Sustainable fashion pioneer Aspiga celebrated its best year yet in 2021, with an 80% growth, the opening of three new retail shops and obtaining numerous awards and accolades.
“Sustainability is at the very heart of Aspiga, and a priority in every facet of our business down to the smallest detail. From the design, production, materials and packaging; we even upcycled all the fittings for our shops last year, ensuring nothing went into landfill. Sustainable fashion is key for us.” commented Lucy Macnamara, founder of Aspiga.
Building on the consumer appetite for eco-fashion, Aspiga will be expanding its wholesale arm for 2022 with Next, John Lewis and Anthropologie secured as online stockists for the new season. Other news for 2022, will see the opening of Aspiga’s first international store in Barbados this March, a new knitwear collection and the launch of the Aspiga sustainable swimwear range.
Key Accomplishments 2021
Aspiga has been shortlisted as a Brand Pioneer in the CO10 Leadership Awards, initiated by Common Objective. This celebrates a commitment to great business practices that transform lives and help to solve environmental challenges.
Aspiga opened three new shops and two pop ups in 2021. This was achieved without purchasing any new shop fittings and sending no waste to land fill. With a commitment to upcycling, no new furniture, lighting or shop fittings were bought. In the new London flagship store, Aspiga paid to have the old shop fit stored and reworked for the new shop.
In November Aspiga launched its first “A Guide to Living a More Sustainable Life”. This is a non-profit (ie: no mention or any Aspiga products) booklet that customers choose to receive. It contains 28 pages of advice on how to live a more sustainable life and mentions useful companies, websites and apps.
When India was badly hit with covid in the Summer of 2021, Aspiga honoured all orders that had been placed even though they would be unable to deliver on time.
On the 1st and 2nd May 2021, Aspiga donated 10% of profits from all online orders to the Oxygen for India Emergency Appeal by the British Asian Trust to help get as many oxygen concentrators to hospitals as quickly as possible.
A new partnership with Thrift+ was introduced, enabling customers to order a free postage bag to send in unwanted clothes . Thrift+ will sell on the clothes and raise funds for a charity of their choice.
All printing was moved to recycled paper within the office, and all marketing materials. Aspiga also partnered with the Woodland Trust to offset the carbon omissions used to print all brochures and booklets.
Aspiga introduced clothing tags explaining how to care for garments and prolong their life.
Over the last few years, Aspiga has struggled to source the right sustainable swimwear. Last year they developed their own eco-range which will launch summer 2022.
Aspiga partnered with CarbonClick enabling customers to purchase carbon credits at checkout and offset the carbon emissions of delivering their goods.
Aspiga’s team in Kenya continue to run monthly beach cleans. In return Aspiga pay for the 12 teenage volunteers’ school fees.
All plastic packaging has been removed from the garment and accessory collections. Aspiga partnered with First Mile recycling for HQ waste, so all office waste is being recycled and not sent to landfill.
All scrap fabric is upcycled into products such as gift bags, scrunchies, face masks etc.
Aspiga continues to support the water-conservation project Water Harvest by donating money when unable to source organic cotton garments sold. £2,000 was donated in 2021.
Aspiga paid seven teachers’ annual salaries at Bushbells school in Watamu Kenya, as a result of the pandemic and with no Furlough in Kenya. Aspiga also started sponsoring a child Lucy met when volunteering at Restart Orphanage in Kenya, to live at the orphanage for 2022 and have an education at a local school
Sustainability Aspiga accolades in 2021
Brand of the Year Finalist – Drapers Sustainable Fashion Awards
Sustainable Initiative of the Year Finalist – Drapers Footwear Awards
Highly Commended for Best Ethical Brand – Marie Claire Fashion Awards
Shortlisted for the C010 Leadership Award
