When it comes to fabrics, we believe nature does it best.
At Saywood, our commitment to sustainability begins with the materials we choose. We prioritise breathable, natural fibres for their comfort, non-toxicity and long-lasting quality. Naturally, our designs favour fabrics that are soft to the touch and a joy to feel on your skin, wear beautifully over time and are crafted with care for the Earth.
Our collections blend organic cotton, recycled cotton, surplus fabrics and responsible cellulose fibres, all sourced from mills and suppliers who uphold fair labour practices and safe working conditions. Every material reflects our belief that fashion should respect both people and the planet, creating timeless pieces designed to be loved and worn season after season.
Recycled Cotton
From factory floor to favourite piece. Our recycled cotton yarns are spun from pre-consumer waste (such as offcuts and remnants collected from garment production) and blended with Supima cotton for extra softness, strength and longevity.
We source our recycled cotton from Canclini, a heritage Italian mill where sustainability is woven into every stage. These yarns are produced with zero water consumption and 100% clean energy. The mill has its own photovoltaic solar farm where 85% of the energy powers the HQ, while the remaining clean energy is fed back into the local grid.
Certified to the Global Recycled Standard and OEKO-TEX Standard 100, you can be confident of its non-toxicity and sustainability. You'll find it in pieces like the Edi Shirt, Marie Blouse and Lela Shirt - timeless staples made from reused materials and designed to be reworn again and again.
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Organic Cotton
We choose GOTS-certified organic cotton not only for its luxurious feel against your skin but also for its positive impact on our soil. Grown without harmful pesticides or synthetic fertilisers, it supports healthier ecosystems and safer working conditions across the entire supply chain.
Our elevated essentials, like our Amelia Wide Leg Trouser, are made from organic cotton and cotton-linen blends woven by Duca Visconti, a historic Italian mill just outside Milan. Specialists in corduroy since 1838, Duca Visconti is one of the last mills in the world to still needle-cut its cords by hand, giving each piece a depth, texture and richness that can’t be replicated, as seen in our Amelia Trouser in Caramel Organic Cotton Corduroy.
Whether it’s a comfortable corduroy or a breezy linen blend, our organic cotton fabrics are chosen to move beautifully with you and are made to last.
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Supima Cotton
Some cottons are common. Supima is anything but. Beginning at the soil level, Supima cotton is coveted for its extra-long staple fibres, which are unbelievably soft, durable and extremely good at retaining colour.
Grown exclusively in the United States by a small collective of around 500 family-run farms, Supima represents just 1% of the world’s cotton. Supima cotton upholds the highest standards in environmental care, biodiversity and fair working conditions, paying everyone a fair living wage on the farms and processing mills.
The Supima we use is grown in California, where regenerative practices - like monitoring soil health via satellite and zero-waste harvesting - mean they give back just as much as they take. Often passed down through generations, the small farms have a deep connection to the land and a personal interest in maintaining the health of the fields, soil and wildlife.
We source our Supima through Canclini, a heritage mill in Italy, which also blends the cotton for some of our best-selling pieces with bamboo viscose for an added luxurious feel - from the Edi Shirt and Joni Blouse to our Men’s Eddy Shirt.
With every Saywood piece crafted from Supima, you’re wearing fully traceable cotton that’s farmed with care and made to last.
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Learn more about Supima Cotton
Surplus Cotton
At Saywood, circularity starts with rethinking what we call waste. That’s why we work with deadstock and surplus cotton, giving new life to fabric that already exists.
Our surplus cotton comes from Riopele, a Portuguese mill with a strong environmental ethos. Certified STeP by OEKO-TEX® Level 3 (the highest level), Riopele is big on water conservation and aims to recycle 60% of the water used in its production process by 2027. The surplus we use isn’t made to order; it’s leftover fabric from the mill’s own production, diverted from waste and repurposed into something new.
All Riopele cotton fibres are grown in regions where fair labour standards are in place. And because we value every metre, off-cuts from our production are transformed into accessories and homeware as part of our zero-waste approach to design.
One of the perks of working with suppliers as keen on reuse as we are is access to their incredible collections of designer deadstock fabrics. These are usually acquired as end-of-roll or entirely unused textiles that we're more than happy to repurpose.
You’ll find repurposed cotton in styles like the Frances Shirt and Bessie Shorts. Light, joyful pieces that honour the planet by giving the material a second chance.
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Other Cotton
While cotton remains a desirable natural fibre for comfort and breathability, we know that conventional production often comes at a cost, from high water consumption to pesticide use. That’s why, wherever possible, we choose organic, recycled or surplus cotton.
