig – a suspicious-looking pocketed vest that would see anyone wearing it at an airport swiftly apprehended by armed police. The brand behind this curious accessory is breakthrough streetwear label Alyx and when it’s not decking out Kanye and the like in its signature brand of warcore, it’s flying the flag for slow fashion by upcycling pre-loved clothes into new garments via its ‘Visual’ collection. Arc’teryx Ask any climber, backpacker or skier what the best brand of outdoor apparel is and it’s highly probable their answer will be Arc’teryx. The Canadian outdoors label has been leading the industry for almost 30 years with its boundary pushing technology and surgically precise craftsmanship. Then there’s sustainability. The Arc’teryx approach to reducing its environmental impact is simple: create products that last a lifetime and offer an extensive repairs program in the rare cases they don’t. By taking this straightforward approach, the brand has drastically decreased its footprint while creating top-of-the-line outdoor equipment at the same time. Yatay Sustainable vegan footwear with hemp laces. Sounds like something you might find a harem-pant wearing stoner flogging ‘herbs’ out of a stall at WOMAD Festival, doesn’t it? Not particularly appealing in the style department. Or at least that’s what you might think. However, that’s exactly what promising startup Yatay is doing and its shoes are serious lookers. With minimalist styling a la Common Projects and animal-free uppers that look and feel just like high-grade leather, this young label is reshaping the the footwear industry, one hemp shoelace at a time. Noah In spite of regular praise in the media, former Supreme creative director and founder of Noah, Brendon Babenzien, is quick to stifle claims his New York-born brand is “sustainable”. His reasoning is that true sustainability would mean turning back the clock on over a century of clothing consumption and production trends. Obviously, that can’t be done now, but Noah is still doing everything within its power to make fashion a more environmentally and ethically sound industry. The brand regularly donates money from purchases to charities such as Sea Shepherd and uses recycled materials to make clothes. As Babenzien says, there’s still a long way to go, but Noah is one brand that’s striving to do more with each passing season. Satta After gaining attention for its handcrafted skateboards made from recycled wood, it wasn’t long before Brixton’s Satta turned its attention to the guys riding them. And more specifically, what they were wearing. Founder Joe Lauder was influenced by the time he spent travelling the world and visiting Buddhist retreats in Nepal, shamen in the Amazon rainforest and Zen gardens in Asia. The resulting clothes are laid-back, simple and spun from organic cotton in earthy tones. Couple this with a focus on small-scale production and the use of natural, sustainable materials and you’ve got a line of clothing you can feel good in for more than mere aesthetic reasons. Apolis Founded on the idea that when it’s done right, business can create social change for the better, Apolis is a clothing label on a mission to make the world a fairer and better place for everyone. The brand was set up to support organic farmers and native artisans in the most rural corners of the earth, and in the 14 years since it was born it has done just that. Apolis has achieved this by creating positive change and opportunities through action as opposed to charity. Expect trans-seasonal staples in muted colours for maximum wearability. Community Clothing The outsourcing of clothing manufacture to cheap-labour countries brings with it a number of issues – poor working conditions, unfair pay and increased production output, which leads to pollution, to name just a few. This is something Manchester’s Community Clothing is well aware of and so strives to keep things local. The label is on a mission to restore pride in Britain’s textile industry by producing high-quality garments in low volume, using skilled workers. It does this by making use of British textile factories’ spare capacity, during quieter periods of the year when seasonal lines aren’t being produced. The resulting clothes are then sold direct to consumer, eliminating the high retail markup that can often put people off buying British. Filippa K Vikings aside, Scandinavia isn’t exactly known for waging war. However, Swedish minimalist clothing brand Filippa K is an exception to that rule, armed to the teeth with sustainable materials and ready to do battle with fast fashion. The label works on the principle that choice of fabrics can have a major social and environmental impact. This considered, it pours huge amounts of time and thought into what materials it uses and where it gets them from, with some garments in the works that will be completely biodegradable. Others you can lease from and return to the company. The end goal is for Filippa K to be using entirely sustainable materials by the year 2030. Phipps Spencer Phipps is no newcomer to the world of fashion. After cutting his teeth at Marc Jacobs and the School Of Fashion in NYC, Phipps embarked on a three-year stint at Belgian fashion house Dries Van Noten as a menswear designer. However, after becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of stylish, environmentally-friendly clothes, Phipps set about creating his own solo project. His label’s pieces are made predominantly in Portugal, a country known for the rigorous environmental and human rights codes that govern its factories. There’s also a focus on sustainable materials and pushing boundaries to see how much can be done with them. The resulting garments aren’t cheap, but it’s the price you pay for saving the planet and looking runway ready at the same time. The White T-Shirt Co. The perfect white T-shirt. It’s the Bigfoot of menswear. Some people say it exists; others even claim to have found it. Still, you’re yet to see any convincing evidence