Highlights
- Merino clothing requires less frequent washing - less resource use and less plastic pollution washed into the oceans.
- Products are made using Seamless Performance™ technology generating 30% less waste compared to traditional knitting.
- A jacket made from recycled plastic and used coffee granules has been developed, an innovation at
the cutting edge of the textile industry.
Based in Innerleithen, FINDRA design and produce a range of active lifestyle clothing for women and men, made from ethically sourced merino wool, a natural fibre which is both renewable and biodegradable.
FINDRA’s designer wanted to create a sustainable brand, producing stylish performance wear using natural fibres. Merino clothing requires less frequent washing which means that less resources are used and less plastic pollution is washed into the oceans. FINDRA also offers a repair service, so any holes or damage will be repaired, extending the life of the clothes.
FINDRA’s products are made using Seamless Performance™ technology. This process produces high quality garments without seems, generating 30% less waste compared to traditional knitting processes where each part is knitted separately, cut and then sewn together.
The business is always striving to improve. The judges were impressed by FINDRA’s new technical
jacket which is made from recycled plastic bottles and used coffee granules, an innovation which is at the cutting edge of the textile industry.
The Small Business Scotland Award is an additional award for the best entry to any category. It is open to businesses with less than 50 employees. FINDRA encapsulates sustainability, innovation and strong environmental principles across the entire business; from the inspiration behind the name and logo (protector of sea and land), the recycled/upcycled shop fittings to the unique products. The judges felt that, given the size of the business, there was a strong potential for business growth and considered this to be a worthy winner of the Small Business Scotland award.
Founder Alex Feechan has put sustainability at the heart of FINDRA, with the aim that the brand can be part of the global fashion revolution to make a change in the attitudes towards buying fast fashion. FINDRA advocates slow fashion, producing high-quality clothing that lasts, from the design to the complementary colours. The founder is also an ambassador for the business network group Women’s Enterprise Scotland, a body with the aim of strengthening the Scottish Economy through women’s enterprise.
Alex Feechan, CEO/founder at FINDRA, said: “We are committed to doing whatever we can to reduce our impact on the environment and deliver a sustainable future. A spotlight has been shone on the
Fashion Industry and the extensive supply chain behind it, highlighting the massive contribution that fast fashion and our buying habits make to land fill sites.
“We are proud to receive the VIBES award in the Small Business Scotland category which recognises the work that we do to counter this, and we hope it will also inspire other companies to play their
part.”