English brand Rixo was created by Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey in 2015. The brand focuses on playful, bold prints with a retro, bohemian feel, inspired by the designers’ love of vintage clothing. A see-now-buy-now attitude is less and less appealing and a brand that is shifting this focus is Rixo.

Their collections are intended to transcend time and be wearable for decades after you’ve purchased an item. Rixo isn’t defined by one age group, and is aimed as much at women in their 50’s as women in their 20’s. They are also working on making the brand  more size inclusive.

Rixo has moved towards doing ‘drops’ rather than sticking to the seasonal fashion schedule. “These will cater more towards what customers actually want and need in any one month and help with our bid to encourage more considered shopping and less waste in production.”

They have recently created a swimwear collection produced entirely from recycled plastics (from the fabric Q-NOVA, a sustainable nylon fibre obtained from regenerated raw materials that would have otherwise been waste products). With environmentally sustainable nylon integrated into every piece, the swimsuits’ production has produced fewer CO2 emissions and consumed less water than typical swimwear.

In 2020 they released ‘Rixo Recycle’, a collection with one-off original pieces made with off-cut fabrics and recyclable materials. The collection featured floral hand produced prints (where each print was painstakingly created by hand on individual woodblocks).  It was carefully made in a female-owned factory in India and created with recyclable materials and fabric offcuts that would have otherwise been wasted.

The brand is completely transparent with regard to where pieces are made. Special pieces will be made in limited quantities, using only organic fabrics. Nothing is mass produced and  the brand prefers to work with small, family run suppliers.

“The full supply chain life cycle of our garments happens in one place – we do not ship components to and from different countries. The final garment is produced in the same region where the fabrics and components are sourced.”

McCloskey and Rix intentionally rely on only a few so as to build strong relationships within their supply chain and minimise the waste created by mass production. The pair are also refreshingly honest about their decision to be open about discussing where their production is and how it is actually better for the carbon footprint to keep the whole process of producing their clothes in one place.

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