ALAS Sleepwear Will Make You Want To Sleep In

Despite my great love of fashion, much of my time is spent in loungewear, and I know I can’t be alone in that. And if so much of my time is spent in comfy pjs and sweats, then they might as well be ethically sourced, sustainable, and longer lasting (not to mention cute), right? Ideally, yes. But, you won’t find too many companies offering sustainable loungewear. Enter ALAS sleepwear.

ALAS is changing the way we lounge, binge watch, sleep, and whatever else we do in our comfortable clothes. I had the chance to chat with one of the founders and designers of the brand, to find out more about the company and its amazing efforts toward sustainability.

Betony Dircks and Kelly Elkin met in college, after which they both worked in London's fashion industry. The duo didn't set out to design sleepwear off the bat, but they did know that they wanted to bring ethical fashion back to their home base of Australia.

“We had just returned to Australia after 2 years in London, and were surprised at how much more advanced Europe was when it came to ethical fashion,” said Dircks. “We had decided to start a label, and the idea to do sleepwear just popped into Kelly's head one day!”

So, with sustainability in mind and an opening for ethical fashion in the sleepwear market, they put their heads together to come up a brand, and ALAS was born.

Moonbeam Strip Nightie, $79.95

ALAS stands for “All Light, All Shadow,” referencing the transition from day to night and the idea of transparency that is so important to the brand.

“We feel that it is our responsibility to be aware and in control of how and where our products are made, and to be willing to share this information with our customers, as they have the right to know as well,” said Dircks.

There are no secrets behind where the brand sources materials from or how products are made, which is definitely a major selling point. If that wasn’t enough to talk you into shopping the brand, their amazing work with textiles definitely will be.

Wilbur Fleece Pullover and Pants, $79.95 each

While they try not to design with one era in mind, the desingers’ love for the ‘60s and ‘70s definitely come through in their aesthetic.

“When Kelly and I first met on our first day of university 11 years ago, we immediately bonded over our shared love for the colours, music, patterns and overall aesthetic of the 60's and 70's. We decided that we had been born in the wrong era,” said Dircks. “While we have now (mostly) moved on from our obsessions with paisley and flares, I think it still filters down into our design ideas, to some extent!”

Petal Teddy, $89.95

As they’ve grown as artists, the woman are also inspired by life, their surroundings and even by their dreams. When speaking to their design aesthetic, Dircks said, “I think the stuff we come up with is more a result of the things we see and feel everyday, the colours, markings and imagery we absorb from our surroundings. With memory and dreams thrown in to the mix you get a pretty wild picture!”

You can begin to see what she means by looking at the textile designed through a collaboration with artist Chrissie Abbott called “Magic Cloud.” It happens to be my favorite out of the collection, but I think also speaks to the way they design the most: it’s fun, derived from nature and super colorful.

Magic Clouds Kimono Robe, $169.95; Magic Clouds Camisole Nightie, $89.95

“We love to experiment and have fun with [designing textiles], and the good thing about designing sleepwear is that the prints don't have to be super serious,” she said.

And she’s right! Part of what makes staying in lounge clothes even more fun is that they can be playful and fun (and there’s usually no one around to judge)!

Moonbeam Stripe Tee, $49.95; Wilbur Leggings, $59.95

To shop more looks from their latest collection, That Sunday Feeling, visit the ALAS website, and start taking your loungewear to a whole new level — one that’s fashionable, ethical and sustainable all at once. Start saving the world, one binge sesh at a time!

Images: Courtesy Brand