Sustainability & Carl Stuart
The stark reality of fast fashion
Each year more than 100 billion garments are made around the world, but around $450 billion worth of textiles are thrown away (BBC). In the UK alone, 350,000 tonnes of clothing was sent to landfill in 2018 according to Clothes Aid. But these figures, as well as the growth of the ‘throwaway society’, are set to rise exponentially, confirming that we have a global fast fashion crisis on our hands.
Back in July 2018, fashion brand Burberry decided to burn almost £30m of unsold stock in order to preserve the brand’s luxury identity instead of reducing prices. Although this caused major headlines, according to Think Sustainability this is common practise – only 1% of textile waste is currently being recycled into new clothing. At the same time, all this clothing waste is greatly contributing to CO2 emissions.
The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions, which is more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. At this pace, the fashion industry’s greenhouse gas emissions will surge more than 50% by 2030 (UNEP).
What we do
For nearly 100 years we have been focused on building a business that represents a genuine solution to this grave situation. We are proud to run a mens and ladies tailoring service that is distinctively “slow fashion” and always built around removing waste from our manufacturing process and eliminating pollution from our garment tailoring. We only use renewable electricity in our production, and no plastics are in any of our garments.
We are also very proud that we have kept and will always keep our production staff in the UK, unlike ALL the other made to measure and most bespoke tailors one sees everyday. Yes it costs a lot more, but we believe in keeping our heritage, the knowledge of nearly 200 years in tailoring that we invented in the UK and that it is more environmental than flying all the fabrics to the Far East, to be made in factories that have no regard for the environment and then flown back to the UK to be sold at a ridiculous markup, all in the sake of profit.
We are also proud that we are a carbon negative company, and we have been carbon neutral for many years prior already.
How can we do this? Our on demand model has always catered to the exact demand of customers and avoids over and under production and never mass production, we committed and remained to a model that is more circular, opposed to linear, meaning that there is very little if any waste produced. As part of the process we strive to provide our customers with a better product – one that lasts and is worth keeping. There are no plastics or glue in our products unlike every other made to measure and most bespoke tailoring services found on the high street. Our service is built around offering an individual fit and style, with a lot of our time assigned to making garments that are wearable for a lifetime. This is achieved through a focus on product quality and the use of high quality, natural fibres.
Despite all our efforts at being a sustainable brand, we know we can go further and we are working on it.
Discover the inherent sustainability of Carl Stuart tailoring
Carl Stuart has always been a sustainable business, where nothing ever goes to landfill, and will never. The very nature of our tailoring history and services means that garments are produced not only to last a lifetime but a few more lifetimes. It is not uncommon to find a Carl Stuart garment passed across generations; from fathers to sons. The beauty of bespoke garments is that they are produced when needed, as opposed to the wastage of mass production.
Bespoke and made to measure means that our team of cutters and tailors possess a heritage of craftsmanship, handed down from one generation to the next. Our garments – from business suits and shooting jackets, to Country, Shooting wear and Formal dresswear are without equal. The level of skill and quality of materials in our garment means that you will find over time your new commission will become a firm favourite, and eventually an old faithful garment you will enjoy wearing time and time again.
The mass produced fast fashion is something that Carl Stuart has not and will never partake in, both in respect to the quality and attention to the fabrics and dedicated work effort to produce as well as to distaste of waste.
This is why Carl Stuart tailoring, has at its heart, always been inherently sustainable; good for you and good for helping reduce your ecological footprint. As we arrive to our 100 year birthday, we looked to enhance our service with our ladies wear offerings, in addition to the pursuit for an even more elevated, more sustainable experience.
Introducing the alteration services for inherited garments
With every bespoke commission and made to measure order, you are guaranteed that the level of craftsmanship and skill means you are receiving a garment that is designed to outwear you. The suits that you cherish are likely to become favourites of your children and grandchildren and so, Carl Stuart has been proud to offer a service for clients who have inherited a Carl Stuart suit or jacket from a loved one. You are invited to bring the garment to our tailoring shop for an appraisal with a Carl Stuart tailor to assess the work required to reimagine your garment.
It’s true that all here at Carl Stuart are delighted to welcome a new generation to appreciate the art and joy of a bespoke fitted garment. Unearth your old Carl Stuart garments and bring them to our tailoring shop where you will enjoy the bespoke fitting experience, revive your relatives’ pieces and create new looks.