Brand Spotlight:Storm & Marie
Founded by Signe & Kim Vedel in 2010 Storm & Marie is named after the couple twins and is run with the intention of leaving something meaningful for their little ones. This means not only building a strong Scandi fashion brand but also being mindful of the impact the fashion industry is having on the planet. Ethical manufacturing and responsibly sourcing is at the heart of Storm & Marie's collection, which is something that chimes perfectly with our own ethics.
Storm & Marie describe their design profile as Scandinavian and feminine. Their designs feature characteristic prints and reflect their responsible choices in materials, they design pieces with diversity and openness in mind.
Their garments are made in ethical factories which are personally signed off by Signe and Kim. Their brand is all about honesty and openness and so their factories are places where they build relationships and form real bonds. With this in mind you can be sure that these garments are being produced in responsible and ethical environments. With their garments being made in Europe and beyond Storm & Marie are also aware that the impact of shipping should not be under estimated. Their shipping practices are a balance of practicality and environmental impact, which they detail on their site. The fact that they are so open about their impact from sourcing to shipping helps retailers like Ruskin stock and sell their garments with confidence that they have been produced with the lowest carbon footprint possible.
Responsibly sourced fabrics is another keystone of the Storm & Marie brand. Below is a list of the sustainable fabrics they choose to use:
Certified Tencel, this is a lyocell fibre made from wood cellulose or pulp. The wood comes from trees such as fast-growing eucalyptus. These trees require no irrigation or pesticides to grow. The fibre bears a strong resemblance to cotton and linen in texture, and can be used in many qualities. The fabric made from this fibre is naturally biodegradable and production does not create harmful by-products.
Certified Lenzing Viscose is another fantastic fibre, also known under its brand name EcoVero. This viscose fibre is derived from sustainable wood and pulp from certified and controlled sources. Compared to generic viscose qualities, the Lenzing viscose production reduces emissions and water impact by up to 50%. It is also certified eco-responsible and labeled with the internationally recognised EU Ecolabel for its significantly lower environmental impact through its lifecycle. Find out more about Lenzing’s EcoVero.
Waste or recycled cotton is post-consumer or re-purposed cotton that is reused for clothes production and other purposes. From a sustainability perspective, cotton recycling, if using just pure cotton, requires no new ingredients other than cellulose fibres (typically from wood), that can be added to the existing cotton fibres.
Organic cotton uses less water than traditionally farmed cotton. Compared to traditional cotton, organic cotton farming does not allow the use of toxic chemicals or genetically modified organisms. In this way, it doesn’t damage the soil and also uses 71% less water because organic cotton uses 80% rain water, and 62% less energy than conventional cotton. Absence of chemicals mean cleaner and safer water, for the environment, and the farmers.
Recycled wool is a low-impact process. Production of traditional virgin wool requires land and water for grazing sheep. And subsequent production requires a high-energy process of shearing, water and chemical usage that all has a negative impact on the environment. Using recycled wool means using much less energy and reduces carbon emissions substantially.
Recycled polyester is the green, eco-friendly alternative to conventional polyester. Although it shares the same name as traditional polyester, the non-sustainable synthetic fibre some of us grew up with, recycled polyester is nothing like its conventional counterpart. Recycled polyester uses plastic as its raw material. In fact, PET, the material in most plastic containers, is recycled to create fibres for recycled polyester fabric. The big win is that recycling PET for fabrics means preventing a lot of plastic from going to landfills.
Leftover stock
There is an incredible amount of waste in the fashion industry - this means huge amounts of leftover fabric that are sitting in warehouses. When Storm & Marie visit factories and suppliers they work with, they often come across beautiful fabrics that are not being used. These materials have already been produced and are no longer serving a purpose, so Storm & Marie are able to repurposed these fabrics into new designs.
Waste or recycled cotton is post-consumer or re-purposed cotton that is reused for clothes production and other purposes. From a sustainability perspective, cotton recycling, if using just pure cotton, requires no new ingredients other than cellulose fibres (typically from wood), that can be added to the existing cotton fibres.
Organic cotton uses less water than traditionally farmed cotton. Compared to traditional cotton, organic cotton farming does not allow the use of toxic chemicals or genetically modified organisms. In this way, it doesn’t damage the soil and also uses 71% less water because organic cotton uses 80% rain water, and 62% less energy than conventional cotton. Absence of chemicals mean cleaner and safer water, for the environment, and the farmers.
Recycled wool is a low-impact process. Production of traditional virgin wool requires land and water for grazing sheep. And subsequent production requires a high-energy process of shearing, water and chemical usage that all has a negative impact on the environment. Using recycled wool means using much less energy and reduces carbon emissions substantially.
Recycled polyester is the green, eco-friendly alternative to conventional polyester. Although it shares the same name as traditional polyester, the non-sustainable synthetic fibre some of us grew up with, recycled polyester is nothing like its conventional counterpart. Recycled polyester uses plastic as its raw material. In fact, PET, the material in most plastic containers, is recycled to create fibres for recycled polyester fabric. The big win is that recycling PET for fabrics means preventing a lot of plastic from going to landfills.
Leftover stock
There is an incredible amount of waste in the fashion industry - this means huge amounts of leftover fabric that are sitting in warehouses. When Storm & Marie visit factories and suppliers they work with, they often come across beautiful fabrics that are not being used. These materials have already been produced and are no longer serving a purpose, so Storm & Marie are able to repurposed these fabrics into new designs.