Up and Coming Sustainability: How Bruin Founded Fashion Company Campbell and Kramer Prioritizes Sustainable Practices
UCLA Bruins show their allegiance and pride to all sorts of teams and organizations. From our gymnastics team to our researchers, Bruin pride is seen and heard throughout the community. It is especially amplified for those who stand to make a change and speak on issues plaguing the world. The up-and-coming fashion label, Campbell and Kramer, is no exception to this Bruin love and support.
@mya_wojtasiak via @campbellandkramer
The brand founded by UCLA seniors, Alden Kramer and Presley Campbell, has taken the internet by storm. Influencers and musicians like Olivia O’Brien and Amelia Hamlin are frequently seen flaunting the company’s trendy apparel. Their clothing has become a Bruin comfy clothing essential and is only growing in popularity.
Model Amelia Hamlin spotted wearing Campbell and Kramer, Photo taken from @campbellandkramer
But beyond the chic clothing and social media appeal, Campbell and Kramer’s clothing have deeper intentions. From the birth of the brand, the company has been in alignment with sustainable practices. When asked how this came to be in an interview back in the fall of 2020, co-founder Alden Kramer talked about the brands thrift store beginnings and how many of the bases of the first designs came from thrifting. She discussed the idea of clothing waste and how they were concerned about waste since they were financing everything themselves. On top of that, the co-founders were mindful of the impact clothing waste had on the planet. Although she does admit their thrifting approach slightly hindered the brand’s growth, she spoke on how functioning as a sustainable brand allowed them to do everything at their own reach while making things as simple as possible. To think if it wasn’t for their sustainable approach, who knows where the now internet trendy hand-tie dyed designs of Campbell and Kramer would be?
@davis_bates via @campbellandkramer
@devapollon via @campbellandkramer
The girls continue to implement sustainable practices today, with the brand announcing in late 2020 that they are partnering with a downtown factory that emphasizes sustainability in its core practices. The founders list some of the factory’s practices on their Instagram, with some including how everything will be “100% designed, produced and packaged, and shipped in Southern California for a low carbon footprint,” how all the apparel would be “made from 100% cotton or a blend of cotton and recycled polyester,” and how “all excess fabric, water, steam, etc. is recycled.” In addition to the factory, the founders of Campbell and Kramer continue to think about the small things. They announced in March 2021 that their new packaging would be 100% recycled poly-mailer, showing how the brand continues to put sustainability first.
New shipping bags, Photo taken from @campbellandkramer Instagram stories
Photo courtesy of FAST Editorial & FAST Model
For many of us fretting over the state of our world and the future of fashion, brands like Campbell and Kramer give us hope: they inspire fashion entrepreneurs and clothing enthusiasts alike to make a change in our world. Not to mention, they also motivate us to make sure we look damn good while we fight for our planet.
Ali Wood