Many of us love the idea of sustainable fashion. Studies show that many consumers would wear eco-friendly clothing rather than mass-market apparel if it were more accessible and matched their tastes. Fashion tech Portugal-based start-up Exclusive Designs, Inclusive Sizes or EDIS aims to make that possible with minimum environmental impact.
Designing sustainable apparel
EDIS’ mission is about providing fun clothes that fit all body shapes in a sustainable way. The concept is a community of designers and users where everyone can make an impact. The Europe-based designers’ clothing is made to order, based on a user’s design, so there’s no stocking and zero waste. You can submit your request through the Design My Outfit button on the company’s website.
When I tried it out, I provided a text of what I wanted (a tea-length V-neck turquoise dress). A few days later (on the day of the launch, actually), EDIS’ founder, Gabi, got in touch via e-mail to ask to provide drawings or pictures so that the company could provide a quotation.
I’m unfortunately artistically challenged, to say the least, so this is where I hit the “pause” button on the order. However, it was wonderful to see that the founders are ready to cater to every user’s requests. Since you’ll have all the say in the design of the item, you’re going to love it for many years rather than discard it after a season.
In her interview with the sustainability blogger behind Annalogic Art, Gabi provides some backstory of the start-up. She discusses how the transition to a sustainable lifestyle is a process and how education is a huge part of it. “This is the kind of thing that should be taught in schools”, she says.
EDIS confirms that it connects users with designers and tailors all over Europe. Users can also choose a designer and tailor themselves. They receive 80% of the item’s price excluding shipping and work from their own studios. The fabric is sourced through the partnership with AmoThreads – a company that procures fabric that’d otherwise go to waste. You can also request that your clothes be made from specific recycled materials.
Photo credit: The feature image used is only symbolic and has been taken by Cam Morin.
Sources: Anna at Annalogic Art / McKinsey’s State of Fashion 2019 report.
