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A tweet I wrote recently asked the question, “what would you prefer,” in reference to a tweet that was from the account Trusted Clothes who wrote, “would you rather pay $10 for clothes that fall apart after 10 washes or $50 for something that lasts 5 years?”
This question may be one that people think about often. In the instance you are out shopping and have the opportunity to afford something with a bit better quality that is a bit more expensive than something you know will not last you long, it’s safe to assume that most people would choose that option.
I bring this to your attention again today because I have been introduced to an article of clothing that is guaranteed to last 30 years. Yes I wrote that correctly. Can you think of anything in your closet that has been around for even 10 years? I can’t!
Tom Cridland is a 25 year old designer who founded his own line, Tom Cridland in 2014 with a government start-up loan. Originally producing chinos worn by Hugh Grant, Rod Stewart, Leonardo DiCaprio, and others, the designer began to learn more and more about the fashion industry and the impact it has on the environment.
“My take on sustainable fashion is that it’s not just for those with an interest in the environment. It’s for consumers looking for a bargain and for designers who love designing a new collection every year. Sustainable fashion doesn’t mean you can’t buy new clothes all the time! It just means we shouldn’t waste our valuable natural resources making clothing that’s systematically built to fall apart…”
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In the fashion industry there is something called planned obsolescence - a policy of producing consumer goods that rapidly become obsolete and so require replacing, achieved by frequent changes in design, termination of the supply of spare parts, and the use of nondurable materials. If a company uses this strategy for production, there is no way to eliminate fast fashion. The 30 year sweatshirt aims to end this trend and create a product that is built with sustainability in mind, and as a customer wrote “to weave memories into the fabric.” How has Tom been able to make such a promise you ask? By using technology, premium fabrics, and “old school craftsmanship,” these sweatshirts are guaranteed to keep you from needing to replace that staple piece of your wardrobe every year.
Like the brands Chinos, if something happens to your sweatshirt, send it back and it will either be repaired or, if need be, replaced for free. Check either of these items out at tomcridand.co.uk.
Here to make you even happier about your purchase, the partnering charity Deki helps entrepreneurs in the developing world work their way out of dismal poverty. In September this charity reached out to Tom about a partnership and 10% of sales will now be donated to the cause.
Tom Cridland is doing ethical fashion right and will continue to produce trend worthy merchandise yearly that is produced with organic cotton and natural resources.