Slate Wearables Makes Sustainable, Stylish Sets You’ll Want to Live In This Summer

Sure, modern post-secondary fashion schools are raising the next generation of creative leaders—but they’re also warning up-and- comers about the not-so-pretty side of the industry. Shelby Wick remembers some particularly dark lessons from her degree at Ryerson (now Toronto Metropolitan University): “It’s pretty upsetting. You’re like, I’m going to school for this awful industry that’s exploiting people and killing the environment—why am I here?”

So when it came to founding her own brand, Slate Wearables, Vancouver-born Wick was determined to weave solid ethics into every garment. A sunkissed stint in Brisbane heavily influenced the design vibe. “In Australia, there’s a lot of simple pieces—very breezy and beachy,” says Wick. She partners with a small-scale, local manufacturer (yes, everything is made in Vancouver) to produce her dresses, rompers and matching tops and bottoms. She describes her clothing as minimalist, neutral and easy to style. “I design mostly sets, so you can buy them together or mix and match,” shares Wick.

Slate Wearables’ goods are made from natural fibres (linen, organic cotton and hemp) and are packaged and shipped using compostable materials. “I’m providing an option for the conscious consumer,” Wick explains. “In every detail, I think about the planet… not just making money.”

As a small-scale designer, she’s heard plenty from capitalist-leaning naysayers, she says. “People have said I’m never going to be successful or that it’s not going to work. And I’m like, well, I don’t need to be a massive fashion brand,” Wick asserts. “I don’t need to exploit people. That’s not really my plan.”