Hemp, in case you didn’t get the memo, is amazing. It doesn’t require any pesticides to grow, returns up to 70% of nutrients it takes from the soil, uses about 50% less than cotton and little land to cultivate. It’s a great raw material to craft long-lasting quality items from and it grows like, well… weed.
Who’s Your Pusher?
A very relatable next question would be: Where are the brands doing a good job in actually using this often overlooked material in ethical fashion today?
Well, how about Noskin, an Australian vegan brand which positioning itself as the new kid on the ethical fashion block. For us, this is a brand that’s doing a lot of things right, and so there was no way around featuring the brand in our autumn/winter fashion piece “Fall Apart” — and we have an in-depth brand-piece in the works, too.
Noskin is a brand we’ve come to love for their clear-cut, no-bs workwear aesthetic, a style rooted in urban youth culture aesthetics of the late 80s / early 90s — and one that has been harder to come by in the ethical fashion sphere.
“90s inspired workwear aesthetic meets a whole lot of heart.“
Think a bit of Grunge influenced workwear meets a note of 90s Hardcore Punk aesthetics meets a whole lot of caring — especially when it comes to the impact of Noskin garments on the planet, the animals and the humans working in manufacturing along their value chain.
And then there’s their Hemp Worker — a unisex garment that, says Noskin, “is based on the traditional chore coat styles, with a modern and sustainable twist.”
A Garment Designed to Last a Lifetime
Think more “heavy duty over-shirt” than actual jacket. The heavyweight blend of hemp and organic cotton makes this item warm enough for (an Australian!) winter, yet, as the brand’s website states, “breathable enough to wear on summer evenings” over a shirt. The subtle oversized fit adds to the unisex feel of the piece.
”Based on traditional chore coat styles, but with a modern & sustainable twist.“
Branding is very subtle, but nicely done, complete with tonal embroidery on the chest and a non-leather jacron patch on the hem. Add a handful of engraved alloy buttons, reinforced twin needle stitching for durability and internal utility pockets at the chest and hem.
This garment feels like a sturdy companion indeed, this is what a product feels like that’s been designed to last a lifetime.
