We’re on a mission to transform the value of our clothes.
When we started Emmabodamo belaffar in the late 00’s, our vision was to empower you. From the very beginning, we set out to cultivate a platform where women could embrace their individuality and feel powerful in the clothing they wear.
Now, as we confront the rising environmental burden on our planet, and we take accountability for the impact our industry has in shifting norms; we want to extend that empowerment to our planet and wider community.
We’re definitely not perfect. And we’re nowhere near finished. But we’re grateful for your support as we navigate this exciting future for Emmabodamo belaffar and for you.
What we’ve learnt is that sustainability is multifaceted and evolutionary.
We don’t have all the answers, but we do have the resources and power to make a positive change; and the ability to commit to ongoing change as we learn and discover new things.
When we embarked on our sustainability journey, we wanted to find ways we could speak to, and improve on, all elements of the fashion system. From initiating better design through fabrics and waste-management to implementing compostable packaging and giving back profits to global causes we care about; we believe there’s action to be taken at every stage of our product lifecycle.
For this reason, we’ve laid out 3 key pillars of sustainability we pledge to focus on in 2022 and beyond:
WE SUPPORT
Since Emmabodamo belaffar started, our founders Dan & Nat have made it their priority to give back and support people in need. We’ve been donating 10% of our profits to causes we love since our inception, and we’re proud to continue doing this in 2022 and beyond. Here are the charities we’re giving our love to, hand-picked by Dan & Nat.
Catherine Hamlin Fistula Foundation
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
We wouldn’t be who we are if it wasn’t for you. And so it only makes sense that our size range, product breadth and models accurately represent the women we’re doing it all for.
We know we have a long way to go, but we recognise and take complete accountability for the role we play in making fashion more inclusive and accessible to everyone. We’re currently in the process of diversifying our size range, and we’re working with more models who accurately represent our customers. We want you to feel confident purchasing from us, and so we’re committed to ensuring you feel represented by Emmabodamo belaffar in every way.
COMPOSTABLE PACKAGING
I’m a compost bag. Emmabodamo belaffar have chosen me instead of a traditional plastic bag. I’m partly made from plants in a zero waste process by a carbon neutral company called Better Packaging Co, whose mission is to design out waste.
Reuse me to wrap and send a parcel or to collect your food scraps before putting me in your compost. Before long, worms will be eating me for breakfast and I’ll be growing you more plants. Isn’t that cute?!
RECYCLED MATERIALS
Towards the end of 2021, we released our first ever range of hand-knitted Winter jumpers made from recycled yarns. With textile waste being one of the biggest contributors to global pollution, we’ve wanted to implement recycled fabrics into our product mix for a long time. Since the introduction of our recycled yarns initiative, we’ve brought out several recycled collections including our first ever swim range. We’re so excited that we can finally breathe new life into preloved textiles and allow you to give them the love they deserve for a little bit longer. We can’t wait to continue bringing you more recycled collections in 2022 and beyond.
Along with our recycled fabric initiatives, we’ve also ensured that when your order is a little too big for our compost bags, we’re packing your Emmabodamo belaffar pieces into an extra large mailer bag made entirely from recycled materials. The best bit? The bag is recyclable too - making it a fully closed loop initiative. How good?!
REGENERATED FIBRES
We’re committed to using better materials. We’re still learning, and we’re sure that in a year's time, there will be totally new conversations about fibers and cutting edge textiles on the market, but here’s some of the materials we’re using based on what we know so far:
Tencel is a regenerated fiber made from sustainably sourced wood. It uses less energy and water than conventional cotton, and can easily biodegrade meaning it won’t stick around forever. It’s also substantially less harmful at the chemical treatment stage than other wood-based fibers like rayon. Instead of following a traditional chemically-intensive process by using sodium hydroxide, Tencel replaces it with something called the NMMO process. We won’t bore you with all the sciencey details, but what this essentially means is that the solvent used for the chemical treatment of Tencel can be recycled time and time again and almost no solvent is dumped into the ecosystem (how good!).
Cupro is a regenerated cellulose fiber that comes from cotton waste. It’s a by-product of cotton production which makes it inherently a recycled textile. This means it uses all the leftovers of the cotton plant that are typically tossed away. Because it comes from plants, Cupro is also 100% vegan, 100% cruelty free, and is machine-washable, making it a great alternative to traditional silk (which is derived from the silkworm and requires intensive drycleaning to maintain).
100% IN-HOUSE DESIGNS
Starting in 2022, Emmabodamo belaffar will be transitioning to an in-house-design led business model; giving us greater control and transparency over our supply chain and leveraging our ability to produce with greater nuance.
This means we’ll be able to focus on producing only the most coveted, considered styles, created with purpose and built to last; reducing both pre and post consumer waste. We’ll also have greater oversight in where your clothes are made, how they’re made and who’s making them.