SUSTAINABILITY

THE POÉSIE BY JULIE MISSION

Poésie by Julie believes that design and environmental responsibility go hand in hand. Working with fabric suppliers that have the necessary eco-verified certifications and ordering in small quantities - investing in quality over quantity.

Working on a made-to-order business model. Opposite to a made-to-stock or ‘off the rack’ model, Made-to-order drastically reduces the potential for wastage or surplus stock, abiding to Poésie by Julie’s strong belief of being an environmentally conscious and sustainable brand. Making the garments once orders are received, rather than presuming and guessing the demand adheres to being a slow fashion label.

Poésie by Julie believes in challenging fast fashion, to push consumer habits to change the perception of how quickly items should be available. These small drawbacks, such as a longer wait to receive a Poésie by Julie piece, seems tiny when comparing to the negative effects caused by over-production. Vast quantities of stock in the fashion industry go unsold each year and end up in a landfill, releasing harmful gases into our atmosphere. In worse cases, unsold stock is burnt, creating even more harm to our environment. Made-to-Order offers a desirable alternative to the Made-to-Stock model for sustainability.

Poésie by Julie only source and use natural fibre fabrics with eco-verifications and as little ecological impact as possible. As synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon and acrylic (all of which are a form of plastic) are not only harmfully produced, but contribute to micro-plastic pollution each time the material is washed. 

All orders shipped are carbon offset through Shopify's Offset application. Every order sent will have a calculation for how much carbon has been emitted, and in turn, Poésie by Julie pays a cost to offset the emissions. The carbon offsetting contributions are currently funding the Javi Para Forest Conservation Project in the Amazon Rainforest, run by Pachama, which has been approved by the Verra Verified Carbon Standard.

 

CHOOSING ORGANIC COTTON OVER CONVENTIONAL COTTON

Poésie by Julie uses cotton made as per the GOTS (Global Organic Textiles Standards). There are many reasons why organic cotton is better for the planet. The World Economic Forum has identified water scarcity as one of the top ten global risks to society over the next ten years, and the majority of cotton is grown in countries facing water shortages. Organic cotton has significantly fewer negative impacts on water than non-organic. 

By farming cotton in an organic way, you eliminate the need of highly toxic substances from the soil and the surrounding environment. Hazardous synthetic pesticides need to be diluted to bring them to 'safe' levels when they enter waterways. One fifth of water used to grow non-organic cotton is used for this purpose. This is not the case for organic cotton because hazardous pesticides are banned in organic farming. 

Organic farmers use natural methods like composting to create healthy soil. Healthy soils act like a sponge, soaking up water during floods and holding it for longer during droughts. Organic cotton uses up to 88% less water, comparing to conventional cotton.

 

TENCEL™ 

TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal fibers help to maintain the environmental balance by being integrated into nature´s cycle. The fibers originate from the renewable raw material wood, created by photosynthesis. The certified biobased fibers are manufactured using an environmentally responsible production process. The fibers are certified as compostable and biodegradable, and thus can fully revert back to nature.

TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers have gained a commendable reputation for their environmentally responsible closed loop production process, which transforms wood pulp into cellulosic fibers with high resource efficiency and low environmental impact. This solvent-spinning process recycles process water and reuses the solvent at a recovery rate of more than 99%. Consumers can have the assurance that their fashion choices are not contributing to an adverse impact on the environment.

Wood and pulp used by the Lenzing Group comes from natural forests and sustainably managed plantations. 

 

REFIBRA TENCEL™ 

The pioneering REFIBRA™ technology involves upcycling cotton scraps from garment production. These cotton scraps are transformed into cotton pulp. A substantial proportion – up to one third – of this is added to wood pulp, and the combined raw material is transformed to produce new virgin TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers to make fabrics and garments.

 

LINEN

Linen is made from the flax plant, a blue-purple flowered plant that grows especially well in Northern Europe. It is one of the oldest, best-loved textiles in the world and has been used for centuries. The flax plant requires less water to cultivate than other textile crops like cotton, and can be grown without pesticides.

Bi-products from the flax plant can be used in a wide range of areas, like making linseed oil and paints from the seeds, or rope from the excess fibres. So many of the things we see around us everyday are actually made from flax – from bank notes to cigarette papers.

The Advisory Commission Report to the European Parliament stated that flax cultivation positively affects eco-system diversity as it allows for an "environmental pause". One hectare of flax can retain 3.7 tonnes of CO2. 

Linen is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, hypoallergenic and thermoregulating; it will also absorb up to 20% moisture before feeling damp.

Linen is, therefore, almost naturally organic. It is completely biodegradable, recyclable and due to its natural absorbency, it requires less dye than cotton. Linen, therefore, scores high on the ecological chart.

Poésie by Julie sources Linen with Oeko-Tex certification and is produced in small batches in Eastern Europe, where there is a strong heritage of spinning and weaving linen fabric.