What does it really mean to be a sustainable brand?

As we begin 2022, it feels as though the word sustainability is the word on everyone's mind. How can we shop more sustainably, how we eat more sustainably, how can we live more sustainably? Here at Paul James, sustainability has always been one of the pillars of our brand, and since 1976 we've worked exclusively with natural fibres. Our ethos right from the very beginning was all about doing the right thing.

Our commitment to sustainability is evident in two things: the story of our yarns and their traceability. Each of our pieces of knitwear is designed and manufactured in-house, and we produce exclusively at our own factories in the UK and in India. Producing in our own factories means that we can chart the lifecycle of a garment from where the raw fibres are spun into yarn, right through to the knitting of the garment itself.

We produce ethical and sustainability knitwear, and for us a brand, that means we're ensuring everyone who forms part of our supply chain earns a fair wage; that we're working with sustainable fibres and reducing our waste as much as physically possible, and we're creating a product that is designed to last.

Fashion remains one of the world's biggest polluters. When consumer habits are geared by industry towards buying more than they need or always needing new, this will continue to be a problem, even if more brands turn their backs on synthetic fibres. Here at Paul James, we don't think of ourselves as a fashion brand because while we produce stylish clothing, we're not really aspiring to be at the cutting end of fashion.

We know that the most sustainable piece of clothing is the one that you already own. And we're big believers in buying just what you need. We've worked hard over the last few decades to create designs for timeless pieces that transcend trends and are made to look good for many years to come.

It might sound strange coming from a business, but we really do want to encourage you to buy less. We believe you should invest instead in better quality items. We're firm believers in the lifetime value of a product, and that clothes should be made to last longer than just a season. Which is one of the many reasons we work with natural fibres. By producing high quality, our knitwear is made to last and keep its shape, unlike cheaper alternatives made from synthetic fibres that don't stand the test of time. However, we realised that for a lot of consumers, natural fibres and the finest quality yarns were often priced much higher than their budgets. Which is why so many people turn to cheaper alternatives from the high street that simply don't last as long.

By focusing on building our own factories, we bring every stage of the design and manufacturing process in-house, and it means we can control the mark-up at each step of the way. Often natural fibres come with premium price tags because of the expensive middlemen found in their supply chains. By cutting those out, we're able to make these luxury fibres more accessible, offering our customers affordable luxury. That's what we strive to bring you, the finest natural fibre knitwear, fairly priced and ethically made.