Tried and Tested: 4 slow fashion businesses in Ireland

Journalist Victoria G.L. Brunton put four Irish businesses to the test ahead of Christmas to find the places worth buying a voucher from.

'Tis the season for many magical things: Christmas cheer, spreading joy, and mugs of hot chocolate. Unfortunately, ’tis also the season for overconsumption, needless waste, and dramatically increased carbon footprints.

According to an ING International Survey Special Report from 2016, approximately 81 million unwanted gifts are recieved at Christmas, at an estimated €45 each.

Additionally, only about 1% of consumer goods are still in use six months after Christmas, and one in ten unwanted presents end up in landfill.

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With all of this in mind, why not consider a gift voucher for one of these four fun, eco-friendly and practical Irish businesses?

ZipYard, Drobey, Just For Kicks and Designer Exchange each offer a uniquely fun, practical and environmentally friendly solution to your gifting woes.

ZipYard

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Whether your mum has a tear in her favourite dress, your dad’s trousers no longer accommodate Christmas dinners, or you have an up-cycling fanatic in your friend group, ZipYard is the one-stop-shop you need.

For the purposes of illustrating the sheer craftsmanship of the team at ZipYard Ranelagh, I gave them two near impossible missions; to combine two pairs of vintage trousers, and to size-up my brother’s three-piece Debs suit (it was quite literally bursting at the seams).

Unphased, Paola and her team were able to complete not one, but both projects in less than 24 hours. I was left with a pair of trousers I now treasure as my go-to wardrobe statement, and my brother wore his newly sized three-piece suit to his Christmas party just days later.

Go behind the scenes and watch the whole process on TikTok @rtelifestyle.

Drobey

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The fashion rental platform of the now, Drobey aims to "take the guilt out of keeping up with fast-changing fashion trends and experimenting with new, one-off looks."

They stock the hottest brands - both industry giants and independent designers - priding themselves on statement pieces with a focus on 'wear-once' outfits spanning from occasion wear and cocktail dresses to luxury skiwear and head-turning accessories.

I trialled the process and it is truly foolproof. You can even book try-on appointments and specify sizing alongside pieces, styles or brands of interest so that you’ll find a curated wardrobe of options upon arrival.

I opted for a Charlotte Simone jacket that I was very reluctant to return, but the process made it too easy to avoid; simply send it using provided shipping labels, or drop it in the gigantic letterbox on the front door.

In providing an accessible and rotational wardrobe of trending pieces to rent, Drobey encourages their customer to invest in their capsule wardrobe whilst allowing them to fully express themselves through clothing and have fun through fleeting trends.

Just For Kicks

A hidden gem located on Pembroke Street, just off the Stephen’s green end of Baggott Street, Just For Kicks is a service I am kicking myself (excuse the pun) for neglecting to avail of until now.

A family-run footwear cleaning and restoration shop in operation since 2010, Just For Kicks offers deep cleaning, restoration and bespoke customisation services across trainers, leather shoes boots and just about anything else you can think of.

Once again, I put owner, founder and lead restorer Carl to the test; one pair of recently purchased New Balance suede trainers that had already been stained and scuffed, and a pair of Valentino trainers that were in such dire shape, they required no less than full blown resuscitation.

To say I was blown away by the results would be an understatement. My trainers look as good as new, and my brother’s beloved Valentinos have been brought back from the dead - you can watch the step-by-step revival on TikTok @rtelifestyle.

For all shoes, boots and trainers, prices start from as low as €45 - for context, a similar service in London would cost upwards of £100. Considering the Valentino pair would cost more than €800 and the New Balance 990’s upwards of €250 to re-purchase, that price is a steal.

Designer Exchange

Curators of preloved luxury since 2012, Designer Exchange are Ireland's only chain of dedicated pre-loved designer handbag and accessory re-sale boutiques.

The business is made up of a team of 19 passionate, extensively knowledgable staff who work with a network of consultants and industry specialists, ensuring proper sourcing and selling of authentic designer goods.

Offering a variety of services including re-sale, purchase, rental and repair, Designer Exchange aim to make "the previously unattainable, attainable for every day".

I popped into the store and was walked through the extremely easy rental process by Kath who leads that segment of the business, had a snoop around the endless offering of luxury designer bags - from Chanel classic flaps to Hermes Birkins and Dior saddles. I even got to steal a little Prada bag away for a night out…all in the name of investigative journalism. You can see what we got up to on TikTok @rtelifestyle.

The rental process is truly seamless, and rumour has it there’s even bigger, better and more accessible improvements to come in 2025 - watch this space.

Outside of their Exchequer street flagship, Designer Exchange can be found in Arnotts Henry Street, Brown Thomas Cork and Brown Thomas Limerick.