Po-Zu
Po-Zu An award-winning sustainable footwear brand, Po-Zu was launched in 2006 by shoe designer Sven Segal after ‘overdosing’ on fumes from the glue used at shoe factories he visited.
Ranked the UK’s number one ethical shoe brand by The Good Shopping Guide for twelve consecutive years, Po-Zu are on a mission to transform the shoe industry, and not only by producing carefully considered sustainable shoes. They have also created the Better Shoes Foundation – an open-source platform designed to promote sustainable development in the industry.
Po-Zu have constantly experimented, pushing the boundaries of mainstream shoemaking. A number of groundbreaking ideas have come out of their workshops, such as glueless shoe construction, a highly adaptable coconut fibre Foot-Mattress and even an Edible Shoe Cream.
Following two successful dual-brand collaborations with Maharishi and Timberland, Po-Zu recently secured a unique tie-in with the Star Wars films. They were the first (and only shoe brand so far) to commercialise the authentic footwear worn by the lead characters in the latest Star Wars trilogy (under licence with Lucasfilm/Disney).
More appropriately for this Sublime feature, Po-Zu’s latest launch is the Love Revolution Sneaker, in aid of Fashion Revolution. For each pair of these low-impact sneakers purchased, £5 goes to the Fashion Revolution Foundation. The vegan sneakers are made from organic cotton, locally sourced coconut fibre and tree-tapped fair trade natural rubber.
The rubber used is certified by the Fair Rubber Association, who contribute to improving the working and living conditions of the farmers and producers of natural rubber. Members of the association pay a fair trade premium for every kilogram of rubber they buy, and the association ensures that the money reaches the supplier partners. The Love Revolution sneaker is entirely made in a Sedex-certified family-owned factory in Sri Lanka.
KiRiVOO
KiRiVOO Founded by entrepreneur Ines Karu-Salo, KiRiVOO launched their first collection in 2016, a distinctive, premium ‘slow fashion’ brand for the consciously consuming woman. KiRiVOO are dedicated to creating exclusive, sustainable designer clothing with consideration for the environment and the brand’s social impact.
The style is chic, classy and elegant, using certified-sustainable fabrics (organic cotton, organic silk, bamboo viscose and organic cotton-blend fabrics sourced from the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy and Estonia). Some of the pieces are subtly decorated with embroidery inspired by folklore or nature.
All of the garments are handmade ethically by professional seamstresses in a safe, clean, well-organised atelier in Estonia. KiRiVOO do not run end-of-season sales, and in order to reduce waste, produce most of the pieces on demand. KiRiVOO pay a high cost price for every item produced; the brand value good working conditions and care about their workers’ needs.
KiRiVOO have worked hard to build trusted relationships with all of their partners, and practise transparency in their business dealings. The company’s ‘Caring Practices Campaign’ seeks to recognise the talent behind KiRiVOO’s production, by surprising online customers with a personalised email introducing the person who made their garment.
KiRiVOO not only aim to deliver good-quality clothes at a reasonable price, they also provide an excellent customer experience. The team value long-term relationships and include customers in the development of new products.
KiRiVOO’s three timeless collections have been designed by acclaimed fashion designers Teele Koel, Kristiina Jeromans and Liisi Tui. Collections were shown at London Fashion Week in 2017 and at Tallinn Fashion Week in 2018.
A range of KiRiVOO pieces is available to buy online and through partner outlets in the UK and US. KiRiVOO are listed on Not Just A Label, the Ethical Brands Directory, Common Objective and Sustainable Angle websites.
GROOVY GLOBE
GROOVY GLOBEEco-friendly t-shirts and recycled cotton tote bags created to raise money for organisations whose sole purpose is to help improve the environment and preserve our planet’s natural resources – what’s not to like?
The GROOVY GLOBE label was founded in 2012 by public relations executive Candace Vadnais, born out of Vadnais’ obsession with recycling. Designed to inspire and motivate people to do more to help the environment, the brand offer men’s and women’s logo t-shirts made of 100% organic cotton and statement tees: PROTECT (the planet), RENEW (your world) and SUSTAIN (natural resources), which are made of 50% organic cotton and 50% RPET (a textile made from plastic bottles) and produced in the USA. The tees feature a statement on the front and the statement’s meaning on the back. GROOVY GLOBE’s canvas totes are 100% recycled cotton.
The brand’s mission is to help spread the word about sustainability, and make people more consciously aware of the everyday things they can do to help reduce the planet’s carbon footprint. GROOVYGLOBE give back by donating 10% of their sales from each product sold to their partners, Trees for the Future and Global Green USA.
La Relaxed
La RelaxedA sustainable clothing brand working entirely out of Los Angeles, LA Relaxed’s lounging-at-home jumpsuit is an Oprah Winfrey favourite.
The brand design desirable, comfortable clothing that takes as little from the planet as possible. And having all of their garments designed and produced in LA means the brand can create jobs for local people.
Minimising waste is a number one consideration for LA Relaxed, as well as the resourceful use of materials. Ethical business practice is high on the list of the brand’s defining values, too: everyone, from customers to employees, is treated with kindness and care.
LA Relaxed use fabrics that are plant-based and organic, and therefore safer and healthier for growers, producers and manufacturers: Modal from beechwood, UV-resistant viscose from hemp, lyocell from eucalyptus and organic cotton. The fabrics are manufactured using a low-impact, water-economical process that is light on chemicals.
Offering good-quality clothing that is versatile and season-less, customers are buying investment pieces rather than fast-fashion items that soon find their way into landfill.
Join our international campaign #100sublimebrands and buy from the best sustainable companies. T: @SublimeMagazine Fb: @Sublimelifestyle IG: @SublimeMagazine
