At lemonade one of our main concerns is to be more careful in the way we treat the world where we live in. That’s why we always try to develop our products with high quality and low impact materials, in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. Fashion has been rated as one of the most polluting industry. As consumers, we need to be forward thinking and take initiatives to make a change in our shopping style. The choice to select sustainable materials gives rise to more durable and efficient products thus contributing to environmental sustainability.
It is time to get out of the trap of fast fashion, which leads to irrational consumption, excessive pollution and work without hygiene and safety conditions. Let’s together make the difference.
Wool is a low-impact fiber that brings a number of benefits, such as being 100% natural and renewable. Spending less energy and water than other fibers, it does not contribute to microplastic pollution in our oceans or on our land.
Sheeps are part of the natural carbon cycle, consuming the organic carbon stored in plants and converting it to wool. Fifty per cent of the weight of wool is pure organic carbon.
Wool products have long life, meaning they are used or worn longer than other textile fiber products.
At Lemonade we buy our Wool from FEPSA – Feltros Portugueses, S.A — “We also declare that the sheep’s are grown in farms for commercial wool production and are not included in appendix I or appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).”
Linen is one of the most biodegradable and stylish fabrics in fashion history. It is strong, naturally moth resistant and when untreated (not dyed) it is fully biodegradable. Flax, the plant from which linen is made, is also extremely versatile. There is very little waste with flax; the other part of the plant, like the seeds, can be used to produce linseed oil or flax seeds for consumption. Flax is resilient and can grow in poor soil and it requires less water than cotton. According to the European Confederation of Linen and Hemp, “Across its lifecycle, a linen shirt uses 6.4 litres of water” compared to 2,700 litres for a cotton shirt. Linen typically requires fewer pesticides, herbicides and fungicides than cotton, being a great choice if you want to be gentle with our planet.
Linen lasts longer than other materials and its texture and softness make it a unique a lovely material to be on your wardrobe.
It’s the light, breathable fabric that keeps your skin cool in summer. It is a natural fiber often associated with quality clothing, compared to other common clothing fibers such as synthetic polyester, cotton has the advantage of being a completely natural product which means it’s biodegradable and returns to the soil, enriching it.
Unfortunately, cotton requires a lot of water but is mostly grown in arid conditions. According to studies, it can take more than 2,700 litres of water to produce enough cotton for just one t-shirt. Cotton represents 10% of the pesticides and 25% of the insecticides used globally. So please be aware of this and use and reuse your cotton garment. When you don’t want to use it anymore please recycle it.
We know that cotton is not the most sustainable option that we could offer you. We chose to develop pieces with this material in order to give life to a dead stock that is stored in our manufacturers.
Our natural palm fibers are handwoven in Mexico by local artisans and according to Fair Trade policy these material is sustainable and environmentally friendly. By supporting small communities and their families we are helping to promote their art, encouraging them to keep their tradition of handwoven craft alive.
Leather will never be an animal-friendly product. Although we know that there are many innovative synthetic alternatives out there, most are made from fossil fuels, which require a lot of energy. Most synthetic materials are made from plastic derivatives, which take hundreds of years to decompose.
In this perspective we chose to develop our product in leather, only from certified tanneries, in order to create pieces with great durability and resistance, thus giving more years of life to your product.
At Lemonade we are committed to make products, valuing traditional techniques and promoting the creation of long-lasting products with excellent design. We proudly work with suppliers who stand beside us, who are environmentally and socially aware and strive to respect our principles and limit their environmental impact.
At Lemonade we seek to develop packaging and all brand stationary in the most ecological way, always eliminating whenever possible the use of plastic. We always try to develop our packaging with sustainable materials and we never use more than what is really necessary.
Our hat boxes are made of lined hardboard so that the hat is not damaged when shipped. Therefore, we do not need to use any additional boxes for shipping. These boxes are perfect for storing the hat in your home without damaging it. The paper we use to line our boxes is FSC certified, it contain 20% of recycled pre-consumer waste and is made with 100% renewable electrical energy. In addition to this, all water used in it production process is clean before returning to nature. We choose high quality papers with low environmental impact.
We also use recycled paper tape instead of ordinary plastic and all our paper cards and labels are made with 100% recyclable paper.
According to Steve Richardson, sustainability expert, two-thirds of all the environmental impacts associated with our clothing are caused during the consumers use. So it is within your reach to reduce the carbon footprint of the clothes and accessories you have chosen to take home.
And the good news is that it can be a very simple and easy process.
To start, just eliminate the dryer from your life. You never really needed it. It’s time to keep the Portuguese tradition, and put your clothes hanging on the balcony. Our second tip is to wash your clothes only when it’s really necessary. Your clothes will last much longer and you will save a lot more water and detergent. If you are one of those who postpone and accumulate laundry for a while, just so you know, you are doing a great job in the field of sustainability.
If you have the opportunity, buy more environmental-friendly detergents, they are not so harmful for your clothes and will help our environment. If you like to wash your clothes and accessories by hand, please continue, your pieces will thank you and the environment too.
