1.2 million recycled plastic bottles never looked so good. Introducing NEW Real Good swim: 30+ new styles made with REPREVE® recycled fibers from plastic bottles. We talked with Designers, Avery and Emily, and Concept Director, Annelies, about the inspiration behind our new collection & what’s next for Real Good at Aerie.
What inspired you to create this collection?
Annelies: We want to make sure we are doing everything we can to design responsibly and impact the environment in a positive way. It is really cool that we can make recycled poly out of post consumer waste/plastic bottles. Recycling plastic water bottles seemed like a really good place to start because they are usually single use plastic items. For the spring swim line we “rescued” 1.2 million plastic bottles from becoming ocean waste/landfill.
Avery: As members of the apparel industry, we feel a growing responsibility to reduce our impact on the planet. We want our designs to not only make you feel great about your body, but also about your carbon footprint.
Which are your favorite new Real Good swim pieces?
Avery: We are loving our V Scoop Bikini Top & V One Piece Swimsuit—both have shoulder straps that tie in a bow for adjustability and add a cute, flirty detail. Also, our new Super High Cut Cheekiest bikini bottom has a very high cut leg which is elongating and flattering on every body!
Can you share any tips you have for being kinder to our environment?
Annelies: I’m a big fan of encouraging everyone to get involved! The word sustainability can be overwhelming but I’ve learnt that it is easy change your habits over time. To start, just change ONE thing from what you normally do. If everyone pledges to do just one thing, together we can make a big difference… Once you feel comfortable you can add another, and another.
Personally I try to bring a reusable tote to the grocery store so that I’m not using a fresh plastic bag every trip and eat local whenever I can. In the office we all pledged to remove single use plastic knives and forks from our kitchen: we have a lot more washing up to do but it feels good to do “real good” collectively.
We also organize clothes swap events in the office which is a fun way to reduce and reuse… and get hold of some great stuff!!!
Others in the office have cut down on meat because it is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse emissions. Maybe you want to try one day a week meat free.
Emily: There are many easy changes to succeed in a more sustainable living; for example, you can use reusable water bottles and silicone plastic baggies for easy traveling and reduce usage of plastic. Another way is to always remember to unplug any wires/electronics that you are not using (AKA the Standby Power/Vampire Power). The Standby Power is a term for when the unused electronics are still plugged in, and consumed energy even when they’re turned off. A fun trick to stay cooler in the summer without overworking your AC is to put a bag of ice in front of a fan to cool down the fan wind even more!
Can we get a sneak peek at what’s next for our Real Good collections?
Avery: We know we have a long way to go before becoming a completely sustainable brand, but we are so excited to continue to explore new, better fabrications and trims, as well as using more sustainable and recycled packaging, and supporting waste reduction across our entire supply chain.
Emily: Aerie is always looking for ways to inspire our girls to not only love themselves, but also love the environment as well. We all live on the same planet, why not work together to take care of it while looking super cute and #AerieREAL?
