At Esprit Ecollection, we believe the best fashion statement is one that positively affects the world around us: aesthetically, culturally, and environmentally. In 1990, Esprit initiated a company-wide eco audit to incorporate ecological considerations into daily business decisions. This transformation in our thinking prompted us to look beyond the surface of fashion. We've carefully examined every element of clothing manufacturing, from fabrics to dyeing processes to buttons and trims. The result is a finished product that implements the best environmental alternatives currently available, supports rural artisans, and helps preserve endangered cultures. The following are some examples of the extra energy we invest in our Ecollection garments. We support organic farmers who grow crops without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Our purchase of certified organically grown cotton promotes safe and sustainable farming practices which do not contaminate air or water supplies. Naturally Colored Cotton In order to eliminate the water and energy used in dyeing and prevent excess dyestuffs from entering the environment, we use naturally colored cotton. • Low Impact Dyes When we do apply color, we guarantee that it is the most environmental solution • Tencel® Low Impact Cellulosic Fiber Similar to rayon, this material is made from the pulp of sustainably harvested trees, and uses a solvent which is continually recycled and benign in the waste water. • Handpainted Buttons Our wooden buttons are handpainted by artisans from the Watermark Cooperative. Based in an economically depressed region of North Carolina where employment opportunities for women are few, the Watermark Cooperative provides job training as well as much needed income, and enables its members to become economically self-sufficient. • Reconstituted Glass Buttons Our reconstituted glass buttons and beads support a traditional craft in Ghana. These are made from old bottles which are ground to a fine powder, mixed with pigments, and refired. • Huichol Indian Beaded Bracelets In collaboration with the Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Traditional Arts, Esprit's order for handbeaded bracelets helps preserve a threatened culture. Each bracelet features the Huichol's traditional spiritual and religious symbols. 900 Minnesota Street. San Francisco CA 94107 3000. 415 648 6900 ecollection ESPRIT General release Wear and Care Esprit's Fall '93 Ecollection In 1990, Esprit became the first company to dedicate an entire clothing line to improving the social and environmental practices of the clothing industry: Ecollection. The list of companies following Esprit's lead lengthens daily. Ecological responsibility is becoming an integral part of the clothing industry, not just as a matter of fashion, but of daily business practices. "Wear and care," is how Esprit co-founder Susie Tompkins describes the innovative and commercially successful line. "We create garments which represent the best that can be done in terms of our impact on the environment and our incorporation of human values into clothing design. Customers have the best of both worlds: great items that make a positive contribution to society." From fiber to finished product, Esprit Ecollection examines every step of the "Clothing is one of our primary mediums of self expression, and in these times, people 900 Minnesota Street. San Francisco, CA 94107.3000 415 648 6900 |