consumerism

The sofa story

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Is circularity feasible in the era of overproduction?

The sofa story is a personal anecdote we share. As a matter of fact, overproduction is devastating our planet. Since a large part of communication is about repair and reuse, we try to understand if circularity is feasible in the era of overproduction.

A couple of months ago we ordered a new sofa. When it was ready to be delivered, we called the seller to inform them we wanted to restore the old one and bring it somewhere else. They said they would take the measurements and let us know the cost.

The sofa: understanding quality

When they came to deliver the new sofa, we noticed some differences. The new one was much lighter. The old one was heavy. While the new one had no structure, the old one had a stable, solid body. Furthermore, the old one had a soft hand 100% cotton cover. For new sofa coverings, you mainly find polyester because cotton would be too expensive, so they say. In fact, the old one was a great quality sofa, which lasted about 25 years. We are doubtful the new one will last so long.

However, having the chance to check the internal structure quality, we confirmed the boy to bring it to their workshop and let us know the repair/restoration cost.

Repairing vs. buying a new one

Here comes the fun! When they tried to carry the old sofa downstairs to the ground floor, they realised it was too heavy. So they started disassembling it, but the boy in charge, all of a sudden, destroyed the sofa underneath his feet. “Yes, it was good quality but you better buy another new one. The repair cost would be too high.”

Obviously, he exclaimed that for two reasons:
First, he preferred to avoid the effort of carrying the heavy weight downstairs.
Second, he couldn’t understand, for real, the quality of what he had destroyed.

So, “buy a new one” is the easy solution in a consumerist society. But when sellers tell you there’s no difference in terms of quality from one item to the other, it’s not true.

It’s like you show us an archive Saint Laurent garment or a couture dress from your wardrobe, and we tell you to get rid of that and buy a new item! “You know, it’s cheaper than repairing the old one!”

That is a complete lack of understanding. Indeed, the sofa story represents the contemporary way of handling commerce and fostering a consumerist lifestyle. Also, whatever the category – fashion, furniture, technology, automobile – the trick doesn’t change. Industries do not stop their overproduction patterns, so repairing won’t work on a large scale, which we need in order to reduce our impact on the planet.

In the end, if those who sell products cannot distinguish quality, materials, and finishings, how can they even mention the option of repairing?

Pasolini on modern lifestyle

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Inspiration #formodernhumans

In an open letter to the President of the Italian Republic on “Il Corriere della Sera” – Thursday 4, September 1975 – Pier Paolo Pasolini had written a critique on modern lifestyle. Specifically, it’s about Italian politics, but the picture he traced of mass society is clear.

It touches on the topic of summer holidays to show the reality of Italy around the 70s. This cross-section highlights the change Italy faced, making you feel the craziness of what was happening. So, Pasolini explains a vision of the world that fascinated us. Which we have welcomed, accepted, and, therefore, contributed to prosper.

Although it is about Italy, we can find commonalities in many other countries. Indeed, it is worth reading to understand modern lifestyle and how to change it for the better.

Pasolini’s words on modern lifestyle

Here is an excerpt:

“I saw them, I saw them in crowds on August 15th. They were images of the most insolent frenzy, and they put such a commitment to having fun at all costs that they seemed in a state of ‘raptus’: it was difficult not to consider them contemptible or, in any case, consciously unconscious.
They have been deceived, mocked. A sudden and violent reversal (as regards Italy) of the method of production destroyed all their ‘particular’ and ‘real’ previous works, changing their form and their behaviour: and the new existential, purely pragmatic, values of the ‘welfare’ have taken away all dignity from them. But that was not enough: after being made monstrous (puppets guided by a ‘new’ hand, and therefore almost gone wild), well-being, the cause of their monstrosity, ceases to exist, while the puppet dance continues.”
(source)

So, call it welfare or progress. An illusion of richness and well-being, which is fake. In fact, the cost of this illusory prosperity and what it leaves behind is out of control. How many people cannot afford to satisfy basic needs? And what about the environmental devastation? Is it real progress?

We let it happen. This is our modern lifestyle. And to use Pasolini’s words, we are consciously unconscious. Now, isn’t it time to become fully conscious?

Fashion far from consumerism

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Spring-summer 23: bringing back meaning

Can we think about fashion far from consumerism? Indeed, there’s a way of conceiving the fashion industry cleared of its toxic downsides.

Spring-summer 23, a sense of re-birth comes with the new season. And so, we want to take you with us on our journey out of the blob of mass-produced clothes. Come with us to discover rarities and excellence to bring back meaning in an industry that, as it is now, has lost it.

Fashion & consumerism

If fashion mirrors our society, what we see is growth mania. The industry brainwashed people into overconsumption and disposable culture. In fact, there is a constant need for novelties which has much in common with addictive behaviours. But this massified fashion comes with a cost. It has a polluting and destructive impact.

So, we want to take you with us on a different path, which we’ll hone season after season. There’s no perfection but the commitment to doing better, stepping away from pointless labels or empty claims.
Good design, well-made clothes are for those who can see them. But, attention to design, details, and materials are fundamentals to bringing meaning back into fashion.

Spring-Summer 23: niche fashion #formodernhumans

Come with us to explore the Spring-Summer 23: garments made with care and passion. Indeed, the sense of tailoring prevails. Silhouettes are slightly more defined but always comfortable. Specifically, materials have a pleasant hand feel, and lines don’t make your body feel compressed.

There are drapings, a design detail that adds a special touch to t-shirts and dresses, making them suitable for different body shapes. But also, cool military pants and exclusive knitwear. And shirts, timeless garments par excellence, improved with a modern twist, in multiple lengths. Plus comfortable flat leather shoes for your summer walks.

