Each item includes a size guide that may be viewed prior to selection. Many of our styles fit true to size. Any styles with a special fit will be noted in the description section of the style. Our pants have a classic fit which hits just above the hips. You can view our size guide by clicking here
All Stewart+Brown styles that say machine washable on the care label are pre-shrunk during the production process.
You may email customer service at service@stewartbrown.com and we may be able to help you locate an item. Also, there is a list on our stockist page of retail and e-stores that carry pieces from the Stewart+Brown line.
Conventional dry cleaning is extremely toxic so we recommend using alternative methods like wet cleaning and CO2 cleaning. These services are becoming more and more common so, if there isn't one in your area, there should be soon. For an extended explanation of garment care and recommended processes please see our garment care section.
There is indeed a reason that "Made in China" carries such a negative connotation but we also believe people are being myopic for only seeing it that way. We are big believers in natural capitalism, meaning that the best way to solve a lot of the world's inequity problems is through commerce. We believe in doing it in a responsible manner through fair trade regulation. Just because someone lives or owns a business in China doesn't mean they don't deserve or want the opportunity to improve their situation, work in a socially / environmentally responsible manner and be dignified contributors to the world economy.
There is actually a large and growing green movement in China and we support it. In China, people are being shot, beaten, and / or jailed because of pro-environment / sustainability rallies and protests. It takes a lot of courage to protest and do the right thing in China and we want to support that movement and their efforts and not just shun or discriminate against China in general. We spend a fair amount of time in Asia and actually work with all kinds of amazing people and factories.
The factories we work with in China and Hong Kong provide a quality of knitwear that we are unable to find in the US and are all fair trade. This means that all factories adhere to CSCC Standards and are required to:
1. Create a safe, non-hazardous, and productive environment for the worker including access to first aid and no use of toxic carcinogens.
2. Treat labor in a fair way, which includes providing: clean working environments, rest rooms, breaks, fair and regulated wages, and over-time pay, and no under-age labor.
3. Adhere to environmental regulations including treating and purifying all waste water, recycle raw materials when possible, no illegal waste dumping. Also, we personally visit our factories a couple of times a year to ensure the standards are being upheld. One of our partners in China started one of China's first green factories. The owner, who is also a personal friend, worked w/the Chinese government to establish a new protocol for eco-friendly apparel factory conditions. In this particular factory, which adheres strictly to the CSCC standards, they use solar power to power the factory and the facilities are thoroughly clean, bright, roomy, efficient and organized.
It is a hard balance to find. People have to remember that in order to run a business and make a product, resources will be required and goods will need to be transported. The emphasis needs to be on using the business economy to make a profit for sustainable ventures. The question of organic vs local but conventionally grown is a common one people make in fashion as well as food. The key is for people to be educated so they can make informed decisions about how to spend their money. The more that people know about pesticides, herbicides and nitrate based fertilizer (what crops are most heavily, or least heavily sprayed) and where products come from, the better choices they can make. Cotton, for example, is one of the most heavily sprayed crops so we place a high priority on using organic cotton. The bottom line is education and the biggest obstacle is the same in the food industry as in the apparel industry. Marketing clouds people's judgments and decisions. We need honest marketing, which almost sounds like an oxymoron. Ideally, consumers should choose to spend money because they are buying a quality or stylish product that came to them in the least harmful and least wasteful way while gaining peace of mind knowing that they are helping fair trade workers support their families and local economies.
grist.org, inhabitat.com, treehugger.com, and npr.org environmental report are all great sources for environmental news and information. A lot of us in the office also really enjoyed reading Michael Pollan's The Ominvore's Dilemma as well as Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat. We also highly recommend Pollan and Friedman's articles in the New York Times.
We use only low-impact reactive dyes on our clothing. Reactive dyes actually form a chemical covalent bond with the cellulose fibers in cotton, hemp, or linen leaving the wastewater clean. This differs from the way direct or acid dyes stain fiber. The reactive process also means that the dye is colorfast and won't bleed. We have done a lot of research on dyeing and have decided that reactive dyes are currently the best option since they produce the least environmental impact while still allowing us to achieve vibrant, colorfast colors. As far as your skin allergies, it's not clear how it will affect you. It is a fairly common way to dye cotton garments, so if you seem to be allergic to a lot of items such as cotton t-shirts, reactive dyes may still be a problem for you. If you have not already switched to organic cotton, that may also help you because you will be avoiding chemical residue from the cotton itself. We do sometimes offer colors that are un-dyed that may be better for your sensitive skin. You can search the following items on our webshop: net knit button tank, crochet tank, flare knit cardigan, or cable sleeve cardigan in color "raw" or any cashmere item in color natural. Our Fall 08 line will also contain some items that are undyed so check back on the site next fall.
The practice of mulesing is a way to prevent the very painful and potentially fatal blowfly infestation in Merino Sheep. It is the surgical removal of extra folds of skin on the sheep's rear end. The Australian Veterinary Association recognizes that mulesing is not ideal however it considers mulesing to be a necessary "short term welfare compromise to benefit the overall long term welfare of the animal", a view shared by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. There are many non-surgical alternatives being researched and coming into use in the Australian sheep industry.
We are working with our premium knitwear manufacturer to have our Merino wool sourced in New Zealand or from non-mulesed Australian sheep. This is a work in progress because consistency in availability and quality are also an important issue. However, we are aware of the consumer's concern over the mulesing of Merino sheep and have our eyes on the situation. Also, because of the imminent phasing-out of mulesing in the Australian wool industry (by 2010) and all of the possible alternatives, we feel it is appropriate to keep Merino in our premium knitwear line for its soft, warm fine fiber that is renewable and biodegradable.
Yes, please recycle the bags. They are made of 100% virgin low density Polyethylene material. It is recyclable, sulfur free, silicon and latex free.
To many of those reading this, we're preaching to the choir because you know there really isn't another option. If we want a promising life and future for you, me and all life on this planet then we simply MUST be eco-friendly. It is important for everyone to be conservation-minded and to be pro-environment. We're depleting our natural resources and killing the planet we depend on to sustain life. We have a choice on what the future holds and we want to see our children and future generations have the same opportunities we had and to enjoy the miracle of this beautiful planet.
Attaining peace of mind because you are supporting the future of life on this planet and in doing so, serving as a positive role model to your children, nieces and nephews; the next generation that will need to carry on the message necessary to the wellbeing of the generations beyond them.