Laid-back beachwear made with a mission – this is why you should be wearing LOVE BRAND & Co. all summer
Dovetailing island living with pledges to conservation efforts, this is a venture with a holistic outlook
Words: Josh Lee
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For a company that’s propelled by some pretty important missions, LOVE BRAND & Co. is surprisingly easygoing. Yes, it was founded by spouses Oliver and Rose Tomalin in 2010 in a bid to protect wildlife, with a percentage of revenues (not profit) donated to conservation projects that help elephants and other endangered species. And yes, support is also given to restoring coral reefs. However, though the clothes that they purvey are underpinned by great causes, they’re also defined by a fun, easy-feeling holiday ethos, with a spirited range of colourful, luxury beachwear for travellers who have a penchant for vibrant patterns. “At LOVE BRAND & Co. we love the good life and we love the planet too and believe one doesn’t have to cost the other,” states the founders.
With its considered line of sunny staples – including loose, relaxed shirts, T-shirts, printed shorts, preppy polos and beachy blazers – dressing for an island escape is a pretty straightforward thing when plumping for the label, especially as all pieces are inspired by the Bahamas, the string of islands that plays home to the Tomalins. Of particular note is the brand’s use of linen – the ultimate summer fabric – whose featherweight, moisture-wicking properties belie its durable build. Moreover, as the flax plant, from which linen is made, requires far fewer chemicals than that used to grow cotton, it’s a sustainable material to draw upon – and LOVE BRAND & Co. goes a little further by focusing heavily on organic French linen that’s premium, certified, traceable, and free of GMOs.
Straddling the line between dressed-up and off-duty is the Hoffman Linen Shirt, whose collar provides a formal slant, while its four-button placket evokes one that is often featured on a polo. It also arrives in a timeless white colourway, meaning it can be paired with most pieces, and a pastel-pink option offers a colourful alternative with a soft touch. Equally, if you prefer a completely buttoned-up look, there’s the Abaco Linen Shirt, which has an evening-time feel and is available in a slew of sun-friendly colours – ‘limoncello’ and ‘golden hour’ among them. Meanwhile, for those who favour a short sleeve, the Go With the Flow Arawak Linen Shirt showcases a pattern of Moorish idol fish that’s set on a deep-blue base, the effect of which creates a wave pattern.
Down below, beachgoers would naturally gravitate towards the selection of shorts: there are pared-down options, such as the Riviera Green Burrow Linen Shorts, and more expressive prints are at hand, too; we’re particularly drawn to the Elephant of India Joulter Linen Shorts, whose lines of burgundy elephants make a playful nod to the wider cause at hand.
For dips in the lido, pool or ocean, consider picking up a set or two of swimshorts, the item that LOVE BRAND & Co. is perhaps best known for and one that’s crafted from 100 per cent recycled polyester (approximately 15 single-use plastic bottles are used to make each one of these items). The rapid-drying properties also help when wanting to move from water to bar. Among the options for this summer are the Go With the Flow Staniel Swim Shorts, which will easily complement the matching short-sleeved shirt; the Elephant Palace Blue Staniel Swim Shorts, whose design takes its cues from the founders’ memories of travelling to the jungles of India and the charity work the brand supports there; and the Star Dancer Staniel Swim Shorts, which we enjoy for its light-hearted use of sea stars in a soothing palette featuring ‘cay green’ and ‘zesty limoncello’.
Moreover, adding to its focus on sustainable materials, it must be mentioned that the venture undertakes sound printing and dyeing practices in order to ensure not only the most premium of finishes, but to also use the least water possible. Buttons made of corozo nuts, similarly, are favoured over shell and plastic, as they’re a renewable source and, in our opinion, one that offers a more refined finish.
As a result of its green efforts, the company is a certified B Corp – ‘our pledge is always to be mindful of our impact’ – the hallmark of a business operating at the highest levels when it comes to transparency, accountability, and environmental and social matters. Helping this is a goal to become carbon neutral by 2030, and a closed-loop system is in the works, too. And, of course, as a member of 1% for the Planet, there are the previously noted donations to conservation efforts on land (including those helping black rhinos and African wild dogs in Tanzania), as well as to the protection of Posidonia seagrass, known as the ‘lungs of the sea’.
‘We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and minimising any negative impact, while also maximising the positive impact we can have for people and the planet,’ says the company.
Doing good while looking good – it’s a winning combination that we can get firmly behind.
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