Workwear waste is an issue in the UK. There are many similar issues to fashion waste in that too many garments are manufactured and too many end up in landfill and are not recycled. Buying sustainable workwear can reduce waste as the garments last longer.
How much workwear waste is there in the UK?
A lot is said about fashion waste in the UK but have you ever wondered how much workwear waste there is? I doubt it, unless you are in the industry. Annually, 33 million corporate uniforms are made and around 90% of them will end up in landfill (WiseWorkSafe quoting Hubbub in 2018). Incredibly, textile waste can take up to 200 years to biodegrade (World Resources Institute).
Sustainable workwear
It is easy to see why Charlotte Meek at The Stitch Society is keen to explore ways that a circular model might be used for workwear. She’s been given an Innovate UK grant to ‘investigate how the life span of workwear can be extended with resale, repurposing and recycling’ (UKFT).
“Having worked in the UK workwear industry for 10 years, improving our sustainability and end of life have been crucial considerations for our business and working with Innovate UK this year has allowed us explore new opportunities within sustainability and responsible manufacturing within the textile industry.”
Charlotte Meek, founder of The Stitch Society
Charlotte has been championing sustainability in workwear for years. More than a decade ago she identified the need for more sustainable and long lasting workwear with minimal environmental impact. That’s what she and her team have been making at The Stitch Society ever since.
They started making aprons with the philosophy of ‘buy once, buy well’ that is now trending in sustainable fashion circles. The aprons are made to be durable and come with a ten year guarantee. They’re made from fabrics sourced and manufactured right here in the UK. And they’re designed to be both stylish and practical.
The company has expanded on the range and also produces studio clothing like work jackets, lab coats, smocks and dresses. These comfortable pieces are designed for working in artist, craft and ceramic studios, gardens & nurseries. Each piece is beautifully finished by the machinists. They even use the offcuts to make zero waste accessories.
The business is based in Keighley in West Yorkshire. It’s in the site of an old mill which is only fitting for a workwear manufacturer. West Yorkshire has a long history of textile production and it still employs thousands of workers today.
In addition to producing their own products, The Stitch Society provides a sampling and cut, finish and trim (CMT) service. Charlotte has worked with the UK Fashion & Textiles to develop apprenticeship training programmes for sewing machinists. The Stitch Society also creates trade and wholesale orders for retail outlets like museums, galleries, and garden centres.
This year, The Stitch Society will be taking part in West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Sustainable Peer Network. They’ll be travelling to India in February as part of a trade delegation and they’ll be part of Innovate UK’s Enterprise European Network (EEN) Textiles Sector Group. The sector group will be working to help businesses and SMEs innovate to remain competitive.
Reducing workwear waste
The results from the research into workwear will not be available until next year, but in the meantime if you would like to purchase sustainable workwear to reduce workwear waste in your business, visit their website at www.thestitchsociety.com
If you run a slow fashion business and want to be more sustainable, join Blue Patch and benefit from our free Let’s Do Net Zero training.