With the turn of the New Year, it’s time to put the planet first. Sublime introduces seven essential brands that will help make the world a better place in 2023
1 People
This Danish sustainable luxury brand designs effortlessly timeless looks for conscious-minded women so that they can stay stylish in an ethical, high-quality fashion.
Minimalism is at the heart of 1 People – expect products that offer simplicity and versatility, with comfort at the forefront and prices that are fair for the consumer and the artisans behind their garments. From jumpsuits, coats, underwear, activewear and swimwear to bags, belts and sneakers, their mission is to change the way business is done and make the world a better place for all.
The latest capsule collection, Serene, brings innovative designs perfect for the winter season, named after the peaceful characteristics of the pieces while channelling a warm, calming mood in time for the temperature drop. The collection consists of jackets, trousers, belts and scarves that have been designed and produced using materials like 100% Organic Cotton Fleece, 100% Organic Cotton Satin, OEKO-TEX® certified dye, VEGEA grape leather, ecological suede Dinamica® and 100% Cotton BCI (Better Cotton Initiative). At 1 People, winter styles are refined with an eco-friendly twist, with people and planet in mind from design to production.
Ringana
This Austrian brand develops, produces, and distributes high-quality, nature-led cosmetics and supplements that hold three key values at heart: freshness, excellence, and trendsetting.
With a no-nonsense approach, RINGANA takes pride in their expiry dates. These are, after all, proof of absolute freshness, since artificial preservatives are questionable and have no influence on products’ effects. Instead, the brand uses highly concentrated, antioxidant active ingredients to ensure maximum performance.
Always striving to meet the highest of standards – for products, for the treatment of people, and for the environment – is why the brand’s holistic sustainable strategy, RE*THINK, is at the top of the lists of priorities. The research team works hard to perfect the fusion of high-tech, science and nature at their state-of-the-art laboratory in St Johann in der Haide, and RINGANA pledge to treat customers, employees, cooperation partners and anybody with whom they have contact with honesty, fairness, and on an equal footing.
And when it comes to trendsetting, RINGANA is driven by the desire to stay a step ahead of the market at all times. Pioneers of fresh, vegan skincare, they anticipate trends, cultivate a positive error culture, and are constantly learning. The result? Working in a forward-looking way that allows for quick adaptation – which means they’re always a couple of beats ahead of their time.
Graphenstone
The world’s leading brand of mineral-based paints and coatings, Graphenstone is a pioneer of harm-free and sustainable decoration. Their beautifully rich paints are the result of combining high-quality, naturally raw ingredients and graphene – a material stronger than steel yet thinner than paper.
Graphenstone’s impressive array of awards include the Cradle-to-Cradle Institute Gold certification, the ultimate global standard for products that are safe, circular and responsibly made. This independent, holistic evaluation underwrites the ecological impact of products on people and planet, with a transparent, visible and tangible validation of the manufacturer’s ongoing commitment to sustainability – and this shows in Graphenstone’s 1000-plus shades. For example, the pure lime-
based paints depend on limestone; a 15-litre pot can absorb up to 5.5kg CO2 as the paint cures over the first month, helping to improve the quality of the surrounding air, all the while containing less than 1g Volatile Organic Compounds per litre – the lowest of any paint product currently on the market.
The ‘vapour open’ nature of Graphenstone’s coatings ensures that walls can breathe, helping to further increase air quality and reduce humidity and condensation. Microorganisms and microbial growth of bacteria and mould are minimised in rooms where Graphenstone lime paints have been applied, thanks to the highly alkaline mineral, and all paints are completely free of plastics, microbeads or man-made chemicals.
Indoor odours and some toxic chemical pollutants are diffused, allergens are reduced, and rooms can be occupied safely immediately after application. In addition, Graphenstone paints are manufactured using 100% renewable energy, including biomass and solar power. Wastewater is reused in a closed loop system, too, minimising all aspects of their environmental footprint wherever possible.
St. Kitts Tourism
Sustainability is a way of life in St. Kitts, and the island strives to be a leader in the Caribbean by protecting its natural resources and honouring its biodiversity.
The Central Reserve Rainforest covers 25% of the island. It is one of the only rainforests in the world that is expanding, thanks to a successful rainforest regeneration programme and careful controls on development. As well as being vital to fighting climate change due to their absorption of CO2, St. Kitts’ rainforest offers unique active adventures from hiking and ziplining to immersive tours and farm-to-table dining.
