New sustainable fashion shop opens in Southsea

Cacey Barks and her boyfriend Josh Bland have opened their first store for their sustainable fashion brand Tweedy Clothing in Albert Road in Southsea – the former Bee Hive store.

The pair started the business a few years ago in Australia with the mission to bring sustainable to the masses.

Cacey, 38, said: ‘It is so important to me that fashion is sustainable and I started going round festivals and events with clothes that are good quality at a good price.

‘The first market we did in England with Tweedy was Love Southsea and I just loved the vibe of the community. We had our clothes in the Bee Hive store and when that came up earlier this year we decided it was a sign to go for it.’

Cacey and Josh, 35, visit the group of sewers who make the clothes in a village in India.

The mother-of-one said: ‘You hear horrible stories about the disgusting conditions that thousands of people, including children, are made to work in for next to no pay for the big fashion brands.

‘To us it is crucial that we know who makes the clothes and we visit them each year. We know they are working in good conditions, they are of a working age and there is fair pay across the whole line.’

In July, online fashion giant Boohoo came under fire following an article which alleged that workers in a Leicester factory making clothes for the company were being paid as little as £3.50 an hour.

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Cacey added: ‘I think sustainable fashion has become more fashionable and I am definitely getting more questions from customers about where fabrics are from and who makes them, which is so great.

‘If I can make a few people change their ways and make more people aware of how the fashion industry is harming the environment and how we need to change it then that is how I can help our planet.’

To find out more visit tweedyclothing.com/

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