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Why Relovable was written

There are an estimated 10 million once-worn old wedding dresses out of circulation, tucked away in lofts in the UK alone * , and the question most environmentally-conscious brides ask at some point during their fitting is “What do people do with their wedding dress after the wedding?” . This is what sparked the making of this book. Brides-to-be sometimes ask out of curiosity, some feel a sense of waste at only wearing it once, and some because they’ve overspent and are wondering if they can sell or rent it afterwards. Many wouldn’t DREAM of parting with it, but they WOULD like to store it properly and to know what the other options are, and this book covers the topic from every angle.

“Lots of brides are interested in dyeing their dress so they can wear it again and there is precious little practical information available, particularly if your dress is synthetic, which the majority are. So I began some research, put my marigolds on and plunged into my dye bath,” says Author, Caroline.

The topic of dyeing opened up a whole new line of enquiry related to the environmental effect of using dyes, and sustainable solutions are offered throughout the book. Many of the author’s bespoke dresses in the past have been made from new polyester, and the packaging the fabric arrived in was plastic. She wanted to connect with and learn from the growing tribe of sustainably-minded brides who were asking her to make them a dress.  Taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture, Caroline was struck by the reaction of her peers: “I put feelers out in the industry to see if there was anyone interested in exploring this with me. Momentum for the book grew as I was inundated with offers of help for the project from boutique owners, photographers and other suppliers across the industry”

Some brides visit multiple bridal boutiques, inspired by the extravagant celebrity weddings they see on social media, and often set unrealistic budgets. The pressure on boutiques and designers to meet their demand by producing more and more, cheaper and cheaper, illustrates the lack of awareness of many of the impact of their wedding dress choices. Meanwhile, more brides are now choosing ethically-made gowns with transparent supply chains, or pre-loved dresses, often with the intention of selling or renting them after the wedding. But there is a gap that needs to be plugged between the two brides. There is still huge demand for the affordable, mainstream brands, and many brands are trying to adjust their production methods in line with ethical and environmental ideals. But all of this takes time, and the author hopes Relovable will help to get things moving, just by giving visibility to the topic.

*Deduced from Office of National Statistics estimation that just under 30 million people are currently married, divorced or widowed in the UK. Some will no longer have their dress, some won’t have worn one,  but most people who did, seem to have kept it.