FEATURES
SLOANIE: WE ALL WANT FANCY PANTS.
21st October 2019
Pants, briefs, knickers, undies, boxers, bras, bralets – however you refer to your underwear is irrelevant. However, underwear is very relevant to us. At least once a day, we reach for a pair of our favourite pants (let’s call them pants for arguments sake!) and we wear them all day.
They are the first pieces of fabric against our skin and arguably the most important item of clothing.
Yet there seems to be a lack of attention to underwear when we are dealing with sustainability and innovation. We don’t always see and hear about the underwear industry and the cotton alternative fabrics that are now being used to make our underwear more ethical and sustainable.
Sloanie in particular are using a cotton substitute called Tencel, this is cellulose that is derived predominantly from Austrian beech trees. Wow. Incredible right? Want to hear more?
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I talk to Josh, who is the Co-Founder of Sloanie and find out what is so special about Tencel and why we should be buying into it.
Tell me more about the brand, how and why did you come up with the concept of sustainable underwear?
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Despite being the one garment that comes into direct contact with our most sensitive parts all day, there is remarkably little innovation in the underwear industry. There’s also a lack of attention to comfort, with cotton increasingly coming an inferior product in terms of softness and durability. We thought this was weird.
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So, we set out to create underwear that’s soft on your skin, both through the use of the finest materials and by avoiding harmful chemicals, while ensuring we have a soft-touch on our environment.
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The result is a line of super-soft underwear that are both premium and sustainable. Or, as we like to say: today’s luxuries, for tomorrow’s world.
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Everyone loves a good authentic brand - Who are the faces behind Sloanie?
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We’re still a relatively small team, having launched just a few weeks ago. Francesca has been passionate about fashion since an early age and has pursued this interest with nearly a decade in the industry covering a range of roles; from product strategy to marketing and PR. I have a keen interest in sustainability and ethical production, with experience in design, marketing and operations. Having conducted research exploring the positive linkages between natural environments and wellbeing, I am keen to keep an admiration for our natural world at the heart of Sloanie.
"it’s super-soft (3x softer than cotton!), antimicrobial, hypoallergenic, moisture-wicking and sustainable – what isn’t there to love?"
What makes Sloanie different?
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Our underwear is manufactured ethically: both in terms of ecological impact, and labour standards. We feel that our commitment to both of these ends, as well as our attention to detail and high-quality materials, sets us apart from other brands.
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TENCELTM Modal fabric – tell me about it, what is so good about it?
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We love TENCELTM! It’s made from cellulose that’s derived predominantly from Austrian beech trees. Using innovative and unique technologies, our Austrian manufacturer transforms this wood pulp into Modal material using high-tech, sustainable processes. Inspired by the circular nature of the ecological cycle of trees, their closed loop process is low-carbon and minimises energy usage, wastewater resource intensity and harmful emissions. It’s so impressive that they are able to recover and reuse up to 95% of production materials. Modal is also vegan and free from harmful chemicals, certified to OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100.
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In short: it’s super-soft (3x softer than cotton!), antimicrobial, hypoallergenic, moisture-wicking and sustainable – what isn’t there to love?
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What makes Sloanie so sustainable - are your packaging and labels made from recyled fabrics?
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I’ve already covered the materials we use in our underwear, but when we set out to create our brand we wanted to ensure sustainability beyond the garments themselves. That’s why we took a great deal of time manufacturing our packaging using entirely recycled and recyclable materials, printed with low-impact dyes.
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Some of your pics on IG are of Greece - is there a Greek connection to the brand?
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While there’s no direct connection to Greece, Francesca fell in love with the island of Milos after spending a holiday there. We share photos like those of Milos because the untouched beaches and beautiful seascapes reflect a sense of tranquillity and minimalism that we seek to imbue into Sloanie.
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Where do you see the brand going, high end or commercial?
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We prefer to avoid conventional fashion industry classifications: our underwear is for everyone and anyone that places importance on comfortable, sustainable products that look and feel good!
What is the future for Sloanie?
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Our ambition is quite simple: we want to become the destination for anyone looking for a sustainable and natural brand.
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You can buy all Sloanie's sustainable products on their website www.sloanie.com.