Linen is known for being an eco-friendly fabric because it doesn’t require a lot of water to grow, does not require pesticides as it is naturally pest-repellent and creates minimal waste as every part of the flax plant from which linen is made is used for different purposes.

Linen is also very durable and gets softer over time, making it a great capsule wardrobe investment for years to come. With that in mind, here are my three of my top linen essential picks for your sustainable summer wardrobe:

See also: 3 Eco Items to Build Your Capsule Wardrobe

Son de Flor Pinafore Shirt 

I’ve already spoken about my love for crop tops in my summer capsule wardrobe article, but they really have become my no-brainer go-to for a street-style slash resort-look during weekends. I love Son de Flor’s square-neck linen crop top so much – its design makes it easy to pair with all my skirts, trousers, shorts and even jeans. Not to mention, it shows off all my hard work at the gym in a subtle, elegant way!

Son de Flor uses only natural Oeko-Tex-certified fabrics throughout their collection, with plastic-free packaging for delivery and a focus on ethical production. I wear this eye-catching fairy-tale piece with high-waisted pants for work or with relaxed trousers on my days off.

Available at Son de Flor

@White by Gosia Orlowska Sofia Pants 

I have officially replaced all my jeans with linen trousers as my summer staple! One of my favourite linen bottoms are these Sofia linen pants by Hong Kong-based designer Gosia Orlowska. They have become a great addition to my capsule wardrobe – the material is extremely soft and I like pairing them with a crop top and my favourite blazer for an easy, breezy summer outfit.

Gosia makes her collections from deadstock material in very limited quantities to minimise waste. She also allows customers to pre-order designs whenever she can.

Available at @White by Gosia Orlowska

BrunnaCo ARYA Safari Midi Dress

For a more feminine take on linen, my pick is BrunnaCo’s Arya safari linen midi dress. Wearing this lightweight dress on a hot summer day is oh-so-comfy!

BrunnaCo is a Californian environmentally and socially sustainable fashion brand founded by Bali-born Helga Ida Ayu. Each of their collections is handcrafted by select artisans, mostly women, working from the comfort of their own homes in Indonesia.

Available at BrunnaCo

Of course, investing in sustainable materials is just a tiny step in your conscious fashion journey! To further that journey, be mindful of where you spend, make sure what you buy causes no harm to the planet and its people, and invest in quality timeless pieces instead of purchasing single-use, fast fashion garments. That way, you can ensure any new clothes are long-term investments rather than just quick impulse buys.

See also: 3 Sustainable Skirts to Stay Cool In

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When shopping for a summer skirt, my advice is to look for those made from natural materials. Not only are they perfect for the humid weather, but they’re also generally more eco-friendly and durable than synthetic fabrics. 

Here are my three of my favourite sustainable skirt picks, made from different natural fabrics:

See also: 3 Eco Items To Build A Summer Capsule Wardrobe

Cass Livia Skirt 

CASS’ Livia skirt is made of hemp, a fast-growing, resistant and renewable natural material that is made to last a lifetime. It grows with little water, without pesticides and is extremely durable, breathable, comfortable and great for skin, thanks to its moisture-wicking abilities. Even with all those benefits, hemp still has one more trick up its sleeve – it’s also considered a carbon-negative raw material, as it absorbs more carbon than it produces.

This skirt design is timeless and I love its simplicity. I’m currently pairing it with a crop top and squared heels for a classy and elegant look, or with a t-shirt and sandals for a more relaxed vibe. 

Available at CASS

Mayamiko Doreen Mini Skirt

Mayamiko’s Doreen Skirt is made from pure rain-fed organic cotton grown in Uganda, and crafted at a fair trade workshop by talented artisans in Malawi. Organic cotton is made from natural seeds, with zero pesticides or other harmful chemicals used when growing the plant.

This skirt is so soft that I get slightly emotional at the end of the day when it’s time to take it off! It’s a great summer staple and I love pairing it with a cami during the weekend or a shirt on work days. I personally wish more brands would follow Mayamiko’s lead and promote fair trade practices, as I believe that the people who made my clothes should be paid fairly for their work.

Available at Mayamiko

See also: Sustainability Defined: 10 Useful Eco Fashion Terms

Linen Handmade Studio Valencia Slit Skirt

Linen Handmade Studio’s Valencia Skirt is made of linen, a strong but lightweight fabric made from the flax plant. It is naturally hypoallergenic and very breathable, making it a great material for warm weather. I love this skirt because the design is so fun, yet it’s smart enough to wear to work when paired with a shirt.

