The new activewear brand KAMI is going to source sustainable material and stand the test of time. Made using discarded fishing nets and other waste materials, every collection is named after a different marine animal impacted by pollution.
The British brand was launched at the beginning of 2021 with two collections, as a daydream that became a reality. “If I wanted to start wearing activewear that was sustainable and ethically made, I realised I needed to do it myself,” says KAMI’s founder, Katie Snell.
During her time as a marine biology student, Snell came to understand more on the severity of plastic pollution on marine wildlife, the environment and human health. “I decided I wanted to make positive changes in my own life and research how to live more sustainably. It started small, switching from liquid soap to soap bars, to carrying a reusable coffee cup and water bottle with me wherever I went,” she recalls.
“Alongside a struggle to find sustainable, ethical activewear for men and women that was both high-fashion and premium quality, I started to become more aware of the impact of fast-fashion on the environment and often, the exploitation of human rights.”
Products made in Europe, predominantly using European-sourced ECONYL® amongst other sustainable fabrics that utilise post-consumer plastic waste, diverting it from landfill. Furthermore, there will be no swing tags and Snell wants to use clever packaging tactics, like mailer bags made from potato starch and inner garment bags that are biodegradable and dissolve in hot water.
In collaboration with ‘Work for Good’, KAMI will be donating a percentage of each sale to the Marine Conservation Society. “And our personal touch is that every collection is named after a different marine mammal that is directly affected by human impacts on the environment,” says Snell. “It’s our way of bringing these mammals’ plight to the forefront of our consumer’s.”
Initially, KAMI was a side-hustle alongside her stable job in pharmaceutical conference sales. “I had to learn everything afresh, from how the clothing was manufactured, to sourcing material…and more importantly, how to start a business!” says Snell. Then both the pandemic and Brexit hit and they had to delay the launch by six months.
The target customer includes all kinds of people buying activewear, not only the ones committed to the environment. “Our main aim is to convert the everyday consumer into living sustainably for generations to come.”
“I also wanted to make activewear consumers aware that living ethically doesn’t mean you have to be pigeon-holed into a dated stereotype - there’s an archaic notion of negativity towards those who care about the environment,” Snell says. “I’m also aware that living ethically is usually considered only accessible to those with privilege, but change can start small and these small changes really do make a difference.”
For instance, investing in one piece of sustainable, ethical activewear requires 70% less energy than a piece made out of virgin polyester. “We’re at the point where we can’t turn a blind anymore - KAMI is our way of challenging the fashion status quo.”
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January 22, 2021 at 01:00PM
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KAMI’s New Year Resolution Is To Make Activewear More Sustainable - Forbes
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