We've been going for a little while now (over 2 years - how is that possible?) and have attended countless markets during that time (I stopped counting at 100!).
It has been great to share the brand and vision with all of you at these events, and you've all had some excellent questions about what we do here at Falling Leaf, so I thought I'd share the most common ones with you here in a quickfire round of FAQs.
1. What do you mean by "planet conscious"?
I've tried to make the brand as gentle on the planet and its people as possible.
I choose garments that are made from what are considered sustainable materials - organic cotton beanies and caps, organic cotton and recycled polyester hoodies, and recycled plastics for the gilets, duffels and bum bags.
My suppliers use processes that are as sustainable as possible - solvent-free inks for the prints, eco-friendly threads for the embroidery...the beanies and caps are actually embroidered using the world's first plastic-free embroidery process.
The decoration is done here in the UK, and the garments are made by manufacturers with strong ethical policies, such as Stanley/Stella who make our t-shirts and hoodies, who are Fair Wear Leaders.
Everything's vegan, I use minimal, compostable packaging, and the garment tags even contain wildflower seeds.
TL;DR: I mean "sustainable & ethical".
2. What's the "Scottish photography twist"?
The aim of Falling Leaf is to showcase the beauty of Scotland, and so the photos on all of our t-shirts and hoodies are images of different parts of Scotland, from Glencoe to Orkney, Stirling to Glasgow.
The intention is to keep adding new images - of the wild countryside, the urban landscape and the activities we can get up to here, such as the mountain biking image on our ever-popular 'Enduro' t-shirt.
TL;DR: the designs are designed IN Scotland, using photos OF Scotland.
3. Where are your products made...
Our products are manufactured in various places around the world, the majority being from Bangladesh (t-shirts and hoodies) and China (gilets, hats and bags).
...and why don't you get them from Scottish manufacturers?
Bangladesh and China are specialists in textile work, particularly using sustainable or recycled materials. Organic cotton doesn't grow well in Scotland, and it makes sense to have the garments made close to where the raw materials are produced.
Choosing larger, accredited manufacturers in such well-established locations provides the balance of quality and sustainability that allows us to bring these types of clothing to you at an affordable price, without compromising on our ethical standards.
That said, I'd love to offer garments that are Made In Scotland in the future, and am currently working with a hosiery business to see if I can bring you some Scottish-made socks.
TL;DR: quality, availability, sustainability and cost.
4. Are they for men or women?
All of our products are unisex, available to be worn by anyone who wants to wear them. While this makes our inventory a bit easier to manage, the main reason for this is to make the brand - and sustainable clothing in general - more inclusive, offering a wider range of sizes for anyone who likes the designs, regardless of gender.
TL;DR: they're for anyone who wears clothes or uses bags.
5. What's the sizing like?
With our products being unisex, they aren't tailored to a specific body type. Our t-shirts are described as being a 'standard' fit, which you might find to be slightly looser than if you were to buy a man-specific or woman-specific fit, but in general my experience has been that if you're usually an XL in a t-shirt, you'll be an XL in a Falling Leaf t-shirt. Oh, and they've been pre-washed, so they don't do that annoying shrinking thing on the first wash.
Because of the lovely thick material that our cosy hoodies are made from, they do tend to fit a little more snugly than you might be used to. For hoodies we therefore recommend choosing a size larger than you would usually, particularly if you like to wear layers underneath. Don't worry - we go up to 3XL in all products.
For our gilets, they have elasticated arm holes and hips, which gives some amount of flexibility but does mean that sometimes those with more curves at the hip (particularly ladies) find that they want a bit more space, so they go for a size larger. The gilets are quite long, good for keeping your bum warm!
The beanies are ribbed, so they start off quite small but stretch to quite large.
Our caps have an adjustable strap at the back.
Our duffel bags (50x25x25cm) hold 20L and have an adjustable shoulder strap.
Our bum bags (38x14x8) hold 2.5L and the waist strap extends to allow for cross-body wear.
You'll find useful sizing charts on each garment's page if you scroll to the final image in the carousel, but if you need any more measurements please don't hesitate to get in touch.
TL;DR: go for your usual in t-shirts, 1 size larger in hoodies, try on a gilet or ask for measurements if you're not sure.
I hope that answers your most burning questions on the brand, but if you'd like any more detail or if you have a question I didn't cover above, please don't hesitate to get in touch at info@fallingleafclothing.com with your queries.
Thanks for reading :)
Linds x
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Founder, Falling Leaf Clothing