Thread Tales' knitwear offerings range from scarves, wraps, and kimonos to beanies, socks, and the ubiquitous mask.
Thread TalesWear something that means something.
Such is the ethos of Thread Tales Co., a sustainable British luxury-apparel company founded by designer Katherine Maunder in 2017. Focused on the lotus fiber, one of the most sustainable fabrics made today, Thread Tales designs and produces scarves, wraps, and other knitwear for men and women that are the antithesis to the wasteful and environmentally harmful practices of fast fashion.
Throughout her travels as a fashion designer sourcing fabric for high street brands like Ted Baker, Matthew Williamson, and Jasper Conran, Maunder was horrified by how poorly factories treated their employees and was dismayed to see how suppliers were pushed to meet impossible margins. “I was looking for something more meaningful, to still do what I was passionate about—being a passionate fashion designer—but not by working in fast fashion and everything it stood for.”
Enter Maunder’s mother to the rescue—a bike-pedaling mid-wife in her 70s, who, pre-Covid, regularly traveled to remote areas in Myanmar to teach women midwifery. On one such trip, she purchased a lotus scarf from a group of local artisans and brought it home to show her daughter.
Holding the silky scarf in her hands, Maunder recalls, it “felt like this piece of fabric was literally my turning point where I knew what I wanted to do—it was as if I’d been waiting for that moment.” Although Maunder didn’t know it at the time, the lotus fabric is believed to embody the symbolic characteristics of the flower: revitalization, re-birth, and spiritual enlightenment.
In seconds, Maunder made a life-changing and career-altering decision, “I was leaving fast fashion.”
She soon hopped on a plane for Myanmar, where her journey as an entrepreneur of ethically produced, sustainably made knitwear began in the very homes of the artisans with whom she would form partnerships. “I wanted to see what a difference I could make if I was to start working with these communities to create something ethical and luxurious at the same time,” Maunder says.
Sustainable luxury is a rigorous process. Within the stem of every water-growing lotus flower are thin, sticky fibers that local artisans roll, mix with rice glue and twist together before weaving can begin. The entire process, from harvest to weaving, is labor intensive—it takes an entire day to produce just one meter—but also zero waste. Lotus fibers create a soft, warm, and breathable fabric in which luxury, sustainability, and ethical practices are symbiotic, just as the work Thread Tales does with their artisans is.
“We had to work really hard to get to them to understand our design aesthetic, changing it from their traditional paisley to a design they’ve never worked on,” Maunder says. “We went and sat with them and did the embroidery together. Communities connected through this process. I love the fact that you know that our pieces symbolize exactly that.”
THE ITEMS
Thread Tales’ knitwear offerings range from scarves, wraps, and kimonos to beanies, socks, and the ubiquitous mask. While the focus is on the lotus fiber, other fabrics used include yak wool, camel, certified cashmere, mulesing-free merino (a practice where skin is removed from the sheep), and cruelty-free silks, such as eri silk. Eco dyes are used, water from production is disposed of responsibly, and raw materials are ethically sourced and sustainable. Many items are customizable with hand-crafted metal initials or embroidered monogramming.
Items in the lotus collection start at US$170 for a lotus and silk scarf, topping out at US$1,418 for a blanket scarf made entirely out of lotus fabric.
Thread Tales“My favorite piece will always be the Spirit of Freedom Crane Scarf because it symbolizes everything about our business,” Maunder says. “It represents our support of artisans worldwide.” The scarf takes about 12 weeks to make and is available in red, a natural beige, or teal.
THE PRICE
Items in the lotus collection start at US$170 for a lotus and silk scarf, topping out at US$1,418 for a blanket scarf made entirely out of lotus fabric. The symbolic crane scarf is US$768. A limited-edition kimono for US$838 is made from a wool/silk/yak/cashmere blend. Other items include recycled cashmere socks for US$68, a linen scarf for US$154 and a handwoven men’s yak scarf for US$398.
WHAT’S THE GOOD?
Thread Tales believes that the textile industry can be a force for good. In an industry in which many workers aren’t paid enough to provide for basic needs, that produces 10% of global carbon emissions and that pollutes the global water supply with toxic dyes, it’s a tall order. The company believes that by sourcing sustainable fabrics, utilizing the most environmentally friendly practices available, supporting their employees, and connecting their artisans around the globe with one another, it will make a positive impact environmentally, sustainably, and economically.
Thread Tales believes that the textile industry can be a force for good.
Thread TalesWHAT’S NEXT?
When Thread Tales announced it would be stocked at two high-end Italian boutiques—10 Corso Como in Milan and Donne Concept Store in Cagliari—it signaled its entrance into the luxury market. In the coming year, the company plans to expand its fledgling bespoke business through the creation of a “Threads Atelier,” a luxury-focused initiative for clients wanting a more personalized experience that’s in line with a luxurious, but still conscientious, project. “It could be one private customer; it could be a huge industry,” she says.
Maunder says bespoke projects, such as the ones she recently completed with Salesforce and the National Gallery, are the future. Not only is waste eliminated, but companies can align themselves with the Thread Tales ethos. “The world is changing,” she says. “It’s not just about profit now, it’s about purpose.”
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