When a sustainability-focused brand is founded by an executive who started her career at mass-market brands like Gap, Victoria’s Secret and The Limited, it might be natural to question the authenticity of the venture. Allison Bloch, CEO of recently launched US lingerie brand In Common, argues that her background provides an essential foundation for creating ethical products that reflect her values.
Many who want to capitalize on sustainability as a trend rather than a mandate are accused of greenwashing, and the responsibility for improving the industry rests on the shoulders of the new generation. But can these urgently needed changes happen within an industry that is responsible for the waste problem itself, i.e. that not only has to produce more responsibly but also much less?
For Bloch, the pandemic changed everything. “Like most people, I was at home feeling very helpless. Not being a doctor or scientist, I had no opportunity to help or support those who needed it,” she tells FashionUnited. “However, this experience forced me to stop and reassess my options. I realized that I could actually make a difference by using my 18 years of experience to create products people know and love – only better made. My education in the fashion industry gave me the necessary expertise on the standard practices in materials and packaging. From there, I set out to do better ethically and work tirelessly to see where there is room for improvement in the process.”
Does the world really need another sustainable fashion brand?
Improved manufacturing, more responsible processes, sustainable fabrics and fair wages are among the core principles on which In Common is based. Gap gets a D (poor) and Victoria’s Secret an E (awful) grade, according to Fairify, a website that aims to help people shop more sustainably by screening over 250 brands on criteria including transparency, climate goals, materials and sourcing, and philanthropy. . US clothing retailer The Limited closed all its stores in 2017. Former manager Bloch specializes in building brands and – as the press kit states – “bridled the gap”, but many sustainability experts say the world doesn’t need more product and growth as a measure of success is unsustainable. What does Bloch say about that?
Bloch understands and respects this objection. In fact, she says, that’s exactly how she justified the specific product space she’s identified for her brand. “There’s a realistic lifespan for everyday, intimate items like bras and underwear,” she says. “After six months to a year of use, no matter how well made it is and how carefully you wash it, the quality will deteriorate. And when you can’t wear your underwear anymore, most people don’t want to wear second hand either.”
Second hand is not an option when it comes to underwear
The concept of recycling, reselling, or even passing on items through generations does not apply to underwear, and when it comes to the value we place on our garments, everyday underwear takes on the position of both essential and interchangeable be. These were useful parameters for Bloch, because, she says, “vintage underwear” unfortunately doesn’t have much appeal.
However, she believes that the process of making underwear can be changed to be in line with sustainable values. The technology developed by In Common for the ‘Zero Bra” uses the plant-based bioplastic EVA for padding. The raw material for this comes from sugar cane, while other mass-produced bras use foam made from petroleum for their cups. Bloch: “I think it’s important to educate women about the toxins and chemicals in the bras they buy.”
After nearly two decades in the industry, Bloch admits it’s hard to break with the ways you’re used to. She describes the most important changes as follows: “I had [früher] a lot of resources and a big budget to work with. When starting a business from scratch, every penny counts, and it’s important to think carefully about how far each dollar will go. It’s definitely different from the days when you worked with a big budget for a multi-billion dollar brand.
The community matters
While the global pandemic on the one hand pushed her to start her own brand, on the other hand it presented her with enormous challenges. Supply chain issues like never before and working remotely tested Bloch’s wealth of experience. “The hardest part for me was not being able to interact with the team and clientele I wanted to serve while building the brand,” she says. “I’m proud of how much we’ve accomplished through Zoom, but some things just aren’t the same without the opportunity to work together face-to-face on a daily basis. But we’ve made great progress and I’m proud of how much we’ve achieved despite strong headwinds.”
Bloch’s sense of collaboration was evident last month at the opening of the In-Common pop-up in New York’s Soho, where she brought together other brands with ethically sourced items. Alongside their t-shirts and panties, Noshinku hand sanitizer, Ora plant-based proteins and Dirty Labs laundry detergent were displayed in a room full of greenery and biodegradable mannequins to underscore the ideology of oneness with nature.
“At In Common we make clothes for the common good. This means that everyone we work with has the same goal, we praise and respect them. Whether it’s a brand that’s committed to reusable packaging, eliminating plastic waste, or taking a small step toward sustainability, we love this community.”
Basics as a starting point for more sustainability
Her vision for the future is to continue building and nurturing this community and empowering individuals to take small steps to make a difference. “By getting people to wear basics that are better for our planet, we hope to raise awareness of how easy sustainable steps really are.”
So it seems possible to go from a fast fashion company to an independent, sustainability-focused start-up, but Bloch emphasizes that it’s more of a process than a one-off step. The goal is to arrive at a holistic convergence of individual and ecological well-being, according to the founder: “In Common is still quite new and a small start-up, so of course there is still a lot of room for improvement,” she says. “But I’m excited about where we started and where we’re headed.”
This article was previously published on FashionUnited.uk. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