Luckily, running a fashion business doesn’t require the owner to be a trend-setter.
“I’m the least fashionable person going,” laughs Sean. “I’m currently wearing a cardigan knitted by my mum and some horrible brown cords. Someone once said that I dress like a bag of coal!”
Despite his lack of sartorial sense, Sean and his brother run the Wawwa Softwear Company, a clothing brand whose hip and stylish products are manufactured with environmental concerns very much in mind. Set up five years ago in Manchester to “just make T-shirts,” the company now sells a range of garment and accessories, taking orders from all over the world.
“When we started, we found out how bad the fashion industry was for the environment, so we began with using organic T-shirts and water-based inks,” says Sean. “The goal is to make every aspect of our business as sustainable as possible.”
He’s not kidding. The company uses yarn derived from 100% recycled materials, their packaging is plastic-free and compostable, and wherever possible they use factories that use sustainable energy. Currently operating from an old mill, Sean and the small team are hoping to relocate to larger premises, but there are obstacles to overcome.
“We want to scale up the business, but it’s difficult when you’re trying to do everything sustainably,” he explains. “At the moment we’re trying to move into a warehouse, and want solar panels on the roof, but the landlords don’t like that idea. It’s a never-ending challenge.”
Wawwa are also keen to support local communities where they can. With retail partnerships on the agenda, they hope to employ more local designers, and provide training and jobs for homeless people via a nearby charity. This chimes with their 1+1 scheme, which sees the company donate one of its hats to a homelessness shelter every time a clothing item is bought from one of their collections. So far, they’ve donated over 3,000 hats.
“It’s about trying to do everything with a bit of a social conscience,” Sean says. “We want to do something that makes a real difference, and which is transferable. Fashion is the vessel here, and hopefully we can pass on a positive message, and spur on others to do something similar.”
Just don’t ask him for any fashion advice…
To find out more information, place orders, and get in contact with Sean and the team, go to wawwaclothing.com
By Theo Hooper
