When thinking of the fashion industry, what do you picture? Catwalks with models showing off beautifully-made clothing? Your favorite comfy pants and loose-fitting tee? Those shoes you are saving up to buy? Regardless of where your mind goes, thinking about fashion for many of us means envisioning the final product, but it’s how that particular item got made in the first place that really matters.
On a global scale, the clothing and textile industry sits right behind oil as the largest polluter in the world. The industry as a whole creates 208 million pounds of waste, and nearly 20 percent of the global wastewater comes from fashion. It can actually take more than 5,000 gallons of water just to make one T-shirt and a pair of jeans.
These numbers are staggering, and KADA is taking a stand.
When sustainability is your guiding light
This sustainable, female-founded clothing brand designs each piece for maximum versatility allowing the wearer to get the most out of any item. KADA clothing helps women feel both comfortable and confident in any moment since every piece can be dressed up or down.
Working with lasting materials and enduring designs, KADA clothes help withstand the test of time. This plays into the company’s philosophy of focusing on the environment. “Sustainability is our North Star at KADA,” says Kassia Davis, Founder & CEO.
Responsible manufacturing and design
As a guiding principle for KADA, sustainability is implemented from the beginning. KADA works hard to ensure their clothing is designed and manufactured responsibly. This means taking simple, but important actions, including:
- Using responsibly-sourced fabrics including those that are 100% biodegradable or material that became “waste” elsewhere in the manufacturing process.
- Partnering with mills and factories that use sustainable practices.
- Producing clothing in small batches to avoid unnecessary waste.
- Incorporating consumer feedback to ensure only items that are in-demand are produced.
Taking on water waste
Prioritizing sustainability also means thinking about areas where they can reduce the waste they produce. Primarily, this means focusing on water. Since water is often unavoidable as part of the manufacturing process, the industry as a whole wastes a lot. Since KADA believes that it’s “crucial that we conserve our planet’s resources,” they’ve partnered with us, IMPACT COLLECTIVE, to invest in global water projects. This enables KADA to offset a percentage of the water used to make their garments, decreasing their overall footprint when it comes to waste.
Transforming the fashion industry, one piece of clothing at a time
KADA continues to explore ways to keep waste at a minimum while ensuring every piece of clothing they make is built to last. Their ultimate goal is to transform the complete supply chain for fashion. For now, they’re okay with taking bold steps in the industry. “Waste should have no place in fashion,” says Davis, and she’s right.
From fits to fabrics to the factory floor, KADA is working to evoke how fashion gets made, and partnering with IMPACT is taking their mission further, ensuring their practices and products are good for both people and the environment.