Sustainable Materials & Innovation

One of the first things our design and technical teams consider when thinking about LKB sustainability, is the eco-friendly clothing materials we use. Where could we use recycled clothing fabrics or those that are biodegradable and therefore kinder to the earth? There are several pieces in our latest collections - from clothing to shoes and accessories - that look to these more responsible materials.

For a number of seasons now, we have used organic cotton for our denim pieces. A plant-based fibre with a lower impact than conventional cotton, organic cotton is grown free from GMOs and synthetic pesticides and fertilisers, it uses less water to produce, helps to preserve soil and doesn’t expose farmers to harmful substances.

In our collection, we have a range of environmentally conscious vegetable-tanned leather pieces that have been crafted in Tuscany, Italy. An artisanal craft precious to this region, all tanneries must use all-natural, raw materials rather than chemicals to colour the leather. This traditional tanning method results in a beautiful, long-lasting leather with unique characteristics of colour and shade.

We have always been advocates of using 100% silk for many of our dresses and scarves, which is not only a luxury fabric but also one with sustainable, long-lasting qualities. Silk is a protein fibre spun by silkworms and is a renewable resource as well as being biodegradable, making it lower impact, and less likely to clog up landfill. We have traceability of our silk through the fabric mills we work with, and our silk is spun by domesticated mulberry silkworms. Both the mills and the print houses we work with are OEKO-TEX® certified (whose testing aims to create trust in textiles and their production), with many following the Bluesign® system of transparent and responsible production processes.

This season, we’ve launched pieces from our collection that are crafted using LENZING™ ECOVERO™ branded viscose fibre. It is a wood-based fibre that is made using eco-responsible production processes. LENZING™ ECOVERO™ Viscose uses up to 50% less emissions and 50% less water than generic viscose. This fibre is derived from sustainable wood and pulp, coming from certified and controlled sources.

LENZING™ and ECOVERO™ are trademarks of Lenzing AG.

Following our responsible production processes, TRS manufacture all of LK Bennett’s woven brand labels, country of origin labels and size tabs from post-consumer polyester. This is produced from 100% recycled plastic bottles (rPET) and is certified by GRS (The Global Recycling Scheme).

PET plastic made from oil and petrochemicals can be recycled into rPET. The plastic content of rPET has been recycled so the material is produced without exhausting natural resources.

For the first time, we’ve brought recycled cotton to our shoe collection. Recycled cotton helps to prevent additional textile waste and requires fewer resources than conventional cotton. It is usually made using old garments or leftover textiles and is often blended with other fabrics. This season, we used a canvas for our Esme trainers and Taylor high tops which is made of 70% recycled cotton and 30% viscose.