Meet the young Harrogate designer who launched her own must-have unisex outdoor clothing brand during lockdown

“Sustainability is the thread that runs through everything we do,” she says. “We live and breathe slow fashion.

“Hachure is an older word used for the parallel lines seen in hill-shading on maps, their closeness indicating steepness of gradient. I like to add a subtle hint to the meaning in my branding. I really connected with the word and thought it was a good match.”

Leanne decided to focus on the sort of clothing that she herself needed and wanted to wear.

“I have always been an active person, but especially because of the pandemic, I got into the outdoors, going hiking and camping and rock climbing.”

Half of Hachure’s products are made with recycled fibres from post-consumer waste such as water bottles and fishing nets pulled from the ocean.

“We also have styles such as the Wilder hoodie and Pennine sweatshirt made with blends of recycled polyester and organic cotton which creates a soft, durable and long-lasting fabric while using fewer virgin resources and reducing water consumption in the plant growing and dyeing processes.”

The current spring/summer collection is the largest to date. The knitwear is made in the UK and winter fleece accessories are created by Leanne in her studio. Printing and embroidery are done in Lancashire, and clothing is also made in Bangladesh. “All the factories I use are heavily ethically audited and certified,” she says, adding that it is vital to make sure that water and other resources are not draining their local environments and economies.

“Our Hike & Trek hiking socks are made in Yorkshire with an independently run micro-factory in a mill built in the 1980s. They produce high quality wool socks for small businesses all over the UK and Europe. The micro-factory has been running for six years and is one of few sock manufacturers left in the UK.Finding suppliers that will cater for small runs increases the costs. “I am not going to sacrifice the fabrics and the quality, just to get something a little bit cheaper,” Leanne adds. “Once you start reaching out, it gets easier but it is definitely a challenge.

“My target market is 30 to 40-year-olds, probably working hard in the week but at weekends they want to go out and go for hikes, outdoor activities, group walks or take the dog out. Also there are those into yoga and Pilates but still connected with the outdoors.“I design for function and comfort. Whether you want to go out for a walk, a casual lunch or relax at home. Hachure is easy to style with pieces in your wardrobe, comfy, well made and long lasting.”Now living in Salford with her partner, Leanne, 29, was born and raised in Harrogate, where her parents Michele and Roy, now retired, still live. She went to school at St John Fisher, then the University of Salford, emerging with a first class BA degree in Fashion Design. Her older sister Janelle is a charity fundraiser.

“I have always been creative since I was little, into arts and crafts, drawings and making things,” Leanne says. “My mum once worked as a curtain maker at a department store in Harrogate, so I enjoyed helping her when she was sewing. While in sixth form, I also attended a night class at Harrogate College for Pattern Cutting to broaden my skills for applying to university.“For a textiles project in school, I made a floor-length gown inspired by Alexander McQueen.

Leanne launched Hachure when she was furloughed from her job as a clothing designer and product developer (she still works as a freelance designer). Although based across the border in Lancashire, she visits family in Harrogate and Knaresborough regularly and enjoys walks along the Nidd Gorge and between Valley Gardens and Harlow Carr.She plans to grow Hachure so that she works fully for herself soon, developing the perfect post-lockdown styles for a world that perhaps cares a little more about itself.“Hachure has been contributing to a positive climate organisation called Ecologi where we donate monthly to support climate positive projects, plant trees and offset our carbon emissions. So far, we have planted 303 trees over a period of 16 months.”

For the future, Leanne is looking at offering a pre-loved platform on the website, so that her clothes become part of a circular economy.“I think people are starting to shop for better quality fashion that will last,” she says. “Functional and practical with timeless style. People are learning more about the impact of fashion on the climate and the planet so are looking for more sustainable and ethical brands.”www.hachureactive.com