Values

At Elwyn New York we believe and adhere to the concept that we are all stewards of our planet and as we look to grow and prosper in our business, we also envision a world where businesses small and large work to reduce their carbon footprint.  This is not just empty words from us.  We realize that making our products in Italy and shipping from another country does have an impact on the environment and in order to offset our carbon footprint or any area where we are still deficient, we will be working in partnership with One Tree Planted which strives endlessly to reverse climate change by planting trees all over the planet where deforestation is prevalent and where ecosystems are in jeopardy. We will be donating a portion of the profit of every sale to support this institution in its pursuit to preserve our natural world for future generations.  Elwyn New York considers sustainability to be a core company value.  We understand that this isn’t just a passing trend.  It is a mindset.  One that Elwyn will put into practice and endeavor to do better every step of the way.

 

SUSTAINABILITY

All our slow fashion luxury products are made to order, digitally printed, shipped in 100% recycled and recyclable paper/material, and are heirloom keepsake pieces that can be handed down for generations. 

 

QUALITY

Every scarf is 100% silk and is manufactured from only the best materials available on the market. Each scarf ensures compliance with all technical, quality and ethical standards. Our silk scarves are printed, hand sewn and finished in Como, Italy and comes with a “Made in Italy”, composition and care label.  Scarves are then sent to our Studio in NY for quality check before we ship out to our customers. All creative and design work is done from our Elwyn Studio in Woodstock, NY. 

 

SLOW FASHION

In our ever increasingly fast-paced world it seems that we might have lost the notion that “all good things come to those who wait”.  Our commitment to you and the planet is to create a quality, luxury product. This takes time.  Each scarf is hand sewn and quality checked prior to delivery.  Furthermore, slow fashion is not only about making sure we source the best materials, it also means that the people who create our garments are treated and paid fairly and that the printing process is done in a way that is sustainable and deliberate.  We appreciate your patience.

  

PACKAGING

Packaging is important when selling a product, but it is also one of the biggest culprits when it comes to a company's environmental impact. We believe that we don't have to sacrifice the planet for stylish packaging. There are many eco-conscious alternatives to traditional packaging materials. You'll be happy to know that all Elwyn packaging is made from 100% recycled paper/materials and are fully recyclable down to the biodegradable packing tape and shipping label. Furthermore, the protective, reusable bags that the scarves come in are made from Organic Natural Cotton.  Form, Function, and Fashionable.

  

Organic sustainable cotton draw string packaging for silk scarf

 

DIGITAL PRINTING

The Fashion Industry is the second largest consumer of water.  Producing 20% of wastewater on the planet. It is because of these statistics that Elwyn New York is committed to reducing its carbon footprint.  

The Fashion world as a whole generates more greenhouse gas emissions and uses more energy than all the international flights and maritime shipping combined. Traditional processes of dying and printing textiles puts a great deal of strain on local eco-systems worldwide as well as the raw material resources of the countries that traditional printing companies operate in.  On the other hand, Digital Printing has an extraordinarily low consumption of electricity.  It is typically only 3.5% of the screen printing energy requirement.  This in itself is a major accomplishment as an alternative to printing, however, it is in the water usage that the biggest difference is made.  Digital Textile Printing saved over 40 billion liters of water worldwide in 2018. Offering an efficient solution when compared to traditional water usage for rotary screen printing which is in the region of 50-60 liters of water per meter. Digital Textile Printing also uses smaller quantities of color, typically 10% of the volume used when compared to screen printing. Using pigment inks as an example, and its requirement for fixation only finishing (no washing) uses less than 10 liters of water per meter.  The waste water produced by traditional textile printing is discharged as toxic waste into the local water systems where the chemicals and dyes used in the printing process also pollute the local environment. By contrast, digitally printed fabrics virtually eliminate the consumption of water and the discharge of noxious effluents.  Using low volumes of liquid dispersions of pigment colors, digital printing achieves similar physical results to traditional technologies without the huge environmental impact of rotary or flatbed printing. This is because the ink used in Digital Textile Printing is typically 10% of the volume used when compared to screen printing.  Digital printing's usage of pigments also removes the need for water as well as over consumption of energy in post processing as well, as color fastness is achieved through heat fixation alone rather than a lengthy (energy consuming) steam fixation and washing off (discharging chemicals and dyes into the environment) procedures.  

Digital Textile Printing not only offers the Fashion Industry an elegant and cost effective production system that creates an equally high quality printed fabric, it also allows for our industry an opportunity and alternatives to creating beautiful fashion while dramatically reducing the negative impacts on local environments and the planet at large.