For our Third edition of A Closer Look, I decided to talk about the Robe Coat
A little sustainable fashion fact, Hemp is one of the most eco-friendly fibers because of how it is grown and produced (less water, pestisides, etc) and it's also naturaly antibacterial!
For this garment I used one of my favorite Hemp (55%) & Organic Cotton (45%) blend fabrics. I love this blend because both these fibers are really similar but they have slight little differences so by blending them together at almost equal values - we really get the best of both worlds. Because Hemp actually takes less water and time to grow than organic cotton, it's always good to use a bit more Hemp fibre. But you really want that softness that the Organic cotton brings in. 
You may wonder why I focus so much on using Organic Cotton VS. regular cotton.
Cotton is an amazing fibre - I think this is something everyone knows. They might not know why it's so amazing but it's just common knowledge that everyone sees cotton in their garment and is more happy and confident to buy it.
Well the honest truth is that cotton is amazing. BUT there is a really nasty and detrimental ways in which regular cotton is produced. Vast amounts of pesticides, crazy amounts of water, slave labor, land destruction, etc.etc.
When it comes to vegan and sustainable fashion there is really only one option for you to buy and that's organic cotton. For cotton to be certified organic there are standards the growers and producers need to meet. At the base these standards are all about limiting water and using a sustainable irrigation system, limiting the use of pesticides and making sure no one is being subjected to dangerous chemicals or anything harmful to their health.
I personally always look out for the GOTS certification (Global Organic Textiles Standards) or the OKEO-Tex 100 standard certification. ( You can learn more about these certifications by clicking on them)
For this garment itself I wanted to make an easy throw on style that was really comfortable and still had a little more style than a regular cardigan. I also wanted it to be lightweight and breathable because I know sometimes with the hot sun we need to cover up and protect our skin but we also don't want to die of heat in the process. The Robe Coat was my solution. I modeled it after the Robe Dress from FW17 and added a little tweaks like pockets and drop shoulders.
It's honestly been a garment I turn to at least twice a week. I wore it on the beach as a cover up, as an extra layer during summer nights, also around the house (because its that comfy) I love wearing it open or closed and when I wear it open I just play around with the different ties to make different looks.
To shop the Robe Coat click here.