Our Approach
Dearest Fannie was created by Jessica and Eleanor Duff, Summer 2018. A business built on the question: Why can’t sustainability be fashion?
Dearest Fannie creates reusable alternatives in a colourful and fun way. Sustainability doesn’t have to be boring; it can be incorporated into our daily lives without having to make any sacrifices, it often saves you money too!
We are a modern business with strong ethics at our core.
Quality
Questioning quality is an important process of product development. We create products that are reusable and have longevity to ensure a minimum amount of waste. We say quality over quantity.
Art
Art and creativity are often passed as not important, especially in the UK’s education system. In a world that is full of systems, art is an important reminder of freedom, expression, individualism and collectivism. We look to inspire creativity by creating our own art and hiring freelances to create for us.
People
It is paramount that every person who comes into contact with our brand, whether that be a supply chain worker, a customer or an employee, are treated with respect. Before choosing our manufactures, we ensure that they are a responsible employer. This means all staff are payed fairly and the conditions in which they work are of a high standard.
Factories
The factories that we work with to create our products all go through checks to ensure working conditions are of a high standard and employees are treated and payed fairly. We work with our factories to ensure that throughout the process of manufacture and shipping, it is as sustainable with as little waste as possible whilst all processes are in line with our ethics.
Examples:
- We have our packaging made in the UK and products are packed here to ensure we use as little space when shipping as possible.
- Our straws originally were delivered in individual sets wrapped in plastic, we worked with the manufactures to substitute for a natural biodegradable option wrapped in bulk rather than sets.
- We are working on having products shipped via rail or sea rather than air. We are aware of the problems with sea travel and opt for rail when possible.
- When looking for manufacturers we look for those with certificates by recognised organisations such as SEDEX. We do not work with factories who use child labour.
Animal welfare
All factories have to sign a document confirming they only create vegan and cruelty free products. Eg, we will never use a factory that works with fur or actively tests on animals. When necessary we will pay for accreditations with recognised organisation to certify that our products are vegan. Our Ditsy Cloth is certified vegan by Peta. All dyes, from our packaging to products are vegan. As a vegan business, we promise that everything we do will be vegan.
We participate in vegan fairs throughout the UK to help raise awareness of veganism and to be an active member of the community. We also participate in vegan charity events who raise money for animals causes. In the owner’s personal life, they help to rescue and look after rescued animals at their family home.
Cotton
We are aware of the damage the textile industry has on our earth. Whenever we sell products that use cotton, we ensure that it is certified organic. This means that the cotton comes from non-genetically modified plants and does not use any synthetic agricultural chemicals such as fertilisers or pesticides.
Fabric Innovation & Synthetic Fabrics
We do in depth research into all materials that we use and work with fabric innovators.
Ditsy Cloth
Our Ditsy Cloth is made from synthetic fabric. We believe that it is the best and most sustainable option to remove makeup, currently on the market. We are aware that this material does leach fibres that can be problematic, in the link below you can learn more about this:
We are working to innovate our Ditsy Cloth to be more sustainable.
Packaging
All materials used in our packaging is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) approved. This means that our paper raw materials use sustainable forest management. FSC mission is:
‘FSC will promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests.’
Sustainability
Dearest Fannie is making sustainability fashion. We are bringing products that reduce waste to the market that are fashionable. We constantly check on the latest news regarding the climate crisis and educate ourselves on ways we can do better. Our goal is to help people make more sustainable choices and occupy spaces that aren’t necessarily environmentally conscious, this allows us to reach a wider audience. We create products that people didn’t know they needed and once they find us and our reusable items, it is easy to make the simple change to make a more sustainable life.
Community
We are creating a community through social media. It is important that our following is able to see us standing up for what is right in issues surrounding but not limited to climate and social justice.
Vegan
Jessica and Eleanor have been vegan since 2017. They opted for the vegan lifestyle for ethical reasons after learning of the horrific realities of the meat industry. Since going vegan they have taken part in activism, rescuing animals from slaughter and attending events within the vegan community. They have also learnt of the direct link between animal agriculture and the climate crisis. These beliefs have been carried through Dearest Fannie. As the business grows, the foundations and ethics will always be vegan. This is our promise to the animals being bred into the system, the vegan community and planet earth.
Female founded
Dearest Fannie is founded by female entrepreneurs.
Privilege
The owners of Dearest Fannie recognise that their privilege as white, cis gender and able-bodied women (among other privileges) has directly impacted where they and their business are today. They understand that because of this, their journey has been a lot easier than those people who don’t also benefit from these privileges. Whenever opportunities for hiring freelances or employees, Dearest Fannie ensure that they are inclusive. They will speak up on important matters via their social media platforms and will be active in making Dearest Fannie a place for everyone.