In today’s world being environmentally and socially conscious is becoming more important to companies, people and now designers. Felicity Shield talks to Kelly and Betony, of new sleepwear label A.L.A.S., about designs, their journey and being an Australian ethical label.
A.L.A.S., an acronym of All Lights All Shadows, is a sleepwear label which has been under production for a year now. In a fast paced fashion world we rarely think about where the clothes on our back come from and how they were produced. A.L.A.S is designed by two Australian’s Kelly Elkin and Betony Dircks who always think about the ethics and sustainability of clothes. The duo recently launched their sleepwear label A.L.A.S. which is 100% sustainable, socially conscious and environmentally friendly in material and production.
Both Elkin and Dircks were brought up in the countryside and have always been environmentally conscious. They’ve been co-designing since studying a Bachelor of Fashion Design together at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Their decision to produce ethical and sustainable designs was founded during their years at QUT where they discovered parts of the industry that they did not agree with. Differing from other students, they had a desire to know the source of their material and how it was produced. They were curious to find materials which came from an eco-friendly source and were produced in a way positive to people and the environment. Sharing the same view on ethical fashion the girls decided to pair up and design together. They chose to source material from overseas which was organic and used different production methods, like dying techniques, to produce their collections.
When Elkin and Dircks graduated they received a designer’s position in an ethically conscious label in London and were able to expand on their knowledge and discover what they had been searching for. Elkin described it as the knowledge and ability to create a viable label that considers those who makes it and the environment.
The online site for A.L.A.S. launched October and Elkin said they felt like all their hard work had finally paid off. A.L.A.S. is based around the idea of night and day, sleeping awaking and the journey one takes. The girls take inspiration from nature and develop prints and inspired simple, graceful designs.
They choose to source organic material which doesn’t have chemicals used in its production stage. Their printing and dying stage doesn’t use AZOs and formaldehyde chemicals which are environmentally toxic. All packaging, swing tags and cards are made from recycled materials. Their designs are sewn in India where they source their organic cotton. The material is spun and dyed in accordance with the Fairtrade accreditations, there are no child labourers involved with the production and each worker is paid fairly.
Aside from their lives as designers both Elkin and Dircks try and lead environmentally conscious lives. They admit that it’s hard to live a fully sustainable life because of high costs of sustainable living in the opportunity of eco-friendly options available today. “It is becoming increasingly easier over time as more eco options are made available and whenever there is an eco-option we always take it,” Elkin and Dircks say. The duo try to live environmentally consciously, frequently riding around the city on bicycles instead of taking buses or cars, drink fair-trade coffee and buy organic produce. Elkin and Dircks are also avid op-shoppers. “We believe that with little steps we can all contribute to a bigger global movement of awareness and respect,” says Elkin.
So far in their fashion journey the duo have three pivotal moments to date. The first occurred when they travelled to London on a business trip and were finally recognised as international designers. “Being recognised on an international level was very flattering,” Elkin says. In August 2011 they won the PURE Spirit award, dedicated to young and progressive fashion at the United Kingdom based Ethical Fashion Forum’s Innovation Awards. In October this year their online site for A.L.A.S. opened.
Getting into sustainable fashion is not easy or inexpensive but it is becoming a more recognised part of the fashion industry. Sustainable clothes are more expensive than other designs because of process the creation requires . New designers emerge from QUT Elkin has advice for those considering entering into sustainable and ethical designing – do your research. “A good knowledge base is necessary as you need to know where and how your products are being produced,” she says. Sourcing eco-friendly material and produce ethically is hard, time consuming and costly, but they believe it’s worthwhile to help the environment.
Elkin and Dircks have noticed a rise in recent years of the number of environmentally conscious designers and consumers in Australia. They admire labels like Gorman, Material By Product and Bhalo (all Australian brands) who care about where their products come from and the environmental impact of their designs. Their respect is based on those labels level of ingenuity in design and their dedication to improving the ethical side of fashion.
The aim for Elkin and Dircks sleepwear range is to provide customers with comfort, style and peace of mind. Check out their website http://alasthelabel.com/ which contains more details on their ethics and designs. There are two stockists in Brisbane for A.L.A.S. at We Live Like This in Paddington and Lavish Essentials in Woolloongabba.
Photographs provided by A.L.A.S