for yourself. Well, obviously you haven’t heard of The White T-Shirt Company – a brand that believed in the perfect white tee so much, it just went out and created it itself. As if that wasn’t good enough, the Newcastle-based label has a deep-rooted commitment to sustainability, too, using ethically-sourced materials and keeping its footprint to a minumum by producing clothing that’s built to last. @nudge, You may already know about this and I wouldn't be surprised but if not, then I thought you may be interested in reading a little bit about it. It's admirable for sure, but I'm a cynic so I always have doubts of whether the company and the means of production are truly ethical and fair (not sure if that's really possible to be honest; I think that no company is ever completely free from human and environmental exploitation...ethical consumerism is quite an oxymoron altogether, isn't it?...) or if it's just a marketing gimmick and an excuse for putting up higher prices... I mean, even with all the information available nowadays, there's a problem with lack of transparency in the industry; even if a brand doesn't use sweatshops in developing countries, the process of production, secondary material sourcing, impact on environment etc. is still not very clear in most cases and to be fair, it's just isn't feasible to actually audit and verify for the average consumer. Affordability is another issue for many. Personally, I only have a small wardrobe and my clothes usually last me for years. I buy local and most of my clothes are made by my local tailor which is the best solution for me as I get personally fitted clothes the way I want them and my tailor gets a fair price which is still more than affordable for me. I had to laugh at the "Sustainable vegan footwear with hemp laces" though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted November 8, 2018 Author Share Posted November 8, 2018 57 minutes ago, nudge said: It's admirable for sure, but I'm a cynic so I always have doubts of whether the company and the means of production are truly ethical and fair (not sure if that's really possible to be honest; I think that no company is ever completely free from human and environmental exploitation...ethical consumerism is quite an oxymoron altogether, isn't it?...) or if it's just a marketing gimmick and an excuse for putting up higher prices... I mean, even with all the information available nowadays, there's a problem with lack of transparency in the industry; even if a brand doesn't use sweatshops in developing countries, the process of production, secondary material sourcing, impact on environment etc. is still not very clear in most cases and to be fair, it's just isn't feasible to actually audit and verify for the average consumer. Affordability is another issue for many. Personally, I only have a small wardrobe and my clothes usually last me for years. I buy local and most of my clothes are made by my local tailor which is the best solution for me as I get personally fitted clothes the way I want them and my tailor gets a fair price which is still more than affordable for me. I had to laugh at the "Sustainable vegan footwear with hemp laces" though Yeah, I agree that we can never be 100% sure on anything especially in something as complex as the clothing industry. There are so many secondary materials that are used as you stated and this is one of the key issues. But what's interesting is the radical and visible shift in people's ethics and even morals surrounding primarily food but now filtering through to most industries where recyclable Eco systems are concerned. Obviously is mainly a movement headed by the youth of today and putting aside the more extreme and radical sector in this (although without them it shouldn't have worked as in any major change throughout history) movement, it is interesting how much is being pushed throughout. Obviously the system is currently more expensive until it goes more mainstream, but even if it isn't as clean and pure right inside, the more we think this way and the more the nasty side of these industries are exposed, then the better. You can buy cheap ecologically and ethically based clothing outside Europe but where mass production is concerned for the big markets like Europe or America, buying cheap in this manner is very difficult as I'm sure you're aware. It's about where you feel your personal financial resources should be directed. For me food and clothing quality and ethics comes before holidays and having money to get drunk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber nudge+ Posted November 8, 2018 Subscriber Share Posted November 8, 2018 12 minutes ago, SirBalon said: Yeah, I agree that we can never be 100% sure on anything especially in something as complex as the clothing industry. There are so many secondary materials that are used as you stated and this is one of the key issues. But what's interesting is the radical and visible shift in people's ethics and even morals surrounding primarily food but now filtering through to most industries where recyclable Eco systems are concerned. Obviously is mainly a movement headed by the youth of today and putting aside the more extreme and radical sector in this (although without them it shouldn't have worked as in any major change throughout history) movement, it is interesting how much is being pushed throughout. Obviously the system is currently more expensive until it goes more mainstream, but even if it isn't as clean and pure right inside, the more we think this way and the more the nasty side of these industries are exposed, then the better. You can buy cheap ecologically and ethically based clothing outside Europe but where mass production is concerned for the big markets like Europe or America, buying cheap in this manner is very difficult as I'm sure you're aware. It's about where you feel your personal financial resources should be directed. For me food and clothing quality and ethics comes before holidays