Over the last year, T has grown at a rate of knots. His school trousers from last term are now sat at his ankles, and his PE shorts are like hot pants. Because of this constant increase, we don’t often spend much time letting him pick new clothes. We know that as soon as he’s in it, he’s out of it.
Practicality is most definitely a priority, therefore we don’t often invest in ‘new’ clothing. Not only can it become expensive, but it’s not healthy for the environment.
But, as T’s getting older, he’s now becoming more and more conscious of his style. He knows what he likes and doesn’t like. At the moment, he loves bright, conflicting colour sets. He loves Ninjago, Pokémon and Hot Wheels. He also loves comfort.
This week, Bella & Frank invited us to try out a few of their items from their current range. Being a sustainable fashion brand that’s both bright and colourful, we decided to let T pick a few pieces for a change.
Family, nature and creativity
Bella & Frank are a brand is for parents who want their children to be creative, individual, inquisitive and as adventurous as they like, and in the most natural and liberating ways possible.
Named after two of the world’s cheekiest Italian greyhounds, their brand is about family, nature and creativity.
As mentioned, we were recently invited to try a couple of pieces from their current range, so we let T decide what he wanted. With lockdown back in motion, it was well timed as it’s likely we’re going to be spending more time at home. Comfort was key.
Looking through their ranges, you can see that their beloved greyhounds feature heavily throughout. Whether it’s on one of their tees or the fabric on a jacket, it adds a personal touch.
T decided on a simple Red Tee and their signature Red Stripe Sweats. He said he liked the colour and the ‘funny pattern’. You can’t have enough sweatpants in this house.
Each item is soft, but stretchy, and whilst T was relaxing at home after school he looked super comfy.
Sustainability
Sustainability plays a huge part in Bella & Frank’s identity. So much so that they do not follow the seasonal model, and throughout the year produce a small amount of clothing.
As Bella & Frank discuss heavily on their website, the fashion industry is one of the most environmentally damaging activities on Earth. They believe:
We hope introducing eco-consciousness to young minds will help raise a generation of environmentally aware consumers.
We believe that if you’re seeking to inspire children there is, perhaps, no better way to do so than with what they interact with every day; clothes that are practical, well-designed and consciously made.
Whilst fashion is a beautiful expression of human art and culture, it’s important not to invest in the ‘fast fashion’ culture. When T was in nursery, I spent a lot of time collecting clothes following purchases from Facebook market place. Similarly, I donated a lot of clothes to friends and charity shops. If it was damaged or stained, baby tees and vests would become cleaning rags or clothes for T’s soft toys.
As T gets older, with no end in sight in regards to growth spurts, we’re certainly going to invest a lot more time and money in brands like Bella & Frank. You know where your money is going. You know that you’re investing is people who care.
Disclosure: We were sent the items mentioned in this post in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, opinions and imagery are our own.
