EcoZeal

Regarded as a pioneer of sustainable practices in fashion and interior design, Rachel Bending has challenged the fashion industry and achieved significant success in only a short period of time. Not the least of which, was that her business was the first in Australia to become climate neutral.
After studying at the Glasgow School of Art, followed by event director roles at Saatchi Group and The Princes Trust, Rachel followed her passion for the environment and combined this with her design training to start Slingfings and Bird Textiles.

Rachel’s objective was to challenge the fashion industry – an eternally producing and consuming industry – to show designers that it is possible to create beautiful things in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way, without compromising on quality. She says:

“In this age of mass production and mass merchandising, our customers really appreciate our sustainability ethos. What it comes down to is corporate responsibility. The buying public is becoming more discerning. People are seeing sense in ethical and sustainable consumerism, and will buy with this in mind if we give them the choice.”

Rachel’s work started in 2002 with Slingfings, a brand widely recognised for its environmental consciousness. Bird Textiles launched in March 2006 and continues this brand ethos, exposing its products and message to a global marketplace.

Slingfings garments are made from reclaimed vintage fabrics, Bird garments are made from fabrics designed in-house and hand printed using water based dyes.

Source: Soul Economy