Introducing Reflo: A Sustainable Apparel Brand

The world that we know is changing and without human intervention, the exponential decline of the planet would have serious repercussions for the future of mankind.

Climate change and the need for recycling correctly isn’t something new, but a particular - and long overdue - emphasis has been placed on protecting Earth to ensure a future for the following generations.

A combination of deforestation, neglecting the correct method of recycling waste and the disastrous fast fashion industry are contributing to a world in disarray.

Fortunately, there are several individuals who simply won’t stand still while this is happening; a select few who have taken it upon themselves to influence change.

Rory MacFadyen is one of those people and through the creation of Reflo, a sustainable clothing brand, he’s hoping to disrupt the norm in a bid to halt the destruction of the ground we walk.

What is Reflo?

Reflo is an apparel company that specialises in golf and active clothing, but the craftsmanship of their products propels this firm beyond your standard fashion retailer. 

All of the materials that feature within the products have been created with recyclable waste, in addition to being intentionally crafted to be sustainable.

For every product purchased, Reflo will plant one tree in areas that have been devastated by deforestation.

The idea for the business came directly from a sports event which speaks volumes about the lengths that golf must go to in order to limit its impact on the environment.

“I worked at a sporting event and I saw the huge amount of product that was being issued and there was boxes upon boxes of apparel that just sat there,” MacFadyen noted, as he recalled the initial idea for the company.

“Knowing the environmental impact of producing clothing, I thought: ‘there must be a better way of doing this’ and it was at a similar time when Pete, my friend, spoke to me about finding a company who can turn a plastic bottle into a high-performance fabric and two ideas formed the initial spark.”

While the coronavirus inflicted pain and suffering across the globe, our planet greatly benefited from the disruption of life as we knew it.

The mountains that sit behind Los Angeles could be seen for the first time in years; the experience of star-gazing in cities had increased dramatically and the thick smog, that typically surrounds the majority of major cities, decreased significantly.

The water in Venice became clearer and generally, there was less pollution which resulted in wildlife not just flourishing but prospering for future generations.

Returning to Reflo, many of you may be resistant to their establishment: ‘another golf apparel company?’ I can hear you say.

Yes, they are a clothing brand that specialise in golfing apparel but they are SO much more than that, with an infectiously conscious ethos at the forefront of their business.

As aforementioned, every purchase will see one tree planted in chosen areas of the world that have suffered through the debilitating act of deforestation.

Via a partnership brokered with Ecologi, who are located in Bath, a proportion of each sale will be directly invested into giving back to Earth.

“We worked with them [Ecologi] on identifying Mozambique and Madagascar as two places that we felt urgently needed attention.

“They’re both areas where huge amounts of land has been taken by farming and as a result, trees get knocked down and it has massive affects on not only CO2 levels, but how furtoil soil ends up washing away.”

Of course, Reflo are at the very start of their journey but MacFadyen cannot emphasise enough that if the retailer grows in popularity, so will their commitment to a greener future.

“The planting of trees would create jobs for locals and we actually fund that ourselves from every product - which is fully built into our model forevermore. If sales go up, so does our investment into these areas.”

It is clear that Reflo believe in a greener future and to note that the world that they envision leads every executive decision would be an accurate depiction.

When identifying factories for the creation and distribution of clothing, they must adhere to certain regulations whilst mirroring the belief and passion that epitomises the brand of Reflo.

“We’ve rejected factories where we wanted to make some products. We sent an independent audit and the conclusion was: not for us, too many risks here.”

In addition to ensuring that workplace conditions are fair, safe and legal, Reflo have intentionally created their products to be sustainable.

Sustainability

What does it mean, or alternatively, what does it mean to you?

The Oxford Dictionary definition of sustainability is: avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance.

So, how does Reflo ensure that all of their products are sustainable? “To be truly sustainable, you need to own less, of a higher quality,” MacFadyen tells me. “And that is really important for us.

“The trousers are designed to look like a chino, so you can chuck some boat shoes - or any shoes - on and you’ll be able to go into the office or even a bar; they look like chinos, but they’re stretchy and high performance - you could even do a squat in them if you wanted.”

A question for our readers: do you wear your golf clothing away from the course - dare you hit the town with your latest collard polo?

Very few people do, which is exactly what MacFadyen is referencing when he speaks about sustainability; Reflo encourage you to wear their products to the office, to the shops or even on a run!

The Reflo collection is not necessarily cheap and certainly cannot compete with brands such as Nike or Adidas at the moment, but the concept of the company isn’t there to rival these major players - it’s to act as a template of how to do better.

“Regardless of where you work, modern day slavery is still present,” MacFadyen tells me, referencing the sweatshop factories that were unearthed in Leicester over the last few years.

“We are at the forefront of changing that and while our price point might be a little more expensive than some other brands, it’s because we are paying more to make the product and yes, we could be cheaper - we could be more affordable by making it in the same factories as the bigger brands - but then it would not be Reflo: it would not be us.

“Everything snowballs to the stage that I think every brand should behave like this.”

Reflo have launched in a bid to fight back against the overwhelming negativity that has been caused through the actions of the human race.

Through purchasing their products, you won’t be solely in possession of comfortable, stylish and environmentally-friendly apparel, but you’ll be contributing to the rebuilding of the planet.

“People and the planet go hand-in-hand - so it’s vitally important that we look after both,” was one of the closing thoughts that MacFadyen shared with me - and he’s right!

While Reflo may be the first to launch in this direction, they certainly will not be the last.

Through this, they can deem themselves as frontrunners of positive change and it just so happens that their apparel collection is pretty impressive too.

The Products

I purchased two polo shirts - with incredibly jazzy designs - and a mid-layer from Reflo to test out on the golf course.

Firstly, the quality of the clothing is immense and worthy of a mention. I headed to the course for a 7 am tee time during mid-November, and the chill of winter was present.

Considering the temperature was 6°C and I was wrapped in only two layers - a polo and the mid-layer - the warmth that circulated my body was unparalleled to any other brand that I have used.

There was not a single moment throughout the three-hour round where I felt too hot, too cold or even uncomfortable - I felt completely relaxed and at ease, which assisted with what was an excellent round of golf.

We have established that the entire clothing range has been created through recyclable waste but that’s not where Reflo felt the need to stop.

“The swing tags on the products are made from recycled card and the string is made from hemp, which is a low-impact, easy-regenerative fibre, which does not take a lot of water and grows really quickly.”

Overall, my experience trialling Reflo’s clothing products was pleasant; the texture of the fabric is soft and the retention of warmth is something that surprised me but was certainly welcome on a cold, winter morning.

The entire range has launched and is now live, you can view their products below.

Remember, every purchase will see the planting of one tree in areas that are crying out for intervention and thanks to the vision of Reflo, the long road of recovery starts today.

For more information, please visit the Official Reflo Website.