The Latest Up-and-Coming Sustainable Brand: Paneros Clothing

At SiteSee, we’re constantly on the search for up-and-coming brands that place an emphasis on using sustainable materials as well as ethical manufacturing. And when we came across the clothing brand, Paneros Clothing, it quickly checked all the boxes. We were fortunate to sit down with the founder of Paneros Clothing, Lauren DeCarli-Till, to learn more about the brand’s back story, the fabrics they use, and their top recommended products for digital nomads and female travelers.

We’re reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission (at no extra cost to you). You can read through our full affiliate disclosure here.

What inspired you to start Paneros Clothing?

After being a designer for a wholesale fashion company for 10 years, producing a new collection every month I saw how wasteful, polluting, and unsustainable the industry can be and as a consumer myself, I felt there was a tremendous disconnect between consumers and the amazing people who make the clothes we wear every day. So many people see our clothes as being disposable and don't think about all of the hands that are involved in creating a single garment. I was very inspired by the amazing artisans when I went to Bali for the first time and I wanted to create a better alternative to fast fashion: producing beautiful slow fashion, timeless styles made the way they should be and designed to be worn not just for one season, but year after year so that you can look great while making a positive impact on the world all while rebuilding that connection to the amazing people who handcraft our styles, and an appreciation for the earth that provides the materials.

What makes your clothing line sustainable?

We have a 5 part brand promise that goes into the ways our brand is sustainable and ethical. We believe you cannot be sustainable without being ethical as well which is why they are both incorporated into our brand promise. The 5 parts are:

1. Using eco-friendly fabrics and materials. We pledge to never use fully synthetic fabrics and we use natural trims such as real shell buttons. We also predominantly use deadstock fabrics which all have a natural origin. You won't find any polyester, acrylic, or nylon in our products.

2. We only use responsible manufacturers. I have personally visited every manufacturer that we work with to ensure fair living wages are being paid, and working conditions are safe and ethical.

3. Emphasizing quality over quantity. We create lasting, high-quality pieces with exceptional construction and a consistent fit. Designing clothes that will stand the test of time is extremely important to us. We do not mass produce, but rather focus on creating smaller batches of quality clothing.

4. Reducing pollution. In using deadstock fabric and materials, our products do not require any new fabrics to create, resulting in no added pollution in our style creation. We also continue to develop our naturally dyed program which uses fewer chemicals and resources to produce. As much as we can, we continue to utilize minimal-impact practices and materials.

5. Reducing waste. All of our collections are limited edition small batch. This is because we are only using existing materials to create our products. We also use whatever we can to produce practical accessories (like scrunchies and reusable duster bags) out of material that would otherwise go in the trash. Finally, as much as we are able to, we use recycled and biodegradable materials for all of our packaging and labels while still ensuring a quality experience for our customers.

What sustainable fabrics are your go-to?

I love to use Tencel. It's an amazing sustainable fabric, made from the wood pulp of eucalyptus trees, and around 90% of all materials used to produce this fiber are recycled which is amazing. I'm very excited to be working with hemp and linen for upcoming designs.

Why is it important for buyers to look for sustainably-made products?

I believe it's extremely important for buyers to look for sustainably-made products because the future of our earth depends on it and the lives of the people who make the products they shop for. Reducing our impact on our Earth and supporting ethically made products is imperative to future generations. The production of any product uses resources that affect our planet and everyone living on it and are related to issues such as pollution, water scarcity, waste, and global warming. Buying sustainably-made products help protect our earth's resources as well as support ethical manufacturing.

If you could recommend three items from Paneros Clothing to our readers (typically digital nomads on the go), what would it be?

Some items I would definitely recommend to your readers, whether you're a digital nomad or not, would be our ethically handknitted 100% cotton Sweaters Collection (any color or style, with more arriving this fall) because they are the perfect sweaters to wear all year round. The sustainable cotton yarns are super soft and breathable and are the perfect weight for any weather. They are ethically handknitted in Bali by our amazing artisans who keep heritage techniques alive and have endless ways to style them. You can wear them layered over any top, or on their own, and they're very easy to pack and you don't have to worry about them wrinkling.

The second item I would recommend would have to be our Dawn Blouse. The Dawn blouse is one of our best-selling tops. It's made from a lightweight, deadstock 100% cotton voile with cotton lace. It's a great top to wear casually, dressed up, or when you have to hop on a video meeting. Its beautiful handcrafted details will most definitely get you compliments and its timeless styling will keep you coming back to it year after year.

The last item I would recommend is our Beaded Kaia Shirt in the fun Mahalo print. This shirt is perfect to wear with any bottoms or as a beach coverup. It is hand-beaded using only glass beads by two women artisans in Bali, Sara, and Kadek. It features a fun tropical print and real shell buttons and the hand feel is extremely soft. This is a great conversation piece and a true work of art. We also carry it without the beads in case you are looking for a more simple shirt.

What do you see for the future of Paneros Clothing?

I see Paneros becoming a sustainable and ethical lifestyle brand that extends our product range to include handcrafted accessories. I hope to have our own Paneors Clothing brick-and-mortar store one day.