Discover LDC's Core Values for Shopping Sustainable & Ethical Brands

By Caroline L Hamar, Contributor

At LDC we champion independent brands! We want to work with them to help build the next generations of designers, innovators and creatives. Their bold voices are vitally important in the future of fashion. It’s more important than ever to support independent brands right now, it’s a very difficult time for many businesses and entrepreneurs.

We believe it’s also an important time to be investing in brands which represent your values and morals but also investing in brands which represent how you’d like the ‘new normal’ to be. Which, one day, can hopefully be a ‘normal’ which is better and brighter. We wanted to share with you how we’re trying to do that! We have three main values that represent our brands…

Ethical
A supply chain is the centre of any industry, it’s the network of people behind every garment from raw materials to production and retail. We want to make sure the people behind the scenes are just as important as the garment you hold in your hands. So, transparency is extremely important to us! Many products are made in the country of origin, handmade, or brands have very thorough factory processes.

We don’t see the production of clothes as a means-to-an-end, we see it as the life-breath of the industry, we must protect the process and the people within it. If a brand promotes strong, confident women then the brand is also supporting women behind the scenes by teaching them new skills and paying them a fair wage with safe working conditions in the U.K. Such is the case at brands like Birdsong. We are also taking the safety of all workers during the pandemic very seriously so some brands, including Birdsong, have halted their production in factories, so you can buy now, wear later. But, whenever you chose to wear it you know people’s safety have not been compromised.

On each of the designer’s individual page you can see the manufacturing country and any other countries where the brand is based.

Sustainable  
Whether it be innovative in environmentally friendly fabrics, small production runs, made-to-order pieces or up cycling LDC love turning the industry around to be more sustainable. All our brands are committed to that journey. We say ‘journey’ because we know it’s very difficult to be 100% perfect, it can be overwhelming and limiting, but the brands we work with are all trying to reduce their environmental impact and create a better fashion industry.

Brands such as Fanfare create garments with upcycled and recycled materials or surplus materials, these materials would usually be discarded and end up in landfills but Esther Knight gives them a new life within her brand. On each of the designer’s individual page we have listed the materials which are used throughout each brand.

Social
We believe in solidarity, diversity, inclusivity, unity and sensitivity. The brands we represent need to reflect the community we’re creating, this isn’t just a centre of fashion, this is a centre for representation and we known fashion has always promoted a very stereotypical, one dimensional image - we want to open that up and represent everyone! Our brands have been doing that through diverse hiring for their promotional campaigns and within their actual management teams.

Also, many brands give back through charities which are important to the values they represent, such as, Gung Ho, 10% of all profits go to supporting charities which work within the themes of their collections, such as Plastic Oceans, Precious Insects, and the newest range; Food for Thought.

But this social part is also about what we do for brands, we seek out the voices which get drowned out or forgotten in society and work to give them a platform. We have many events and panels which discuss the many issues of the fashion industry so we can hear your voice, but also, so our designers can talk about whats important to them.

We have created symbols for each of our values so when shopping you can see exactly what the brands stand for. So, if you want to support independent businesses and brands who have a vision for a more ethical, sustainable and inclusive future then you’ve come to the right place!

SHOP OUR VALUEs

Baori Trinity Bracelet in 18ct Gold Vermeil
Baori Trinity Bracelet in 18ct Gold Vermeil
Baori Trinity Bracelet in 18ct Gold Vermeil
Baori Trinity Bracelet in 18ct Gold Vermeil

Baori Trinity Bracelet in 18ct Gold Vermeil

£85.00
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Sophie
Sophie
Sophie
Sophie
Sophie
Sophie
Sophie
Sophie

Sophie

£215.00
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