What’s great about this brand is that their designs are made-to-order; with 27 different colours to choose from, you can pick the best shade to fit your capsule wardrobe. Made-to-order business models help reduce waste and minimise surplus stock but are they the future of sustainable fashion? Keep in mind that small businesses like these need your support as they face scalability issues. 

Available at Linen Handmade Studio

This summer, let’s rethink the way we buy fashion. Read clothing labels carefully, take time to research materials and support small businesses whenever you can. Through these small yet conscious steps, we can make a difference in the future of our planet!

See also: 3 Sustainable Mini Handbags To Invest In For Summer

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The term ‘capsule wardrobe’ was popularised by British fashion icon Susie Faux in the 1970s. A traditional capsule collection comprises anywhere between ten to 50 practical and versatile pieces of clothing, put together to create an entire wardrobe. 

The great thing about a capsule wardrobe is that pieces are interchangeable, enabling you to build countless outfits from fewer items overall. This concept is even more relevant now in the age of fast fashion and should inspire us to change our consumption habits.

Here are my top picks for three key, eco-friendly pieces to invest in for a summer capsule wardrobe.

See also: 13 Fast Fashion Quotes To Inspire

1. Jeans

A pair of blue or coloured jeans is my go-to weekend outfit. Throw on some jeans, accessorise them with a cute top and a pair of laid-back sneakers, add a belt and matching bag, and you’re ready to go!

Unspun

Hong Kong-based brand Unspun has a really sustainable business model, selling only made-to-order, custom-made jeans. I’ve been wearing their light bootcut jeans over the last few months; I love that they’re curve-flattering and their high-waisted silhouette gives my legs a boost. You can simply pick the design you like and scan your body measurements through their app. In about a month’s time, they’ll send you a pair of jeans that’s been 100 percent tailor-made for your body shape.

Available at Unspun

Kuyichi

My other summer go-to are Kuyichi’s Lisette cream-coloured, super high-waisted, 70s-inspired flared jeans. They are made of organic cotton and eco-friendly Tencel Lyocell, which keeps me cool in the summer heat. They go perfectly with crop tops and I love pairing them with a linen blazer or light trench coat. 

Available at Kuyichi

2. Crop Tops

Summer simply calls for crop tops! No matter what body shape you have, a crop top is a lady’s best friend.

Honest Basics

I am currently in love with Honest Basics, a brand from Germany. They’re on a mission to make sustainable fashion accessible to everyone, while paying everyone throughout their supply chain a fair wage. Here, you can find quality basics that are essential for building a capsule wardrobe – like this black spaghetti crop top. 

Available at Honest Basics

Rifo

My other go-to summer crop top is from Rifo. Their Nora knitted crop top is made with a yarn crafted from recycled old jeans. Rifo estimates that this top has been recycled from two to five pairs of jeans, consuming only 80 litres of water throughout the production process – rather than the 3,000 required by an identical virgin cotton garment. 

Available at Rifo

3. Blazers

Blazers add instant spunk to any outfit and work for many occasions. For instance, I’d throw on a blazer in Hong Kong summer whenever the indoor temperature gets too cold!

@White By Gosia Orlowska

My @White By Gosia Orlowska pink blazer is made from deadstock silk in Hong Kong. It’s perfect for work occasions or weekend brunches and the silk material makes it extra breathable and soft to the touch – and I love the pink colour!

Available at @White By Gosia Orlowska

Linen Handmade Studio

Linen is the perfect material for hot, humid Hong Kong summers as it’s so breathable and versatile. My Colette lavender grey linen jacket was made-to-order from Linen Handmade Studio; its classic, timeless design is just perfect for a summer capsule wardrobe. I also love that this brand has 27 colours to pick from for each design, and most items are made-to-order for your size, which minimises waste.

Available at Linen Handmade Studio

Remembering the manta of “buy less, buy better”, a capsule wardrobe is the best way forward to remedy the ills of our past consumption habits. Let’s all try to minimise our environmental impact through small, conscious steps that make a huge difference for the one planet we all share!

See also: 3 Sustainable Swimwear Brands to Wear This Summer

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With that in mind, when shopping for a sustainable bag, remember to keep an eye on the provenance of its main material. Handbags are often made of leather, with the leather produced for bag manufacturing being a key driver behind deforestation in the Amazon.

See also: World Leaders Promise To End Deforestation By 2030

Luckily, more and more brands these days understand the impact of their business on people and our planet. There are increasing numbers of sustainable options for us to look good, feel good and do good in – so here are my favourite sustainable mini handbags for summer!

