Pretty Lavish co-founders, why they joined the SATCoL Take Back scheme
When Samantha and Stephanie Frost set up Pretty Lavish in 2013, they wanted to stand out from the Instagram crowd. The social media platform was just beginning to become a useful marketing tool for online boutiques, and many brands noticed that the way to sell more was to ramp up production and quickly sell trends to their followers.
The Frost sisters decided to take another approach. “We’ve never gravitated towards fast fashion, trend-lend pieces,” says Samantha, whose background in fashion buying helped her formulate the design side of the business. “Instead, we focused on timeless, quality products that can be worn throughout the seasons. That was very much a core value from early on.”
The well-designed, classic styles didn’t only carve a niche in the over-populated fashion world but also upped their eco-credentials. These styles should be kept on rotation, not worn once and thrown away, insists Samantha. “That’s become even more clear over the past few years, as we’ve learnt a lot more about sustainability and becoming a more sustainable brand,” she adds.
That’s why Pretty Lavish has become the second online fashion store to sign up to the SATCoL Take Back scheme. The scheme allows UK customers to simply donate their preloved clothes to charity, sending them via post to the Salvation Army to help the vulnerable in our society. Customers will also receive a 10% discount code to spend on the Pretty Lavish site if they donate. SATCoLs recycling scheme already diverts over 250 million items to good causes and the Frosts hope that their customers additions will make a difference to both the charity and the environment.
“We thought it would be a good opportunity to help educate our audience about circular fashion,” says Stephanie, the finance lead with a background in accounting. “We are seeing a greater conversation among our shoppers about sustainability, so we are expecting some uptake.”
That’s not where the sustainable changes end for the business though. To ensure the dresses, jumpers and jeans customers buy with their discount are also part of the circular fashion movement, a new Pretty Lavish website is being launched that will detail the supply chain and eco-footprint of each item. It’s in keeping with plans to sign the Textile 2030 sustainability pledge that aims for all new items to have a 50% smaller carbon footprint by the end of the decade.
“We want people to love the things they buy from us and caring for garments is a huge part of extending their life and buying less,” says Samantha. “We plan on sharing videos about how to wash, mend and protect your garments to avoid throwing them out and buying new things too.”