Nation - Evolving The T-shirt
Sustainable clothing comes in many shapes and sizes these days, but what is more sustainable than eco-friendly made staples? We want to have clothing that isn’t just for a one or two time use, and that is what Nation is going for. Nation’s goal is to take the basic like a t-shirt but jazz it up into a beautiful fashion item that can be worn on many occasions. I had the pleasure to wear Nation’s Violet Long Sleeve top, and I can tell you that this Peruvian made 100% cotton top is so soft and light that it almost feels like you aren’t wearing anything at all. The design as a lovely cut and can easily be dressed up or down depending on the pants pairing. Please read on to learn more about the sustainable fashion brand Nation.
Where is Nation headquartered?
Los Angeles, California.
What’s Nation’s design or fashion ethos?
Simplicity, we believe in less is more. Our collections embody the belief that the perfect t-shirt is the most versatile piece in any woman’s wardrobe. We bring an array of relaxed, casual, and feminine classics that bring a woman one step closer to mastering the art of effortless beauty.
What is it about the T-shirt that is so important and inspires Nation so much?
We focus our designs on elevated, everyday staples. T-shirts represent the ultimate basic, and we love that idea, but aim to build on it — think, effortless pieces that make our customer look and feel their best, day in and day out.
Nation is a sustainable brand. Why is this important?
For us, it’s about transparency, focusing on eco-friendly practices, innovative fabrics, and working only with ethically conscious production partners. Environmental responsibility is an ongoing conversation, and our approach extends from our choices of fabrics to the factories we use.
As of Spring 2021 you cut your wholesale sampling by 57%. Why was this an important step for the environment?
Less sampling equal’s less potential waste. Unfortunately, sales samples cannot be sold on our website, so the big question becomes what we do we do with them after they have served their purpose as a wholesale sample. Sure, we can hold sample sales throughout the year, but we would still be left with quite a few samples. Digital sampling when possible has been a game changer.
You work with socially conscious factories in Peru. Can you tell us a bit about what made you decide on these factories? Your factories have made a commitment to ZERO WASTE. Can you tell us a bit about this?
We currently partner with facilities in Peru that are WRAP certified which means Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production. WRAP is the world’s largest factory-based certification program for manufacturers of clothing, footwear, and other sewn products. All our production partners have made a commitment to ZERO WASTE. Fabric scraps from cutting are bundled and then re-purposed into mops, rags, mattress, fillers ensuring a circular supply chain that keeps waste out of landfills. It’s a circular approach.
We love that you are very conscientious about the fabrics you use and how long they take to biodegrade. Do you have a favorite fabric you like to work with? Are you interested in working with any other fabrics in the future? Are there any fabrics you are passionate about avoiding?
Our Peruvian cotton. We produce approximately 85% of our clothing in Peru, utilizing a vertical manufacturing process with our partner, WTS. All of the cotton we use is grown, harvested by hand, spun into yarn, knit into fabric, cut and sewn into garments locally (mostly in the city of Lima). This local “seed to garment” approach minimizes pollution from transportation and dramatically reduces our carbon footprint as compared to industry standards.
Where can we find your designs?
At various retailers across the US and of course, nationltd.com.
