sustainability

Small parts to preserve the environment

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Are fashion brands really doing enough?

According to some news, top luxury fashion brands and other popular ones do their small parts to preserve the environment. And, following their reasoning, these “small parts” are enough to make a big difference. But is it true?

Fashion industry & climate change

It is proven that human actions have caused climate change. Also, we know that fashion is a big polluting industry which discards tons of waste everywhere. So, we wonder, what are they trying to say with these pieces of news? How do these messages translate into facts? Are they really making a positive impact?

For instance, in the context of brands doing their small part for a lower-impact fashion industry, a newsletter said that Dior launched a pair of recyclable sneakers. So, they say, the brand is doing its part for climate change. But, for a juggernaut, is this single move enough to preserve our planet?

In today’s world, it’s a common concern whether the sustainability efforts made by corporations are genuine or just a form of greenwashing. Some argue that any small step taken towards sustainability can bring about a positive change. But that could probably work decades ago. At this moment, the situation has gotten so much worse that this news seems ridiculous.

In the face of a climate emergency, forget small steps – we need radical change!

Marketing: The realm of greenwashing

In fact, we agree with those who believe such efforts are simply a PR tactic without any significant systemic change. These news are part of fashion marketing plans, which should be labelled as greenwashing.

Corporations or brands of any size set up their marketing plans and release that kind of information, which has no basis. Magazines, fashion journalists or influencers get paid to share the great news. Hey, it’s business in the end! Who cares if it’s misleading?
The point is that most people take that kind of news for granted. So, whoever shares them is complicit in promoting greenwashing.

Now, please tell us, do you think brands make a big difference by doing their small parts to preserve the environment? Do you really believe it?

Comment here below or WhatsApp directly from here!

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Fashion & global boiling

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How can the fashion industry adapt to the extreme weather?

Temperatures are peaking, hitting a record around the globe, and as we have entered the global boiling era, the fashion industry needs to rethink its business models.

“Climate change is here, it is terrifying, and it is just the beginning. The era of global warming has ended and the era of global boiling has arrived.” – said the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres.

Scientists confirmed that July has been one of the world’s hottest months. Of course, what is happening is consistent with the predictions, but the change seems to accelerate faster than expected.

Though Guterres calls for immediate action in order to turn the tide, we are not optimistic. Big corporations will not approach degrowth, which would be the only valuable possibility.

For the fashion industry, global boiling means getting ready with a different plan, a leaner way to operate the business. In fact, this new normal makes it difficult to think in terms of foreseeable seasons, as the industry has done so far.

Therefore, fashion brands should rethink how they set up their Spring-Summer collections by presenting patterns, fabrics, and silhouettes designed for a new reality. Most importantly, they need to reconsider how they sell to retailers.

Retailers, on their hand, need to order from brands that allow them to purchase smaller quantities and give them the possibility to reorder. In fact, ordering six months earlier is not really smart since it is impossible to foresee the weather in the long run.

Global boiling: possible solutions for the fashion industry

Pre-order: retailers can show the products to their customers and then pass an order to the brand.
Made-to-order: products made within certain specifications, such as materials, colours, and dimensions, but in a limited range of options.
Customised product: clothes or accessories created for an individual customer, according to their needs and requirements.

Benefits:
All the above models would limit overproduction and fashion waste. Also, they would help improve inventory allocation.
Retailers would sell during the season, limiting frequent markdowns because of overstocking.
Products would keep a higher value throughout the year.

People would purchase fewer garments but better quality.

Something needs to change in the fashion system. The industry must be flexible and adapt to specific seasons and unforeseeable events.

Fashion must consider global boiling, or it will end up boiled.

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Extreme weather: the new normal

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Why people don’t care about climate change

It seems extreme weather bothers people to the degree of the intensity of heat, cold perceived, or devastation suffered. Other than news titles, these dramatic events cause conversations and complaints. However, it stops there.

But now that information is everywhere, why do people not educate themselves? Why is there indifference and no action?

Extreme weather in Europe

A massive storm and hail have devastated Milano. Also, in the Mediterranean, flames are devouring everything. That happens in Sicily, Greece, Croatia, Turkey and Gran Canaria. From droughts to wildfires, these days, Europe is burning. The climate emergency is tangible. And we know what has caused climate change which drives extreme weather because scientists said it clearly decades ago. They said we had to change the way humans impacted the planet. But we kept on abusing nature in the name of money.

Furthermore, instead of listening to those who tried to open our eyes, instead of changing our lifestyle to avoid extinction, we changed the marketing! So now, every product or service is green. Brilliant! But guess what? The world is in flames.

