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Sustainability

We are a 6th generation weaving business based in the UK, with sustainability at the core of everything we do. Increasingly, sustainability plays a part in every decision we make, from the yarns we source, the way we make our products, manage our factory and, of course, our employment practices.

We own and operate our weaving mill, where 99.9% of our fabrics are produced. The only fabrics that we can’t weave here are our linen sheers as they are very wide and require a specialist loom which is only available in Italy.

We add no chemicals during the weaving process – the only finishing treatment given is a wash in pure Pennine water at our local finishers. The only addition to our linen fabrics is a mild detergent which naturally softens them. So, you’ll be happy to know all our fabrics and home accessories have a minimal transportation footprint during their production. The furthest they travel is 30 miles away from our mill.

Zero Waste Initiative

In 2019 we developed our Zero Waste initiative to find useful and creative ways to tackle our waste.

Conscious Collections

This particular exercise takes surplus yarns leftover from the sampling process or unused in previous collections and turns them into stunning fabrics with sustainability at their heart. It is not an easy task when there are such small amounts of some of the yarns but a challenge that our designers accepted with determination. Of course, by nature, these are small, limited edition runs, and though the fabrics won’t be available forever, their classic design style means they will endure the ever-changing tides of trend as well as the onslaught of a busy household.

Selvedge Repurposing 

We reuse our waste selvedge as an eco-friendly filling for all our doorstops and draught excluders. Any additional selvedge that is leftover from the weaving process is available to local designers and makers.

Charitable Donations

We are delighted to support Fine Cell WorkReturned to Glory, and Step by Step, UK charities that craft beautiful handmade cushions, accessories and gifts by donating fabric to them for their projects. We also donate discontinued pattern books and fabric remnants to local schools and colleges to boost their art department resources.

Fabric Remnant Bundles

We offer assorted fabric remnant bundles ideal for patchwork, quilting and craft projects to our online customers, including offcuts, roll ends and fabrics with minor faults. These bundles allow us to reduce our waste by reusing and re-homing our leftover fabrics.

recyclable packaging

We are continuously looking for new ways to minimise our use of single-use plastics and use recycled materials where possible. All of our fabrics are packaged in recyclable, regenerated polythene and rolled onto cardboard tubes that are FSC certified. Our home accessories and wallpapers are packaged in recyclable FSC certified cardboard boxes. Our brochures are printed on paper that has also been certified by the FSC.

renewable energy

In 2020 we worked with renewable energy company Low Carbon Energy to install 175 solar panels on the main roof area at our Burnley weaving mill. These should generate around 42,000 kWh of electricity a year or 945,000 kWh over the next 25 years, saving around 375 tonnes of CO2 over 25 years. This amount of power is more than the whole Ian Mankin operation uses. 

We are a professional and environmentally conscious organisation committed to protecting and enhancing the environment to prevent pollution and reduce our impact on the environment while complying with legislation.

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