No Arbitrary Fashion
Arbiter Of Sustainable Fashion
5 Questions
Anne Takahashi
Co-founder
SOOT STHLM & LEGnology
Anne is of the the founders of two sustainable fashion stories. SOOT STHLM, a slow fashion concept and Legnology, a label for sustainably produced tights.
Read the short Q&A below about the beginning of their journey in sustainable fashion, the challenges, collaborations and more...
1.How far are you on your journey?
A: We just started. It has been seven years since we launced LEGNOLOGY. And in 2016 we launched SOOT STHLM. It takes a long time and hard work. Even though we learned so much over the years, we are still right at the beginning as brand. Especially when it comes to visibility and acknowledgment. We are always developing new strategies and looking into new methods to be more sustainable and constantly growing. Every year there are new and more greener ways and we investigate and try things.
2. How do you see sustainability?
A: We began by realising that there is people behind everything. Machines don’t make the product by themselves. So you have to consider that people have to survive and be able to take care of themselves and their families. They deserve a safe place to work, where there aren’t exposed to dangerous chemicals and anything that may be harmful to their health. That’s our first priority.
We also work with certified fibers and textiles. For us every single part of the value chain is important. Starting with the people, the production practices, and the retailers that we use to have. Nowadays we do everything online. We also look to ourselves, to see how much work we can handle and what’s sustainable to our well being. It’s only me and Annette, working with two brands. And to end costumer, we want to give them products with great quality that they can enjoy.
3.Why have you started Legnoglogy?
A: We started LEGNOLOGY because me and Annette, we both love tights and leggings. The product itself has been around since the early 40s. The process of making tights is very technical. It involves engineering, computing and machinery, and the majority of people working in the hosiery industry are man. That’s okay, but they don't usually wear tights or know how they are supposed to feel. In production the tights are fitted and their size tested on a metal frames. Since we all have different body shapes, the few standardised sizes don't fit everyone.
That’s why we engineered and designed tights from scratch. We sourced the fibre that was the most suitable for what we wanted to achieve and we built them ergonomically. They have a waistline that curves around the body, instead of being cut straight. We gave the tights to women from our family and friends to figure out what’s gonna work on different bodies while sitting, standing and in movement. That’s something that should’ve been done long ago. Then, maybe tights wouldn’t have been one of the most hated garments in history.
For some women tight are requirement for their job. That’s why we added the compression feature, so that you will get little boost for the circulation. They also provide support around the tummy, and the thicker styles are made to lift up the bun.
4. How are you designing for longevity?
A: The first thing is that we are very basic. We looked what does a woman or a man need in their closet. That’s why SOOT is unisex, and it’s basically men’s size shirts. That’s our thing. We didn’t want to be too short or too tight. You can wear our clothes day and night and all through the year. We only work with black and white, which makes the garments season-less. You can wear them year after year. They never go out of style. You just gotta tweak it.
Next is quality. The certified tencel is wonderful material to work with. It keeps it’s shape and it’s durable after wearing and
washing. The same thing goes for the high quality polyamide that we use for our tights. It doesn’t pill or change it’s surface in anyway. Even if you wear high boots one day, and low shoes the other, it still looks good. We put so much effort into making them last longer.
5.How do you collaborate?
A: Our collaboration Tomorrow Is Now at the lobby is perfect (read more here). It's where we share our journey and a way to get the word out. We love to share our knowledge. A lot of people showed so much interest. I don’t think I've ever answered so many question about what we do.
For the LEGNOLOGY part, the tights really compliment the setting. You can find a second hand dress, and you might need tights to go with it. And for SOOT, what better way to style your outfit, than with vintage jewelry and a second-hand bag. That is something we talked about at the beginning about SOOT STHLM. We want people to use our clothes as canvas and add their own twist to it.
