fashion industry

Ethical Choices

/ Leave a Comment
Reading Time: 2 minutes

From fashion to lifestyle: do you take them into account?


“Ethical choices shouldn’t be left to us! Ethics shouldn’t fall on us!” Remarked a friend when he felt obliged to purchase products at a low price to stay within the family budget. We know that if the price is too low, someone pays. Usually, the cost falls on people and the planet: see modern-day slavery, pollution and climate change.

The low-price pattern applies not only to the fashion system but to any industry. When we look at ourselves in the mirror, we want to feel good about our choices and their impact on the world. Of course, it’s unfair to put the burden of ethical choices solely on consumers.

However, brands, corporations, and governments ignore the matter. Well, they say they care, and talk about ethical fashion. Also, they support workers. But they do not do the one thing that would allow people a decent lifestyle: paying proper wages. Why? Because enslaving people through the manufacturing chains maximizes profits, which is the only thing that counts for them.

On the hunt for low prices


So, forget ethics for brands and corporations. The ethical choice is up to the end consumers. We can divide them into two groups:
The biggest group are workers who struggle to make ends meet. Although some care about ethics, they cannot afford better choices. So they feel forced to purchase products coming from unfair conditions.
In a smaller group, we find rich people who are happy to close their eyes in the face of ethics, modern-day slavery or climate change. Actually, they don’t care! Exploiting people is okay with their worldview as long as they can keep purchasing cheap products.
What’s your counterargument? Are ethical products too expensive? People from the second group label products of a certain cost as unethical. We’ve heard this plenty of times! But they consider okay cheap stuff made by slaves. Weird reasoning! Isn’t it?

Solutions to ethical choices


Solutions such as government regulations and corporate social responsibility are essential. In fact, the burden of ethical choices must shift from consumers to governments and corporations. They must hold themselves accountable as they are in charge of the economy.

Downward price logic is the expression of a rotten society which exploits people and the planet. But in this race to the bottom, how many slaves does the economy need in the future? And do they have a planet B?

Ethical Choices Read More »

Protests in Bangladesh

/ Leave a Comment
Reading Time: 3 minutes

How the fashion industry leads workers to starvation


Large protests are happening in Bangladesh, where garment workers demand higher wages. Following clashes with the police, who used tear gas and rubber bullets, four textile workers have died. Sadly, they paid with their own life the demand for better pay.

Our thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives, the dozens who ended up in hospitals and also those who still protest for a decent living.

The fashion industry & the poverty wage


Low wages made Bangladesh the second largest clothing exporter after China, developing a huge industry for the country. There are about four million garment workers, mostly women, whose wages are the lowest in the world. In addition, the inflation and the devaluation of the taka against the US dollar (30% from the beginning of 2023) created unsustainable conditions for workers.

According to the government, monthly pay would rise by 56,25% to 12,500 taka – 114 USD. Basically, they want to keep workers under the poverty line. But workers want more: “Prices are skyrocketing. We are just demanding decent pay. We will not return to work until our demands are met,” one of the protesters said. Isn’t it understandable? In fact, workers ask for 208 USD a month in pay.

Fashion and workers’ rights


Specifically, garment workers in Bangladesh make clothes for large groups such as H&M, Zara, Gap, and Levi’s. Brands like Next, Asos, New Look and Inditex (Zara) say they support workers. Which is good, but words aren’t enough; they must pay more! That’s how they can back workers for real.

About ten years after the Rana Plaza collapse, garment factories packed in a nine-story building, but nothing has changed. The fashion industry learned no lesson. Beyond the beautiful facades or (fake) ethical practices, exploitation is still the most convenient pattern for capitalism to make a high profit. And so famous brands make profits on the backs of workers.

Protests for a decent living


Now let’s also consider the millions of consumers who, every day, go shopping for brands whose manufacturing scheme is well-known. Perhaps they don’t mind workers’ rights since they aren’t directly affected. Do low prices attract your attention? Do you think before purchasing a new piece of clothing whose price is so cheap it couldn’t cover any manufacturing cost? And do you feel okay supporting a vision of the world based on forced labour?

Protests are going on in Bangladesh, demanding a decent living. People lost lives, and many others are starving. It seems that brands do not question their sourcing and manufacturing policy. But what about you: how can you close your eyes when shopping?

Protests in Bangladesh Read More »

Ignoring Black Friday’s Impact

/ Leave a Comment
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Is overconsumption the only reason to live?


Despite the abundance of information available, people still ignore Black Friday’s impact.

Indeed, it’s essential to remember the truth behind it. This promotional event is a dangerous marketing trick. In fact, it leads to toxic, mass overconsumption and generates monstrous quantities of waste harmful to the environment. But our planet cannot sustain this economic and lifestyle system, so we need to stop.

As a retailer, if you participate in sales and promotions such as Black Friday, you contribute to a system that has failed.
This system does not offer a place for change and encourages you to foster the status quo by ignoring reality.

The fashion system, as well as any other industry, does not make reasonable or sustainable quantities. On the contrary, it produces large amounts in excess; the sole purpose is to maximise profits. Unfortunately, they do it at the expense of people and the planet.

Against Black Friday’s wastefulness #formodernhumans


We are unhappy with the current fashion system and choose not to participate in sales and promotions. That means no Black Friday for us.

