I have the sole responsibility to run HannahMaria Shanahan fair and just while taking into consideration the environment, how I impact it through the production process and daily running. This week's topic goes into detail on HannahMaria Shanahan's morals; Sustainability, ethical and traceability.
What is Sustainable fashion? What is an ethical fashion brand? What is traceability? So many questions, let's start off by going through each one. Are you familiar with these terms and do you ever think about where your garment came from? Do you ever think about who made your garment and what kind of working conditions the person who made it is in? Are you aware the impact of the fashion industry has on the environment? It is vital that HannahMaria Shanahan is transparent and honest from day one, here you will learn about our morals and where we source our yarn and most importantly who makes your garment.
1. Sustainability
The Collins dictionary defines ‘Sustainability’ as ‘Avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance.’
The word Sustainability in the context of fashion most prominently refers to the environmental impacts of making (raw material creation, processing and manufacture), wearing and caring for (use) and the disposal of clothing (end of use). We take resources and use water and chemicals along the way, to create a garment.
Today, only 20% of all clothing is recycled. There are no questions, HannahMaria Shanahan has to be sustainable, we do everything we can to be kind to the planet. HannahMaria Shanahan uses 100% Irish wool, no chemicals used and can be recycled. Not only this, if you take proper care of your knit garment, it can last you years!
Slow fashion allows HannahMaria Shanahan to establish transparency designs in the production processes. By avoiding mass production the resources are used at a more realistic pace, the offer meets the demand and there is less waste. HannahMaria Shanahan has implemented the made to order production process which means that clothes are made only when they are ordered. This means there is zero waste and more of a sustainable production. Each piece is made especially for you. There is a high emphasis on craftsmanship, low waste and HannahMaria Shanahan uses eco-friendly and ethically sourced fabrics. HannahMaria Shanahan production is organic and uses cruelty free materials.
Steps HannahMaria Shanahan takes to be sustainable ;
1. HannahMaria Shanahan carries out a made to order production process. Made to order fashion means that clothes are made only when they are ordered. Each piece is made especially for you. There is a high emphasis on the craftsmanship, low waste and we use eco-friendly and ethically sourced fabrics. Our production is organic, cruelty free and zero waste process.
2. HannahMaria Shanahan uses 100% organic and sustainable yarn. The mill we source from also carries out a process called vertical production. What is vertical production? This means that the sheep are in the mill and in the locality. Cushendale operates as a vertical mill dating back to the 19th century, continuing to card, spin and weave locally sourced Irish wool. Not only does it guarantee higher quality but it reduces the transportation emissions into the environment.
3. All of HannahMaria Shanahan packaging is eco-friendly; they are 100% recyclable and have recycled content. They’re also made in the UK, minimising shipping emissions.
2. What is ethical fashion? 'A brand that represents a company organisation or person whose products, services and activities 1. morally correct 2. Do not harm people, animals and the environment'. People This is very simple: every single person who provides HannahMaria Shanahan with a service and works with me gets paid. Unfortunately the fashion industry is notorious for not paying their employees the correct wage or not even paying them and using students (no pay) in the workplace. Models, photographers and knitwear tailor and anyone who works with me or provides a service gets paid the correct wage. We do not employ students on work placement, accept free internships and use free models for shoots. Animals HannahMaria Shanahan is a cruelty free fashion brand. We do not use the following in our products; fur, angora, down feather, shearling, karakul and exotic animal skin and hair. We source our wool from an ethical wool mill, who take the proper care for their sheep. Environment Steps HannahMaria Shanahan takes to be kind to the environment; 1. HannahMaria Shanahan carries out a made to order production process. Made to order fashion means that clothes are made only when they are ordered. Each piece is made especially for you. There is a high emphasis on the craftsmanship, low waste and we use eco-friendly and ethically sourced fabrics. Our production is organic, cruelty free and zero waste process. 2. HannahMaria Shanahan uses 100% organic and sustainable yarn. The mill we source from also carries out a process called vertical production. What is vertical production? This means that the sheep are in the mill and in the locality. Cushendale operates as a vertical mill dating back to the 19th century, continuing to card, spin and weave locally sourced Irish wool. Not only does it guarantee higher quality but it reduces the transportation emissions into the environment. 3. All of HannahMaria Shanahan packaging is eco-friendly; they are 100% recyclable and have recycled content. They’re also made in the UK, minimising shipping emissions.
3. What is Traceability?
Traceability definition: traceability means tracing a garment means to know where it is in every moment of the production process until it reaches you. What fabric do you use? Who makes it? Which country was it made?
Who makes HannahMaria Shanahan garments?
Right now HannahMaria Shanahan has one knit tailor making our garments here in the Uk, in the midlands. When our demand speeds up and we have to turn to the factories, I have to visit them in person and make sure that all of the workers are in a safe working environment and most importantly they are getting paid the correct salary for their craft. Are you aware of the horrific Rana Plaza incident in 2013? How can you forget when 1100 garment factory workers were killed in Bangladesh when an 80-storey building collapsed. 2019 was slated to be “a year of awakening”, according to McKinsey & Company’s State of Fashion 2019 report, which urged companies to “self-disrupt their own identity” to satisfy the growing demands of “woke” consumers.
Where does HannahMaria Shanahan source the fabric?
HannahMaria Shanahan sources our yarn from Cushendale, a six generation family run wool mill in County Kilkenny, Ireland where sustainability, craftsmanship and being ethical is their primary business principles. Their weaving heritage goes back to 1778 and first established their mill in 1204 by Cistercian monks. Cushendale, which is one of only two remaining woollen mills in Ireland traditionally crafting exceptionally rare textiles using Irish wool.
Cushendale represents the highest quality bespoke textiles made from Irish wool, lambswool & mohair. Crafted with six generations of knowledge and finished using their own 800 year old natural soft water source, each creation exudes a special and distinct softness which is a signature of their marque. Cushendale collaborates solely with one local farmer who provides the fleece from the rare and protected Galway sheep, an indigenous and heritage Irish breed, ensuring the consistency and quality gained from working with a single source supply which is fully traceable and genuinely authentic.
Conclusion
It is evident that the fashion industry is in desperate need of change. Every garment produced requires precious natural resources as well as human hands that stitch it together. Study has found that only 15 years ago, we bought twice as many garments but kept them only half as long. The sad truth is that the average consumer has come to disregard the inherent value in each item and fashion has become a disposable commodity- study from woolmark.
To conclude, some people are lacking knowledge when it comes to knowing who make the garments, to fibres, natural or synthetic, and the environmental impacts that are associated with each but that’s also in part to the lack of information available. Here at HannahMaria Shanahan I want to inform my consumers about these issues and spread awareness. It is my responsibility to do this, we all live on this planet together, let's do good while we are here.