The tradition of ugly Christmas sweaters is one rooted in sustainability. Before their commoditization into fast fashion, they were simply nostalgic festive wear and handmade hand-me-downs. From upcycling and DIY to sustainability certified brands, there are still many ways to re-kindle their original spirit.
Sartorially dubious, usually oversized, featuring motifs of beer-drinking snowmen and puppies with Santa hats, the ugly Christmas sweaters were inducted into pop-culture a couple decades ago. They have now become a big business and are mass-produced for Christmas capsules by fast fashion brands and also exclusively by online labels capitalizing on this trend – Tipsy Elves and Ugly Christmas Sweater are few examples.
Consumers have been increasingly buying into this concept of wearing new ugly sweaters instead of digging out the old and tacky, which is what the tradition is actually about. This is no different than purchasing fast fashion because these jumpers mimic single-use plastic: made of low-quality materials under unfair labour conditions, worn once or twice a year, and then disposed of or left to collect dust in some corner of a cupboard. The ugly truth behind the ugly Christmas sweater is that they are unsustainable in many many ways.
While it’s true that one Christmas sweater cannot tackle the overall impact of fashion on the climate crisis, these holiday must-haves are part of a bigger problem that cannot be ignored. Christmas isn’t an excuse to slack off on planet-conscious consumption.
What makes the ugly Christmas sweater truly ugly?
As with any mass-produced fast fashion item, the question of how and where it is manufactured is always under scrutiny. Most often, these Christmas sweaters are produced in factories in Vietnam and Bangladesh with workers who are underpaid and lack basic labour rights. We know that they don’t come from Santa Claus’ elves, but it’s time to pay attention to where these sweaters do come from.
The second criterion is what goes into them. While traditional ugly Christmas sweaters were hand-knit by family members and imbued with love, these items are in fact made with fossil-fuel-friendly synthetic yarn, including nylon, acrylic, and polyester. Not only do these materials have a high carbon footprint, but they are also non-biodegradable and largely responsible for microplastic pollution.
The United Nations’ data shows that 51 trillion microplastic particles are found in the oceans, and more than one-third of these come from synthetic textiles. Further, acrylic is deemed the worst culprit when it comes to shedding, with a discharge rate that is 1.5 times higher than that of polyester and 5 times higher than that of a poly-cotton blend.
How to choose sustainable Christmas sweaters?
As the saying goes, “old is gold.” Digging up a sweater from an older family member’s wardrobe will be a rewarding experience, as it could potentially be accompanied with unique tales. Upcycling yesteryear’s sweaters with embroidery, baubles, and sequins is another sustainable route to take.
If shopping for new Christmas sweaters, second-hand online retailers or thrift stores can lower individual environmental footprints and lead towards a more conscious Christmas celebration.
Lastly, research before buying. Brands boast a strong greenwashing game during the holiday sales season. For example, vegan sweaters aren’t necessarily planet-friendly—a label proving no animal fibres simply means that the item contains synthetics and plastics. Sustainability certifications can be important indicators—from naturally-sourced materials and Fair Trade compliance to no chemical usage or transparent supply chain mapping, look up your choice of brand before clicking the buy button.
Wool and the Gang makes a strong case for DIY
Not just focused on hand-made knitwear by artisans in Peru, Wool and the Gang is also a DIY (Do It Yourself) brand that sells kits that include yarn, equipment, and patterns for every piece they offer in their ready-to-wear collections. The brand believes in slow living and offers a range of crafted blankets, bags, sweaters, and scarves, along with DIY kits to make these products. The kits span across four levels of use, ranging from beginner to advanced, across crochet, knitting, macramé, embroidery etc.
The company has been tracking their complete carbon footprint since 2020, donating to offsetting projects, as well as making efforts on carbon insetting. Some of their yarns have received vegan certification. Billie Jean uses pre-consumer denim waste, Tina Tape uses organic Tencel, and most recently launched, New Wave is a blended yarn of recycled plastic waste and cotton. Further, the brand uses REACH-compliant or OEKOTEX-certified dyes and uses 100% non-mulesing wool (a cruelty-free sheep farming technique).
Not only does Wool and the Gang make a great gift, but it also poses as a conscious alternative to the mass-produced ugly Christmas sweaters.
IMAGE: via Wool and the Gang| IMAGE DESCRIPTION: DIY Knitting kit comprising wool, patterns and equipment
Carbon-negative sweaters by Sheep Inc.
In 2019, London-based brand Sheep Inc. introduced the first ever carbon-negative sweaters, created through complex supply chain management and environmentally-conscious investment strategies. What sets the brand apart is that with every purchase, customers digitally adopt a sheep from the partnering net-negative farms in New Zealand where Sheep Inc sources wool. Each Sheep Inc. sweater has a digital tag that buyers scan to see the exact location of their sheep via their phones and receive updates on the sheep’s health, when lambs are born, and even when the sheep eventually dies.
For most of the brand’s carbon-negative products, the supply chain sequesters the emissions through regenerative farming and renewable energy. However, prior to becoming naturally carbon negative, Sheep Inc. offset its footprint by investing in environmental and social projects, i.e., each sweater sold took out a minimum of 320 kilogrammes of CO2 from the atmosphere, according to co-founder Van der Wyck.
Very few brands boast carbon-negative products, making Sheep Inc. sweaters a great choice for a conscious Christmas.
IMAGE: via Stupid Studio| IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Infographic of Sheep Inc’s sheep tracking technology
Brands on the nice list
Every fast fashion brand belongs on the naughty list. However, some names, like the Italian handcrafted knitwear label Artknit, make a fine exception. By using only natural and biodegradable fibres and manufacturing through traceable, local, artisanal production in Biella, Italy’s wool capital, Artknit makes a great Christmas sweater option. Feminine, planet-friendly and Paris-based label Sézane poses with a roster of certifications in fabric and material choice, making it another sustainable choice. Some other popular names on every fashion editor’s pick of ‘Sustainable sweater brands’ are Tentree, Able, and Mate the Label, among others.
With enough options, including DIY, pre-loved wear, and choosing from planet-friendly brands, it’s finally time to overthrow the reign of fast fashion’s ugly Christmas sweaters and bring back the OG tradition.
FEATURE IMAGE: via Pexels| IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Person wearing a red Christmas sweater that reads ‘Oh Deer’ with fairy lights wrapped around their upper body