Labienhecha Hortensia Bag

Handmade in Malaga, Spain, Labienhecha only uses recycled leather, certified by Global Recycled Standard and Oeko Tex Leather Standard. Their use of pastel colours across their collection is especially enchanting – after all, it’s all about summer and wanting to make the most of the season!

I carried my small Hortensia, which means “shopping bag” in Spanish, throughout my most recent business trip to the US. I love its quality and versatility; it came with me to the gym and my business meetings alike. An all-woman team lies behind Labienhecha, something that I find compelling when purchasing from boutique sustainable brands.

Available at Labienhecha

Brunna.Co Sumatran Tiger Clutch

Brunna.Co offers unique, limited and collectible handmade bags crafted by local artisans in Indonesia. Their multitude of designs is meant to represent the biodiversity surrounding us. More importantly, their bags are often made with a specific conservation effort in mind.

My Sumatran Tiger Clutch was designed to raise awareness of critically endangered Sumatran tigers; currently, there are less than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild due to deforestation and poaching. Brunna.Co donates the proceeds from each Sumatran Tiger Clutch purchased directly from their online store to tiger conservation projects.

Available at Brunna.Co

Bottle Top Bellani Mini Enamel Bag

Bottle Top takes the mantra ‘One person’s trash is another person’s treasure’ to a whole new level. They make their bags from recycled bottle tops from Africa and certified-Amazon Zero Deforestation leather. Their atelier in Brazil employs more than 20 mostly female artisans, with a salary 45 percent higher than the Brazilian industry average.

My Bellani Mini Bag is more than just a bag – I would go as far as to say that it’s a piece of art! It takes Bottle Top’s skilled artisans a whole day to make one of these beauties by hand. All my summer necessities fit perfectly inside – and to literally top it all off, bottle tops do keep me cool in the summer heat, all puns intended!

Available at Bottle Top

Let’s rethink the way we buy this summer. Where we spend our money does shape the future of our planet… And yes, let me say it again, let’s all try to minimise our environmental impact through small, conscious steps that will make a huge difference for the one planet we share!

See also: 6 Sustainable Beach Bags For Seaside Escapes

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The post 3 Sustainable Mini Handbags To Invest In For Summer appeared first on 8Shades.

Traditional swimwear is usually made with synthetic fabrics such as nylon, polyester or spandex. However, these fabrics are harmful to the planet, being petroleum-based. Over time, such fabrics have been shown to release microplastics during each cycle of a washing machine. To minimise our environmental impact, look for sustainable alternatives like ECONYL®, recycled nylon or organic materials, and hand wash your swimwear with care.

See also: How To Keep Microplastics Out Of Your Body

Below are three of my favourite sustainable swimwear brands that I’ve personally tried and tested. From local Hong Kong brands to those that support mangrove forests in Madagascar, these three brands are both stylish and sustainable:

RIMN

Launched in 2021, RIMN is a local sustainable swimwear brand that aims to empower Hong Kong women to be more comfortable in their own skin, especially for those with smaller cup sizes. The brand uses only ECONYL®, which is made of various recovered materials from the ocean such as fishing nets. It’s about time we addressed body positivity on our shores!

Shop on rimn.hk

Aima Dora

Throughout the year, I like to take part in beach cleanups. Rather than being desensitised to plastic waste, I am advocating more than ever for garments that are made from upcycled materials.

This is why I’ve partnered on several occasions with Aima Dora, a premium swimwear-meets-activewear label using Seaqual fabrics throughout their collections, which is made from upcycled ocean waste. Their swimwear is an easy summer staple that’s multifunctional and moves with you throughout the day.

Shop on aimadora.com

Paper London

Paper London caught my eye with their initiatives to plant five mangrove trees within Madagascar, Mozambique or Kenya for every purchase of their swimwear. Why mangrove trees? Because they provide huge ecosystem benefits, such as filtering and purifying the water systems, protecting coastal areas from storm surges, and acting as a carbon sink to mitigate climate change.

Shop on paperlondon.com

This summer, let’s collectively address the issue of marine plastic pollution by remembering the motto, “buy less, buy better” and get to know who the makers are behind the clothes you wear. Let’s all try to minimise our environmental impact through small, conscious steps that will make a huge difference for the one planet we share.

See also: Make a Splash In These 8 Sustainable Swimwear Brands

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The post 3 Sustainable Swimwear Brands To Wear This Summer appeared first on 8Shades.