ABOUT THE BRAND – Interview with Staiy
BRAND’S SELF PORTRAIT
Vanilla Sand is a sustainable swimwear brand born in Lisbon. We are revolutionising swimwear by using regenerated ocean nylon and polyester to save our marine life and reduce plastic pollution. Each one of our pieces is marked by the most relevant trends coming from Portugal and Brazil where we also produce. We believe in local culture, and we keep it alive.
Our pieces are for both women and men, who are looking for interesting and vivid patterns made sustainably to live a lifestyle, which upholds the fusion between culture, authenticity and nature.
BRAND NAME: WHERE DOES IT COME FROM? HOW WAS IT INVENTED? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS NAME?
When choosing our brand name we wanted something fun and catchy to best reflect our brand image. We intentionally decided against using words such as eco, green etc. for our name because although it’s a big part of who we are, our brand goes far beyond that. ‘Vanilla Sand’ is fun, easy to remember and reminds you of white sand beaches that immediately make you daydream about the last beach vacation that you took.
OVERALL INSPIRATION FOR BRAND’S CONCEPT. DO YOU HAVE A MUSE FOR YOUR BRAND? (WHERE DID YOU GET THE INSPIRATION FROM?)
The overall inspiration for Vanilla Sand came from our Founder, Corinna’s strong interest in sustainability and ethics which are now still our main values and the base of everything that we do. We truly believe that sustainable fashion has an immense communication potential and we want to contribute to it.
WHAT ARE THE MISSION/VISION/VALUES OF YOUR BRAND?
Vanilla Sand revolutionises swimwear by centering its mission around nature to reduce plastic pollution ashore and in our oceans. This saves out marine life and fossil fuels. All of our swimwear is made from regenerated ocean nylon and polyester and processed with local craftsmanship. Every decision is made with the highest regard for the people and our planet.
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT YOUR BRAND? WHAT MAKES YOUR BRAND UNIQUE?
What makes Vanilla Sand unique and special ist that we try to make sustainable fashion fun. There is a certain stigma around ethical shopping and we want to show people that you don’t have to compromise good quality, modern and trendy patterns or reasonable prices. You can have it all while still remaining eco-conscious and at the same time helping us turn waste and pollution problems into solutions.
WHAT’S THE COMMON THREAD IN YOUR DESIGNS?
All of our designs are inspired by the people and the cultures from different cities in Portugal and Brazil, which is also where we produce. Elegant, effortless, cool and enthusiastic and that is also what we try to reflect in our patterns, designs and cuts. Our collections include plain basics as well as pieces with vibrant colors and patterns which bring out the playful character in all of us.
3 WORDS THAT SUM UP YOUR BRAND VIBE AND SPIRIT? HOW DOES THIS REVERBERATE IN THE DESIGN?
Edgy, ocean-friendly, authentic. The inspiration for most of our pieces stems from the authentic and playful characters and cultures from Portugal and Brazil. Thus, our designs, patterns and cuts reflect the vibrant lifestyle of these cities. We protect the nature, the people and the culture by producing locally in Lisbon.
WHAT FUTURE DO YOU SEE FOR THIS PROJECT?
We don’t know what the future will hold for Vanilla Sand. There are many different projects that we’re working towards such as showing more curvy models and also stepping into sports clothing. Overall our main goal is to spread our message by not just selling our products but by selling a lifestyle and an experience.
WHY IS YOUR BRAND SUSTAINABLE?
Vanilla Sand is sustainable because our swimwear turns waste problems into solutions. This is because our swimwear is made out of recycled ocean waste called Econyl or biodegradable nylon, which saves our oceans. It’s the latest trend fabric in sustainable fashion. Ocean and landfill plastic waste, mainly fishing nets, are being collected and transformed into the most comfortable swimwear. Thereby. The marine life and organism is protected, we save fossil fuels and reduce landfill waste. At Vanilla Sand, we are continuously working on reducing the environmental footprint along the entire supply chain.
HOW DO YOU REDUCE WASTE IN TERM OF SHIPPING AND/OR PRODUCT PACKAGING?
We try to reduce as much waste as possible by avoiding express shipping and ideally shipping locally. If that’s not possible we use ocean freight transport instead of air transport to cut CO2 emission. Additionally we use recycled paper and packaging for all of our shipments.