In cases where that’s not yet possible (usually when we can't bulk order higher quantities because we're a smaller independent label), we partner with mills that are actively improving their environmental practices. One of these is Somelos, a trusted supplier working towards more sustainable processes, including expanding its adoption of organic and recycled cotton across its range.
We believe in supporting progress and partnering with those on the journey - because sustainability isn’t always instant, but it should always be intentional.
You’ll find these carefully selected cottons in pieces like the Lela Shirts and our Men’s Eddy Shirts, for everyday staples crafted with thought and purpose.
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Japanese Denim
Our Premium Japanese Denim is more than a fabric. It tells a story of deep roots, slow craft and lasting beauty. Woven in Ibara, Okayama, known as the birthplace of Japanese denim, each metre is handcrafted on traditional shuttle looms by a small, dedicated collective of artisans. These narrow looms move slowly, producing a selvedge denim rich in texture and character.
Dyed with natural indigo, extracted from a plant cultivated in Japan for over a thousand years, the result is a colour with depth, movement and nuance - like the inky, rich shade of our Lela Patch Pocket Shirt. Unlike synthetic dyes, natural indigo doesn’t just coat the fabric; it becomes part of it. The more you love it and wear it, the more it softens, fades and evolves to tell a story that's uniquely yours.
We source our premium 100% cotton denim through Canclini, an OEKO-TEX Standard 100 fabric mill in Italy, that collaborates exclusively with these skilled Japanese artisans to honour the fabric's heritage and tradition.
Every Saywood denim piece honours the skill of handcraftsmanship, the patience of the process and the joy of something made to last.
Responsible Cellulose
We believe in using naturally derived fibres. However, not all cellulose fibres are made equal. That’s why we choose botanical fibres made from responsibly sourced wood pulp, which is naturally breathable, beautifully soft and consciously produced.
We partner with mills using fibres from LENZING™ and Eastman™, two forerunners in sustainable cellulose fibres sourced from sustainable forestry.
From LENZING™, we use viscose and lyocell - both derived from sustainable forestry, certified biodegradable and known for their silky texture and everyday ease. Our lyocell is made in a closed-loop system that recycles water and solvents, while our viscose produces a by-product used in glass, detergents and even food - nothing goes to waste.
From Eastman, we use Greencel™ - an FSC-certified cellulose acetate that’s durable, biodegradable and created without harmful chemicals - which is safe for the environment and your skin. It’s durable, endlessly reusable and 98% of the solvent is reused in production, minimising waste from the inside out.
Some of our other luxurious blends come from Canclini, a heritage fabric mill in Italy. The bamboo viscose, blended with cotton, uses one-third the water of conventional crops and requires no chemical pesticides, offering comfort with a lighter footprint.
Most often, our cellulose cloths are surplus, such as our lyocell-cotton fabrics from Riopele, an OEKO-TEX-certified mill in Portugal. Instead of going to waste, these leftover rolls get a new life as your wardrobe staples.
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Buttons
Small but significant, our buttons are a reflection of our values: timeless, responsible and beautifully crafted.
All Saywood buttons are made from either Codelite®, a biodegradable natural material derived from milk protein, or corozo, a nut from the Tagua palm in South America that’s only harvested once it falls naturally to the forest floor like a quiet gift from nature.
With its creamy hue and delicate grain, corozo is subtle yet strong - an elevated, more sustainable and biodegradable alternative to plastic. Our Codelite® buttons are equally elegant, chosen for their durability, versatility and beautifully smooth finish.
Each button is made in the UK by Courtney & Co., a heritage button-maker in the Cotswolds, reviving the once-lost craft through traditional techniques and modern innovation. Sourcing our corozo responsibly from Trafino in Ecuador, Courtney & Co. has a real sense of care. From eco-friendly dyeing to repurposing corozo waste into microbeads for natural beauty products, every step is rooted in conscious innovation.
At Saywood, our buttons are anything but ordinary. Functional, yes. But they also carry the story of nature, care and craftsmanship that (literally) holds every piece together.
Embroidery, zips and lace trims
At Saywood, beauty is in the finishing touches. Because true sustainability goes beyond fabric, it’s in every thread, fastening and hem.
Take our signature flower motif, embroidered onto pieces like the Etta Oversized Shirtdress in Japanese denim. Each one is stitched by London-based Echo3 using OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified rayon-viscose thread. It’s free from harmful chemicals and sourced from FSC-certified forests that protect biodiversity and support local communities.
We also choose nickel-free aluminium zips with recycled polyester tapes or recycled nylon - better for sensitive skin (nickel is a known allergen that can cause itchiness, so we prefer to avoid it), and better for the planet. These zips are robust enough that once removed for garment recycling, they can often be repurposed. When we can meet minimum orders, it’s organic cotton tape all the way. As for trims, it’s 100% cotton lace only. Never polyester.