Dive Deeper: OUTFYT
Exclusive Interview with sustainable athleisure brand : OUTFYT
An exclusive brand interview with the founders of OUTFYT. A sustainable activewear brand that was created for women to maximise their confidence when working out and beyond. As an eco-conscious brand, they produce timeless pieces that are well constructed and built to last. Outfyt’s designs are made in small batches in luxurious recycled fabrics, eliminating excess production and waste. With every purchase, 1% of profits will be donated to Healthy Seas.
SECTION 1: ABOUT YOU
1. Would you share a bit about yourself and where you’re from?
My name is Stephanie and I’m half Swedish, half Singaporean. I grew up in Singapore but during school holidays I would have the opportunity to spend lots of time in Sweden with my mum’s family. I feel I have been very lucky to experience two cultures. It has formed the way I view life and made me adaptable and flexible.
2. How did it all start?
Way back then I could not find workout clothes that could be worn both for exercising and as casual wear. Most workout gear would be loud and multicolored, so I got to work and Outfyt was born.
3. Was it always the intention to become a sustainable and ethical designer?
Outfyt started out as a non-sustainable brand but after our first collection, I was determined to make a change. The more I became aware of the waste the fashion industry contributes to I decided that I wanted to be a part of the solution and not the problem.
4. What was it that first raised your awareness of the issue of fast fashion?
Through sourcing for and researching sustainable fabrics, I was outraged when I realised that entire villages are poisoned by toxic fabric dyes. These wastewater chemicals are illegally dumped in rivers that are also used as the water supply for the villages resulting in sickness and children being born with physical defects.
SECTION 2: ABOUT YOUR BRAND
1. Could you tell us more about your label?
Of course! Outfyt is a sustainable activewear brand for women to maximise their confidence when working out and beyond. Known for our chic minimalism, all our designs are ethically and sustainably made from luxurious recycled fabrics. Our collections are produced in small batches to eliminate excess production and waste. Most importantly, we produce items that are made to last. Many of my Outfyt pieces that I have been using regularly for years still look brand new!
2. What is the ethos when you design?
It revolves around these three — SIMPLICITY, MINIMALISM, FUNCTIONALITY
2.1 And what defines your style?
The Outfyt design style is clean cut and timeless with a focus on quality and texture. The minimalist aesthetic effortlessly allows the wearer to style it up or down. Each piece is designed with no visible logos because I want people to be able to wear their sports bras and crop tops in multiple settings without having it scream “I’m wearing activewear!”
3. What have been some of the biggest challenges for you on this journey?
Without hesitation, the biggest challenge we faced so far was to adapt to the change in the market due to COVID. The great thing about challenges is that it makes you think on your feet and forces you to find solutions through new opportunities.
4. What do you want to achieve personally with your brand?
Personally it’s very important for me that I can be confident and proud of the products we produce in all aspects from design to quality and sustainability. I’m looking forward to continuing on our sustainable journey and hope to inspire other independent brands to follow suit.
SECTION 3: YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE
1. How would you explain the importance of brands like yours making steps to become more ethical and sustainable to someone who isn’t well-versed in what that means?
When you choose to support ethical and sustainable brands, you say no to the exploitation of factory workers and the pollution of the earth.
2. For the consumers, what are the easiest ways that we can all be more sustainable in our approach to fashion?
1. Plan your purchases and don’t shop on impulse.
2. Buy quality items that will last a long time.
3. Purchase classic designs that you will wear for years.
4. Support sustainable brands and ask questions to eliminate brands that greenwash.
3. In your own eyes, how has becoming a sustainable designer changed your life?
Being a sustainable designer has influenced and changed my purchase decisions. I am more aware of what I buy and who I buy from. I make sure I’m making ethical choices that are right for me. I have definitely become an avid advocate for sustainability too!
4. People say that sustainable fashion is too expensive or too difficult to do. How do you usually respond to that?
Firstly, sustainable fashion is perceived to be more expensive when it might not actually be. I think it’s all relative and it depends what you compare to. It also depends on what your purchasing behaviours are like. If you purchase quality items that last a long time, that will inevitably be cheaper than repurchasing items that are made cheaply and don’t last.
Secondly, sustainable materials are more expensive because you have the cost of rescuing and recycling all these plastic waste materials. The factories that process and create these materials are also sustainable as they have invested in research on how to produce textiles in a more eco-friendly way. The factory workers are paid fair wages and are not modern day slaves.
Thirdly, small brands like Outfyt produce in low quantities so that we don’t overproduce and create waste. Lots of brands have been found to throw away items that don’t sell which inevitably end up in landfill. Producing in low quantities means that the per piece cost of each item ends up to be higher.
I believe that when people understand the reasons behind the price of sustainable fashion they won’t think that it is too expensive.
In response to brands that think going sustainable is too difficult to do, I would suggest making small changes along the way towards being sustainable.
If you haven’t started your business yet then you’re in a great place! It is much easier going green from the start.
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