The Scottish subscription fashion business providing an ethical fashion fix.
A keen eye for browsing charity shops and a passion for the environment has led to a Stirling duo launching an innovative ethical sustainable clothing business.
Forth Valley Chamber member ‘Sioda’ (Gaelic for silk), is the first Scottish business to provide a monthly subscription service where women can rent stylish high-end daywear and occasion-wear from classic design labels such as Reiss, Whistles, French Connection and Coast in sizes ranging from 4-24.
The business aims to counter the throwaway fast fashion culture and ensure that women of all shapes and sizes can still look and feel fantastic in stunning key wardrobe pieces and get their fashion fix in a cost-effective and ethical way.
Operational Director, Naomi Ross, was inspired to launch the business with Commercial Director Alex McKenna after seeing a gap in the market for women who want to be fashionable and shop ethically but are time-poor to source quality investment pieces themselves second hand.
Naomi said: “We are determined to disrupt the fast fashion industry’s ‘make, wear once and dispose’ approach and offer women a mainstream alternative – to rent beautiful high-quality clothes from our website, via affordable payment models.
“Many people don’t have the time or energy to spend in charity shops looking for key pieces so our team at Sioda do the hard work for them.
“With the fashion industry emitting more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined and 85 per cent of all textiles going to the dump each year, there needs to be a seismic change in attitudes towards how we shop, and Sioda is proud to be leading that drive and reducing the number of items going to landfill each year.”
Customers can be confident in Sioda’s green credentials.
Returned worn items are cleaned with a steam closet care system (certified against COVID), using environmentally friendly products and everything from the packaging to their bank has been carefully considered by the Sioda team.
Sioda has also been certified by The Good Business Charter which recognises responsible business practices.
Naomi and Alex are already looking ahead to how they can use profits from the business to start a foundation focussing on social justice and ethical causes, and they are investigating how damaged returned items can be reused positively in other ways.
One initiative already launched, is a partnership with Funeral Aid and Women’s Aid to provide garments in kind to women on low incomes for funerals and job interviews.
Alex added: “At Sioda we have a real drive to be part of that societal change and take people along with us. As a society we need to do more to tackle the environmental crisis and be able to give assistance to people in our society in their time of need.
“At Sioda we feel really passionately that if we all make small steps to make a change, we can make a big difference.”
The business has already attracted support from the Scottish Government Kickstart Programme, Scottish Enterprise, Forth Environment Link and Zero Waste Scotland.
Martin Valenti, Head of Climate Enterprise at Scottish Enterprise said: “The passion for style and sustainability is evident, Sioda UK is ahead of the game and if anyone can make a difference in the fashion industry it is them.”
