The environmental footprint of the fashion and textiles industry is huge and sadly is one of the leading causes of climate change. As a brand, we take this problem extremely seriously. We promote sustainability at every touchpoint of the business, from our supply chains to the way we run the office.
What’s happening in the fashion industry is similar to what is happening in the food industry. Heavy chemicals and pesticides are being used, having a great impact on the environment. Throughout the supply chain we are committed to using as many organic and best-practice natural fibres, with minimal chemicals, as possible.
Environment
NO FRILLS
We launched our first fully sustainable line, ‘No Frills’, back in 2018. Today, our Core collection is based on the foundations of No Frills; the pieces that form your everyday Mother of Pearl wardrobe. Born out of our duty to create a collection with a transparent supply chain, the pieces are made from organic and natural materials, and have a socially responsible ethos. Never compromising on design or quality, our Core collection embodies all of our most loved pieces made as ethically as possible.
But our mission to slow fast fashion down didn’t end there. We gathered all the knowledge from our No Frills journey and applied it to our entire brand.
(Watch our journey to creating No Frills in the new documentary film, Fashion Reimagined).
RESPONSIBLE MATERIALS
Our design process starts with our materials - considering the supply chain, longevity and any fabric limitations right from the outset of designing a garment.
Since our Pre AW21 collection, 100% of the materials used have been responsible. This means that every fabric adheres to the strict criteria that Amy Powney, our Creative Director, has set out and ensures she is making the best possible choices for people and planet. Read more about Our Materials.
Natural fibres such as organic cotton, wool and botanic fibres such as TENCEL™ branded lyocell fibres make up the vast majority of our collections. This has been a conscious decision as synthetic fibres, most commonly polyester, need industrial circulation to manage recycling and re-recycling and we don’t believe that there is the appropriate infrastructure in place for this. Furthermore, when washed, synthetic fibres shed tiny particles of plastic into the water system that end up in our oceans. Plastic is already a huge issue for our planet, and tiny particles like this are currently impossible to catch. They therefore end up polluting our water, causing damage to the environment and contaminating fish and other marine life. So until innovation and development gets to the level where we believe synthetics are a safe option, we remain committed to using virgin and recycled natural fibres as much as possible for our designs. When this is not possible, we strictly use recycled synthetics so that we are reusing what is already considered waste.
Across our collections we use as many recycled fibres as possible, and are in development to use more and more recycled fabrics in the future. Where possible, we also use materials in their raw state, such as our collection of ecru denim, to eliminate harmful dyes & chemicals.
As part of our design process, we assess not only the sustainability of a material but also the longevity and functionality of how it will work in that particular garment. While we prefer to use monofibres (e.g. 100% organic cotton) because it makes the fibre easier to trace to its origin and also easier to recycle at the garment’s end of life cycle, sometimes we make the decision to use blended fibres because it will work better for the product and keep the garment looking good for longer. And we want you to love and wear your MOP piece for as long as possible!
We are always looking for new material innovations, and are continually learning and trying to make the best possible decisions for both longevity and environmental impact. For example, for our blue denim made in Portugal, we are now using the OZONE treatment to get to our desire wash effect. It uses about 50% less water than previous techniques as well as substantially reducing energy, chemicals, enzymes and stones.
REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
We aim to reduce the carbon footprint of our products by considering how we can minimise the geographical spread of the supply chain.
For example, the organic cotton used for our denim is grown, spun, woven and then produced into garments in one country. This significantly reduces our carbon footprint across what is not only one of our best selling categories, but also a historically dirty and damaging area.
The same goes for our wool coats, these are traced from fibre to final and all in one country (Portugal).
While we are focusing on ensuring the best environmental standards of producing your garments, you can make a big difference too on what you do with your garment once you own it. See our garment care advice.
