Transcendence
Circular Initiatives
Improvement Efforts
Our Fibre Standards
As we push boundaries and the status quo, we plan to move from reducing environmental impact to contributing to the system positively. Altering this linear system demands radical transformation. It involves everyone in the fashion industry working together with unprecedented levels of commitment and innovation. We see this as an exciting opportunity to unleash our collective creative potential.
Our ESSENTIALS collection is designed to be circular. Made from organic cotton and cruelty-free wool, all items have the ability to be either recycled or composted at the end of their lifespan. This creates a closed-loop system. The regenerative economy is built on the circular economy and goes one step further to ensure that it not only designs out waste, but also actively regenerates it.
We are still in the early stages of understanding this transition and would like to keep you updated about the progress of these discussions and the start of conversations with growers. We will also begin discussions with organic cotton farmers and suppliers, as well as have a dialogue with organisations that support the implementation and transition to regenerative cotton and wool farming.
What Is a Circular Economy?
A circular economy aims to go beyond the current extraction business model of take make and dispose to redefine growth and focus on the positive interests of society as a whole.
This is based on three principles: 1) avoid waste and pollution; 2) continue to use products and materials and 3) regenerate natural systems.
In the circular economy, we need to stop the consumption of finite (non-renewable) resources and remove waste from our systems.
Facts & Figures
A new textiles economy (i.e., the circular economy) offers a $500 billion opportunity to the fashion industry
There is an astonishing quantity of textile waste being produced—the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned every second
Less than 1% of apparel is recycled into new clothes
The apparel waste accumulated between today and 2025 will weigh as much as today’s world population
We strongly believe in the power of self-reflection in order to create positive change and are dedicated to continuous improvement. In order to share our current shortcomings and action plans to combat those, we have created this page.
You as a customer play an important part in this and we wish to incorporate your feedback into this process. Please send us any suggestions to customercare@hebashaikh.com
Ongoing Projects
Plastic Zip
Issue: Zips are usually made of synthetic materials that shed microplastics.
Action Steps/Solution: For our wide-leg trousers, we found Tencel as the sustainable option, however, a polyester-free invisible zip does not yet exist in the market. We are searching for an alternative and hope that there will be demand in the future.
Size Range
Issue: Our sizing for these products ranges from S to L. As this is our first ready-to-wear collection, we have invested a lot of capital and time in the creation of our products. In order to avoid risks of overstock, we have decided to launch with a narrower size range. Please let us know if the size you need is unavailable. We want to understand customer demand in order to then meet this demand with our next collection.
Action Steps/Solution: We aim to expand our size range to XS-XL and design our upcoming garments to be more flattering on various body types. This includes working with knits and jerseys instead of woven fabrics.
Supply Chain Transparency
Issue: Due to COVID-19, we were not able to visit all our suppliers as we had planned to do. We have visited our manufacturers in London, but we have yet to visit the rest of our suppliers.
Action Steps/Solution: The manufacturers with whom we work are certified, including those we are yet to visit, which adds another level of trust. We plan to visit all suppliers as soon as the situation is safe enough for us to travel.
Almost 60% of a garment’s environmental impact occurs at the raw-material stage— before the clothes have actually been made. Our responsibility starts right from the collection’s design phase. We carefully source high-quality, sustainable materials from farm to factory, and invest in new fabric innovations to ensure we reduce our impact on the planet. That’s why we have Heba Shaikh standards, or a series of classifications based on their combined social and environmental impact.
It is always a complex proposition to trace a garment all the way back to its origin for numerous reasons, but we always strive for more transparency, which sets us apart from most brands. Continuity is paramount in design, so when we find a reliable material, we continue to work with that fibre for future collections. Not only does this ensure your garment will match pieces from previous collections, but we will never have discarded deadstock fabrics.
Our Textile Commitments
- We never use synthetic fibres, such as polyester and nylon, even if it is recycled
- 100% of our cotton is GOTS certified organic (certified at the textile stage)
- 100% of our wool is grown ethically, non-mulesed and Responsible Wool Standard or ZQ-certified (certified at textile stage).
- 100% of our textile suppliers have signed our supplier Code of Conduct
Cotton and its impact
Driving meaningful change
