SLOW MORNINGS + SUSTAINABLE COTTON
One of my favorite weekend rituals is taking it slow in the morning – either lounging in bed reading or writing, tidying up the apartment, or binging on the latest Netflix series with my husband. By no means am I an early bird – or a night owl for that matter – so slow paced mornings are nonexistent for me during the workweek, when I have to get my day started by 8:30 a.m.
With these slow mornings comes the need for cozy loungewear, something my wardrobe has been seriously lacking in lately... Anyone else tend to forget about this not-so-obvious, but important closet staple? Needless to say I was thrilled when Kristin, a small batch clothing designer based in Perth, Australia, connected with me over Instagram and asked if I'd be interested in styling one of her organic cotton tees.
As the world's most commonly used natural fiber, cotton has become one of the biggest pollutants in the textile industry. Why is this? Conventional cotton production relies heavily on the use of toxic chemicals in order to generate the highest yields and deter pests. In fact, conventionally grown cotton uses as much as 25 percent of the world’s insecticides and more than 10 percent of the world’s pesticides in just one year.
This not only poses a threat to our environment; it also puts people who grow and come in contact with cotton at risk. Pesticides are responsible for as many as 20,000 deaths each year in developing countries. And in the U.S., more than 10,000 farmers are poisoned by these potent chemicals. Not to mention conventional cotton-based clothing may contain traces of these chemicals... I don't know about you, but the idea of wearing pesticides and insecticides doesn't sound very enticing.
But because conventionally grown cotton produces the highest yield for the lowest cost, it continues to dominate the industry over it's more sustainable alternative, organic cotton, which is grown using methods that not only try to protect the environment, but also try to improve it in the process. Currently, organic cotton crops account for just over one percent of all cotton grown in the world. We can and we must do better.
“We can drive change by creating demand for organically grown crops and manufacturing processes that are good for our planet and everyone involved.”
Kristin's passion for driving positive change in the textile industry is what initially drew me to her collection. Rather than mass producing it at a low cost, she creates each piece in small batch production runs, which allows the time AND the desire to focus on quality. The Panel Tee in particular is constructed out of 100% certified organic cotton from a grower in India. Once grown and spun, the cotton is imported to an organic certified manufacturer in Melbourne, where it's knitted and dyed using GOTS certified dyes, and then sewn and cut in her studio in Perth.
Despite how much cotton is grown in Australia, finding an organic grower locally is an impossible feat. After having dealt with this dilemma, Kristin realized that we need to increase demand for Australian-grown organic cotton, with the hope that one day production of this textile will become more sustainable for designers and producers in that region of the world.
Now... onto the fun part! A modern take on the classic, the Panel Tee is super easy to wear and can be thrown on with just about anything – in this instance, I went for a cozy lounge-around-the-house look, paired with my go-to utility shorts, because slow mornings are all about comfort... Am I right? It's impeccably soft, with a gently fitted silhouette and a lovely panel seaming that hits in all the right places. I'm very particular when it comes to t-shirts, and this one checked off every box.
Outfit Details
Panel Tee in Gray Marl Kristin Magrit C/O | Utility Short by Formation Design | Ring by Favor Jewelry
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE COMPLETE KRISTIN MAGRIT COLLECTION FOR THOUGHTFUL, everyday DESIGNS handmade in australia.
Big thanks to Kristin for partnering on this post and for gifting me this lovely tee! As always, all opinions are my own and I selectively work with brands that share the same values when it comes to ethical and environmental responsibility.