Even though tights can be annoying, we should investigate their origins and the effects on the environment. The worst part is that neither of our tights are too long to be practical in this world. This is a problem we all have to deal with.
Tights can seem wasteful right from the beginning. It gets worse. Tights are made of nylon (plastic), which is difficult to recycle and requires a lot more energy to make. Tights can be a very useful item in your wardrobe. We wear the same skirts and dresses all year, swapping summer bare legs for Birkenstocks when it drops. Tights make wardrobe more manageable because they can be worn more often. It’s important to choose the most durable options. This is not an easy task. You can’t choose pre-loved, obviously. So we thought we’d share our findings with all of you.
#1 Stockings from Sweden
This incredible company was the first to produce opaques using recycled materials. It uses recycled polyamide yarn, which is very durable and relatively snag-proof. We love the styling of their Instagram photos. Their website has the largest selection of products, but you can also buy directly in Euros. However, the best place to shop in the UK is Buy Me Once. This website is a great place to purchase a Guppyfriend bag. It will trap microplastics from your clothes and catch them in the bag. This bag will not release them into the water supply from your washing machine. You can also send your old Swedish Stockings to the brilliant recycling program. Although they are not recycled into new tights, it is still better than having them end up in landfill.
- Swedish Stockings ribbed tights, £24 (buymeonce.com)
#2 Heist
Heist’s opaque tights are our favorite. These tights are not made of recycled materials but they look great and last long time. Two pairs of ours are over three years old, and they still work great. It’s a good idea to invest in high-quality tights that will last a long time. Heist just released its first set of recycled tights. They are made from fishnets that were taken from old fishing nets. Their creation has a lower carbon footprint than regular tights. It’s a step in the right direction and we look forward to seeing if they expand the recycling to other parts of the range.
- Heist ‘The Fishnet’, £22 (heist-studios.com)
#3 Seasalt Cornwall
This British brand quietly does a lot of amazing things. They use organic cotton, and Tidecycle fabric, which is made from recycled plastic bottles for their raincoats. It was no surprise that they also make recycled tights. They are 95% recycled nylon and 5% elastane. These tights are also considerably more affordable than other sustainable stocking options.
- Seasalt Cornwall recycled tights, £17.50 (seasaltcornwall.co.uk)
#4 Hedoine
Have you ever noticed that fashion brands are more responsible when it comes to choosing models? Although we have not tried Hedoine tights, we are already a fan if it is marketing. They can’t be recycled, but they do come with a ladder-free warranty. If it lives up the hype, that’s a good thing. You’ll use fewer tights in your lifetime which makes up for the fact that durable tights are more expensive than regular ones. Although it is always more expensive to make innovative stuff, we hope that it will eventually become less costly.
- Hedoine luxury 50 denier tights, £22 (hedoine.com)
#5 Kunert
A fiber to bookmark in your mind, is called EcoNYL(r). It’s another recycled fishing wire yarn that is loved by many, including Richard Malone, the London fashion week sustainability designer, and Free People, which use it for an eco-fitness line. Kunert, however, is a new discovery for us. Although we couldn’t find a UK stockist for this product, it appears that you can order them online and have them shipped. They come in 6 sizes and 9 colours. Lindex also makes similar tights, but they are 68% TENCEL mixed (Tencel is a fabric from renewable resources). These tights are available in five colors for £12.99, but be aware that they also come in non-sustainable options!
- Kunert Blue 50 tights, €20 (kunert.de)
#6 Charnos
These Charnos are the cheapest pair we have found. Although we haven’t tried them yet, the packaging is clearly on-brand. These are made of recycled materials and offcuts which are then made into new yarn.
- Charnos recycled tights, £5.99 (uktights.com)
