There is a beautiful new collection of children’s clothing online. Lots of beautiful, durable, non-toxic and honestly made items from the beautiful brand The Simple Folk. I would like to use this moment to tell you a little more about this beautiful brand, their values (which we share) and why choosing sustainable children’s clothing is so important.
The Simple Folk
Shortly after the birth of both of our second children, Abi and I began fantasizing about the idea of The Simple Folk: my son, Valentine, and Abi’s daughter, Sage. We both owned a wellness business at the time and had purposely arranged our lives to prioritize our families, including nurturing a healthy mind, body, and loving respect for our world, among other things.
It was during this time that we discovered that very few children’s clothing brands are simple, non-toxic, ethical, or sustainable (let alone all of the above). And those who seemed to meet these criteria lacked the softness, style and minimalist sophistication we wished for our little ones.
So we started talking seriously about the idea of starting a children’s clothing line ourselves, not because it was a logical choice given our other work and life commitments, but because we shared the belief that children’s clothing is non-toxic, stylish, ultra-soft and practical, and that slow and sustainable fashion is chic. As mothers, we could no longer bear to dress our children in clothes that were not optimal for their health and well-being or that were the result of unfair wages, poor working conditions or environmental destruction. Simply put, we had had enough of “fast fashion”.
With a shared vision to lead the fashion revolution for our little ones and keep us up at night (who am I kidding, we were already awake!), the momentum caught up with us and we finally took the plunge. We’ve set to work building a supply chain of family-run and ethical companies that operate far beyond business standards and prioritize our planet every step of the way. We’re committed to supporting a nonprofit that we know is making a real profit, making an impact, and changing our world for the better.
So if, like us, you’re looking for a meaningful way to get out of that dizzying merry-go-round of fast, disposable fashion and dream about honoring our planet and the creatures that live on it, welcome to The Simple Folk, and to the world of sustainable, slow, and ethical fashion.
Why slow and sustainable fashion is here to stay
Fortunately, in our culture, we have finally begun to examine our impact on planet Earth, its people, and animals, and it is becoming increasingly clear that in order to live sustainably, we must slow down the consumerist train that has come to define us lately. several decades. In the eighties, this realization led to the birth of the popular slow food movement with an emphasis on clean, ethically produced, whole foods.
Inspired by these principles, Kate Fletcher invented the slow fashion movement in 2007 in response to the need she saw for a slower pace in the fashion industry. The ultimate goal of slow fashion is to design, produce and buy clothing in a way that respects designers, employees, consumers, animals and the environment.
Slow fashion takes into account all the means and methods necessary to bring clothing to the consumer, and embraces these important principles:
- Buying fewer items of clothing and keeping them longer (as opposed to buying many cheap, trendy pieces and constantly replacing them).
- Choosing clothing that is manufactured with fair wages, equal opportunities and respectful treatment for all employees involved in the process.
- Preference for clothing made from natural, safe, cruelty-free fabrics, dyes, yarns and other materials – and which is manufactured in a way that does not harm living beings or the planet.
- Celebrating creative designers and artisans locally and globally by wearing original garments sold locally or through fair trade practice organizations.
- Have fun with DIY fashion and make or personalize garments and accessories at home.
And even better? Embracing a slow, sustainable wardrobe means fewer garments and less waste. The end result is an authentic fashion lifestyle that is sustainable, ethical and ecologically responsible.
It’s time to ask: who made your clothes
Let’s face it, we’ve all indulged in a little “retail therapy” at some point, and honestly, it can be fun. So if you’re wondering if you’re really ready to dedicate yourself to slow fashion — and if it might not be such a bad thing to keep treating yourself and your little ones to the latest new, trendy styles every season — then there are some important factors to consider.
Unfortunately, behind those cute new shoes and shiny new tops lurk some very ugly and harmful truths. For starters, most of the cheap clothing sold in the U.S. is manufactured overseas by garment workers who face poor treatment, unsafe conditions, and low wages.
