SUSTAINABILITY IS OUR ETHOS
Crafted in East London, benefitting the world.
FABRIC SOURCING-FIRST CREATIVITY
Our design process is unusual: it starts with the fabric.
We only use what we find when scouring vintage warehouses across the UK on our regular sourcing trips, our own treasure hunts. Our creativity is inspired by the fabric of the garments that we discover or new sources of material waste we encounter outside of the vintage warehouses.
As the only denim brand in the world using only 100% upcycled materials at scale, we’re always looking for good-quality pre-loved jeans. But as we expand our collections, we’ll seek out other pre-loved garments and accessories, such as silk scarves and cotton shirts, to create a truly sustainable wardrobe. We are even working with luxury hotels, reimagining and breathing new life into their high-quality textiles.
Our ethos is to use innovative methods and craftsmanship to regenerate fabric, removing unnecessary waste from the supply chain and creating beautiful pieces that are not damaging the planet. Each piece has its own story.
We like to think of this upcycling process as turning loss into luxury. We believe that upcycling is the future of a kinder, responsible fashion; an art to celebrate.
BLAZING A TRAIL IN FASHION
E.L.V. DENIM’s pioneering practices have been widely recognised by the fashion industry and beyond, proving that upcycling can be a successful business model.
We were shortlisted for the 2021, 2022, 2023 BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund, and a recipient of the BFC Fashion Trust Fund in 2021, 2022 and 2024.
In March 2022, our founder Anna Foster won Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Award, a Fund meant to enable pioneering women to fully achieve their visions for their business and change the world through the power of ideas .
Anna’s proposal to create a viable textile sorting infrastructure and textile regeneration was recognised as transformative.
In 2025 we became a Walpole Brand of Tomorrow and were the first ever 100% upccyled brand to show at London Fashion Week.
We believe there is a need in the UK to recover materials and eliminate the practice to export, degrade or send to landfill materials that could have a second life. Waste becomes a resource. This is a journey, and we know it will take time. But if everyone strives to be just 1% better, collectively we can make a huge difference.
MADE IN EAST LONDON
We believe that where something is made matters. Every E.L.V. DENIM piece is made within a five-mile radius of our East London studio, working with a close network of local makers, manufacturers and craftspeople who have become an integral part of our business.
Because every piece is made one by one, craftsmanship and the people behind each garment are at the heart of what we do. We know the people who make our clothes, work closely with them and value the skill, knowledge and care they bring to every piece. This way of working allows us to build lasting relationships with our manufacturing community while supporting the local economy and keeping traditional craftsmanship alive.
Our local laundrette is part of this community too. By working with a nearby independent business, we reduce unnecessary transportation while supporting another local business and keeping our production rooted in East London where we are based.
By keeping our supply chain close, we can make more thoughtfully, waste less and ensure that every E.L.V. piece carries the hands and expertise of the people who made it.
OUR TERMS OF SUSTAINABILITY
UPCYCLED
Discarded items reused to create a product of higher quality or value than the original.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY
The circular economy concept tackles global environment challenges. Driven by design, it aims to eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials and regenerate nature. It aims to move away from cradle-to-grave products to ensure materials can be recovered, reused and repaired, instead of discarded. Find out more about the circular economy concept.
VINTAGE
Vintage simply means ‘of age’: Vintage clothes were manufactured in a different era. To be defined as vintage, items should be at least 20 years old. Generally speaking, something can be considered vintage if it is between 20 and 99 years old. Anything older is labelled as ‘antique’.
RECYCLING
To transform a product or component into its basic materials or substances and reprocess it into new materials. Embedded energy and value are lost in the process. In a circular economy, recycling is the last resort.
Source: The Ellen MacArthur Foundation
RECYCLED FABRIC
A common way to recycle fabric is to break it down and turn it mechanically or chemically into a new material. A recycled fabric has been reprocessed from recovered material and is included in a final product or component. Meaning recycling will be only a percentage of the fibers used to make a new material.
DEADSTOCK
Deadstock (also referred to as ‘dead stock’) is leftover or unsellable fabric that has been sitting around in a store or warehouse for a very long time. It is also a limited amount that can't be used to mass-produce at item. This is one to look out for as it is often used for greenwashing.
JOIN THE PRE-LOVED REVOLUTION
Plenty of life is left in garments destined for landfill? we’ve partnered with two pioneers that are realising a more sustainable fashion future.
REHOME YOUR OLD DENIM
Give your denim a second life with Reskinned. Trade in any jeans, in any condition, and get up to £40 off your next E.L.V. DENIM purchase. Items are graded, cleaned, and upcycled or resold to keep them out of landfill.
ROTATE YOUR E.L.V. DENIM
We’ve partnered with Curate & Rotate, a curated resale platform for independent and emerging labels. Sell your pre-loved E.L.V. DENIM, keep it out of landfill, and put the proceeds towards your next piece. Simply fill out the form and their team handles the rest. Plus enjoy 20% off your next E.L.V. DENIM purchase.
START ROTATING NOW
