How Starting a Sustainable Clothing Brand Saved My Kids' Skin

A common myth about sustainable fashion is that it has to be boring and unattractive with no flair or pizzazz. But this couldn’t be further from the truth! Starting a sustainable clothing brand doesn’t mean sacrificing style and function for ethics. Rather, you can have all by having a vision, doing your research, making wise choices, and designing with your customers in mind. Learn how I started a sustainable clothing brand that made my kids’ sensitive skin happy instead of irritated.

The Story of My Children's Sensitive Skin

When my kids were born, they all had sensitive skin. After years of doctor's visits, topical creams, allergy medications, and red itchy skin, I was starting to think there would be no end to their rashes and eczema. As my oldest son started Kindergarten, I noticed that he often refused to get dressed due to his irritated skin. I began reading the labels in my children's clothing to determine if what they were wearing was contributing to the problem. As it turned out, synthetic fabrics like polyester and even conventionally produced cotton used to make their clothes routinely made them uncomfortable and caused their eczema to flare. That's the exact moment when I decided to start Crann Organic - a sustainable clothing brand dedicated to producing ethically made essentials that would be gentle on their skin and better for our environment. 

Doing Your Research: The Problem with Fast Fashion

Fast fashion is a term used to describe a process that the apparel industry uses to mass produce trendy clothing at low cost and bring it to market as quickly as possible. While this business model is effective in creating affordable fashion sensations and generating profit for designers, it is also among the most environmentally damaging practices. Most clothing produced via the fast fashion process is made with some amount of synthetic fiber. In fact, over 60% of clothing contains synthetic fiber. Synthetic fibers like polyester are derived from oil and are processed with loads of chemicals - many of which are known cancer causing agents and skin irritants. This means these chemicals are harmful to your health and the environment. For me, it also meant that my children's issues with skin irritation and eczema were directly related to the presence of synthetic fibers and polyester in their wardrobe.

Making Wise Choices: Organic and Natural Textiles

I started my sustainable and ethical clothing brand because I was concerned about the chemicals in conventional and synthetic fabrics and the impact they were having on my kids' skin. I knew that there had to be a better way to make clothes. There was! Natural and organic textiles were the answer. Natural and organic textiles like lyocell, organic cotton, linen, and modal reduce the potential for irritation by keeping skin dry. They are also processed with fewer and less harmful chemicals. Unlike polyester and other synthetic fabrics, natural and organic textiles are better for the environment because they are biodegradable. Just as food made with fresh ingredients tastes better, clothing made with natural and organic textiles feels better. 

Designing With The Customer In Mind: Gender Neutral Basics

A large reason why fast fashion is so wasteful is because it focuses on trends and gender-specific preferences. This means lots of clothing is produced, only some of it is used, and a bunch of it ends up being thrown away - hardly a sustainable or ethical practice. Do we really need hyper trendy clothing to look and feel good in what we wear? I asked myself this question as I sought to build my sustainable and ethical clothing brand. I came to the conclusion that comfort, function, and flexibility were much more important than trends. I didn't have to sacrifice style either. The result was a line of high quality, durable, super cute, and gender neutral basics rooted in timeless styles. Better clothing produced, 

The Birth of Crann Organic 

I started my sustainable and ethical clothing brand after years of watching my kids deal with eczema and other skin sensitivities. I was done seeing them suffer and finished with the toxic, fast fashion industry. I wanted to create an ethical clothing brand that would be gentle on my kids' skin and the planet too. And so, Crann Organic was born.

Crann Organic is a sustainable and ethical clothing brand for kids. We use only the highest quality natural textiles and organic cotton so our clothes are gentle on both skin and the environment. Plus, our clothes are designed to last! You will feel good about your purchase knowing that it's not only good for your child, but also good for the planet.

Starting my own ethical clothing brand was something I never thought I would do. But, after seeing my kids struggle with eczema and knowing how fast fashion contributed to the issue, I realized that I wanted to make a difference in the world. What better way to do that than to start a sustainable and ethical clothing brand that would help children with sensitive skin? Sustainable fashion is on the rise and one of the most important movements of our time. It's a movement that's here to stay, and I'm so proud Crann Organic is a part of it.