British luxury brand, Sarvin, is an established contemporary occasionwear brand - championing handmade British luxury pieces infused with a Persian twist. Our founder and namesake, Sarvin, is passionate about her Persian origin and in our latest Eco-Friendly collection, we wanted to explore our Persian heritage further without compromising our stance on sustainable luxury design. This is the story of how our first ever exclusive Sarvin print was born from staying curious and having a thirst for learning.
Discovering the Best Silk-Alternative
Our journey begins in Turkey, where our head-designer, Sarvin Clark, was searching high and low for luxurious silk fabric. In her efforts, Sarvin discovered a fabric manufacturer that not only shared our philosophy on sustainable fashion but also produced a high-quality silk alternative made from recycled plastic bottles and cotton linters. The result is an innovative, high-quality silk-alternative with an irresistible fluid drape that traditional silk is famous for. Our fabric is vegan, cruelty-free and is also certified by the Global Recycle Standard (GRS). Our supplier is the first V-labelled fabric producer in the world, and the European Vegetarian Union certifies their yarns to correspond with the guidelines of the European Vegetarian Label and is categorised in the Vegan V-Label. Sarvin believes that modern luxury should be sustainable and ethically responsible, and so this silk-like fabric was a perfect alternative, as its manufacturing process has a more gentle impact on the planet than traditional silk.
Inspired by the Process
As we learned more about the silk-alternative fabric, we discovered that it could also be printed on. This is accomplished by the state-of-the-art looms, that is located on our manufacturer's premises. The yarns are made out of selected recycled materials, and there are various abilities responsible for preparing the fabrics for print. The print designs are applied with conventional techniques by the rotary flat-bed printer with very fine screens that are also prepared by our manufacturer in-house. The printing process has no limitation in colour and has a high definition. The finishing department gives our fabrics the beautiful final touch and drape without sacrificing from the standard requirement. Tumbling, continuous weight reduction and sanforising are just a few means of accomplishing the unique hand-feel of our fabrics.
It was upon learning about this process that we were then inspired to develop the first-ever Sarvin print.
Back to our Roots
For the print, we wanted to go back to the brands' heritage that is deep-rooted in Persian culture. We collaborated with Persian artist Ali Fani Salek on an exclusive hand-drawn design that was then digitally printed onto our silk-like recycled fabric. Sarvin worked closely with the artist on exclusive hand-drawn prints which are nothing like anything seen in fashion or textiles before. They are colourful, playful and whimsical and encapsulate where we see the brand, present and future. The prints are a modern take on traditional Persian culture and are a kaleidoscope of colour and pattern; they are true to the signature style of professor Salek. We wanted to work with a Persian artist as it is a nod to our founders' heritage, whilst endorsing an artist and their craft.
Sarvin believes that it is important to distil the fashion industry with a sense of community, and by working with artisans and craftspeople such as Ali Fani Salek we are enriching the industry economically and culturally, and in this case, bridging the gap between two worlds.
Learning Curve
Sarvin is a small but growing fashion label. We are constantly looking for ways to ensure a more sustainable fashion future. We approach each collection with an open mind to the possibilities.
Every opportunity we undertake is an opportunity for growth, and with a sense of curiosity, we can achieve our goals on sustainability and ethical design.
The future is bright, and the next steps for the brand are to research and develop solutions on reducing fabric waste during the production stage of our supply chain. In development are one-off accessories - such as neckties, hair scarves, and lingerie - made from the very cut-offs of our past collections. Our "zero-waste" line will be of a limited run and exclusive to each collection we launch in the future. Watch this space!
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