and having money to get drunk. True, but I'd say that it's not so clear cut. Even things that are unanimously vilified and condemned like sweatshops, for example. It's true that brands who use dirt-cheap labor in developing countries are taking advantage of the lack of worker rights and labour laws and regulations and exploit people that are in a weaker position (and at the same time still rip off their customers in the West), but it's often overlooked that the alternatives for locals in many of these countries are usually even worse, with subsistence farming in scorching heat on leased land, mining natural resources in unregulated dangerous conditions, and prostitution being the main ones (other than unemployment). That's why for me it makes more sense to support campaigns that pressure companies towards slower, incremental changes for better wages, safer work environment and improved conditions than a straightforward boycott of it altogether. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted November 8, 2018 Author Share Posted November 8, 2018 17 minutes ago, nudge said: True, but I'd say that it's not so clear cut. Even things that are unanimously vilified and condemned like sweatshops, for example. It's true that brands who use dirt-cheap labor in developing countries are taking advantage of the lack of worker rights and labour laws and regulations and exploit people that are in a weaker position (and at the same time still rip off their customers in the West), but it's often overlooked that the alternatives for locals in many of these countries are usually even worse, with subsistence farming in scorching heat on leased land, mining natural resources in unregulated dangerous conditions, and prostitution being the main ones (other than unemployment). That's why for me it makes more sense to support campaigns that pressure companies towards slower, incremental changes for better wages, safer work environment and improved conditions than a straightforward boycott of it altogether. I agree that that would be the ideal solution but you know as well as I do that unless you hurt these companies in the pocket (shareholders mostly), then they couldn't give a damn about movements or bad publicity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber nudge+ Posted November 8, 2018 Subscriber Share Posted November 8, 2018 9 minutes ago, SirBalon said: I agree that that would be the ideal solution but you know as well as I do that unless you hurt these companies in the pocket (shareholders mostly), then they couldn't give a damn about movements or bad publicity. Bad publicity and public outrage works to a certain degree as long as those company perceive it as a threat of potential financial loss in the future; and the gap in production costs and living standards in developed vs developing world are still huge enough for companies to be willing to operate there even with increased wages and safety conditions; sadly it usually takes a serious catastrophe with loss of lives such as that Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh for any changes to happen. An even bigger issue is the fact that retail companies simply outsource the labour to the local suppliers in developing countries in their supply chain; they don't run the factories themselves and thus have limited capacity of implementing actual improvements even if they were willing to do so. It's not easy and it's slow, but consumers putting pressure on retail companies, retail companies putting pressure on their suppliers, workers putting pressure on their governments for improved labour laws and minimal wages can produce changes in a long term, especially with industrialisation and economic growth of the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted November 8, 2018 Author Share Posted November 8, 2018 1 hour ago, nudge said: Bad publicity and public outrage works to a certain degree as long as those company perceive it as a threat of potential financial loss in the future; and the gap in production costs and living standards in developed vs developing world are still huge enough for companies to be willing to operate there even with increased wages and safety conditions; sadly it usually takes a serious catastrophe with loss of lives such as that Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh for any changes to happen. An even bigger issue is the fact that retail companies simply outsource the labour to the local suppliers in developing countries in their supply chain; they don't run the factories themselves and thus have limited capacity of implementing actual improvements even if they were willing to do so. It's not easy and it's slow, but consumers putting pressure on retail companies, retail companies putting pressure on their suppliers, workers putting pressure on their governments for improved labour laws and minimal wages can produce changes in a long term, especially with industrialisation and economic growth of the country. It's been achieved before but it is very rare and different sets of circumstances have to aligin themselves for anything positive to occur, but it has happened. In general it doesn't though and if too much pressure for changes in circumstances of workers like spending a lot of money on resources to make their workload easier to carry out and wage increases, the price of goods inevitably goes up and the product on sale suddenly competes with a different competitor, one that might and probably is more in the know of said market. I remember before I got married going back some years now (about 8 years ago) I bought a piece of knitware (sweater) made from angora for my wife to be. Seeing as this is a football forum and where I work doesn't have any connection to the brand in question, I shall name it. The brand was an English one, Jack Wills. When I gave it to her, she obviously unwrapped the gift and she loved it initially until she saw what it was made off because she became suspicious due to how soft it