St. Kitts Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Tourism work closely with tourism partners and the local community to preserve the island’s beaches and surrounding reefs. Pioneering projects like sargassum harvesting are happening 
all over the island. Sargassum, which risks suffocating the shoreline and threatens sea life, is harvested by hand, providing the opportunity to rescue any sea life caught in the seaweed and then transformed into fertilizer for local farmers.
Helping local businesses is an integral part of sustainability efforts. The opening of “Link-Up Beach Bar & Grill”, serving local catches with an ocean view, in Pump Bay is a superb example of St. Kitts tempting tourists to spend a day in a part of the island they might have only visited for a short diving or snorkelling excursion previously.
As part of the wider sustainability agenda, St. Kitts invests heavily in events that drive tourism, promote the culture, support the livelihoods of local people and boost the country’s economy. The annual music festival attracts international artists but also celebrates local talent. The island’s Restaurant Week always features a sustainable food staple grown on the island in the participating restaurants’ menus.
St. Kitts offers several volunteering opportunities, including the Rail to Trail project, converting St. Kitts’ old sugar railway into a hiking and biking trail. Additionally, visitors can support the Heart of St. Kitts Foundation, which builds awareness around sustainability priorities and provides funding for local projects that develop community-driven tourism, preserve local culture and heritage, and land and marine conservation.
Comhla
Based in the UK, Comhla is a new and unique one-stop shop for curating a more sustainable wardrobe. Their team hand-picks brands and businesses that allow customers to step out of the fast 
fashion cycle and into a world where beautiful pieces are created with sustainability at heart, inspired by the meaning of the word ‘comhla’: together.
The Buy Well, Mend, Extend mantra means customers can commission expert menders and upcyclers to keep the favourites they own for longer, as well as shopping preloved from their collections. And if you like to stay informed and inspired by the latest sustainable fashion trends, join the Comhla newsletter and connect with a growing community on social media – the brand is just getting started, and you’re invited to come along on the journey.
Bluewater
Banishing single-use plastics is at the core of Bluewater’s mission. Leveraging human ingenuity and transforming words into action is how this Swedish, purpose-driven water purification and beverage company is removing the need for single-use plastic bottles at sporting events and music festivals.
Bluewater’s staggering Wall of Water – stretching sixteen metres with 12 inline water dispensers and 
two large, integrated digital signage video screens – won wide acclaim when hydrating the 300,000 fans who attended The Open’s 150th anniversary in St Andrews in July 2022. The Wall and 18 other Bluewater dispensers equipped visitors with on-demand purified water, completely halting the sale of single-use plastic bottles and therefore stopping thousands of bottles ending up in landfills or in our oceans. The Bluewater technology also removes over 99% of all known contaminants, from lead to harmful chemicals like PFAS, as well as microplastics, which are increasingly found in tap and bottled water.
‘At Bluewater, we care about what goes into our oceans because we care about what goes into our bodies when drinking water,’ says founder and CEO Bengt Rittri, a Swedish environmental entrepreneur who sold his air purification company Blueair to Unilever in 2016. Today, Bluewater is building on their successes by fast-tracking the rollout of water dispensing solutions to other markets, including the USA, South Africa, China, and Europe, empowering events organisers all over the world to prioritise the planet.
Corlin
Driven by a vision to repaint the playground business operations in the 21th century, Corlin is a Swedish-based, forward-thinking eyewear brand – heartfelt silhouettes, textures, and colours push for continuous visual expression.
Since Corlin’s first collection hit the shelves in 2017, the assortment has expanded horizontally, but the focus remains on fulfilling consumer needs without compromising on craftsmanship – today, their line includes sunglasses, blue light and ski goggles, and although it’s a varied one, they never produce more glasses than they can manage to sell.
Every collection is designed in-house in their contemporary Stockholm studio, with quality and caution always at the top of the list. The Corlin SKI Chapter II, for instance, comes in four colours with interchangeable lenses and double-layer, spherical, reinforced anti-fog lenses sourced from Italy. Their vibrancy unquestionably makes for a seasonal head-turner, and a magnetic technology means skiers will be able to remain focused in all weather conditions.
