Launched in 2019 and exclusive to THE ICONIC, Aere is GFG’s first own-label made entirely of more sustainable fabrications. In its first season the brand, which delivers casual yet stylish silhouettes for both men and women, was made entirely of linen. Made from cellulose fibres from the flax plant, linen is considered a less environmentally harmful fibre than other natural fibres such as cotton because it is a strong and fast-growing crop, requiring fewer chemicals and less water to produce.
THE ICONIC Buying team is supported in its decision making on more sustainable materials by the business’ Preferred Materials Benchmark, an internally developed tool to grade materials based upon their sustainability performance. Future seasons will see the introduction of organic cotton, hemp, recycled polyester and Tencel into the range. Aere is just one demonstration of THE ICONIC’s transition its own brands to be made of less environmentally harmful materials, having set a target of 90% of the range to be made of more sustainable fibres by 2025.