We value consistency. So, we refuse to be part of something against our values and principles. And we take responsibility for our actions. That includes how we present our work and conduct ourselves while interacting with you. Though we understand that this might limit our audience, we believe it’s the right thing to do.

The big question is why people don’t see further than their noses. Why don’t they see the negative impact of this system? The results of Black Friday are crystal clear: mountains high of waste polluting the earth and waters are undeniable.

So, why do people ignore Black Friday’s impact? Why do most people not want to educate themselves? Do you think overconsumption is the only reason to live?

Do you know there’s a healthier alternative? Buy Nothing! Above all, stop buying pointless shit!

Share your thoughts here below or WhatsApp directly from this link!

Ignoring Black Friday’s Impact Read More »

PFAS: An Invisible Enemy

/ Leave a Comment
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Environment, pollution and fashion


There’s a scary, invisible enemy: PFAS chemicals. Found in everything from your favourite outdoor jacket to the drinking water you consume, these chemicals pose a serious threat to both the environment and human health.

To better understand this threat, we attended a Greenpeace meeting at Arci Bellezza with Fashion Revolution, Mamme NO PFAS, CNR, IRSA, and Consorzio Italiano Detox.

We were familiar with the topic thanks to “Dark Waters” – a remarkable movie with Mark Ruffalo. Indeed, contamination is known worldwide: read more on Le Monde.

What are PFAS chemicals?


What are PFAS chemicals?
PFAS (poly and perfluoroalkyl compounds) are a large group of synthetic molecules (over 10 thousand) produced only by human activities. Also called forever chemicals, meaning once released into the environment, we’ll never get rid of them!

What are the health risks?
They are dangerous for health and associated with numerous pathologies, even serious ones, including some forms of cancer. Several European states asked to ban them.

Where are PFAS used for?
Industries have used PFAS since the 1950s to produce numerous commercial products: fabric waterproofers, carpets, leathers, insecticides, firefighting foams, paints, food container lining, non-stick pans, floor wax, detergents and beauty products.

Fashion industry and PFAS
From outdoor garments to water-repellent materials, raincoats, jeans, and undies. The fashion industry uses these chemicals throughout the manufacturing cycle.

The contamination in Lombardy


Greenpeace detected PFAS in the waters of many Lombardy municipalities, including Milan. Carried out on a sample of data – by an independent accredited laboratory – the analyses highlighted the presence of PFAS in 11 drinking water samples out of the 31 collected. In four cases, the PFAS concentration is higher than the limit of the European Directive 2020/2184. In seven cases, the results show variable total PFAS concentrations.

Among the speakers Greenpeace has invited, Michela’s words, a member of “Mamme NO PFAS” – was really powerful! A mother from the Veneto region, the most impacted area, found out her daughter’s blood contained a high quantity of these chemicals. So, she joined other mothers to make their voices heard by politicians, inspiring others to do so.

PFAS: An invisible enemy – How can we protect ourselves?


Being informed on contaminated areas, filter the tap water. However, some articles say to limit the use of products containing chemicals. Which sounds like “take your poison, but take it responsibly!”
But, given that PFAS are an invisible enemy, can we really protect ourselves from them?

We believe addressing single fields, such as fashion, agriculture or others, is relatively effective because there is a major cause we need to address. And this major cause is our economic system, capitalism, which sucks life out of the planet as well as out of humans.

Furthermore, how can we humans consider ourselves intelligent when we pour pollutants into the water, poisoning our own environment?

Donate to Greenpeace to support their investigations!

PFAS: An Invisible Enemy Read More »

What is Fashion Design Today?

/ Leave a Comment
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Sharing some thoughts on contemporary fashion design


What is fashion design today? What is it? When everything is already done and nothing new can be made? But you still happen to read news about “the one who complained the other one copied her.”

So what is it when those who started their own collection or image concept already did it by taking inspiration from others and remixing what other designers have already done! Perhaps they don’t even realise where their ideas come from.

And what is fashion design today? When contemporary creatives have no humility to say: ‘I made this’ – and this is my style because I took inspiration from this or that designer who made such a fantastic work.

What is fashion design today? If people praise the ones who complain that another designer has copied them! But for what? For flower prints? Or for flowered head decorations? Really?

Again, what is fashion design today? When everything is possible. So brands who assemble clothes as we’ve seen trillion of times, feel like the new gods of fashion.

And when inspiration and remixing have flattened the fashion industry to such a degree that everything, every brand, looks the same. And doing so has deprived fashion of its DNA, core differences and, in essence, of its meaning.

Can modern designers, creative directors and so on stay humble? If they feel copied, Mr Cristobal should resurrect and say something about endless collections made from his archive! Can people understand there is no true genius in the fashion industry nowadays?

On 14 October, in Florence, Antonio Marras arranged a show making clothes for 20 cancer patients; the defilè – “Sfilata del prendersi cura” (the show of taking care) – was a message of hope. You can watch it here. But, an Italian brand accused him of copying her.
Really?

This sterile controversy made us reflect. First, Marras’ idiosyncrasy has never been in question. Also, bravo for this caring project! In the end, what is fashion design today? It’s about copy and paste. In some cases, following a valuable guiding idea. In most cases -those who tend to complain – pointless reproductions we could avoid seeing. Moreover, it has been done so many times, that the arrogance to claim originality seems out of context.

What is Fashion Design Today? Read More »