Casual Kate champions sustainable fashion for COP26 Scouts visit

On the 1st of November 2021, William and Kate travelled by train to Glasgow for #COP26, the global United Nations climate change summit. 

The pair took part in a number of engagements throughout the day, starting with a visit to Alexandra Park Sports Hall in Dennistoun.  Here, they met with a group of Scouts to celebrate the organisation’s Promise To The Planet campaign.  

Through Promise To The Planet, the Scouts want to raise awareness of the consequences of climate change and encourage both individual and collective action to address the issue. The campaign aims to teach 57 million Scouts how to lead more environmentally friendly lives. 

During their visit, William and Kate took part in three activities with the young Scouts members, all designed to support the Promise To The Planet campaign and help create a more sustainable future.

First, the royal couple helped a group of Cub Scouts change tyres and inner tubes on bicycles being refurbished for the local community. They also assisted with a bicycle safety check. 

They heard about how sustainable transport options can make a difference by reducing our carbon footprint.  

Then, the pair made and threw ‘seed bombs‘ to rewild part of the Sports Hall’s playing field.  They heard more about the role plants and flowers play in protecting our future.

Next, the Duke and Duchess helped make and cook ‘COP26 burgers’ on an outdoor camping stove. 

The vegetarian burgers are made from aubergine, beetroot, garlic and lentils, all low impact foods.  With the children, the couple discussed sustainable food sources, while Kate asked if they “get enough veg at school?”

Finally, the couple heard about the Scouts’ Forest of promises. 

The large wooden tree is filled with promises written on paper leaves. The piece will take centre stage at COP26 later this week. Here’s Kate taking a look at some of the messages:

Of course, Kate is the joint president of the Scouts (the other president is Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent).  Kate’s held the role since 2020 and is the first woman in the post.  She has attended many engagements with the organisation over the last ten years, plus she volunteered with the Scouts when she lived on Anglesey, in Wales, in the early years of her marriage. 

COP26 is an opportunity for the world’s leaders to come together to discuss the global response to the climate crisis.  The event takes place over two weeks.  COP stands for Conference of the Parties and this year’s meeting is the 26th meeting, hence the name COP26.  

After the Scouts visit, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended two COP26 receptions. I’m covering those engagements in a subsequent post. 

Kate’s outfit:

Kate kept it casual for the Scouts visit. Her outdoorsy outfit comprised of a khaki quilted vest, black rollneck, black jeans and combat-style boots:

The Duchess used the visit to champion sustainable fashion by wearing two items made from repurposed scrap materials.  The first item was a khaki green quilted vest made using 100% recycled polyester.  It’s by Ganni.  (ID by Lady Parky on Twitter).  

The sleeveless vest features a collar, two buttoned flap pockets with box pleats, silver-toned hardware, a drawstring waistband for a flattering silhouette, tonal stitching, slips sides and a curved hem. 

Ganni say the 100% certified recycled polyester is a ‘responsible’ material because it reduces dependence on petroleum as a raw material and can divert plastic from ending up as landfill.

Ganni is a Scandinavian company based in Copenhagen, Denmark.  The company does not identify as a sustainable fashion brand, but see it as their “moral obligation” to become “the most responsible version of [themselves]”. They have committed to minimising their social and environmental impact by introducing dozens of responsible initiatives over the last few years.

Sadly, the vest is sold out at ganni.com and selfridges.com (where it retailed for $310 USD).   Ganni do sell a number of quilted coats, bags and other accessories made from ‘responsible’ fabrics though.

The second sustainable item Kate wore was a pair of gold earrings by British jewellery designer Daniella Draper. they’re the Mini Cupid Hoops made from recycled 9ct gold. The irregularly shaped open hoop earrings have a triangle-shaped end.  The £200 earrings are still available to buy.

Kate debuted the earrings, with added shamrock charms by the same designer, during a visit to Ireland in March 2020.  On Twitter, the Data Duchess shares that Kate has worn the earrings to 15 public engagements to date.

Daniella Draper’s jewellery is ‘made responsibly’ and has earned the Butterfly Mark from Positive Luxury, a symbol of trust earned by brands that have adopted sustainability as a business strategy.  All of Draper’s jewellery is made from 100% recycled metal.

Onto Kate’s boots now. They’ll be familiar to any regular readers, as the Duchess has worn them to eight or nine outdoorsy public engagements since their debut in 2019. They’re the Mozart style by French brand, See by Chloé. (See is the diffusion line by French luxury design house, Chloé.)

The chunky brown combat boots feature tonal leather trims and logo-embossed heel tabs. They retailed for $445 USD at Net-A-Porter.com.  Sadly, they’re now sold out.  (Shop similar?)

Under the quilted gilet, Kate wore a black polo neck sweater. It looks like it’s the Cashmere Ribbed Rollneck by the Really Wild Clothing Co.  (As suggested by Shannon Lea to Middleton Maven) 

The black ribbed knit has a relaxed silhouette and is made from 100% Scottish cashmere.  Really Wild call it an “everyday essential piece that will never let you down”.  The top, which is still available to buy at the time of writing, retails for £295. 

Really Wild sell well-tailored luxury clothing, inspired by the country and designed for modern life. Founder and designer Natalie Lake launched the British brand more than 15 years ago. Kate’s worn quite a few of their pieces over the last decade or so.

At Glasgow Central station, Kate carried her Smythson Panama East-West Zip Tote. The black leather bag features thin top handles, zip-top closure and brass hardware.

We’ve only seen Kate with the large black bag a handful of times. Candid photos show her holding it in 2016 and we saw it during the Pakistan tour in 2019.

Smythson stock an updated version of the bag without the front pocket called ‘Ciappa East West’ in black, navy, nile blue, light rosewood brown and light steel grey. $895 USD.  Available at smythson.com and FarFetch.com.  

Jeans: Sadly unknown