"I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking..."

SEA FEVER, JOHN MASEFIELD

We first heard the term ‘circular economy’ when we were researching the sustainable movement.

A circular economy system is aimed at making the most of our resources to minimise waste. It is disrupting the way we have been doing things for far too long - so to put it in the most layman terms, rather that 'take > make > use > dispose > pollute' it is looking at how we can close the loop to make it 'make > use > reuse > remake > recycle'. Reducing the resources used, and the waste and leakage created, conserves resources and helps to reduce environmental pollution. 

Our planet, our oceans, the beautiful ground beneath our feet has always been something that we, the founders of Töastie, are connected to - in of course the literal sense (we don’t defy gravity) but we are strongly bound together metaphorically. 

We have structured our lives around the things that make us happiest. And for both of us, this includes being within easy reach of the ocean. We have made sacrifices to be able to feel the ice-cold English Channel on our skin and bring our children up to love and respect our oceans. To appreciate both the power and the serenity that the ocean provides and to understand how precious it is to have this run through their fingers and through their veins. 

The Circular Economy is an inspiring structure that everyone needs to be talking about - and embedding into their daily lives. 

Ellen MacArthur Foundation

We have a pressing responsibility on our shoulders working within the fashion industry, which is only too well known for its consumption and waste, its carbon footprint and its insistence to move the population with unnecessary seasonal trends and styles, to question our ethics and actively go against the grain. 

Our sourcing policies are the cornerstone of our company and we will always strive to be using the most sustainable resources throughout our business.

We are small, but we are always looking at pioneering new technologies to bring highly functional technical apparel to your child’s wardrobe, that is imperatively comfortable and crucially, working with nature.     

This season, we are introducing our Töastie waterproof raincoat, the shell of which is made from 100% recycled bottles. The ultimate feel of this fabric is unlike the raincoat’s of old, it’s super soft and supple, allowing for easy movement without restriction.

This is our first step towards recognising and implementing the circular economy into our business; taking the plastic from the ocean and giving it a new purpose, with anticipated longevity.

We are wholly against throw-away fashion and always recommend our customers buy up a size if unsure. Our outerwear is designed to grow with the child and many of our customers have seen several years of growth out of our products, with younger siblings still desperately vying for their turn to wear the infamous jacket!

For more information on the circular economy, I highly recommend you checkout the wonderful Ellen MacArthur Foundation who illustrate the concept beautifully. 

https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy/what-is-the-circular-economy