Sustainable streetwear

WAWWA Clothing is championing the revival of Manchester's textiles industry

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Published: December 29, 2020
This Article was written by: Katie Hill - My Green Pod
fashion, jobs, organic, textiles

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Sustainable streetwear brand WAWWA Clothing has pledged to help revitalise the once-thriving textile industry in Manchester.

It has committed to the expansion of in-house manufacturing and training programmes for local designers, cutters and seamstresses.

The Manchester-based brand has made the commitment to develop staple garments – exclusively designed, sourced and created on site – illustrating that what started of necessity will now be an essential focus to be considered in future collections.

Local craftsmanship

The sustainable clothing brand makes organic, Fairtrade, vegan, planet-friendly clothing with a positive social impact. It operates out of a 200-year-old cotton mill in New Islington, Manchester.

The Manchester-based factory in Islington will be the lifeblood of the brand’s sustainable approach. Alongside its in-house sampling and forthcoming new women’s wear offering, WAWWA will continue to produce its recycled denim and organic waxed cotton bucket hats, messenger bags, totes, masks, mask pouches, planters and sewing kits within its own factory.

WAWWA Clothing will continue celebrating their team’s local craftsmanship whilst working with nearby businesses, including a Bolton-based factory that creates its outerwear, to source innovative materials and create new products.

The factory space in Islington will be used to train young local people in the textiles industry with the aim to stem the migration of talented designers, cutters and seamstresses out of Manchester.

A social impact

The brand strives to champion its new local approach to reinvigorate a dying trade, encouraging new people to participate in more local-focused, economically sustainable and environmentally conscious practices.

Moving forwards, the brand plans on slowly expanding the factory in terms of its team of talented people working there, the size of the space and the output of conscious and considered products produced.

Alongside the AW20 Collection, WAWWA Clothing will continue its hugely successful 1+1 collection; for every sale of a hat or a pair of socks, another will be donated to homeless charities throughout the UK.

To date, WAWWA Clothing has donated over 4,000 hats. WAWWA Clothing has now expanded its collection range to include socks and scarves and is teaming up with national charities to reach refugees, low-income families and mental health service users.

WAWWA Clothing materials

WAWWA clothing focuses on using materials meticulously chosen and selected for minimal damage to the environment and maximum durability.

Organic cotton uses around 70% less water and is free from pesticides, meaning important water and soil resources are protected and farmers are kept away from harmful chemicals. Depending upon yield, it also uses fewer greenhouse gases resulting in less air pollution.

Recycled PET (plastic) is spun into polyester, balancing its use to keep garments as functional and comfortable as possible. All labels are made using recycled plastic, attempting to find use with the mountains of plastic that end up discarded.

All zips are made with YKK’s recycled natulon material which is made from recycled plastic bottles.

Often described as nature’s ivory, the corozo nut drops naturally in the Ecuadorian rainforest and is then collected by locals, providing jobs and protecting the lungs of the planet from further deforestation.

Water-based inks used are free from harmful PVC resin and plasticisers, meaning no harsh chemicals are released into our water.

Bucket Hats & Totes are made from canvas that is created from 70% post-consumer waste and 30% recycled PET. Unique as many recycled pieces on the market are post-production waste, but WAWWA is helping to recycle all those unwanted fast fashion pieces.

WAWWA clothing is completely free of any animal products.

Clothing is produced in carefully selected factories in both the UK and Portugal. Often family-owned and thoughtful of the environment, good relationships mean that both people and the planet are respected whilst creating the best product possible.