Sustainable September: Aligne

Fashion : Love

29 September 2020

We don't need to hark on about why we should all be thinking more sustainably – there's enough news about the climate crisis to clearly tell us that – but even for the best of us, we still need a nudge in the environmentally friendly direction to make the changes that'll better our planet.

In this day and age, a reusable coffee cup is no longer your get-out-of-jail-free-card for acting sustainably in other areas of your life. Now more than ever, we need to be putting our green thinking caps on and addressing how we can buy more sustainably with the clothes we wear, the beauty we put on our skin and the ornaments we place in our homes. So, this September, we're doing exactly that.

Our new 'Sustainable September' series will be highlighting the best sustainably-minded products and brands that range over fashion, beauty and homeware, everyday throughout the month, showing that there are earth-affable options that you can opt for. Today, we're looking at eco-friendly brand, Aligne, who is bridging the gap between affordable and sustainable clothes

Throughout the sustainable series one of our aims has been to break down the common myths that surround ethical and sustainable fashion: such as the assumption that eco-friendly fashion is basic, or that the more expensive a garment is the more eco-friendly it is. And these are just not the case. Not only are sustainable brands proving themselves to be anything but basic, they are also shifting our focus away from an ingrained impression that they should break your bank account. One brand helping to bridge this gap is Aligne, whose very aim is to challenge the conception that sustainable products are more expensive.

This exciting new brand, places their clothing at a similar price point to & Other Stories and Arket, but founder, Dalbir Bains, has made sure that while they are comparable in style and aesthetic, sustainability was to be at Aligne’s core. The result: a very modern, fashion focused collection with an incredibly accessible price. With over twenty years working in the retail industry, Dalbir has used her outstanding supplier contacts, and has challenged them to work differently, and are currently working with suppliers across five countries to source their products; 54% of the factories they work with are in Europe and Turkey, and by staying within Europe, this ensures that the brand can keep production costs low, and defy the myths surrounding sustainable fashion.

Aligne’s fabric uses fairly-traded organic cotton; which use natural processes and fertilisers that are free from toxic chemicals, and are 80% rain-fed, as opposed to regular cotton, which takes around 2,700 litres of water to create a regular cotton t-shirt. The brand also uses recycled polyester, which reduces the companies overall carbon footprint, as the production of it creates 75% less CO2 emotions than virgin polyester. Yes, you read that right – 75%!

Dalbir’s label ensures that you can enjoy clothes without costing the demise of the planet. The brand prides itself on being considered, committed and coveted; an alliteration of words we adore. Going green is now easier (and more affordable) than we previously thought!