Rapanui, a young ethical company based on the Isle of Wight, is the first clothing company in the world to have complete traceability for every product- from seed to shop.
Seed? All Rapanui products are made from organic cotton, bamboo and Eucalyptus.
Through their casual surf style, Rapanui hope to show today’s consumer that eco IS cool and doesn’t mean itchy brown smocks that are so seemingly popular with earth mothers the world over.
Established by brothers Mart and Rob Drake-Knight in early 2008 with £200 of savings, Rapanui is the youngest company to win the Sustainable Business Awards in May 2010, be nominated for the internationally-recognised ISPO Brand New Award in February 2011, winning a Highly Commended Award at the RSPCA Good Business Awards and the Sustain Magazine Award for Governance.
Through surfing the brothers saw and experienced the changing environment and climate at their local beach and as inspired, unemployed graduates in a recession, took a different path; if you can't find a job, make one.
This brand are about making cool eco-fashion for young people; this means on trend clothing that is eco-friendly, ethical and sustainable: Made from natural organic fabrics in a
Fairwear Foundation audited, wind powered factory.
Rapanui utilise a unique traceability tool and eco labelling system which allows visitors to their site to find out exactly where and how their clothing is made and shop quickly with a conscience. 100% supply chain traceability enables tracking for every product - from the people involved with sewing it together- to how much energy was used in the production process.
The recent launch of Rapanui’s 2011 collection sees every swing tag on every garment displaying a product specific QR tag where by consumers can whip out their smart phones, scan and trace the garments manufacturing around the world, from wherever they may be.
The guys behind the brand feel it is imperative that in this fast fashion era, consumers should be aware of where their clothes are coming from and what exactly has gone into the production process. This is a concept already routinely practised in other areas of industry. One only has to walk around a supermarket to see large red labels detailing exactly what has gone into production of and is contained in food stuffs whether it be good or bad, Rapanui ask why should the fashion industry be any different?
Taking all complexities out of labels, spec’s and small print, Rapanui have rounded it all up into a simple grading. Calling it simply, ecolabelling, this simple A-G rating in the same style as the highly successful EU energy rating label
Broadly, this is how the labels should be viewed.
• A – organic ethical sustainable
• B – ethical with some work to sustainable
• C – ethical
• D – not bad, not good either
• E – needs improving
• F – condemnable behaviour
• G – a disgrace
Rapanui are proud to boast nothing below a nice ethical C across their entire range.
Co-founders Rob & Mart developed the idea and petitioned Number 10 to enforce it in 2008, since then gaining national recognition in newspapers and awards ceremonies, but consider their biggest success to be the ecolabelling system having been adopted by major high-street brands in the UK.
Rapanui are about simple and honest communication between the brand and its customers, believing that by something so simple as to include the A-G rated label on every swing tag, it is possible to turn a whole fashion industry around.
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Rapanui for more info check out their latest collection.