The UNLESS Collective Standing out Amongst Fast Fashion Brands

Posted on March 22nd, 2023.

The US $ 3 trillion fashion industry relies heavily on synthetic and petrochemical-based materials and these materials account for about 70 per cent of the industry’s total value.

Many stores now offer ‘eco-friendly’ clothing lines, but what constitutes ‘eco-friendly’ apparel has a wide range of definitions depending on who makes the garment. Some garments are made in an eco-friendlier way, reducing their carbon footprint at each stage of production.

The rapidly growing demand for clothing made from plants is reflected in the rise of businesses like UNLESS, which bills itself as ‘the first streetwear brand to create products that will harmlessly decompose at the end of life.’

As opposed to the majority of clothing produced today, which is based on petroleum, these garments can be composted by the buyer. The UNLESS clothing range is made from 100 per cent plant-based nutrients like recycled cotton, hemp, plant-based leather and coconut fibre, according to the company.

The former Brand Chief for Adidas, Erik Liedtke, and current CEO of UNLESS said, “We started the company because we’re a bunch of fashion executives that got tired of the make, take and throw away culture of fashion. The planned obsolescence of fashion is basically based on a petrochemical or petroleum-based feedstock, which means it’s cheap. But what you don’t know about that is it creates synthetics which are forever materials that never go away.”

UNLESS also collaborated with Mammut, a Swiss climbing gear manufacturer, and claimed that they were sold out in 48 hours during the International Mountain Day campaign and believes the collaboration will help in reducing product prices.

UNLESS is backed by Connect Ventures, an investment partnership between Creative Artists Agency and NEA (New Enterprise Associates), and has raised US $ 7.5 million to date

Original Article