Founded in 2017 by Brandy Mercredi, FRANC, as in “Let’s be Frank”, is a Canadian clothing company dedicated to ethically and sustainably made staple items for your closet.
Born out of Mercredi’s distaste for fast fashion and the desire to realize a company that would be completely transparent, or frank, with its customers, FRANC is built on five fundamental tenets.
First, FRANC’s products are made to last and be cherished. They create basics that can be spruced up to form a variety of fun outfits.
Second, the ethical treatment of all of its employees is ensured. With their factories located in the Greater Toronto Area, this proximity not only allows FRANC to lower carbon footprint, but it allows them to regularly check on their workers and ensure good working standards.
The third tenet revolves around material. With TENCEL, cotton, and bamboo yarn found in their garments, all of the fabrics are dyed using OEKO-TEX dyes which are non-toxic.
FRANC’s fourth fundamental of sustainable fashion is being entirely plastic-free. Their shipping bags are 100% compostable and all other marketing material is printed on 100% recycled paper.
The last tenet is pricing. FRANC acknowledges the high mark up on fast fashion prices. To correct this, they price their products reasonably so that it is affordable.
Additionally, FRANC calculates their total emissions at the end of each month. This becomes a monthly offset cost which goes toward environmental initiatives like Pachama, which works to restore our forests.
Neha Khoral of Setting Mind interviews Mercredi to learn more.
Khoral: What was the moment that inspired you to carve out her own space in the fashion world?
Mercredi: Owning my own clothing line was a long-time dream. Over the years, as I shopped and designed for other brands, I realized a few things I was spending way too much time hunting down timeless basics that were made to last—classic but not boring. I was also increasingly frustrated with many of the practices that are commonplace in the fashion industry. I knew things could be done better. This inspired me to finally take my dream of owning a clothing line and do what I could to do better.
What sets FRANC apart in the world of sustainable fashion?
We generally don’t compare what we do to other brands, as there are so many great brands out there doing some really amazing things. We focus on doing the best we can with what we have (in our lane of focus) and continually improving each season when new possibilities arise. This means we are constantly working to be more sustainable each season since, as we grow, we can attain more sustainable options.
What does it mean to host all of your production in Canada? Why is this such an essential part of the process?
We feel it’s imperative to have a close relationship with the partners who make our clothes and be able to drop-in (pre-pandemic) at any moment to see how things are going and see firsthand that the people who work there are treated well. And also support our local economy and talent! It is also essential for us from a carbon footprint standpoint to ensure that our items travel as little as possible before they arrive with you.
What’s coming up for FRANC? What’re you working on?
We are working on Fall 2021 and Spring 2022, creating some fresh items, adding some masculine/unisex styles, improving our fabric, and adding a couple more sizes to our line.
All images in this article are courtesy of FRANC.
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