Jessica Carroll challenges fashion’s eco credentials

This week, Jessica Carroll asks the question: How sustainable is Stripe & Stare

MATERIALS 

These knickers by lingerie brand Stripe & Stare are 95 per cent Tencel Modal, a fibre found in beech wood that is biodegradable and – according to the Higg Index, which measures sustainability – is better for the environment than organic cotton or bamboo. But the five per cent elastane, added for stretch, isn’t recyclable. 

PACKAGING 

There is no plastic to be seen! These knickers are packed in 100 per cent biodegradable materials – recycled paper boxes within bags made from potato starch. 

SUPPLIERS

These were made in China and, although the company requires independent audits of the factory to ensure fair working conditions, Stripe & Stare acknowledges it’s able to pay workers less than if their underwear was made in the UK. What’s more, at £15 a pair, the knickers cost around three times as much as their high-street equivalent. 

CARBON FOOTPRINT

 One of our favourite things about Stripe & Stare is it shows how your choices make real change. The eco credentials are listed for every product on the website. For example, choosing these briefs saves 710.6 grammes of CO2 compared to those made from all non-biodegradable materials. 

THE EXTRA MILE

Founded in 2017 by friends Katie Lopes and Nicola Piercy, Stripe & Stare has a 95 per cent female workforce and is anticipating revenue of more than £8 million this year, proving that sustainability does sell. Plus the brand plants a tree for every order it ships (to date, they’ve planted almost 80,000). 

VERDICT 

Although the elastane is doubtlessly essential for fit, we love that Stripe & Stare is continuously working to improve its designs and has incorporated a fully biodegradable alternative in newer releases. The brand is also on the journey towards accreditation by B Corp, the global nonprofit network that measures N companies’ ethical credentials. 

OUR RATING 

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