July 02, 2021

Our Manifesto

We believe in all-out glamour - but also that true beauty is within.

Gilda & Pearl was founded in 2011 with the intention of making beautiful garments in a sustainable way, creating and supporting artisanal jobs in the UK & Europe, and committing to ethical business practises in relation to both people and planet.

Since 2011, we have committed to:

Making every Gilda & Pearl piece as ethically as possible, and preserving specialist skills that have been passed down through generations.

Ensuring transparency by working in partnership with specialist, female-founded UK ateliers, with whom we have built strong professional and personal relationships that stand the test of time.

Ensuring that labour standards throughout the making process are high. At the very minimum, every piece is always produced in adherence with UK labour and environmental laws and regulations, from start to finish and without exception.

Supporting time-honoured creative skills, by using trims such as French Leavers lace. This incredibly intricate fabric is slowly woven on 19th century lace looms by highly skilled lace-makers whose skills have been passed through generations, and there are only a few such antique looms remaining in the world. We believe the final product is well worth the wait.

Using OEKO-TEX silks and working with UK-based, family run silk suppliers, who have committed to a rigorous ethical code of conduct.

Ensuring that our feathers, supplied by a specialist, UK-based family business, are upcycled. Our feathers are strictly byproducts of the food industry only which would otherwise go to landfill - without exception.

Ensuring all dyeing and processing is at a minimum in compliance with REACH, and using natural, undyed silks for our bridal ranges. Where fabrics must be dyed, this is done in small quantities, and within the EU, wherever possible.

Using sustainable raw materials at every opportunity. Our garment design process is based on factors such as whether the fabric can last a lifetime, and whether it will biodegrade at the end of its lifecycle. Our packaging is also 99% biodegradable - the 1% exception is due to the small magnets in our gift box lids, which we are phasing out as part of our commitment to continually improve.

Cutting our carbon emissions by producing in the UK and EU, where the majority of our customer base is, and where our fabrics are produced. We only produce the stock that we actually need, so that nothing is wasted.

Continuously looking for new ways to improve what we can do for people and planet, as we grow.