Todays’ post is dedicated to the new kid on the block for sustainable fashion, at the high street level of the market. As you guys know, I’m always striving to bring more elements of sustainability into the way I shop and have talked to you before about specific brand campaigns and ranges, that are based on more considered processes and garments; but I think this is probably the first time I’m talking to you about an actual complete brand whose entire ethos is based around sustainable clothing.
nu-in is a relatively new fashion brand, built on the idea of sustainable yet affordable clothing for both men and women. Founded in 2019 they stand by a number of core values, in order to help them achieve their aim of generating real change in the fashion industry and since the first time I heard about nu-in a few months back, I’ve been so interested in finding out more about their brand, their journey and what it’s all about.
One of nu-in’s biggest values is their transparency and to be honest, they are probably one of the most transparent brands out there in terms of disclosing the finer details and letting their customers into their world, with unreserved honesty. I’ve just this moment, been watching an IGTV they shared, showing us around what they call a ‘360 factory’ where clothes can be recycled then combined to create new fibres and fabrics, ready to be re-produced into brand new items of clothing or textiles. When diving into the world of sustainability, it can be an absolute nightmare to find out the simplest of information from brands, and for me something being labelled 50% recycled cotton just isn’t enough. I think we’ve gone too long with our blinkers on, none the wiser to exactly where, how and who by our clothes are made, so for nu-in to lift the lid on their processes and let us into the factories themselves, feels like a real backstage pass into the unknown.
The nu-in Instagram is the first place to start if you’re interested in finding out more, so I’ll link that for you here.
So there are a number of production processes that nu-in use to achieve their earth friendly fashion range, some of these you have probably heard of before such as recycling old textiles that would otherwise end up in landfill, using organic materials that are grown using only natural fertilisers as to reduce pollution and using new technology across the production chain to use less water. However, they use so many more, some that are completely new to me and I will admit, I am a little bit amazed by; for example, using biodegradable materials that will naturally degrade which is huge if you think about the effect plastic has had on the planet over recent years. Infusing yarns with antibacterial properties so that your clothes can stay fresher and are essentially more long lasting and creating seamless clothes to make them stronger and accrue less waste are such small considerations but have a massive impact when done at scale and over a long period of time.
I feel like nu-in is the brand I’ve been waiting for, as they take the stress out of things for the consumer, making it easier to shop more sustainably and are essentially paving the way for lasting change.
Price point-wise, nu-ins pieces are definitely affordable for a large percentage of people and fall into the high street category for me. Are they Primark prices? No, however this is not fast fashion and if you’re looking for long lasting, stylish, comfortable pieces to stand the test of time while doing your bit for the environment then you wouldn’t be shopping in Primark anyway. As an example, a pair of jeans will set you back between £35-60 and a basic t-shirt comes in at under £20. The collection contains a whole range of pieces, from every day basics to some really trend-led items, which again is a huge positive for me and demonstrates that sustainable, fashionable clothing doesn’t have to cost the earth.
Before I move on and show you my top picks from the website at the moment, I just wanted to touch on packaging, because it seems like SUCH a sticking point for brands that will just not let their plastic bags go.
nu-in use both cardboard boxes and poly bags to send their items to customers and both have been carefully thought out, to ensure the most environmentally friendly but durable method of transportation for your goods.
Their cardboard boxes are made with a percentage of recycled fibres and are certified by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) who promote sustainable forestry worldwide.
The poly bags are 100% biodegradable and compostable which means no more plastic, clogging up our rivers and oceans for centuries, all because someone decided to order one new top for a night out.
I’ve scoured the website to pick out my top items to give you a little flavour of what they have available and what I would be buying for my Autumn wardrobe. As always, I have my capsule wardrobe head on, so these items would be easy to mix and match together or with existing basics you might already have in your wardrobe.
I was first introduced to nu-in by some of my favourite content creators and Instagrammers, such as the likes of Ruby Holley and Lydia Jane Tomlinson, who also strive for less fast-fashion, more sustainable pieces and mirror this with where they choose to shop and the pieces that they buy. I 100% trust the reviews these ladies have given and although I’m yet to purchase from nu-in myself, I already have a small wish-list of pieces that I know will be perfect when I do get round to placing an order. If you’re interested in my reviews and how I style them, they will most likely be up on my Instagram first but look out for future blog posts where I talk you through my choices as well.
ONE. 100% recycled puff sleeve sweatshirt dress £42.00
TWO. 100% recycled polo neck ribbed bodysuit £37.00
THREE. High rise straight jeans £47.00
FOUR. Oversized blazer £74.00
FIVE. 100% recycled loose fit joggers £37.00
SIX. 100% recycled sleeveless top £33.00
SEVEN. Tie cuff oversized poplin shirt £37.00
EIGHT. 100% recycled wide leg seamless knitted pants £42.00
Hopefully, this little overview of nu-in and what they’re all about has generated an excitement within you to find out more, so I’ll pop a link below to their website where you can find out much more and browse the pieces in their collection.
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