With veganism and sustainability at the core of Shonagh’s personal life, it was imperative for this to be reflected in her brand; Shone is therfore dedicated to using exclusively vegan and sustainable materials, bringing light to and challenging the harmful effects of the fashion industry to our planet. Most knitwear is made with animal-derived wool and the alternative to that is synthetic, plastic-based fibres, both incredibly conflicting and neither desirable due to the detrimental impact such materials have on the health of our environment and our animals. However Shone uses Bio-Nylon, a new material that is revolutionising the fashion industry through plant technology.

Bio-Nylon is an innovative plant-based and sustainably manufactured alternative to nylon, replacing our reliance on nonrenewable raw fossil fuel materials to 100% renewable ones. It uses recycled organic waste including 99% of the water in the closed-loop system, simultaneously reducing carbon footprint by 900kg of CO2 per ton compared to conventional nylon. Bio-Nylon also has an increased biodegradability; naturally degrading in the right conditions in just 5 years, 10 to 20 times quicker than our synthetic alternatives, without impacting its performance during its lifespan as a garment. This means we can enjoy expressive fashion without the concering detriments of landfill and plastic pollution

Shone’s Garments are now the first Bio-Nylon made pieces to be recognised and trademarked by The Vegan Society, who examine the process from its earliest stages of production to the dying and handling processes, ensuring there is no element of animal-testing or use of animal-derived material. Without the use of nasty chemicals and dyes, in addition to being certified OEKO-TEX 100, this material is incredibly kind and gentle on the skin, even the most sensitive types including children and eczema suffers. Not forgetting, this material is incredibly silky, soft and in no way itchy like many knitwear pieces, ensuring absolute comfort for the wearer.

Shone prepares the Bio-Nylon yarn entirely by hand, splitting it into various thicknesses and ensuring each length of yarn is completely even in width. The yarn is then lightly spun and rolled into balls, ready to be knitted with a unique finger-knitting technique that she has developed herself through years of practice and experimenting. By controlling the width of the yarn, as well as adopting various knitting techniques, Shone is able to play with depth and texture throughout her pieces, creating dynamic, yet intricate crochet-like formations. Shonagh uses her knowledge of garment technology and dress making to create her pieces, often taking days at a time to complete.

“I absolutely love the creative process, I always have. From having an idea, designing, preparing the yarn and spending hours transforming this material into wearable pieces is incredibly satisfying. I feel a sense of connection with every one of my pieces due to intense handling of every inch of yarn, knowing that so much care and labour goes into every piece. Not only that, but the rhythmic and tactile nature to the craft is also really therapeutic, I can lose myself for hours.”