Some have even lost their lives to work-related hazards, such as the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2013, which killed 1,138 garment workers and injured 2,500 others. Rana Plaza housed five garment factories filled with workers — mostly women — who faced incredibly poor working conditions. And when garment workers in Bangladesh dare to peacefully protest against the bottomless minimum wage ($0.45 per hour), they are often fired, arrested and even physically abused.
What can you do to change something? The #FashionRevolution campaign encourages every consumer to ask brands the crucial question: Who made my clothes? Join Fashion Revolution Week, a time to stand up for the rights of workers around the world and demand answers from companies that profit greatly from the fast-paced fashion that is so harmful to people and planet.
“The bottom line is that if you look beneath the surface, all that cheap, mass-produced stuff is terrible for people, animals and the world.”
The downside of cheap, trendy children’s clothing
Fashion can also be a very toxic business. More than 8,000 synthetic chemicals are used to make clothing, and most of these are known endocrine disruptors or carcinogens that hide in the mass-produced fabrics you and your children wear. And these chemicals are then often released into the water resources, which affects the quality of life of local residents and wildlife and affects the planet in general.
The bottom line is that if you look beneath the surface, all that cheap, mass-produced stuff is terrible for people, animals, and the world. Moreover, it creates a stressful and inhumane mentality of always needing more — and feeling like it’s necessary to slavishly conform to passing trends rather than expressing your individuality in a more selective, high-quality way.
How to switch to slow fashion (and upgrade)
Embracing a slow fashion lifestyle may seem like a huge step, but it really is one of the simplest things in the world. After all, you slow down and do less, not more! Here are a few ideas to make it easier for you:
- Wear and take good care of what you already have.
- Share and recycle by visiting second-hand, vintage and thrift stores.
- Avoid mass-produced, poor-quality garments, as well as trendy colors and silhouettes that will be over next season.
- Choose to buy only from brands that are committed to ethical, sustainable fashion practices, and choose less high-quality, timeless pieces made from natural materials and certified non-toxic dyes designed to last.
- Leave the stress of having too many choices behind by buying simple, sophisticated foundational garments that can be combined through the seasons.
- Express your individuality with a new sense of fervor. Rely on your own creativity to create new looks and combinations unlike big retailers.
Simple, conscious fashion starts early
At The Simple Folk, we work to improve the lives of families: from those who knit, dye and sew our fabrics to those who romp around in our comfortable playwear every day. We decided to embark on this journey because we are so passionate about promoting a sustainable, healthy and authentic lifestyle for ourselves, our children and those who make the clothes we wear.
That’s why all our playwear, sleepwear and accessories for children are designed to be simple, durable, luxuriously soft, chic and timeless and are made from GOTS-certified organic and natural fabrics and OEKO-TEX® dyes. This means that each garment is free of harmful levels of over 100 known harmful substances, and only the safest clothing comes into contact with the precious skin of your little one(s).
Our line is handmade with love in small batches, in a sustainable factory in Portugal where joy and dance hang in the air. Both the artists who make our clothes and the environment are honored time and time again. Our clothes are cut and sewn in a building that:
- Runs entirely on renewable energy
- Adheres to strict environmental protection policy
- Is green energy certified
- Functions daily with energy produced by the 70 solar panels
- Uses recycled spring water
From gender-neutral pajamas and playsuits to leggings and tank tops, our entire line is designed to stand the test of time so all your kids — and maybe even their kids and grandkids — can continue to enjoy it from year to year. For us, life just feels better when we slow down and simplify and when our daily choices reflect our core values. We hope you will join us in our quest for a healthier today and a better future.
Would you like to know more about how you can organize your life more sustainably? How can you become more conscious in life and make better choices for yourself and the world around you? Request the free Glow Guide here . The ultimate guide to start shining from within. With a conscious, sustainable and low-tox lifestyle.
