Sworn Virgins

Sworn Virgins puts bamboo fabric’s natural free-flowing drape to work in comfortable modern shapes that are designed to flatter the body and help the environment.

The Los Angeles–based company is committed to producing an eco-friendly product from the nature of the yarns to how the fabric is dyed.

The idea for the line was hatched by cofounders Alex Amini, who owns a knitting mill in Los Angeles, and Roshanne Aghevli, who worked as a designer for various companies in Los Angeles.

A few years ago, Amini was interested in branching out into the denim market. But through his research, he was turned off by the quantity of pesticides used to harvest cotton for a single pair of jeans and the amount of chemicals used for the wash treatments. He scrapped the denim plan and teamed up with Aghevli to start Sworn Virgins, a company that uses environmentally friendly fibers and manufacturing processes.

“This is one of the industries that creates a lot of waste, starting from the cotton farms all the way down to dye houses,” said Amini. “It’s something that needs to be watched and done properly in order to be environmentally friendly.”

The bamboo/spandex blend fabric used in Sworn Virgins’ line is naturally eco-friendly, since bamboo does not require pesticides to grow efficiently and carries inherent antimicrobial properties, he said.

Amini is constantly researching filters that will cut down on water waste in the dying process as well. “We are trying to recycle the water [from dyeing] and bring it down to 50 percent less wasted water.”

Though the environmentally friendly focus is a driving force behind the company, buyers instinctively respond to the fashion.

Aghevli’s easy-to-wear tops, skirts and dress shapes are designed to maximize bamboo’s naturally fluid drape and soft hand.

“We know we need to buy for our store what sells,” said Marty Bebout, co-owner of Blue Bee in Santa Barbara, Calif., which stocks contemporary brands such as Splendid and Great China Wall.

Bebout said he supports companies that use sustainable materials and fair labor practices, including Loomstate and Edun, but consumers are still warming up to organic clothing as a primary selling point. “I’ve been eating organic vegetables for 30 years,” he said, “but I think that for some people, it’s a whole new idea.”

After Bebout explains to customers that Sworn Virgins is made from sustainable bamboo fabric, it sometimes tips the scale for customers to buy. Wholesale price points range from $24 to $72.

For more information, contact Focus Showroom in The New Mart, Suite 1001, at (213) 614-0964. —Rhea Cortado