MANILA, Philippines - Fashion industry has a way of making everyone feel "out of trend" week after week.
With the "disposable" fashion patronized by most consumers, a needless cycle of clothing consumption and waste generation take place. To date, the fashion industry has become the world’s second least environmentally friendly industry after oil.
Taking a step towards ending the obsolescence in fashion industry, Tom Cridland, a 25-year-old designer from London invented a sweatshirt that can last for 30 years through the The 30 Year Sweatshirt campaign, a sustainable fashion project which uses premium organic cotton to reflect their commitment to quality and environment.
Cridland believes that by producing clothing that is both durable and environmental-friendly, people will get the value that they deserve without compromising the state of the environment.
The sweatshirts are handcrafted by craftsmen and seamstresses from the rural Portugal who have been making clothing since 1964. Using a combination of technology, premium fabrics and old school craftsmanship, the sweatshirts are made to built to last a lifetime.
In 2014, Cridland built a brand under his namesake to strike against fast fashion. Built upon the simple principle of making truly luxurious clothing and selling it direct to customer online, he has created trousers well-loved by Hollywood personalities such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Hugh Grant, Stephen Fry, Daniel Craig, Ben Stiller, Jeremy Piven, Rod Stewart, Brandon Flowers, Robbie Williams, Nile Rodgers, Michael Portillo, Stephen Merchant, Frankie Valli and the Elton John Band.
With a £6,000 government start-up loan and no further investment, the business turned over £250,000 in their first year simply through organic growth.
At present, Cridland has also put up his own PR Agency called Tom Cridland Public Relations. Inspired by his experiences, his agency works with brands with the same values of transparency and fairness. He has also recently opened his first ever Tom Cridland shop, which is located at 340 King's Road, London, SW3 5UR. - Alixandra Caole Vila