We’re extremely excited to have officially launched Better tights last week, and we wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to our brand and our products, to give you a little more insight into who we are and what we’re about. We’re really proud of all the hard work the Better team has put into developing our products and our brand, and we want to share it all with you!
So, without further ado: welcome to Better.
Better Tights: Our Products
Even though Better is a new brand, the team behind the scenes have actually been working in the hosiery industry for a long time (over 50 years in some cases!) we supply to well-known, established high street stores, and our parent company is also well-established and experienced team within the industry. Over the years, we began to realise that there was a real need for tights that actually fit. ‘Normal’ tights were failing bodies time and time again with “one-size” hosiery that snagged, pilled, sagged, dug in - and then to top it off, the product quality rapidly deteriorated as the tights were washed and worn. We became aware that a lot of brands seemed to be relying on this fact so that people would simply just buy some more tights.
This isn’t right. It makes customers feel at fault for not being the “right” height or the “right” shape for a piece of clothing that is meant to do one simple thing: fit to someone’s body.
Our tights are different to those sold in many high street stores, thanks to the 3D knitting technology that our team developed right here in the UK. This technology gives our hosiery its signature 360-stretch, allowing us to cater to a wide range of heights, sizes, shapes and, well, every body – it also results in a longer-lasting pair of tights that is more environmentally friendly. Less need for a new pair of tights = less clothing waste!
After three years of trial and error developing our signature 360-stretch, our team had their eureka moment and Better tights were born. Between our factory in Hinckley, UK and our partner factories and dye-houses in Italy, we have created a product that we’re really, really proud of. So, here we are, shouting about it to the world!
Better Tights: Our Manufacturing Process
There are four key areas we focus on when crafting Better tights:
- Comfort
- Adaptability
- Durability
- Sustainability
Our core values are centred around the belief that tights should be comfortable, recognise the diversity of the human body and be of the best quality - whilst still being affordable.
The way we sew seams into our tights is particularly important to us. We noticed that too many tights were being made en masse with very little thought behind how these would work ergonomically. So, instead of choosing to go with traditional seams, we developed a way to manufacture tights with flat seams, no panels and comfy cotton gussets - meaning there was no more uncomfortable digging into the lovely bits that make you, you!
During the three years of development, our team also worked to create a manufacturing process that meant Better tights fit well across the bum, tum and thighs (based on the feedback of many hosiery-wearers at our HQ and beyond!), meaning that there was more room to breathe, move and play.
Our manufacturing process is under constant review, meaning that any customer feedback is taken into account as we constantly evolve our products in our mission to make the best tights you’ve ever worn.
Better Tights: Sustainability
Did you know that the textile industry is the second largest polluter in the world, and the fashion industry emits more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined? Research shows that nearly five per cent of all landfill space is consumed by textile waste, and 20% of all freshwater pollution is made by textile treatment and dyeing. When starting our Better venture, the whole team made a promise that we wouldn’t contribute any more to this problem. With this in mind, we produce our tights as sustainably as we possibly can.
Our hosiery’s 360-degree ergonomic stretch means that we create higher quality, longer-lasting pairs of tights that reduce the need for the wearer to frequently discard ripped or ill-fitting tights. It’s hard to believe that a company who makes tights wants you to buy fewer, but we do. The last thing we want is more clothing dumped into landfill.
All of our (and our Italian partners) factories are eco-friendly, solar-powered and utilise recycled water wherever possible. Our UK factory uses efficient machines that have an incredibly long life span and we ensure that we consistently review our processes - including product transportation - to ensure we’re keeping our carbon footprint as small as we can. We’re not saying we’re absolutely perfect, but we’re working really hard to try and get there when it comes to reducing our impact on the ever-increasing climate emergency.
Waste is up 300% amid the coronavirus pandemic, and although more favourable than plastic, a lot of this includes cardboard. So, we are currently using tissue paper for packaging whilst we develop a recyclable, sustainable option. A lot of our team strongly encourage using the paper used in all of our packaging for compost (it’s good for your compost pile as it will soak up any water and keep it from being smelly!)
We’re also currently developing lots of brand new products behind the scenes. Keep your eyes peeled for our launches, we’re really excited about them. In the meantime, we’re testing away at our factory to make sure these are just as good as our main range.
We Want to Get to Know You
If you have any comments or questions about us or what we do, please feel free to get in touch with us directly at enquiries@bettertights.com. We share your passion for great hosiery that exists beyond the “one-size-fits-all” myth, and want to work with you to transform the industry for the better.
We’re looking forward to getting to know you.
Thanks so much,
The Better Team x