TORONTO — Tip Top Tailors, Canada’s No. 1 men’s specialty store, launched its high-tech EcoGir collection last week, the world’s only line of tailored suits made from recycled plastic bottles.
Sold under the Belissimo label, the wash-and-wear suits come out of the dryer ready for the office, the company says. “The money saved on drycleaning will virtually pay for the suit.”
Available in Europe for several years, a patented process from Bagir International converts used PET bottles into fabric. Sales of the suits have been brisk, Tip Top reports.
“The suits look very luxurious and no one would ever know plastic bottles were the material,” says Janet Masson, vice president of marketing for Tip Top Tailors parent Grafton Fraser Inc. “The fabric is amazing.”
“Eco-consciousness is a part of our landscape,” says Pamela Morrison, director of marketing for the Jaytex Group, a leading Canadian apparel supplier that represents the Belissimo brand. “Having the ability to offer our partners a machine-washable, tailored suit at a moderate price that is a green alternative only strengthens our reputation in Canada.”
Founded in 1909, Tip Top Tailors maintains more than 100 retail stores in nine Canadian provinces, each with professional tailoring services on-site. Bagir International is one of Europe’s largest suppliers of men’s clothing, selling under brands such as Kenneth Cole, Balmain and Belissimo.
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