I see right through

When we buy clothes we usually shop online or on the high street with the only thoughts crossing our mind being the fit and cost of the product. But there are more costs to clothing than just money. How many of us stop to think of the impact the said tshirt we are holding in our hands has and will have on the environment, makers and individuals who wear it? 

That's why at Unoa we are confident about the transparency of our products and strive to bring you all a guilt free shopping experience. Below is a summary of the various processes involved in carefully creating a Unoa garment, right from the growth of the cotton, to shipping it to your letterbox. 

Growth

Our cotton is grown in Pakistan using organic practices. There are no nasty fertilisers polluting nearby waterways, or killing insects. It also means that the people who are farming the crops face less chemicals improving their health compared to standard cotton farming practices. 

Factory

Once our gorgeous soft cotton is ready and harvested it is sent to the factory to be milled and made into fabric. Factories and machinery all use energy which, if it is from a non-renewable source will contribute to a carbon footprint. 

Shipping

Unoa chooses to use shipping instead of air freight to also help reduce the carbon footprint of our products. Shipping uses on average emits around 70 grams of carbon emissions, rather than by air which contributes an extra 3.5 kilograms. 

 Packaging

To make sure our clothes get to you in pristine condition we obviously have to package them, when we first started out our supplier would wrap each individual item in plastic with a cardboard inner. However we are all about making changes to lessen our environmental footprint and requested less waste, now we have our styles delivered in bulk in recyclable plastic packaging.

When getting your deliveries ready, we wrap items in recycled paper (which we hope you recycle at home) and send it off in our new biodegradable and compostable bags. The bags we use are carbon negative, which means that they have been carbon offset- twice. 

Transportation

Obviously shipping is a form of transportation but we also forget about all the small journeys your tee makes on land too; from port to your door. 

Each stage of transportation uses fuel and unfortunately most conventional fuels are still petrol or diesel that emits carbon emissions. 

Washing

Putting the washing on is something most households will do at least once a week, but are you conscious of the setting you flick the button to? Saving time and money by washing on a lower temperature also means less energy used, and unless you've switched to a renewable energy supply, that will lower CO2 as well. Also a lower temperature wash is better for your clothes as they don't get damaged by the heat which will help them to stand the test of time and mean that we can consume less, lessening our footprints again. 

As a forward thinking brand we are always looking for ways to improve and become more sustainable so that we leave less of a detrimental impact on the future of our planet. Our new clothing tags (see below) are sporting all our sustainability badges of honour. We want to show you how good your purchase from us really can be for the planet. Currently working on a sustainability report for you to feast your eyes on too!

Written by Daisy Culbert