London: At the upcoming London Fashion Week, eco-designers VIN + OMI will present a new fabric, made from recycled milk cartons, in collaboration with King Charles. The collection, ‘Kaos’, aims for broader sustainability amidst a shift away from traditional luxury materials.
During the upcoming London Fashion Week, innovative eco-design duo VIN + OMI will break away from the traditional fabric choices typically seen on the runways, such as silk and sequins, by introducing a sustainable fabric created in collaboration with King Charles. This partnership reflects the monarch’s long-standing commitment to environmental sustainability and features fabrics made from recycled milk cartons sourced directly from Sandringham estate.
The designers’ journey began rather spontaneously during a casual lunch at Sandringham, where Omi recalled a moment involving the head gardener and a simple query about whether to add milk to a meal. He highlighted the staggering figure that the average UK person consumes 1,238 millilitres of milk per week, sparking the initial idea for their latest collection, titled ‘Kaos’, which is set to be unveiled on February 19.
For this season, the focus has shifted towards “chaotic sustainability,” according to Vin. He explained that in previous collections, they concentrated on singular issues like plastic, but for this debut, they are embracing a broader approach by recycling all manner of materials into fabric.
Since 2019, VIN + OMI has collaborated with King Charles, previously incorporating plants and weeds from his former estate, Highgrove, into their designs. Last season, they harnessed wood chippings from Sandringham to produce a lightweight textile. This year, their focus has pivoted towards recycling waste materials within the estate itself. “We took the milk cartons from the Sandringham visitor centre and developed them into this spongey-like material that looks like leather,” Vin explained.
This new material, which incorporates a significant amount of waste from the estate’s famous cream tea offerings, is designed to serve as a sustainable alternative to conventional leathers, an avenue further propelled by London Fashion Week’s recent ban on exotic skins, such as crocodile and snake, from show collections. Vin expressed the designers’ ambitions to create outdoor garments using this recycled material, stating, “When you can get that sort of texture that’s very similar to exotic skins – why the hell would you use them?”
Vin cautioned that sourcing materials naturally is not inexpensive, and transforming natural fibres into something resembling luxury items remains a costly endeavour. However, he believes customers should value these sustainable alternatives just as they would more traditional luxury materials.
In discussing the broader industry context, Omi emphasised a collaborative approach rather than a confrontational one, saying, “It’s not about the fact you’re doing something wrong… it’s about saying how can we improve on what is being wasted?” Their goal includes encouraging others within the industry to adopt similar practices.
The designers have also expressed admiration for King Charles, noting his creativity and open-mindedness. Vin remarked on the uniqueness of having access to a royal figure who is receptive to their ideas, acknowledging that many global leaders often adhere to strict protocols that might disregard the creative solutions proposed by new voices in the industry.
While primarily operating from Norfolk, VIN + OMI’s quest for innovative solutions has taken them far and wide. Recently, they acquired an aloe vera farm in the Canary Islands, signalling their commitment to sustainable practices on a larger scale. Omi encapsulated their ethos by asserting, “We are the service industry… We’re here to dress people in the most guilt-free way possible.”
Source: Noah Wire Services
