Boden removes sequins
Boden has become the first big retailer to remove sequins from its collections, while other brands are said to be considering following suit.
It may be the season to sparkle, but the sequinned dress could soon be relegated to fashion history.
The British brand said it had stopped using sequins and glitter “to keep our oceans happy” because of concerns the petroleum-based plastic could be washed into waterways during the manufacturing and laundering of garments.
Boden, which has previously sold party dresses and Christmas jumpers adorned with hundreds of sparkly sequins, said it would find more environmentally friendly ways to “pizzazz” its clothes, including lots of embroidery.
Philippa Grogan, of the sustainability consultancy Eco-Age, said the ban was a “potentially pivotal moment in addressing fashion’s dependence on fossil fuel-based materials”.
Boden has vowed to find other ways to inject glamour into his partywear range, with decadent fabrics including lurex and chiffon featuring instead this season, alongside embroidery using glittering yarns.
Science News reported last month that a plant-based sequin made from cellulose – which breaks down more easily than plastic – could provide shimmering colour without the environmental consequences.
