Ditch fast fashion with Organic Basics
In the words of Organic Basics themselves, ‘the fashion industry is a dirty bastard.’
So it’s great to discover a company that is putting sustainable thinking at the centre of everthing they do. Thanks to documentaries such as The True Cost, the awful truths behind fast fashion are being uncovered and consumers are waking up to the horrific realities of our consumer society. Fashion is one of the biggest polluters that exploits so many people so I decided I didn’t want to put my money to support this industry anymore.
Organic Basics are a great alternative. They only choose fabrics that care for the environment and partner with factories that value their own impact. These two things are what matter most to me when I’m deciding who to give my money to. And while charity and thrift store shopping is great, you will still need to buy your underwear from somewhere.
Unlike much of the fast fashion clothing that floods our high streets, Organic Basics design their clothes to last. They invest in quality fabrics and workmanship, while designing their products with simplicity and function in mind. They make items that last and that can cross the boundaries from gym to day and day to night.
For starters, Organic Basics products come packaged in 100% recycled paper packaging, meaning no plastic nasties that will hang around for years to come. The packaging bears the tagline ‘basically better made’, which nicely sums up what’s waiting inside.
Factories
All of Organic Basics’ products can be traced back to the factory that made them; Turkey, Portugal, Austria or Italy. They work with trusted and certified partners that share their same vision and follow it through by continuously reducing their environmental footprint. No child labour or forced labour, a safe working environment where workers are paid a proper living wage and treated with respect at all times.
Materials
Every fabric used by Organic Basics is handpicked based on its environmental footprint and lifetime durability. This means that they are using only natural, renewable, recycled, biodegradable and or low-impact textiles.
Their organic cotton is hand-picked and chemical free, grown on the coast of the Aegean Sea, widely regarded as some of the most soft and durable cotton in the world, which I can definitely testify to. Their basic t-shirts are really comfortable and such a versatile piece in the wardrobe.
Some of my favourite items are their leggings and bra combo, perfect for yoga, gym, travelling or just for those chilled days. They use a fabric called SilverTech™, which covers the recycled polymer fibre with real natural silver, before blending it with cotton to make soft, odor-controlling, heat regulating clothing. This combination makes it naturally anti-microbial, meaning it kills 99.9% of the bacteria that builds up which saves you from having to wash so often.
I really like the pieces of advise that are printed into the garments, especially the idea to wear more and wash less. Plus I always feel so good putting on my clothes knowing that no one has been harmed in the process.