Since launching the label in 2015 we have been committed to ethical manufacturing and sustainability. Our earliest collections featured upcycled and vintage cotton laces designed in Nottingham, England. Over the years, new technology has allowed us to introduce sustainable fabrics such as organic silk, peace silk and Oeko-tex laces into our designs.
Over the past six months, we have been researching ways to make our lingerie more ethical, while making our designs more accessible to our customers. With the cost of living crisis in the UK and the climate crisis affecting the entire world, we feel changes need to be made in the way fashion brands design, produce and launch their collections. We are no longer creating collections per season. Instead, our focus will be on creating limited edition pieces in small batches using ethical and organic fabrics as much as possible, where all of the fabric and trims are used to minimise waste. Producing our collections in small batches means we can lower our costs, while still making garments that have a greater emphasis on quality and longevity.
With that in mind, we would like to introduce our Dawn collection, crafted from Oeko-Tex standard 100 lace, organic bamboo silk and Tencel.
Here are the key factors that make our Dawn collection our most ethical to date.
- Viscose lace has been sourced for this bra and knicker set. Viscose production uses up less water than the production of other favoured fibres like cotton
- The lace is certified OEKO-TEX 100 CLASS I STANDARD. To get the STANDARD 100 label, all lace fabrics have to pass intensive tests to check for harmful substances
- Our lace supplier successfully completed the GRS (Global Recycling Standard) certification for all their factory locations and they are re-certified every year.
- Bamboo silk in Stone, Peach and Black is used for a selection of the Dawn bra and knicker sets. The fabric is woven using 100% organic bamboo fibres and Oeko-Tex certified dyes. This means the use of harmful metals and chemicals in the manufacturing process is strictly controlled and uses a closed-loop system
- The raw material is 100% organically grown bamboo (OCIA certification for international standards, NOP for USA standards) from sustainably managed bamboo forests (FSC certification)
- Bamboo silk is a cruelty-free and vegan alternative to conventional silk
- Bamboo fibres are bio-degradable. The decomposition process doesn't cause any pollution to the environment
- Smooth Twill is used for the Dawn set in ivory. This fabric combines 62% Tencel Luxe and 38% Tencel Lyocell
- Tencel is produced using a closed-loop process that recycles processed water and reuses 99% of the solvent to transform the wood-based cellulose into a luxurious silky fabric, with almost zero emissions
- Tencel is bio-degradable
- Elastics are sourced from deadstock – reducing waste in the fashion industry. Elastics and components are sourced from a UK-based supplier that specialises in deadstock. Large quantities of trims are bought from factories or businesses that no longer need these materials - or in some cases businesses which have closed. These trims are then sold in smaller quantities to independent designers and stop these unwanted materials from being sent to landfills or from being burnt
Because we will be manufacturing the Dawn collection in small batches using silk alternatives we are able to lower our costs making them more accessible to our customers without losing the quality you expect to see from our handcrafted lingerie. For example, French seams are still used on all pieces to ensure your lingerie is made to last.
We are looking forward to launching more ranges throughout the year and we will continue to look for sustainable fabrics and trims.
View the full collection here: https://www.aytengasson.com/collections/dawn-eco-collection
