How would you describe Plant Faced?
Plant Faced is a vegan and ethically made streetwear clothing brand, representing a unique and subtle way of spreading the message of leading a cruelty-free lifestyle.
Plant Faced is about promoting a new wave of consciousness that supports the non-harming or exploitation of any beings - humans, animals, or plants.
What's your current involvement with the brand?
I'm director and founder of the brand which started in 2016. So, a million different hats, really.
Emails, emails, emails. Running all things marketing; content and strategy to keep the brand moving forward - working on collabs with influencers or other brands.
I'm also very involved in the day-to-day - helping customers, coordinating inventory/logistics with our warehouse daily, dealing with wholesale clients/orders, doing all things design such as creating new T-shirt graphics, content for our emails, zines, optimising the website - very, very, etc.
I was into streetwear and I just couldn’t find anything on the market with the kind of style I wanted to wear. My background is in graphic design, so this lightbulb sort of went off that it was the perfect marriage.
What is Plant Faced's overall mission statement?
Simply: beings first, business second.
We want to offer the best quality garments with the coolest unique designs that spread a message without shouting it, all whilst respecting our entire supply chain making sure we are operating in the most ethically and sustainable way possible.
What do you think sets the brand apart?
All of the above - our ethics, the quality, the community!
Plus being pretty design-focused, as my background is in graphic design, so there's a big emphasis on this all throughout the brand.
Why did you choose sustainable and vegan clothing?
It would be completely ignorant not to be intersectional about the values we preach in the clothing, so it wasn't even a question not to focus on being as sustainable and ethical as possible.
I sort of always had an entrepreneurial spirit and was always on the lookout for inspiration and ideas. I had recently turned plant based myself and wanted a way to spread this message and plant seeds for other people in a way that wasn’t too in your face, or screaming the word 'vegan'.
It's 'vegan' more so with the message a lot of the clothing is spreading, but also because all of our inks are vegan and eco friendly (many mainstream inks printed on garments contain animal derivatives like crushed up horse hooves or beetles - yuk!).
Is that all part of a bigger commitment?
For sure. It’s super important, especially as vegans, to commit to that. Because we choose this lifestyle in a bid to promote non-harming of other beings; and the fashion industry unfortunately is one filled with harm and exploitation.
There is so much injustice going on behind closed doors just to get you your cheap T-shirt: poor or dangerous working conditions, unfair pay, child labour, to name a few - which gets swept under the carpet.
To make conscious decisions, we have to invest in what we’re purchasing - and start voting with our wallets.
Aside from the production side, there is also so much to be considered in terms of the fabrics, dyes & inks used in the clothing we, as consumers, are buying; every purchase decision is ultimately contributing negatively or neutrally on the environment, and it’s important we’re conscious about this too, for the future of our planet.
What’s your view on sustainability in the fashion industry?
I don’t know if it’s just that I’m more involved in the industry now, but I definitely have seen a huge shift of investment of interest in ethical and sustainable fashion.
There’s been a great increase in people wanting to know more and caring about what’s gone into making their clothes; brands are starting to take note of this as people start to be willing to spend more to make sure they’re supporting ethical practices.
We have a long way to go in general in the fashion industry but it's great to see waves being made every day.
That the world can just go on pause like that, and it's given us all an opportunity to reassess how we're living our lives.
How has COVID-19 affected the brand?
I feel very fortunate and grateful to say it's been a good thing in terms of growth for us, as people have shifted to online shopping more, as well as being purchasing more consciously so supporting brands like ourselves.
As well as this, I've had more time to focus with less distractions from the outside world, so as terrible as this year has been in general, I'm seeing all the good things it's brought for us too.
Do you think there are wider lessons to be learned?
Indeed, it's put everything in perspective, hasn't it? That the world can just go on pause like that, and it's given us all an opportunity to reassess how we're living our lives, the state of the world, and so on.
One big reset button.
Where do you see the Plant Faced brand going next?
Hopefully continuing to evolve our style in new directions, bringing out a heap more products that people love, building the biggest community we can of great people passionate about making the world a better place.
