recycle

Fashion waste recycling

An urgent issue every fashion designer must confront

March 18th was Global Recycling Day, highlighting the challenge of waste recycling, which is deeply connected to the fashion industry. As a matter of fact, recycling is crucial for a circular economy and circular fashion too.

These international days aim to raise awareness on important matters. Unfortunately, we celebrate something but tend to forget the issue the day after.

Fashion industry & waste

As widely highlighted in our previous posts, the fashion industry is part of the waste problem. According to Earth.org, of the 100 billion garments produced each year, 92 million tons end up in landfills. To give a prompt idea, this means that the equivalent of a rubbish truck full of clothes ends up in landfill sites every second.

Waste colonialism

Waste is a global issue. In fact, that is the byproduct of our economic system – capitalism. A structure based on overproduction and exploitation. However, the civilised global north found a way to get rid of it. Because we don’t want to see our garbage. Also, in front of problems, we prefer to close our eyes.
So, how does the global north get rid of waste? By dumping the problem in the global south! In case you missed the news, please, read what happens in the Atacama desert in Chile. Or in Ghana, Africa.
As we can see, Northern countries, the rich and civilised ones, are still perpetuating colonialism. Specifically, waste colonialism.

Recycling waste

“Global Recycling Foundation” promotes the idea of considering waste as an opportunity:

“Every year, the Earth yields billions of tons of natural resources and at some point, in the not too distant future, it will run out.
That’s why we must think again about what we throw away – seeing not waste, but opportunity.”

Waste recycling in fashion industry

First, in order to reduce waste, we need to consume less, much less! But also, we must find solutions for the tons of discarded clothing already shipped to Africa and Chile.

Most importantly, we expect every fashion designer and every company to do their bit and hold themselves accountable. Recycling and upcycling must become part of the plan for the fashion industry. Now!

There’s no time to waste!

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The new categorising

A human need or an empty extremization?

The new categorising, or the need to assign labels in which a specific group should fit, is growing hugely. Genderless, sustainable, recycled, upcycled, inclusive – these are some of the labels popular in fashion.
We see pretty, or less pretty, boxes clearly labelled, but they seem so fake.

Categorising: a marketing byproduct

Why are brands obsessed with putting labels on their work? And, in parallel, why do people need labels? To identify themselves? or to be represented?

Jean-Paul Gaultier created the majority of the fashion topics that are trending now. But there was no label to claim during the ’80s and ’90s in the fashion field. Indeed, it was a work of freedom, both from the designer’s viewpoint and those who used to wear his clothes.
Jump to 2022, and the need for labelling exploded. Genderless and sustainable are the most popular ones. Every brand is genderless now! But also, recycled or upcycled are on top.

Obviously, it’s a trend.
Coming from a family of seamstresses, disassembling a pair of trousers to make a skirt, or transforming a shirt into a blouse was a daily matter. Which is the point of upcycling and recycling.
Moreover, in our boutique, we always proposed men’s items for women, as we sold female items to men, but we never felt the need to categorise. Which is the point for genderless, inclusion, diversity.

Even though about five years ago, we started focusing more on genderless or recycled as valuable concepts, now brands overuse them. Indeed they became so mainstream that they are abused. Intentionally misleading, as in the case of sustainability.

We are not happy to be classified. So we wonder, what happened recently?

We think the less we find meaning in brands and their products, the more they need to place labels in order to make stuff easy to market.

The supply is way bigger than the people in the world who can purchase products (who represent the demand). So, to reach the masses, brands lowered the bar. And the more they lower the bar, the less value they offer. Here comes the need for marketing and labelling.

Labelling is an attempt to legitimise and promote an empty system. They legitimise instead of offering what really matters, the content.

The new categorising Read More »

Anmi x suite123

We have known Anmi, the jewellery designer, for about twenty years or more. Usually, we met up in Paris during the accessory exhibitions where he showed his new collections every season. Known for his creativity and unique designs, Anmi had a certain following of international buyers. Specifically, Japanese retailers loved his jewels.

About Anmi jewellery line

Born in Italy, Antonio Miranda graduated as an architect in Naples and, soon after, as a designer in Paris. There, he worked as a jewellery freelance designer for several brands such as Givenchy, Kenzo, Balmain, Lecoanet-Hemant, Jacques Fath, Fendi, and others. While in Italy, he has done collaborations with haute-couture brands as Sarli and Balestra.

In 2011, he launched his own jewellery label called ANMI – a mix between French “esprit” and the Italian “know-how”. His pieces have always been very imaginative and meticulously elaborated.

The fashion field has changed a lot since then. And the new direction has not been so positive. The request for novelties became incessant. Moreover, in order to match the necessity expressed by international clients, the price range was supposed to lower down. The hypothetical need was more about competing with Chinese manufacturing rather than understanding the value of creativity and skilled artisanality.

About two years ago, in December 2019, aiming to give a new meaning to our work, together, we decided to focus on the new concepts that had to become crucial in our field. 

Anmi x suite123
Anmi x suite123

Fashion had to change, so we launched our capsule collaboration: @anmi.collections X suite123 
recycle – reuse – rethink archive items reassembled to create timeless pieces for a zero-waste, eco-conscious jewellery collection. A sustainable jewellery capsule made to inspire a modern and conscious lifestyle  #formodernhumans

Anmi x suite123
Anmi x suite123

Also, we believe it is relevant to connect with people who have the same vision. Who share the same ethical and respectful approach in order to support each other.

Anmi x suite123
Anmi x suite123

Indeed, we made this for you.
Please, request Anmi jewellery selection via e.mail or DM.

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The Recycled Felt Tote

Just arrived! The recycled felt tote is the perfect carry-all bag for your fall/winter season. Indeed, its features represent what we expect now from evolved designers.

Made in Japan by Plantation1982, it’s a stylish accessory made out of recycled PET bottles.

Although made with oil, natural gas and raw materials, PET is 100% recyclable. Ok, the starting point is oil, and it would be better to find other materials. But at least, the flip side is reasonable.

To be clear, we must reduce the enormous amount of waste we produce daily. To this end, it is crucial to stop using disposable goods, plastic most of all. And limiting the number of plastic bottles we use by refilling our water bottles is one of the actions we can take immediately.

Discover The Recycled Felt Tote

The Recycled Felt Tote by Plantation1982
The Recycled Felt Tote – Plantation1982

Anyhow, planning multiple solutions make the strategies viable.
If we think about the tons of plastic bottles we use all over the world daily, the idea of giving them a new life sounds interesting. Whether it means going back to their original shape or finding new forms, that’s a valuable chance.

Since waste does not disappear, recycling materials is a meaningful way to reduce our impact on the planet.

Further notes about the material:
It’s a thick felt. Specifically, an Italian felted fabric made from recycled plastic bottles. Sturdy but flexible and eco-friendly. The warm touch texture is comfortable for the winter season.

About the design:
Simple but functional. Open top. One front external pocket and one inside. Two top handles, you can carry it by hand or over your shoulder. It is a convenient bag because it is large enough for everyday use. Moreover, it is very lightweight.

The size: H31 W24 D20
Big enough to carry an A4 size file.

The colour:
A shiny green. Inspired by nature, it will brighten up your fall/ winter outfits.

This bag has high-quality finishing materials that are durable, supple and environmentally friendly.
Cool design #formodernhumans

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