An Accrington-based fashion designer has launched a new clothing range to promote caring for the environment as well as adopting a totally greener process for her business.
Lauren Dwyer, who set up her fashion business back in 2016, primarily producing designer T-shirts and babywear, has adopted a ‘start again’ approach to ensure her business makes a positive contribution to the environment.
She has used the coronavirus lockdown, working from home while looking after her two young daughters, to rethink her business and to focus on what really matters to her most. After researching greener technology and printing methods, sourcing sustainable products and finding greener ways to deliver her products, Lauren ended up totally rewriting her business plan and starting from scratch.
Lauren now operates her business entirely on solar energy and has replaced all her equipment with sustainable materials, including new printing screens, design templates and natural printing inks. She is even growing beans to supplement her daily lunch.
As part of her ‘fashion doesn’t have to cost the earth’ process Lauren hand prints every T-shirt to order, ensuring there is no waste, with each order gift-wrapped using sustainable materials. Each order also includes a ‘plantable’ thank you card containing seeds of non-invasive plants including alyssum, poppies, marigold and basil.
Lauren has also partnered with Offset Earth to plant a tree every time she sells a tee shirt. Since the launch of the new clothing range she has already planted 103 trees in Madagascar.
Lauren said: “What matters to me, is for my family to be healthy and happy in a sustainable world. I realise that I am only one person, but I know I can make a difference, at least for them, by changing the way I do business.
“I wanted to refocus my business to make sure I play a role to reduce our plastic waste and help the environment. So, while continuing to do a job I love, I’m doing my bit as well for the environment.”
Lauren has also sourced biodegradable packaging, creates tags from recycled paper and makes business cards from responsibly-sourced paper as part of her objective to operate a totally ‘green’ business.
Lauren’s new range of fashionwear including ‘Stay wild, ‘You grow girl’ and ‘Wild-flower’ can be purchased from her dedicated website www.laurendwyer.co.uk.