was. In seeing it was made from angora, she frowned and asked me if I knew the usual procedure in how to obtain the raw product... I had heard stories in the past but here we were talking about a British company with too much to lose and competing against very fierce competitors (mostly from the US) in that field and price range. To cut a long story short... She initially said she would change it or get the money back with which I have to admit I was disappointed but couldn't argue a valid point for her not to do it, and I interceded by making an agreement with her... I promised her that I would research the origins and the manufacturing process at work through the department that deals with fashion brands. She was happy with this as the head of the department was a close friend and one that had a good relationship with her. I wasn't fibbing and on the Monday at work I handed over the sweater to my friend and he proceeded to research as much as he could because it apparently isn't all that easy to get right down to the sources. Anyway... He first called Jack Wills where they promised him that all process met British standards of manufacturing and a ethical sourcing. He warned them that he had been recording the conversation beforehand and that it could be used against them in the future. They maintained their stance and gave him the auditing house that inspected their process abroad. He subsequently contacted the auditing house where they informed him that they had ceased to audit for Jack Wills in Asia but still continued to work for them in Tunisia, Portugal, France and Greece. The problem then was that they refused to give the name of the auditing house that worked for Jack Wills in Asia. So he made a couple of phone calls to a brand name we do cover (the man on the pony brand name from the US) and they informed him that the auditing house that covered Asia for some Northern European brands was such and such... He then continued his research but not by contacting the auditing house straight off but by contacting the sewing factory in Indonesia that produced work for many European brands... They there told him which auditing appointments they had in the following months and one of those companies was in actual fact the one that had been earmarked by the brand from the US. Here is the beauty of it all because auditing companies are obliged by law to hand over information but they aren't obliged to publicise who they work for. So he coaxed the info out of them and got the auditing reports for Jack Wills from the factory in question... From there he managed to ascertain where the angora was acquired and the rest is obvious. When I saw subsequent videos on the procedure of said farm, I almost cried. I didn't tell my wife to be what I'd seen and just informed her that I wasn't at all sure about any of it all with doubts in my head... In other words I would change the product for one they manufactured in England (very few from their itinerary) and that we'd forget the whole issue. It was the last time I bought anything from Jack Wills... Used to by my socks there all the time as a matter of fact. My colleague called Jack Wills back and threatened with taking it all to the press where two days later we received a detailed account on how my colleague had gone about ascertaining information (broke the law on various counts) and that such and such law firm was awaiting action upon our action. This went to one of the CEOs and wrists were pretend slapped and told not to get involved in this sort of thing again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber nudge+ Posted November 8, 2018 Subscriber Share Posted November 8, 2018 25 minutes ago, SirBalon said: It's been achieved before but it is very rare and different sets of circumstances have to aligin themselves for anything positive to occur, but it has happened. In general it doesn't though and if too much pressure for changes in circumstances of workers like spending a lot of money on resources to make their workload easier to carry out and wage increases, the price of goods inevitably goes up and the product on sale suddenly competes with a different competitor, one that might and probably is more in the know of said market. I remember before I got married going back some years now (about 8 years ago) I bought a piece of knitware (sweater) made from angora for my wife to be. Seeing as this is a football forum and where I work doesn't have any connection to the brand in question, I shall name it. The brand was an English one, Jack Wills. When I gave it to her, she obviously unwrapped the gift and she loved it initially until she saw what it was made off because she became suspicious due to how soft it was. In seeing it was made from angora, she frowned and asked me if I knew the usual procedure in how to obtain the raw product... I had heard stories in the past but here we were talking about a British company with too much to lose and competing against very fierce competitors (mostly from the US) in that field and price range. To cut a long story short... She initially said she would change it or get the money back with which I have to admit I was disappointed but couldn't argue a valid point for her not to do it, and I interceded by making an agreement with her... I promised her that I would research the origins and the manufacturing process at work through the department that deals with fashion brands. She was happy with this as the head of the department was a close friend and one that had a good relationship with her. I wasn't fibbing and on the Monday at work I handed over the sweater to my friend and he proceeded to research as much as he could because it apparently isn't all that easy to get right down to the sources. Anyway... He first called Jack Wills where they promised him that all process met British standards of manufacturing and a ethical sourcing. He warned them that he had been recording the conversation beforehand and that it could be used against them