Sustainability and climate change are very important issues to me. I began Punk Majesty as a 100% Upcycled business for the first few years, but as I began to expand and grow, this has evolved.

 

I spend a lot of time researching the ways to run my brand as sustainably as possible. Because I am bootstrapping DIY on a budget, it is challenging. I am doing my part in the ways that I can, and as I grow, I plan to become more and more sustainable as my budget allows me access to better resources.

 

I encourage people to buy less and buy only what they need. If you buy something, I want you to love it, and I want you to wear it forever, and I want it to last. And when you're done with it, I encourage you to donate or re-sell it, give it to someone else who will love it, or make sure to recycle it.

 

Some ways that I can run my brand in the most sustainable way possible is to not produce inventory that may not sell. We are only making the products as you buy them. I'm working with different manufacturers who produce the products with sustainable inks and shipping methods, ethically, with attention and care to who is making them and how they are treated.

 

With all this in mind, to be fully transparent, because I am a “baby brand” and a one-woman business with limited financial resources, my budget and access to use the materials that I’d like to use (because I consider them to be the most eco-friendly) are limited. Ideally, I’d like to only use fabrics that are the highest percentage of sustainable that is possible. Although all my fabrics can be recycled, if they get discarded and end up in a landfill, they are still contributing to the global waste and climate problems. (If you aren’t aware, Fashion is the #2 contributor to the global waste problem affecting climate change, after the oil industry.)

 

Therefore, I encourage everyone to participate in a circular economy by donating or re-selling the items they no longer wear, giving them away, or recycling them. I want everyone who knows Punk Majesty to know that sustainability has been considered and researched in every step and decision made along the way.

 

One frequently asked question is, “Why don't you offer vegan leather jackets?” There is a very good reason for this. Vegan leather is made from man-made materials and is also often made using toxic dyes and chemicals. These are actually worse for the environment than using animal leathers because animal leather can be recycled, upcycled, and is compostable. The only vegan leathers I’ve offered were bought in thrift shops and upcycled, to contribute to our circular economy of re-using things and giving them new life. For customers who want vegan leathers, I offer the service of customizing your own.

 

And a side note, I do not condone killing animals. I have not eaten animals for almost my entire adult life. I quit eating meat when I was 19 years old, and my grandparents owned a cattle farm. I am the only non-meat eater in my family, so I took a stand on issues I cared about at a young age. However, if we cannot stop the meat industry, using leather that is a byproduct of that industry is a way for us to use all existing materials available. Also, leather lasts almost forever, and it has been my experience that most vegan leathers are not well-made and don’t last long, as well as not being compostable or recyclable.

 

Much scientific research is being done to produce natural vegan leathers, and the most exciting one I've heard of is mushroom leather, but I do not have access to this material yet. I hope in the future, it might be an accessible solution. We don’t yet know how long they will last, but they will be compostable.

 

No business or clothing line can be 100% sustainable, but making mindful decisions is very important to me and my brand and ethos. Thank you for reading, as this is an issue close to my heart. I want to be the first rock n roll/ punk style clothing line that stands for something and cares about the environment. It’s great to look cool, but it’s better to do so while standing for something. –Alisha Amnesia

 

PS: RECYCLYING INFO: If you don't know where to recycle your fabrics and old clothes that you no longer wear in your hometown, one option is to turn them in at an H&M store, and they will give you 10% off a future purchase. Even if you don't plan to shop with them, this program is in place where you can drop them off to be recycled with a huge company that knows how to get it done. They accept clothing in any shape, from any brand. Even though they are a big corporation and part of the fast fashion industry that has contributed to this global problem, I appreciate that they are taking steps to do better.

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