Earlier this year, I was approached by Warren & Shelley, the friendly husband-and-wife team behind a homegrown clothing brand, Eco Staples. Passionate about eco-friendly living, they started their own brand in 2019 when they saw that not only was there a lack of quality, sustainable fashion in Singapore, they couldn’t even find a shirt suitable for our hot, tropical weather!
Now you must be wondering, what does being eco-friendly have to do with eczema? It turns out that bamboo lyocell, the eco-friendly material that their shirts are made of, is one of the most eczema-friendly fabrics available in the market!
Some of Eco Staples’ customers suffer from eczema too, and they found that these silky, soft shirts were so comfortable, that they have made them a daily staple in their lives!
If you’re curious to find out more about how bamboo lyocell is eco-friendly, click here to go to Eco Staples & learn more.
I personally have owned a few pieces made of bamboo lyocell, however they contained too much Spandex elastane which made it a little too clingy for my comfort. To be honest, they clung to my body a bit too much for my liking, and wasn’t as flattering as I would have liked. Unlike these other brands, Eco Staples’ T-shirts are 95% Bamboo Lyocell with only 5% of Spandex to provide just that little stretch for extra comfort when you’re out and about.
Unfortunately Bamboo lyocell clothing is still quite uncommon in Singapore; I myself wear mainly cotton and have one or two Tencel pieces. Tencel tends to be much pricier than cotton, and it is hard sometimes to find thin, lightweight clothes in cotton… So, you can imagine how excited I was when I heard about Eco Staples!
Warren & Shelley have kindly sponsored me an Eco Staples Men’s Essential Vee Neck in Black; I chose the Vee Neck over the Crew Neck due to personal preference. Their shirts for men come in 2 styles: Crew Neck & Vee Neck.
I’m a UK size 14 and find that the Men’s M suits me perfectly (their Men’s sizes have a more forgiving, looser-fitting cut). They sent me a shirt labelled with a S tag though, which made me even happier inside hehe (we all have our ego lah).
Currently the largest that they have for women is a Large (which is akin to UK 12), so if you’re that size or smaller, you have the option of choosing from 3 styles: Crew Neck, Vee Neck and Scoop Neck.
Now, I have been told that bamboo lyocell:
- Has antibacterial properties
Frankly I’m personally not concerned about this, it’s not like I’m bandaging a wound in this. - Is hypoallergenic
This I can vouch for! It’s very soft & gentle on the skin, much more than any other fabric I’ve tried, and does not have unsightly, noticeable sweat stains like you would with silk. - Is sweat-wicking
I tested this by wearing it to jog at night and go out in the afternoon; read on to find out whether I agree! - Helps with thermal regulation
I find that it is very comfortable to wear when I’m out and about; I will share more about my personal experience later below. - UV Protection
There’s no way I can test this, so I’m unable to confirm it. Then again, I’m personally not concerned about this either. Worried about the sun? Apply sunscreen!
What Do I Love About Eco Staples?
- No need to iron + Dries relatively fast
I hate doing laundry, so it’s such a relief for me that it stays wrinkle-free and dries faster than almost all of my clothes. - Suitable for (almost) all occasions
I’ve worn it in three different situations so far: while jogging at night, running errands in the afternoon and working in an air-conditioned room. I really like how I can pair it with anything; you can wear it with jeans, heels and a blazer for a smart casual look, or with a denim skirt and sneakers for a cute, everyday look. - Super comfortable on the skin
I love, love, LOVE how it feels on my skin, whether I’m outdoors or indoors. I’ve worn it for a whole day from day to night, and I felt comfortable throughout! - Flattering for plus-size figures
At least I feel it is, on me. The length is just nice for me too (I dislike shirts that are too short to reach my hips). Neutral, solid-coloured basics are must-haves for me as I can match them with anything. Besides, who could say no to a comfy AND flattering black shirt?! - Ethically made
I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of companies exploiting cheap labour. Eco Staples works with a factory in Cambodia that they trust, you can read more about it here.
What Do I Find It Not Suitable For?
- Intensive Exercising
I think this is perfect for light exercise like yoga or going for a stroll, however if you sweat a lot like me, you’re better off wearing Dri-fit when you run. It definitely wicks sweat better than the rest of my clothes, but is still no match for Dri-fit, which does specifically what it was specially designed to do — get as much sweat as possible off your body. - Really formal occasions
I guess this is to be expected; why would anyone wear a t-shirt to a formal dinner? I have heard of people wearing athleisure to wedding dinners though, so… never say never.
All Eco Staples shirts cost SGD $39.90, but for something of this quality and the comfort that it provides, I’m happy to get one for every day of the week!
Due to the current Covid-19 situation, a lot of us are still working from home. As such, Eco Staples has very kindly sponsored two shirts (one shirt per winner) for our very first ESGS GIVEAWAY! The giveaway ends on 13 October 2020 (Tuesday), after which two lucky winners will be selected.
All you have to do is:
- Follow both Eczema Support Group Singapore and Eco Staples.
- Tag as many friends as possible in the comments (1 friend per comment). The more friends you tag, the higher your chances of winning!
We will choose 1 winner randomly from each platform — this giveaway is running on both Facebook & Instagram, so remember to do the above on both platforms to stand TWO chances to win!
Here are the links to make it a little easier for you to join:
- Eco Staples (Instagram)
- Eco Staples (Facebook)
- Eczema Support Group Singapore (Instagram)
- Eczema Support Group Singapore (Facebook)
If you can’t wait to get your hands on Eco Staples, use our exclusive promo code ‘ECOESGS‘ now for 10% off + complimentary shipping! This promo code is valid till 31 October 2020 (Saturday).
Eczema Support Group Singapore Blog 