Toronto-based socially-conscious fashion brand Bano eeMee is expanding its line and is targeting Canadian retailers for distribution. Founder Aleem Arif recently returned to Toronto after spending time in the US and Asia and has launched a range of denim jackets to complement Bano eeMee’s ethically sourced leather jackets that the brand launched with its founding in 2012.
The new Bano eeMee denim line includes jackets for women and men using sustainably sourced materials. Arif said that the jackets, currently produced in both dark and medium washes, are an option for vegan customers in an effort to be inclusive. “Denim is an age-old fabric that is ideal to create pieces that are long-lasting,” Arif said.
Technology is built into the material which has a stretch to it along with moisture wicking and a silver ion treatment that suppresses odours.
“Our denim is sustainably sourced. We are working with our production partners to implement the ‘ozone wash technology’ to help conserve water in denim manufacturing,” Arif said.
Bano eeMee is a brand with a story. Aleem Arif founded the brand in Calgary in 2012 after relocating from Boston where he worked previously with an investment firm. A bold idea for a new fashion brand and a move to Calgary were risks that paid off with Arif discovering his passion for fashion design with a difference — he wanted to create fair-work opportunities in disadvantaged communities around with world. With that, he set up manufacturing in his native country of Pakistan.
The sale of a Bano eeMee jacket is said to translate into fair paid work for two days for three artisans. Designs are timeless and are meant to evolve into wardrobe staples with a level of quality intended to last for years.
The leather jackets are made from 100% vegetable tanned supple lamb leather, a by-product of the food industry. Any hard manual burnishing work is put in to the garment by hand to highlight the natural grain of the leather. Jackets are constructed with all-year-round wearability in mind and come in a range of styles that have resonated with consumers.
Bano eeMee’s other product lines include a range of vibrant scarves and during the pandemic it launched face masks made from a faux suede-like material created from recycled plastic bottles.
In an interview, Arif said that he’s looking to further expand his line into multi-brand retailers in Canada. That includes distribution for the new denim line as well as the brand’s popular leather jackets and scarves.
Aleem Arif can be contacted at info@banoeemee.com.
