Our London based factories, use of deadstock & natural fabrics and limited production runs are testament to our approach to sustainable & ethical production. However as a fashion brand that is creating new products and materials, we recognise that we are nowhere near perfect.
Below we detail how we implement sustainable and ethical efforts into each stage of our development and production process. We are constantly evolving and finding ways to improve. If you have any further questions or suggestions after reading then feel free to email us at hello@kandrclothing.com
DESIGN
K&R started as a vintage clothing brand and we use our experience with vintage clothing and the unique perspective we have gained from it to inform our design process. We have seen firsthand how fashion has evolved throughout the decades: what has been overproduced, only to be discarded a few years later, and what has truly stood the test of time. With that in mind, all of our products go through a considerate and detailed design process.
FACTORIES
All of our garments are manufactured locally, in our London factories. Local production also means that we are able to regularly visit our factories to oversee the production process from start to finish, ensuring our products are quality checked throughout. Regular visits also mean that we maintain strong relationships with the people that work there.
All the people that work for / with us are paid fairly, at least the national living wage.
FABRICS
60% of the fabrics that we use are deadstock. Deadstock fabric is leftover, unused fabric from larger production runs that would otherwise go to landfill.
Our commitment to using deadstock fabric for most of our production reduces textile waste, minimises the demand for new fabric & ensures we aren't contributing to the millions of tonnes of fabric already stored in warehouses and landfills.
As well as being deadstock, 95% of the fabrics we use are natural, with almost all our designs being made from either cotton, wool or linen.
Our fabrics, both deadstock & not, come from around the world. Where possible we try to source / produce them locally to minimise our environmental impact. We always opt to ship by boat or truck when transporting fabrics from abroad.
PRE-ORDER
We produce all our items in small runs to avoid overproduction and minimise waste.
Many of our products are only available on pre-order. This allow us to judge the demand for our products before we go into production, preventing us from unnecessarily overproducing clothes that may not sell. Pre-order also allows customers to make more mindful choices about what they buy.
Deadstock Fabric
Deadstock fabric refers to unused fabric that was originally produced for fashion brands, textile mills, or manufacturers but never used in production.
Our British-woven wool is woven by a family owned mill in Yorkshire, United Kingdom. The mill has been established since 1931. Click below to read more about the process behind our British-woven wool.
Raw denim is denim in its purest form, it hasn’t gone through any pre-washing or shrinking processes (making it even better for the environment). Click below to read our ultimate guide to raw denim.
Our Irish heritage linen is woven by a small family run business in Ireland where the owner has been weaving since he was 15. Supporting other small businesses is something we go out of our way to do. Click below to read more about the amazing process behind the making of our irish linen.
