Fashion Revolution Week 2021
How G.H.Hurt & Son took part in the global movement
Fashion Revolution Week is a global movement for a more sustainable and transparent fashion industry. Last year we highlighted the little things that make a big difference to the way we work and the products we produce. This year, during FRW 2021, our aim is to show an insight into some of the yarns we use to make our products. Sustainability is a huge part of our heritage and who we are today, we love our planet and are always striving to improve.
When it comes to sourcing yarns for our products, animal welfare, sustainability and traceability are of key importance. Our yarn suppliers work in partnership with approved farmers, encouraging sustainable herding and grazing practices, promoting high standards of animal welfare and work to protect this traditional way of life within nomadic communities.
At G.H.Hurt & Son we invest a lot of time into sourcing our yarn from world-class suppliers, to provide you with a quality product which will last a lifetime. We have always used natural fibres when making our products, in our 100+ year history.
Cashmere
We have a collection of 100% cashmere pieces that are truly timeless. Cashmere is a wool obtained from cashmere goats. It has been used for hundreds of years. It is beautifully lightweight and can be worn again and again. Cashmere is a natural fibre, meaning it is biodegradable and renewable. Fibres from cashmere garments retain its form for many years, lasting for generations.
The luxurious cashmere fibre that we use comes from a hardy, mountain dwelling breed of goat that has adapted to the harsh conditions and extreme temperatures of the Gobi Desert. Developing wonderfully thick coats, made up of a coarse outer hair and a fine, soft undercoat. It is these finest fibres that run from the throat to belly, a soft white downy undercoat, that are used to produce our timeless pieces.
When it comes to sourcing our cashmere, our yarn supplier works with farmers and herders who practise ‘sustainable grazing’ to ensure preservation of the land. Animal welfare is respected and the goats treated and fed well and are grazed on natural grasslands devoid of fertilisers or any other chemicals.
Cashmere is perfect to pass down from generation to generation, making it truly special to own.
Wool
For many of our scarves and shawls, we use 100% soft Merino Wool. At G.H.Hurt & Son we are delighted to say that our Merino Wool is sustainable, ethical and natural. Being a natural material, It is a renewable resource, recyclable and bio-degradable. It’s manufacturing process causes little to no harm to the environment. Wool is known to be the least washed fabric, thus reducing its energy intensity and out of all fabrics and it is the most recycled.
By working closely with our long established yarn suppliers, we are able to trace our Merino Wool all the way back to individual sheep stations, in Australia. So, we know the sheep are kept within an environment where they exhibit natural behaviours and have adapted to cold and hot temperatures so they can survive and flourish. Their fine fleece keeps them warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Cotton
Cotton is the most widely produced natural fibre and is sustainable, renewable and biodegradable. We have a collection of beautiful cotton pieces in our baby and adult collection. Cotton is highly absorbent, hypoallergenic and gentle against your skin.
Cotton begins in green fields, seeds are planted and the plants flower after around 6 weeks. Cotton bolls are picked which are a fluffy, fibrous white growths. Once the cotton is picked, it is then ginned. This is where the cotton is fed into the ginning machine that separates the fibres from the seedpods. This is carried out in order to efficiently remove any dirt, stems, leaves and linters. Then, the fibres are sent to processing facilities. Here, they are sorted by quality, combed, bleached and then spun into yarns.
Throughout our 100+ year history, we have always been very particular when sourcing yarns for our products and animal welfare, sustainability and traceability are and always will be very important to us.
Our Baby Shawls and Knitted Men's and Women's Scarves are made to last and be loved, and to be passed down from generation to generation.