Hand painted Penny tie blouse

Our Penny tie blouse is individually hand painted by Suzie in a beautiful hemp and organic cotton fabric. The blouse has unique dropped shoulder caps, voluminous lantern sleeves with a gathered shoulder and loose-fit cuff. It also has ties down the front and a peplum-style gather around the waist for a bold silhouette. The dropped shoulder caps are fitted, providing a flattering shape that contrasts the volume in the sleeves and lower part of the blouse. The blouse is also easy to layer and brings statement to any outfit.

We hand make each blouse in our workshop in Nottingham, England. Each item is made-to-order, minimising fabric wastage.

MATERIAL

55% certified organic hemp, 45% organic cotton

SUSTAINABLE

We make our blouse from a hemp and organic cotton fabric that is OEKO-TEX standard 100 certified as free from harmful chemicals. Organic cotton is more sustainable that regular cotton because the process is based on long-term thinking. Organic cotton farming does not use synthetic insecticides, fungicides, herbicides or fertilisers. Farmers maintain healthy soil through crop rotation, preventing the loss of nutrients into water bodies and so avoiding water pollution and the need for artificial fertilisers. Organic cotton farming also uses significantly less water than ordinary cotton, whereby farmers rely mainly on rainwater. Find out more about organic farming at the  Textile Exchange!

Hemp has fantastic sustainability credentials as it has a high yield (twice as much fibre as flax that is used to make linen) and it  has a short growing period such that it can be planted 4 times in a year. Moreover, it returns up to 70% of the nutrients used back into the soil. As if this wasn’t enough,  it also requires little water, reduces pests and doesn’t need fertilisers or pesticides. To top it off, hemp is the most carbon negative crop, absorbing more carbon than it produces!

The labels we use are made from recycled fabric that is OEKO-TEX standard 100 certified. We also package the product in recycled paper.

A great resource on sustainable fashion is the Fashion Revolution, including information on what to consider when choosing where and what to buy.

As a brand that value sustainability, we also strive to post informative content on sustainable matters on our Instagram account @fordandguy

WASH CARE

The hand painting is set and wash safe. Wash by hand or gentle machine wash at 30 degrees C. Drip dry and iron on medium heat. Do not bleach.

To waste less water, energy and to make your clothes last longer:

-wash at cooler temperatures;
-wash your clothes less often;
-and don’t tumble dry.