The selection is accurate, essential and in limited quantities. A design-focused slow fashion, far from consumerism. Indeed, garments feature a carry-over design, becoming made-to-last stylish classics.

What if the perspective of what you considered new so far is wrong?

The society of fake needs

Human needs: are they real or fake needs?
Apart from the basic ones – essential to grant a decent life – human needs involve things that should improve our lives.

But, century after century, individuals have become needier. Or, to put it another way, we have just become spoiled. And if we add a high dose of ignorant and selfish behaviour, easy to detect in our society, the big picture becomes worrying.

We live for instant satisfaction, avoiding caring about the effects of our actions. Among those side effects are issues like global warming and garbage, so much that droughts have increased and the oceans are full of plastic.

Whether it is a sign of malaise or a sign of stupidity, this behaviour isn’t healthy. Therefore, some questions arise: do we really need all the products we consume? Or are ads just building fake needs to make money?

Advertising makes people believe so many things, and they buy without questioning. For instance, according to adv, we need vitamin supplements (all packed in plastic boxes). But the only thing we need is balanced nutrition, unless there are health problems, of course.
They make us believe we need expensive anti-wrinkles, even if nothing will erase a single wrinkle. Only plastic surgery can do that, another one of the crazy modern needs. And, it seems we cannot miss things like water added with hyaluronic acid or yoga pants. It’s a mystery how people could have practised yoga so far!

Also, they make us believe we need a new smartphone every year, so congrats on Chris Evans, who kept the same iPhone for seven years. Hey, seven years! We thought we were the only ones!

Do we need all those things advertising tries to sell?

Surely not. Indeed we built a society of fake needs. And it is the byproduct of a capitalist model, which puts a cage around us. But, at the same time, we talk about sustainability. Or a worldview that, if taken seriously, has nothing in common with capitalism.

Now, we should open our eyes and learn to discern rather than believe whatever they say. Being able to discern implies thinking, which is always a good exercise. And learning conscious purchasing and thoughtful consuming habits if we want the human race to continue to exist.

Dedicating particular attention to the impact of our actions on the environment is crucial. It will help us understand that with fake needs, we go nowhere.

Learning to make better choices is the way out.

Black Friday & promotion spam

Retailers spam promotions, and if Black Friday was not enough, early black Friday is here too!

Still the distribution model has clung to this policy as the only strategy to attract attention. Forget evolution from brands and retailers. Educating people towards an improved and conscious consumption model is not on their agenda. Not worth it.

Obsessive promotions are the outcome of a hyper-saturated market derived from the overproduction model.
Also, the lower the quality of products, the higher the mark-up, allowing discounts (real or fake?) that can reach -70%.
But the purchasing illusion is safe.

Heavy discounts and obsessive promotions are indicators of a sick system.
The environmental impact fostered by Black Friday and never-ending promotions is really huge. Not to mention the ethical implication, if you do not pay the full price of products, someone will pay for it. So we go back to the disturbing modern-day slavery.

As a matter of fact, there is too much of everything, and our blind habits contribute to feeding this vicious cycle, which has no way out.

Black Friday & promotions spam - Image of a shopping bag - Pointless shit
Image via: drops of devotion – Tumblr

The solution to Black Friday & obsessive promotions

Is it possible we cannot find a better system?

In fact, the solution is a distribution model that abandons large quantities to shift towards good quality. A sustainable production system that grants proper living wages and limits its impact on the environment. Things made to last and healthier consuming habits.

In this balanced context, promotions and discounts would be necessarily limited.

Changing attitude is a necessity. We started from us first, adjusting our activity to an evolved lifestyle. So, we offered a thoughtful consuming model represented by a capsule selection of quality pieces.

We don’t lure consumers by offering crazy discounts. But, we try to educate ourselves and our audience on meaningful consumption.

We respect people, and we understand the worth of their work. We appreciate the products we select. We value quality, and we value our customers.

Modern humans are conscious consumers.
Say no to Black Friday! We don’t need all that stuff.

Waste, and why we waste

“Waste isn’t waste until we waste it”

Will I Am

This quote perfectly resonates with us, not only because of the deeper level of consciousness recent events have brought. We have always paid attention to reducing waste as much as possible.
Writing on the backside of printed sheets, not using plastic coffee cups, refilling our water bottles, limiting the quantity of paper used for packaging. These are only some of our actions to reduce the litter we produce. Perhaps now we take this matter even more seriously since the damage we have caused to the environment is visible.

The waste culture

But, digging deeper, where does our wastefulness come from? When did we start wasting so much?

Waste is the ignorant byproduct of an over-consumerist society.

From the 1950s, little by little, overconsumption has been promoted as a great lifestyle pattern and taken over our lives. Completely ignoring the consequences.
Consume like there’s no tomorrow, is the motto. And, if we go on like this, there will be no tomorrow!

The fact that masses can be easily manipulated is quite scary. The fact that given a sense of comfort, we avoid thinking, is not a good sign.

By the way, walking through our journey, we acknowledge our mistakes. Our eyes are open, so we want to change for the better.

Whether fashion waste or any other kind, consciousness reflects itself on many levels and layers.
First of all, please stop wasting food! Then, whenever you are tired of something, consider other options before tossing it.

Even in the case of fashion, please don’t throw away clothes you don’t want anymore.

There are ways to reduce fashion waste:

. choose quality, it lasts longer.
. wash in lower temperatures, so clothes will not get damaged.
. repair when possible.
. donate to charity.
. some shops collect items to recycle.
. resell if you want, there are many resell platforms.

We have options available, so how much waste is up to us.