in the future. They maintained their stance and gave him the auditing house that inspected their process abroad. He subsequently contacted the auditing house where they informed him that they had ceased to audit for Jack Wills in Asia but still continued to work for them in Tunisia, Portugal, France and Greece. The problem then was that they refused to give the name of the auditing house that worked for Jack Wills in Asia. So he made a couple of phone calls to a brand name we do cover (the man on the pony brand name from the US) and they informed him that the auditing house that covered Asia for some Northern European brands was such and such... He then cintinued his erase arch but not by contacting the auditing house straight off but by contacting the sewing factory in Indonesia that produced work for many European brands... They there told him which auditing appointments they had in the following months and one of those companies was in actual fact the one that had been earmarked by the brand from the US. Here is the beauty of it all because auditing companies are obliged by law to hand over information but they aren't obliged to publicise who they work for. So he coaxed the info out of them and got the auditing reports for Jack Wills from the factory in question... From there he managed to ascertain where the angora was acquired and the rest is obvious. When I saw subsequent videos on the procedure of said farm, I almost cried. I didn't tell my wife to be what I'd seen and just informed her that I wasn't at all sure about any of it all with doubts in my head... In other words I would change the product for one they manufactured in England (very few from their itinerary) and that we'd forget the whole issue. It was the last time I bought anything from Jack Wills... Used to by my socks there all the time as a matter of fact. My colleague called Jack Wills back and threatened with taking it all to the press where two days later we received a detailed account on how my colleague had gone about ascertaining information (broke the law on various counts) and that such and such law firm was awaiting action upon our action. This went to one of the CEOs and wrists were pretend slapped and told not to get involved in this sort of thing again. A good example of the lack of transparency and accountability in the industry, and it further confirms my suspicions about certain companies straight out lying about their means of production and sourcing of their materials. For all we know any of the retailers claiming that their product is ethical and sustainable might be just pulling the wool over our eyes and taking advantage of the current trends in society in order to sell their product. If someone working in the industry had trouble researching it, how can it ever be feasible for an average consumer?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted November 8, 2018 Author Share Posted November 8, 2018 6 minutes ago, nudge said: A good example of the lack of transparency and accountability in the industry, and it further confirms my suspicions about certain companies straight out lying about their means of production and sourcing of their materials. For all we know any of the retailers claiming that their product is ethical and sustainable might be just pulling the wool over our eyes and taking advantage of the current trends in society in order to sell their product. If someone working in the industry had trouble researching it, how can it ever be feasible for an average consumer?... Could be the case although with an activist brand like Patagonia you can be sure that they aren't messing around. There are a number of independent brands like this and the only time I'll become wary of them is when another brand buys the, out (which is what tends to occur) and they continue to maintain the same ethics. From that moment on I would definitely create doubts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber nudge+ Posted November 8, 2018 Subscriber Share Posted November 8, 2018 10 minutes ago, SirBalon said: Could be the case although with an activist brand like Patagonia you can be sure that they aren't messing around. There are a number of independent brands like this and the only time I'll become wary of them is when another brand buys the, out (which is what tends to occur) and they continue to maintain the same ethics. From that moment on I would definitely create doubts. As I said, I've grown cynical and simply assume that most companies are just peddling morality and leveraging sustainability and ethical production and traceable sourcing as a selling point, with the bare minimum of compliance to avoid any expensive legal challenges. Just checked Patagonia and they outsource their labour too, mostly to Asia, including a lot of factories in China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Philippines, Sri Lanka, etc - so basically developing countries with lack of labour laws and poor environmental record. How exactly do they differ from other retailers then? I sincerely doubt they are paying higher than standard wages or are spending their own money for improving working conditions in the factories of their suppliers... Or am I missing something here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted November 18, 2018 Author Share Posted November 18, 2018 Is it ok to wear a Down Jacket? You don’t wear fur, I presume. You pass on foie gras and ortolan. It’s unlikely you hunt for sport or know where your neighbourhood’s nearest dog fights are held. But you probably eat meat and wear leather. Silk too. You’ll use medicines tested on lab rats, but not cosmetics sprayed in the eyes of monkeys. You’ll swat mosquitoes, but feed bees. The ethics around animal cruelty are murky, a miasma of tradition and emotion and morality. The fluffier the animal, the more unpalatable it is to kill it for food or fashion. The more practical the use to which we put an animal’s carcass, the more acceptable it seems. Chasing foxes with