Meet The Sister-Run Labels Making Waves In Sustainable Fashion

The sisterly bond is somsething that many who have experienced it would agree is unlike any other. In honor of International Siblings Day, I spoke to the women behind two labels doing incredible things in the world of sustainable fashion and the strengths and challenges of doing it with their sisters by their sides.

GROUNDRUTH

Run by Georgia, Sophia and Nina Scott, GROUNDTRUTH is dedicated to creating bags and accessories with innovation at the forefront, using plastic waste to create vegan backpacks, recycled dry bags and waterproof cross-body bags–amongst many other designs. After years of making documentaries in some the world’s most challenging environments, the sisters set out to bring their talents and commitment to creating a better planet to a new industry. Since then, the Scott sisters have made waves in the field, leading innovative projects like their patent-pending GT-OCO-CO2® which uses CO2 emissions to create hardware for GROUNDTRUTH bags, winning them a spot on Fast Company’s 2024 World Changing Ideas list.

“We spent our childhood in different countries due to our father’s work in the theatre world. Through our parents, we were always aware of our environment and our interactions with different cultures and countries made us deeply aware of the world’s fragility and its beauty.” Georgia Scott, GROUNDTRUTH’s CEO told me via e-mail. Referring to her career in documentary filmmaking, Georgia went on to share, “We witnessed the devastating impact of plastic pollution firsthand and the rippling effects of climate change. That’s what compelled us to create a business that could be part of the solution – a business that we could build using the same tools we applied in our investigative documentary filmmaking where no stone was ever left unturned.”

When asked how being a family business has impacted the brand, Georgia shared, “We push each other harder, hold each other more accountable. At the end of the day, there’s an unshakable bond and a shared vision that keeps us grounded. As three women, we want to look our children in the eyes and say we did everything we could to leave the planet better than we found it.”

Skall Studio

The Skall sisters hold similar values to the Scotts. Julie and Marie Skall grew up surrounded by nature in Denmark’s Northern Jutland region, known for its striking coast. Over the last 15 years, Skall Studio has become a favorite throughout Scandinavia and abroad for both its range of organic cotton and linen pieces that focus on timeless design and Danish wool and cashmere knitwear styles that demonstrate dedication to traditional craftsmanship and minimal environmental impact.

The inspiration behind much of Skall Studio’s collections can be traced back to their upbringing. By email, the Skall Sisters stated, “As children, we spent so much time in nature, and we learned early on the importance of balance and care in all things. It’s that same sense of responsibility that drives us today to build a label that stays true to our values, always with an eye toward the future.”

Back to the theme of accountability, the Skall Sisters shared, “We hold each other accountable, not just because we are business partners, but because we know that our shared history and shared vision make what we do together even more meaningful. Responsibility is part of that vision, something rooted in the way we were raised to respect nature and think about the long-term”.

Though their products may be quite different in their presentations, Skall Studio and GROUNDTRUTH both are key players in the world of sustainable fashion, proving that solutions can be found all around us. And with the help of their familial bonds, they’re helping all our future’s look that little bit greener.