All told, the last 18 months have been bleak! Covid brought soul destroying loss, fires ravaged Australia, Siberia, California and the Amazon, and we are looking at another mass extinction, the 6th that will change the face of life on earth.
But even 2021 saw positive stories and trends emerge, we realised who our real heroes are and clapped for our NHS, cheered for our fundraisers and were inspired by people leading the charge for change. Amazingly species have been brought back from the edge of extinction, a bird from New Zealand, a frog from Chile and a Bolivian butterfly to be exact. Possibly the best stories I read was about the environmental impact global lockdowns have had on the environment and wildlife.
The canals of Venice have never been so clear, The Bosphorus in Istanbul – one of the world’s busiest marine routes, has swapped cargo ships and tankers for dolphins and Premier Inn Livingston on the M8 had deer move into their empty car park.
It’s astonishing how little it took for change to start taking place and fashion is no different. As one of the most polluting industries in the world, responsible for an estimated 10% of global carbon emissions, 20% of wastewater worldwide, and nearly a half a million tons of plastic microfibers that are dumped into our oceans every single year, (that is the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles) - it is dragging us towards environmental disaster. However, 2021 saw the greatest increase in demand for research into sustainable fabrics, climate friendly trends are soaring and more of us are giving a thought as to where our purchases came from and what price someone else had to pay.
With that in mind as I start my design and sampling for Sugar Reef’s summer launch my goal is to drive change, at least in my little corner of the world, with an environmentally, socially and cruelty-free brand that is kinder to the planet, the people we engage with and animals. Our gorgeous jumpsuits (click on the link) for example are made from Tencel, exquisitely soft and gentle on the skin it’s going to be bringing our customers a new standard of natural comfort.