The fashion industry has run into sustainability issues for decades, ranging from animal exploitation in dodgy farms to obtain materials such as ermine or mink, to the 92 million tonnes of textile waste (and growing) generated worldwide.
Thankfully many in the fashion industry have since caught on to these issues and are working to reduce the industry’s overall carbon footprint. This has resulted in trends such as the resurgence of vintage clothing, upcycling old clothes, and more new brands adopting ‘slow fashion’.
What is slow fashion?
The slow fashion movement focuses on higher-quality apparel made with sustainable materials and methods. Its core idea is to encourage consumers to take a more thoughtful approach to buying clothing, looking at other aspects of the production line such as the treatment of garment workers and carbon emissions.
Slow fashion has made its way into the local Filipino fashion scene as well, with several brands opening brick-and-mortar boutiques and even offering online shopping options with worldwide delivery. Discover Filipino slow fashion brands today to begin embracing a more eco-conscious closet:
1. Rags2Riches
Rags2Riches was one of the first Filipino slow fashion brands to emerge way back in 2007. Founder Reese Fernandez-Ruiz had the idea to create the brand after witnessing women in Payatas scavenging fabric scraps from dump sites to turn into rugs to sell. The brand partners with local designers throughout the Philippines to create high fashion apparel made from the womens’ handwoven and upcycled overstock textiles. The women are well-compensated for the work, with Rags2Riches’ goal of giving them dignity and encouraging self-empowerment by recognising their labor and paying a sustainable wage.
Rags2Riches ships worldwide, with express delivery options provided by DHL.
2. Sunki
The four women co-founders of Sunki were inspired to launch the brand after they encountered a lack of local slow fashion brands that blended both sustainability and style. The brand holds transparency, inclusivity, and authenticity as its values and discloses many aspects of its production line including the carbon footprint of their materials and packaging, how they pay their manufacturing partners, and what goes into their pricing.
Sunki ships worldwide.
3. Frankie & Friends
Shoppers who want to embark on a holistic eco-conscious lifestyle can shop at Frankie & Friends, a virtual marketplace showcasing hundreds of Filipino slow fashion clothing brands and independent artisans. 60% of Frankie & Friends’ brand partners support and employ local communities in underprivileged and rural areas of the Philippines, and 28% of their brand partners support Zero-Waste initiatives or use Natural Reusable Material. The brand has physical stores in Metro Manila, and upped their online shopping capabilities to better deal with increased demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Frankie & Friends ships worldwide, with DHL Express as one of its third-party logistics partners.
4. Stride Collective
Slow fashion doesn’t just apply to clothing, but footwear as well. Stride Collective was co-founded by a group of Filipino shoe brand owners to highlight the ethically-made handcrafted shoes in Marikina City (also known as the country’s ‘shoemaking capital’). The site hosts a wide range of local shoe brands, employs artisans from Marikina City at above-industry wages, and provides a good working environment.
Stride Collective ships worldwide, with DHL Express as one of its third-party logistics partners.
Explore sustainable shipping with DHL Express
Sustainability is no longer just a trending buzzword but a conscious philosophy that influences many aspects of consumers’ lives. As more consumers seek out sustainable lifestyle options like slow fashion, brands need to be able to keep up or pivot to meet these changing demands.
This even extends to logistics and shipping with eco-conscious delivery services like DHL Express’ own GoGreen Climate Neutral shipments. Under this option, DHL Express will offset transport-related carbon emissions for the shipment and can even provide businesses with reports on the carbon footprint generated. Register for a DHL Express account today to find out how we can help your business keep up with the latest logistics trends.
