First published Tuesday 11 November 2014 in The Argus
A young couple have founded an ethical menswear label as a reaction to throwaway fashion.
Brighton Sweater Collective has been created by Alice Liptrot, 24, and Ben Taylor, 23.
The graduates, who live in Hove, were distraught over the factory conditions exposed by the Rana Plaza collapse which claimed more than 3,000 lives in Bangladesh.
Reluctant to work in an industry with such tragedies, the pair specialise in hand-crafted high-quality knitwear.
Only natural materials and traditional hand-knitting machines are used, turning the tide against mass-produced garments and the sweat-shop attitude of large fashion companies.
Ben, who oversees marketing, sales and manufacturing, said: “We embarked on it as part of slow fashion. We wanted things that would last, as opposed to rubbish quality clothes which you throw away after a week.
“Our approach is to be transparent about the manufacturing process and not use factories in Bangladesh that pay 1p a day.
“We also wanted to bring some craftsmanship back to the industry.”
The company sources lambswool from Australia, which is spun in Yorkshire, then hand-knitted on the Scottish borders, before going onto Edinburgh for the seams.
Sweaters are limited to 150 in each colour and design and are sold online, with the hope of getting them stocked in high-end boutiques.
For more information go to: www.brightonsweater.com