We believe that high quality
and environmental responsability go hand in hand
At CANOPEA, we believe that high quality and sustainability go hand in hand. From day one, it occurred to us that fashion business as usual is simply no longer an option and as the hopelessly optimistic team that we are, we try to do things more responsibly, reconciling style with sun protection and being that little bit kinder to the environment.
HOW DO WE DO IT?
Chemical free
Sun cream is not only prohibitively expensive but we now know how toxic it is for ocean life. The effect of oxybenzone and octinoxate (present in 80% of suncreams) has a disastrous effect on adult and baby coral alike, altering their symbiotic relationship with algae, killing coral and preventing reefs from regenerating. But offering an alternative to sunscreens only made sense if ruling out UV blocking chemical filters altogether. Our sun protection comes from the tight weaving of the fiber itself, making it an extra eco-friendly choice.
Our fabrics
When we found out that 10 % of ocean plastic pollution come from fishing nets, at CANOPEA, we chose to use a regenerated super-resistant nylon fiber, called Econyl®, which is made from rescued fishing nets and other post-consumer nylon waste. Our fabrics are then tested over 200 hours in laboratory against chlorine and sun cream, while being certified UPF50+ - the best protection according to the Australian norm, the international reference for sun protection. Thanks to this innovative technology, we are able to produce timeless pieces that are made to last, while reducing the amount of plastic waste that goes to landfill.
Our ethics
At CANOPEA we care about provenance. Our designs are intentionally created with minimal components to limit production and shipping costs (and therefore offering better prices). Our sourced fabrics are then carefully crafted and manufactured in selected European textile workshops, who value safe working conditions. We can thus ensure the highest quality for your swimwear and lowest impact on our carbon footprint.
Our logistics
We choose to work closely with a small local Work Integration Social Enterprise (WISE) for all our packing and shipping, providing employment to disadvantaged young workers and helping them step back into the work force. We also keep our packaging lean, reducing unnecessary waste to ensure you receive your swimwear wrapped in beautiful crisp silk paper with just a simple thank you card.
What next?
At CANOPEA, we know that reducing plastic waste starts with recycling fishnets, but ultimately, we also have to turn off the tap and limit producing plastic in the first place. We know that the Fashion industry has to move towards a more transparent, circular economy of waste to wear, giving new life to used textiles without producing new resources and are proud actors of that transformation.
For the past few years, we have been proud to part in the Fashion Revolution movement, which encourages more brands to be transparent about their manufacturing process and consumers to ask #whomademyclothes.
What about you, ready for change?