No Planet B

In this era of fast fashion and profits over people the Eco aspect of Totem is not just a marketing tool but a way of life. Returning to quality over quantity, made by artisanal makers, small unique factories that work in a different way. A simple decision made by any parent.

The journey of a garment is something that should be transparent, even celebrated in our blog and no part of it should hide a murky past. Durable clothes that can be handed down and made at a price fair for all.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Totem was born out of a real desire to do something fair minded for the planet and all those that help out on the way to making a garment. Change is happening but slowly; sadly, profit is still the driving force behind most business engines. Green washing is also becoming common, where large companies market an eco-message but it is one that is shallow in meaning and can be misleading.

Fast fashion needs to slow down; garments can’t last forever but they don’t have to last for just 5 minutes. They can be mended, customised and handed down. There is also a false economy in clothing that only lasts several washes to those which can last for years.

Until the government does more to force free markets to reflect hidden environmental and social costs, it is up to the individual consumer to understand the true cost of cheap fashion.

Our collection has been made largely with organic, recycled or low carbon footprint fabrics. Small exceptions will be made if a fabric has unique technical or durable properties. A decision is never purely based on price or aesthetics. All fabrics are OEKO-TEX approved which means that the textiles are free from harmful substances.

Currently we are producing everything in the UK to keep it 'local' as well as enjoy the high work standards we are lucky to have here in Europe.