Founders Q+A: KAIA Clothing and COP26
In the run up to COP26, we talk to ESGmark® member Karen Adams, founder of KAIA Clothing about the impact of responsible slow fashion
ESGmark®: You’ve been very busy in the last couple of weeks…?
Karen Adams: Yes! Last Friday I launched a leisurewear collection that contains the cleanest, greenest t-shirts available with Fairtrade, Organic verification, made in wind-powered facilities.
ESGmark®: Congratulations! What is the inspiration behind it?
KA: Every year, an estimated 2 billion t-shirts are made and sold, many of which end up either at the back of our drawers or in landfill. Cotton production uses colossal amounts of water. The equivalent of 2.5 years of drinking water is used to make 1 dyed cotton t-shirt.
If even 1% of us take the decision to switch to clean t-shirts, we would stop 200,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. That's how much power we have. That's how doable this is.
ESGmark®: That’s astonishing. Would shopping second hand be a practical alternative?
KA: Currently, 100 billion garments are produced annually, 80% if which end up in landfill within 3 years. Buying 2nd hand is a vital part of slowing this impact, but with just 11,200 shops in the UK, and 66 million people, each wearing clothes, this does not address or intercept the 100 billion garment killing machine that is fast fashion.
ESGmark®: Can you tell us a bit more about how the t-shirts contribute to a more responsible production model?
KA : Every element of the supply chain is covered with a leading certification - for example all factories involved in production are certified to SA8000 standard, the cotton used is GOTs Organic Fairtrade Foundation approved and our embroidery threads also carry the OEKO-Tex certification.
ESGmark®: And do you have any data on the real world impact this has on production?
KA: Because 100% of cotton is certified, energy in production reduced by 91% and the patented REACH dyeing process that reduces water use by 60% by using re-cycled water. We’re also using windmill powered garment facilities which produce 4 times as much energy than is uses - surplus energy is sent to the network for the benefit of local communities and this reduces CO2 emissions.
ESGmark®: You’re obviously thinking very long term - what else have you been working on?
KA: I'm also thinking about circularity, so when a t-shirt is posted out in my corn-starch, re-usable post bag, I first considered enclosing a free postage label, allowing a garment to be donated to charity. Equally, I like the idea of them posting back a pre-loved t-shirt, which I would collect, sort by colour, and make up into fabric and new up-cycled collections. (This part would require a small team and funding, and would create local work through a local creative hub).
ESGmark®: And with COP26 at the end of the month what are your short term goals?
KA: I'd like to stop 100 tonnes of CO2 emissions - personally, would love to achieve this by COP26! It would demonstrate consumer power and the impact our choices have. Wild, yes. Doable, also yes. For every 10,000 citizens that make the switch away from synthetic, non-organic t-shirts to the cleanest, greenest t-shirts, 100 tonnes of CO2 emissions would be stopped. 100 tonnes of CO2 emissions stopped per 10,000 clean purchases!! Such is the power we have as consumers, when we take action.
ESGmark®: As Anna Lappe says, every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want.
You find more about KAIA’s incredible work on their website and Instagram.
We have plenty of resources on auditing your supply chain, the circular economy and COP26. And as ever, if you have any questions please get in touch.