Misleading messages on climate change

Recently, the Italian Prime Minister spoke at the Vox rally in Valencia. She said we need to “stop ultra-ecological fanaticism.” Also: “ecological sustainability must go hand in hand with economic sustainability.”
In other words, according to the Italian government, we need to stop those who take a step to protect nature but do not say a word about oil companies.

These messages on how to handle climate change are disturbing. Besides, this viewpoint goes hand in hand with the fake slogans of green capitalism and sustainability, which are expressions of greenwashing.

Please, stop it all! Stop talking! No more words on sustainability because they are unnerving.
We are fed up with hearing governments and brands talking about growth. We cannot stand hearing about sustainable fashion, organic food, sustainable tourism or net zero! There is no such thing as sustainable growth.

Climate change worsens, but we keep doing what we have done so far! More flights, more cars, more travel, more consumption. Like someone driving a car about to hit a wall but does not care!

Now more than ever, information is available to everyone.
Indeed, there is enough information about climate change to educate ourselves and hold ourselves accountable. Yet most people prefer to credit those who deny it. Either there is a lack of understanding, or we are kidding ourselves.

But one thing is clear: extreme weather is the new normal. And we cannot afford this inconsiderate behaviour anymore.

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Education to value

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How to survive in a world of destructive overproduction

Going from “fashion is dead” to a style rebirth as the reflection of a thoughtful lifestyle involves a renewed education to value. Which, in an era of devastating overproduction and immense confusion, takes time, a lot of time. Also, patience and humble work. By getting rid of pointless stuff. And silence rather than loudness and obsessive presence. Because it can be ok to post on social media, but for instance, if designers’ voices speak louder than their product, they are not for us.

The paradox of sustainability

Paradoxically, because of sustainability, buzz increased, yet no change ever happened. Noise, just a lot of noise. Who’s the greenest one? The show is on, but the conversation is demeaning. Thanks to green capitalism, in fact, many individuals found new job opportunities even though it has nothing to do with being sustainable. It’s about making money, not making change. Apart from climate activists, sustainability and green capitalism turned out to be a profitable bandwagon.

Indeed, green brushstrokes seemed very cool! And what’s absurd is that most people buy into it.

Therefore, from the perspective of searching for value and offering value, favouring interactions in smaller communities seem more effective than social media screaming. More real, more human. Fake conversations lead nowhere.

Education to value: what does it mean?

Start by avoiding mass production, mass tourism and intensive farming.
Specifically, in fashion, rediscovering value is about developing an understanding and appreciation of good design. And, learning about quality and artisanal handiwork.
Respect workers’ rights and human rights, and care if workers get fair wages. Above all, the necessity of working within the means of the planet.

It involves the need to eliminate the garbage brands try to sell, and not wanting to be part of a world that wants to promote it. Rather than buying pointless stuff, buy nothing at all.

Break the moulds.
Escape marketing slogans,
Search for quality, not quantity.
Because education to value means learning that less is more, even if the rest of the world still follows another direction.

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How to cut fashion waste

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Reuse and repair in the era of fast fashion

In order to cut fashion waste, the French government will pay a repair bonus to help people with their damaged clothes and shoes. An amount from 6€ to 25€ will cover the repairing cost of garments in workshops or cobblers who will be part of the scheme.

Indeed, an alarming amount of clothes end up in landfills. Since fashion brands keep putting out new garments in huge quantities, governments must find solutions.

The point on fashion waste

The news sounds really great! But let’s consider a few things:

Would anyone throw away clothes of value? Of course, not. Or, at least, it is extremely rare. The garments ending up in the garbage bin aren’t pieces made to last but clothing intentionally made for that purpose. Buy, wear and toss. That is mass production: low prices, poor quality and slaves for manufacturing (individuals no one cares about because if they did, they would stop buying certain products).

In fact, over the last twenty years, purchasing fast-fashion clothing and shoes has become popular. Rich and poor people enjoy it. For the rich is a whim, and for the low-income a necessity. But both love purchasing products that last like a bag of chips.

Product longevity is one of the principles that attests to sustainability. What demonstrates product longevity?
Good design
Quality materials
Skilled craftsmanship

What if the repair cost is higher than the average price tag?

Now, it makes sense to put a patch on the bleeding, but common sense should guide human choices. Therefore, can we cut fashion waste without stopping fast fashion? It doesn’t seem likely. In fact, curing the illness without eliminating the cause isn’t a good strategy.

Here comes the second point, if the French government wants to fight fashion waste, why did they allow the Shein runway in Paris? It may sound like a joke, but in the case of ultra-fast fashion, the repair costs would be higher than the price tag! Does it make any sense?

On how to cut fashion waste, there’s no easy solution. But for sure, we need a more radical approach.

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