dogs then smearing the blood on a 12-year-old’s face? Not cool. Cattle marched into a shed then bolt-gunned through the head? Sure, so long as I don’t have to think about it. Down sits in a strange place on that spectrum. There’s no denying its practicality; science has never come up with any substance that offers as much insulation for as little weight. The evolutionary value is obvious – if your insulation’s heavy, it’s harder to flap yourself off the ground. That’s also why we stuff it into winter coats. When you’re dragging all your worldly possessions across an ice sheet, a coat that traps heat but doesn’t weigh you down could save your life. True down is the soft, fluffy feathers that sit nearest a bird’s skin, which are chock-full of heat-trapping, buoyancy-aiding air pockets. Birds are, understandably, very attached to this stuff. We won’t unpick the ethics of wearing animal products here, but suffice to say there’s only so cruelty-free down can ever be. If you want it, you have to take it, which at best means after a duck or goose has been killed and before it ends up in your chow mein. Canada Goose (pictured) Like leather, most down is a by-product of the food industry. But the best down comes from older birds, known as breeders, which are raised to produce the chicks that are then sent to slaughter. On welfare-minded farms, they can swim outside and their down is collected from nests, until they pass away naturally, at which point they’re plucked. But you can also ‘harvest’ the down while the bird’s still alive – in other words, tear the feathers from its breast and neck as it breaks its wings trying to get away. Then if you bung it back in its cage (once you’ve stitched up any torn flesh) the down magically grows back even fluffier. At which point, you can rip it out all over again. Repeat every three months for four years until the bird, in relief, pops its clogs. If you own a down jacket that’s more than six years old, odds are there’s some live-plucked feathers inside. If you bought one last week, from a big-name fashion brand that touts its ethical credentials, well, there still may well be some live-plucked down inside. Around 80% of the world’s down is produced in China, mostly by independent farmers who have small flocks of ducks and geese that supply down to a central collector. Being small, they can offer their birds space to move about and access to ponds. Most don’t live-pluck. But some do, and scale means it’s tricky to winkle out the bad apples. The world’s other big down producer is Hungary, where live-plucking isn’t illegal. The country is also the second biggest producer of foie gras, the delicacy made by force-feeding ducks and geese until their livers fatten up. Even if the down in your jacket wasn’t live-plucked, the creature it came from may have led a nasty, brutish and short life with a tube down its throat. Even Patagonia, a brand that’s eco-credentials are about as unassailable as they come, isn’t innocent here. After a 2012 investigation by animal welfare group Four Paws, it discovered that it had next to no idea what was going on in its supply chain and that its products contained down from both live-plucked and force-fed geese. Its response was the Traceable Down Standard, which tracks birds from egg to abattoir to make sure that nothing untoward happens along the way. Its biggest competitor, The North Face, set up the Responsible Down Standard, which offers similar monitoring but also certificates the down that ends up in bedding. Uniqlo (pictured) Ethics are expensive, which is why coats from brands with a conscience cost more. Canada Goose, whose jackets have spawned a thousand knock-offs, sources most of its down from an Amish-like Christian sect, the Canadian Hutterites, who’ve bred free-range, field-raised geese for decades. It’s expensive, but a small price to pay for the ability to sleep at night. Those knockoffs, however, are definitely padded with something more unpalatable. The other option is to jettison the real stuff entirely and plump for synthetic down instead. Though it can’t quite match the cosiness-per-gram of feathers, if you never intend to test your down jacket on a glacier, then that shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Even in the teeth of the Beast of the East, synthetic down is plenty warm enough. That said, it’s not entirely problem-free; materials like PrimaLoft and Thinsulate are basically plastic, which the planet won’t thank you for. The only truly no-harm down might be the kind collected from the Icelandic eider duck’s nests, by farmers who keep the birds protected from predators. It’s a time- and labour-intensive process and the down mostly ends up in duvets, although Vladimir Putin once commissioned an eiderdown coat that ran him almost £10,000. Which is perhaps the only semi-ethical thing he’s ever done. The North Face (pictured) The Expert View The Advocate “When down is responsibly sourced and backed up by third-party certifications, such as the Responsible Down Standard, you can rest assured that your down comes from birds that are humanely treated. And as a biodegradable and renewable natural resource, down is a far more environmentally friendly choice than synthetics. Look for RDS hang-tags to know that what you are buying is responsibly sourced.” Daniel Uretsky, president of Allied Feather and Down, which supplies down to brands including the North Face and was instrumental in setting up the Responsible Down Standard The Activist “Most down used as jacket filler comes from ducks and geese kept on factory farms where they’re commonly live-plucked. At the abattoir some birds aren’t adequately stunned before their throats are cut, so they’re still conscious when they’re thrown into the scalding-hot water of the defeathering tank. The only way to guarantee that no birds suffered for your jacket is to choose vegan fillers such as PrimaLoft, Thinsulate, Plumtech (used by Save the Duck), and Thermoball (available from The North