Meeting In et About is a truly timeless, ethical, unique experience of fashion. “We were brainstorming, trying to find a simple name that would indicate the brand is about simplicity, purity, and just enjoying wearing great clothes. We thought we would need a name that conveys we are offering clothes people can feel great in and about. Then we realised Why not just use that ? In and about. Then, the decision was made to use the French translation for ‘and’ –et– to make it unique” they say to us. The brand aims to be modern and timeless at the same time, while the idea is to work on items that can be worn years after years because the style doesn’t fade; but also because they are of great quality, offering them at a very affordable price considering the materials and manufacturing processes.

Like everything else in life, In et About believes fashion should be done responsibly - and this concept should be a given. They firmly say it means fashion should not be so heavily linked to environmental damage, cruelty, and human exploitation. Hence, their cruelty-free clothes are made with European manufacturers that share these values, and only with eco-friendly fabrics and accessories.

Whether some want to call it sustainable fashion, ethical fashion, transparent fashion, conscious fashion or eco-friendly fashion, they are simply committed to producing fashion the normal way, proposing pieces you can feel unique in and about. When designing items, they claim to make sure not to be just following current trends but creating items that can be reworn, which is also the most ethical way of thinking about clothing: it leads to reduced overconsumption and waste in the industry.

People - and brands - have increasingly been talking about sustainable fashion, as we can probably all understand that fashion, the way it is mostly currently done, is not sustainable. The main issue, In et About affirmed in our interview, is that there is no clear and universally agreed upon definition of sustainable fashion. A lot of brands can advertise being sustainable, thanks to a few initiatives they may have, while still acting mostly in an unsustainable manner. However, they believe that being transparent is an important part of sustainability in fashion and that’s why everyone should know how and where their clothes are made. Our interview involved a great journey through their approach to sustainability that involves three stops.

Firstly, they only use ethical materials, even in the details, and when it’s not possible they use recycled materials. 

For example, Peace Silk –unlike conventional silk– is produced in a peaceful manner from already hatched cocoons without killing the pupae inside. The top of the cocoon is softly cut, which allows the moths to escape and complete their life cycle in nature. As a fabric, peace silk is also incredibly durable and strong. No hard-metal chemicals or pesticides related to killing germs or removing impurities are required in the growing and production processes. It also produces zero percent waste and has a very low water footprint, being considered biodegradable. They use Linen too, made from flax fibers and derived from the flax plant. Belgian Linen™ is widely recognised as the world's finest linen, considered the Champagne of Linens. Artisans in Belgium have been working with flax for centuries, passing down their skills and expertise from generation to generation. For a company to qualify to be certified as a Belgian Linen™ supplier, at least 85% of the weight of the fabric it offers has to come from flax that is grown in the EU and the linen has to have been woven in Belgium. Another material is Lyocell (also known as Tencel™), forged from renewable wood pulp, usually eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus trees are fast-growing, don't need pesticides, and mainly grown on land that is unsuitable for food. The main ingredient in lyocell is cellulose, which is obtained from the pulp of hardwood trees. The pulp is treated in what is known as a closed-loop process in which these solvents are recycled with a recovery rate of 99.5%. The remaining emissions are decomposed in biological purification plants. Lyocell is an extremely versatile fabric that, depending on the length of the fiber chosen in production, can result in varying thickness and texture. From a cottony feel to a silky one, the fabric adapts to a wide range of clothing types, from activewear to flowy dresses. 

Furthermore, Cupro is a delicate “regenerated cellulose” fabric made from waste the cotton industry leaves behind. It is produced using the tiny silky cotton fibres, known as linter, that stick out of the cottonseed and are too small to spin. It is made in a closed loop, like lyocell, which means that the chemicals used can be extracted afterwards and the water can be reused. They only use GOTS-certified Organic Cotton, helping with the maintenance of the health of soil, ecosystems, and people involved by utilising natural processes instead of artificial inputs. Organic cotton is proven to cause less environmental damage than conventional cotton. 

More on GOTS.

The third and last stop –being consistent with the founders sayings–, is that In et About maintains partnerships with different organizations because “For us, quality means great design, great materials, but also working ethically with great partners, making sure everyone is respected along the way and don’t hurt people or the planet”. 

They have decided to partner with Eden Reforestation, which permits to plant one tree for each item purchased. Eden not only restores healthy forests, they do it by employing the local community. Currently, they have planted more than 583,000,000 trees in 8 different countries, as well as created 5,000,000 workdays. Learn more about Eden Reforestation at edenprojects.org Also, committed to girls and women's empowerment, they have decided to partner with VOW for Girls. When you refer a friend who makes a purchase, your referral goes VOW for Girls to provide things like a month of school fees for a girl. Globally, one in five girls becomes a child bride. VOW for Girls is a global movement that believes no child should ever be a bride and is focused on ending child marriage. The organisation uses 100% of their funds raised to better the lives of girls globally by providing them education, job training, and life skills. 

Learn more about VOW for Girls.

Talking with In et About has reassured our view on responsible –and premium– fashion. All these actions will help transform the industry and create the future of fashion, a more conscious and innocent production. In an industry in which an estimated 80% of garment workers are female, contributing to responsible fashion and offering better, healthier lives to all these women is something they truly pursue, and STAIY Magazine is really delighted to relate their incredible journey. As they say, a real "Oh là là with no tralala" style!