At ANIÁN, Style Meets Sustainability

Sharp Staff September 11, 2024

Range Rover & SHARP

For BC-based apparel company ANIÁN, it all started with a shirt.

West-coaster Paul Long opened ANIÁN’s first location in Victoria, BC in 2013 — although to call it a storefront would be a bit of a stretch. It was more of a shed plunked down in an abandoned parking lot. It didn’t have electricity or heat, but what it did have was Long’s spirited ambition. While there weren’t a lot of customers at the time, Long spent his energy learning more about the apparel industry, taking silk-screening classes, mentoring with local seamstresses and reading everything he could get his hands on about textiles and fabrics.

One chilly day during a winter surf trip, Long learned that his army surplus Melton pea coat kept him warm and dry while his friends shivered in their synthetic coats. He realized how well the fabric would suit the coastal climate, so he set out to create the perfect shirt made from Melton. But when Long started taking steps to source Melton, the textile global supply chain — and its environmental impact — gave him a rude awakening. It spurred him to not only find a more responsible way to produce apparel, but to become a leader in sustainable fashion.

Inspired to find a way to produce Melton shirts without harming the planet, Long sourced a supplier that could weave recycled Melton that was salvaged, re-spun and re-woven from discarded clothing. He notes that while, since its inception, ANIÁN considered itself to be a responsible brand, this step towards circularity meant huge progress towards a more sustainable future for the fashion industry.

“ANIÁN is leading the charge, challenging the destructive norms of the fashion industry and redefining what’s possible,” says Long. Since then, ANIÁN has transformed over 600,000lbs of discarded garments.

These recycled fabrics are not second-rate. In fact, their integrity might be superior to conventional garments — one of ANIÁN’s customers even remarked that his Melton wool only got better the worse he treated it.

“The future of fashion is circular, and our customers are proud to be part of this transformative movement,” says Long, noting that ANIÁN leads with transparency, sourcing natural fibres and utilizing Canadian craftsmanship — all the brand’s garments are sewn in Vancouver. “Every industry has a ‘proof of concept’ company that sets a new standard and shows others what’s possible. ANIÁN is that leader in fashion, proving that circular clothing is not just a concept but a vital step toward the future,” says Long.

Needless to say, ANIÁN was able to grow out of its original abandoned parking lot since that first Melton shirt. In 2018, it opened its Johnson Street location and expanded its product line to include even more durable basics made from post-consumer garments. It didn’t stop there: the brand has also expanded into a second brick and mortar location in Kitsilano, taking its garments onto the mainland.

ANIÁN’s collections are made for your west-coast lifestyle — they’re rugged and natural, and beg you to take them out for an adventure. Most of its garments are dye-free, digging even deeper into that “come as you are” energy while reducing environmental impact by nixing chemical pollution, water usage and energy consumption in the process.

The brand has also introduced a resale program for its clothing, where pre-loved garments can be sold back to the company for store credit. With its signature transparency, ANIÁN provides details on how long and hard items of clothing have been worn, setting a price for the garment’s next life. The brand’s hope isn’t just that it’ll be loved by the next person — but by that person’s kid when it’s ready to be passed down.

It’s that longevity, that commitment to not only forecasting the future but actively pursuing the health of it, that drives Long’s mission for ANIÁN. “We’re redefining the industry, leading by example, and making sustainability the new benchmark for success,” he says.

“This isn’t just about clothing; it’s about inspiring change and driving innovation across all sectors. ANIÁN represents a future where fashion makes an impact, not just an impression.”