Face), all of which are high-performing, cruelty-free insulators.” Yvonne Taylor, director of vegan corporate projects at animal welfare group PETA The Investigator “If we could guarantee that all down was an otherwise wasted by-product from small, happy farms where ducks and geese wandered freely in meadows and were killed humanely, then it would be much easier to answer yes. But is it better to source down from lots of small farms, where living conditions are likely to be better but it’s impossible to audit the conditions on all of them, or better to source it from big farms where you can guarantee that none of the birds are live-plucked or fattened for foie gras, but the living conditions aren’t as natural? There have been huge leaps in creating synthetic down in recent years, and I think that this trend is going to continue and that ultimately down will be replaced by something man-made.” Sarah Stirling, outdoors writer who recently delved into down for Summit magazine The Campaigner “When consumers choose to use down products, they should always ask first how the down was sourced and how the brand or shop can prove that the down did not come from cruel sourcing. If they can’t prove that the down is cruelty free (that farm audits take place or that they use a strict audit standard), we would advise consumers who care about animal welfare to avoid down products.” Brian da Cal, country director for animal welfare group Four Paws UK Onto what your money gets you... The Best Down Jackets You’ve heard the arguments and the temperatures outside are not getting any warmer. If you decide to insulate yourself with a down jacket, one piece of advice we’re happy to give is this: get something that’s built to last. In most cases that means buying from a specialist outdoors brand because their products are designed to be worn and tested in the wild – which means they’ll last many a winter commuting in the city. And certainly longer than the average high-street option. This is our edit. The North Face A world-renowned outdoors brand that has recently found favour with streetwear aficionados, the North Face produces some of the most reliable technical gear on the planet. It uses down in its jackets, sleeping bags and footwear and created the Responsible Down Standard to ensure greater control and visibility on down’s supply chain. It also produces vegan-friendly alternatives. The North Face: £220 Patagonia Few apparel brands place environmental and ecological concerns at the heart of their business like Patagonia does. It created the Traceable Down Standard to protect animal welfare and guarantee consumer assurance levels with robust farm audits made across its supply chain. On the style front, its jackets mix the bold colours and technical prowess needed to woo everyone from actual mountaineers to city-dwelling wannabes. Patagonia: £200 Canada Goose One of the most influential outerwear brands of recent years, its heavy-duty parka jackets spawned a lot of imitators, but with the real thing comes with certain reassurances. The brand has created its own down standards which ask its suppliers to certify that their feathers come as a by-product of the poultry industry, not from live-plucked or force-fed birds. Canada Goose: £495 Moncler Like some of the other brands on this list, Moncler has tightened its protocols on the supply of down in recent years in response to investigations and consumer demand. Third party checks and supplier assurances are now standard. The Italian luxury brand also has meticulous quality control procedures that guarantee you won’t be cold if you’re decked out in one of its jackets. As well as muted mountain gear, Moncler also produces loud prints and colours, including a collaboration with designer Craig Green. Moncler: £875 Uniqlo Perhaps the most extensive range of down jackets available at high street prices, Uniqlo’s stripped-back aesthetic and easy wearability is evident in its collection. There’s a larger supply chain at work here, and cheaper prices, but with that inevitably comes a slightly watered down approach to traceability. The fast fashion brand’s parent company doesn’t have its own down standard but says it “does not knowingly use down or feathers used in our products that originate from force-fed ducks and geese or birds exposed to live plucking.” Uniqlo: £130 These were some examples ranging from some of the more popular brands to brands that have ethics as part of their marketing portfolio. As the article states, it's impossible to fully guarantee ethics are being used in the breeding and obtaining of the raw live material and the obvious fact that the more ethical the process is, the more laborious it results in being with subsequent cost increases. There are other brands available that state to be ethical in their processes and others just as expensive that don't... You also have the known suspects in the lowest of the range prices which we haven't used as part of this article simply because they either threw us out of the meeting when we asked the pertinent questions or went off the record with a lot more unethical activities in their sourcing of raw materials and worse still, the ethics on human rights where manufacturing is in question. We all know which low-cost high street brands we are talking about there and it's upto each individual to make a statement or live with their own conscience. This with exclusion of those that simply can't afford ethics even at a low-to-midrange level which is fully understandable. Our question is to those that are able to stretch themselves to be ethical and ignore the facts because they are selfish and self centred. @nudge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber nudge+ Posted November 18, 2018 Subscriber Share Posted November 18, 2018 2 hours ago, SirBalon said: Our question is to those that are able to stretch themselves to be ethical and ignore the facts because they are selfish and self centred. @nudge Oh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted November 18, 2018 Author Share Posted November 18, 2018 4 hours ago, nudge said: Oh... Hahaha that wasn’t directed at you Nudge. It’s the hypocrisy on which people function. