Creating High-End Uniform fit for a Sustainable Future

ustainability is at the centre of Studio 104’s focus when creating new uniform for our ethically and ecologically conscious clients. Bespoke uniform creation has always had sustainable roots and counts itself as one of the leading lights in the clothing industry, due to two inherent factors.  

Firstly, making our garments to order delivers zero waste. Our mills only produce enough fabric for the client’s uniform order, leaving no surplus stock. The second lies in the garment usage. Typically high quality uniform is made to be worn several times a week for over 18 months. Compare that with fast fashion where garments are expected to be worn up to 6 times on average.  

Over the years Studio 104 has built upon these strong sustainable pillars with many smart environmentally-focused advancements, leading to our 8-step ‘Future Friendly Uniform’ approach.

The first step begins with the uniform design (1), where our skilled team look to design garments that allow for a broader range of staff fit as well as multi- functional for multiple roles. This is then followed by our responsible sourcing (2) program, where we look to closed loop material, which is or can be recycled, or raw materials from sustainable businesses and renewable sources such as Lyocell.

The next step focusses on transport (3) reduction. We select factories and partners with as close a proximity to the uniform’s final destination, and where possible consolidate consignments while keeping air-freight to a minimum. The selection of partners who manufacture (4) our garments is one of our highest priorities, they must retain the highest conditions for workers alongside use positive environmental initiatives.

Step five centres around the uniform quantity (5). Before production begins a full assessment of staffing volumes allows our development team to accurately estimate fabric usage to the nearest centimetre, heavily reducing surplus stock. Also the lifetime usage (6) of our garments is far higher than the average, typically worn several times a week for up to 18 months. This leads to a huge curtailing replacement garments.

The final 2 steps focus on the garment packaging (7) and within the studio’s head office. We now offer uniform delivery using recycled polybags and garment shrouds, as well as FSC approved paper bags. As of 2021, the head office (8) has now also recycled 60,000 tonnes using the First Mile Recycling scheme, and continues to donate wearable samples to charity, saving significantly on landfill.

To discover more about our dedicated approach to sustainability, feel free to read our sustainability section on the studio-104.com/sustainability or contact us directly on enquiries@studio-104.com

Written by Jane - Founder & Managing Director

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