SUSTAINABILITY

MATERIAL CHOICES

HEMP:

Hemp absorbs more CO2 per acre than most trees, requires no pesticides or herbicides, can produce 50% more fibre per acre than cotton, and requires 50% less water than cotton.

 

CACTUS LEATHER:

There is a dramatic increase in consumer demand for Faux leathers, yet almost all Faux leathers are made from polyurethane, which are essentially plastics that can take hundreds of years to decompose in a landfill. This is why Chilali uses Mexican cactus leather from a plantation that can continuously be picked for 10 years. The cactus plantation requires no irrigation system and only requires rainwater and local minerals to grow.

 

DEADSTOCK FABRICS:

Chilali utilises deadstock fabrics to avoid waist and landfill. The deadstock fabrics used in construction are essentially recycled high quality designer fabric rolls, that were left over by designers and manufacturers, due to over ordering to avoid costs.

 

BIODEGRADABLE MATERIALS:

Chilali is very interested in merging innovative and sustainable design technology in fashion. Chilali incorporates biodegradable 3D printing in garment design, garment embellishments, buttons, and accessories.

 

RECYCLED MATERIALS

Chilali uses recycled plastics and other recycled materials in garment construction and fabric compositions.

 

UPCYCLING

Chilali holds a strong emphasis on upcycling existing garments which are sold as 1/1 pieces, yet also inform new garment designs, which are constructed from scratch. This practice is perhaps the most sustainable in fashion garment construction, as it requires no new materials, is giving new life to existing garments, and avoids landfill.

 

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING:

Chilali uses packaging, labels and tape for dispatch, that are made in Australia, and are a combination of being compostable, recyclable, made from recycled materials, free of plastic, and are durable and tough to keep your order safe.

 

WHY PRIORITISE SUSTAINABILITY IN FASHION?

Did you know that the fashion industry ranks among the top three worst polluters of our planet? Since 2000, clothing production has more than doubled, humans are buying 60% more clothing than just over 10 years ago, yet each garment is only kept for half as long. Shocking worker conditions, extreme water wastage and pollution, and material choices that are not biodegradable or can take centuries to decompose, further accelerates the industry’s horrible impact. Yet possibly the most devastating fact, is the finding that one garbage truck full of clothing is either burnt of dumped at a landfill, every single second.

Chilali’s response to this devastation, is to design and construct garments using planet friendly materials and practices, under worker friendly conditions, that are made to order.

Chilali believes in constructing premium quality garments that are made to last and can be passed on, yet would decompose efficiently if they entered a landfill. Chilali prioritises materials and practices that are not resource intensive, and are as close to the raw and natural material as possible, as well as holding a strong emphasis on recycling, and upcycling quality existing garments to avoid waist and landfill.