Not Your Grandmother’s Tights: Sustainable, Eco-friendly Swedish Stockings

The phrase ‘sustainable hosiery’ has never been in anyone’s vocabulary – until now. Swedish Stockings is leading the way with their range of beautifully designed hosiery that’s also good for the environment. So without further ado, allow us to introduce you to the world’s first sustainable hosiery brand.

Our founder Tara Button lamented the loss of durable tights in her introduction for A Life Less Throwaway. The tights of today are not her grandmother’s tights, she posits. The market is awash with cheap hosiery that’s not only uncomfortable and cheaply made, but also very harmful to the environment. Each year, 2 billion pairs of hosiery are produced, worn once and then thrown away, making this one of the most environmentally harmful industries.

While these may not be her grandmother’s tights, Swedish Stockings surpasses mainstream brands by producing gorgeous, durable products that are also kind to the planet. Here are a few other reasons why we love their products:

Fashion-forward

Swedish Stockings has everyone and every occasion in mind. From the festive Lisa Lurex socks that look great at any party to the everyday staple Olivia Premium, you’re bound to find a durable pair to wear again and again. We love the softness and the luxurious feel of the Alice Cashmere and the hold-in effect of the Anna Control Tights. Even the Ingrid Premium Knee High socks and Cable Knit Socks can be worn with a variety of outfits and for different seasons.

Comfort and Durability-tested

With a number of styles tried and tested by the BuyMeOnce team, we can attest to Swedish Stockings’ durability. The majority of Swedish Stockings’ products are knitted in 3D, a process that involves knitting the hosiery into a tube. The end result is a soft yet elastic fabric that conforms to every curve, which means no bunching or puckering up in the most unusual places.

All of their hosiery is also knitted with a flat seam and includes a comfortable, broad waistband that won’t pinch or hurt by the second hour. We also love that most of their hosiery come with toe reinforcements, where fabric stress and those pesky holes often appear first.

A Leader in Sustainability

Nylon yarn, the backbone of most modern pantyhose, isn’t the most environmentally-friendly fabric because it is created using petroleum-based practices and processes that lead to damaging carbon emissions. The production of nylon yarn means that nitrous oxide is also produced, which is 310 times more harmful than carbon dioxide.

All Swedish Stockings’ products are made from recycled yarns or natural fibers. This recycled nylon yarn is produced from waste material such as old fishing nets, carpet flooring, fabric scraps and pre-consumer sportswear waste.

Even Swedish Stockings’ factories and suppliers are carefully selected, taking into consideration the environmental and employee policies that they have in place and social initiatives that help others. Their factories are also engaged in using environmentally-friendly dyes, post-dyeing water treatment and renewables such as wind and solar power.

Recycling Club

We’re huge fans of Swedish Stockings’ recycling club. While the technology to separate nylon from elastane doesn’t exist yet, Swedish Stockings is still committed to closing the loop. They encourage anyone to send over any used hosiery, which is then ground into filler material for fiberglass tanks. These tanks are then used as grease and oil traps in the commercial industry. While this may not be the most glamorous ending for tights that may have complimented a fashionable outfit, it’s been estimated that thousands of pairs of hosiery have been diverted from landfill.

Swedish Stockings is a company we’re proud to partner with because they are leading the way in changing and influencing a harmful industry, just like these other brands committed to ethical fashion. We know you’ll love them as much as we do and will be adding them to your everyday wardrobe.