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted November 22, 2018 Author Share Posted November 22, 2018 7 British Made Essentials To Keep You Warm In Winter ‘Tis the season for hearty fires, hot, spicy ciders and – best of all – good-looking layers that thaw out any suggestion of a freeze on your winter style. Staying warm always looks cool when you invest in the right staples. And there’s nothing better to wrap up in than the new autumn/winter collection from one of the heroes of homegrown, British menswear. Based in Long Eaton, near Nottingham, Sunspel has been handcrafting clothing for more than 150 years, using its own natural, sustainable, high-quality fabrics. The brand is particularly well known for its knitwear, T-shirts and underwear (James Bond’s favourite tees are Sunspel, in case you need any more persuading). Sunspel’s autumn/winter collection is faithful to what its loyal wearers already love about the brand – understated, comfortable and ethically produced clothes that transcend not just the seasons, but traditional and contemporary, indoors and outdoors, smart and casual. And unlike your run-of-the-mill autumn/winter collections, it’s about more than seasonal greys and browns. The collection is the product of a literal journey – a made-in-Britain road trip undertaken by Sunspel’s design team. Taking their cue from the brand’s own specialist factory, they hit the road to visit some of the best and most historic factories and mills on the British Isles, finding inspiration in the very best in colour, technique, cashmere and great British wool. The tour began with a 17th century yarn miller in the Pennines, took in Hull, Hawick, Delph, and ended with a historic cashmere spinner in Kincross. These may not be places that immediately spring to mind as leaders in the fashion world, but they are home to some of Britain’s best textile craftsmanship. The resulting collection includes contemporary English wool Aran knits and Fair Isles, luxurious Scottish cashmere, and super-soft lambswool. These are wear-forever pieces born from a back-to-basics approach – fitting for a company with such a rich history of textiles – but one that also matches Sunspel’s long-held commitment to innovation. Below is a pick of the collection, all with 30 per cent off. Cavendish Long Sleeve T-Shirt This looks like a lightweight shirt for the warmer season, but the relaxed long staple cotton is a heavier ‘winter weight’ – a warming, comfortable fit that’s perfect in a layered cold-weather outfit, with an easy-to-match ribbed neckline. £73.50 Extra Fine Merino Wool Check Scarf Be kind to your neckline this winter and invest in this fine merino wool scarf. With a soft and lightweight construction that makes it wearable well into spring, it offers a pop of pattern and colour under a more muted navy or grey overcoat. £63.00 Cashmere Crew Neck Jumper Here’s a prime example of an item inspired by Sunspel’s British road trip – a crew neck jumper with cashmere sourced from a historic Edinburgh-based spinner and a traditional knitter at the Scottish Borders. It’s a loose fit and as soft as you’d expect from finest quality cashmere. Wear it with anything from tailoring to denim. £262.50 Cavendish T-Shirt A great T-shirt is a great T-shirt, whatever season it is. And if there’s something Sunspel knows about, it’s how to make a tee you’ll want to wear every day. Don’t be fooled by the short sleeves. Like its long-sleeved namesake, the winter weight of this Cavendish shirt makes it a perfect winter base layer. £63.00 Cashmere Rib Hat This cashmere beanie is a powerful tool to have in your winter wardrobe, keeping your messy hair under wraps and away from the brittle winter chill, while remaining so lightweight you won’t even realise it’s there. Until the compliments roll in, at least. £59.50 Fine Merino Wool Milano Jacket Buying a new coat is one of the all-time silver linings of winter. But here’s an item that’s midway between coat and shirt – made from luxury Italian yarns and knitted with the compact Milano-style stitch. It’s a great example of how Sunspel bridges the gap between formal and casual – smart, effortless, and comfortable to wear. £171.50 Lambswool Crew Neck Jumper Channel the lochs of Scotland with this balmy white and navy striped jumper innovatively knitted for zero seams and then delicately washed with that famous Scottish water, for an impeccably soft and lightweight lambswool. £157.50 Lambswool Crew Neck Jumper Even with all the Christmas illuminations and tinsel strewn around, the depths of winter can still be a rather dull and colourless place to be. Cut through the grey with some statement knitwear. More specifically, this oatmeal melange-coloured lambswool crew neck – the perfect accompaniment to everything from jeans and trainers to wool tailoring and your warmest overcoat. £136.50 Lambswool Reverse Fair Isle Jumper Wearing a novelty Christmas jumper isn’t a move that anyone with a modicum of style nous would advocate. So what can you do if you want to embrace the festive spirit in knitwear form? Easy, slap on this Scottish-made Fair Isle crew neck from the masters of subtle quality. £206.50 Here's the link for Sunspel's Black Friday with 30% off all styles: sunspel.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
True Blue Posted November 22, 2018 Share Posted November 22, 2018 I nowadays rarely purchase something new for myself. Our shops are very very limited to a variety of taste, most of the shops have a certain style of clothing and they are all so very similar. The one's that are perhaps with a better label are expensive, i can afford them but i refuse to pay a nonsense price for a shirt or a pair of jeans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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