sustainablefashion

Sustainability is ridiculous

7 June, 2023 / Leave a Comment

Why playing this shell game should be banned


Sustainability is ridiculous. Not because the concept per se is stupid or does not make sense. But because it is too broad, too vague, and, therefore, deceptive. 

Sustainable fashion? This is greenwashing

Sometimes for ignorance or superficiality, yet in most cases, with intentionality, as those who play the sustainable game are perfectly aware of what they do. But, in the end, sustainability is just a new way to make money by showing a green facade. The industry, which goes from consultancy to fashion brand retail to NGOs, is flourishing. As a matter of fact, industry players spend time on “eco – green – conscious” labels, but it seems they are playing a shell game. The purpose is to hide and manipulate truths. 

In most cases, the effort is all about running after the latest eco-friendly label. But is it enough to achieve sustainability? It is the case of Chloé, for instance. Richemont hired Gabriela Hearst for her eco credentials, and now, three years later, the designer is exiting the company. Though they say revenue increased by 60%, their design is far away from the beauty of the past. 

Why sustainability is ridiculous

However, we have some doubts about the strategy Chloé has promoted so far. How can a luxury brand based on seasonal trends manage its business without damaging the planet? We wonder how fashion brands that shift to a purpose-driven business can be credible if they still run their activity on an overproduction pattern. Also, they attain the status of B-Corp. Most importantly, we wonder how B-Corp certification can combine with overproduction.
That seems contradictory. In fact, in this context, sustainability is ridiculous.

Specifically, we wonder if a drastic reduction of supply by offering only beautiful design garments made with “sustainable materials” and respecting the production chain would be an effective strategy.

But, of course, we understand that manipulating reality with the effect of fueling overconsumption is the most effective way to make money. So keep up promoting a green world!

The elephant in the room

31 May, 2023 / Leave a Comment

Overproduction & why the fashion system ignores it

The elephant in the room is a bulky presence that fills every physical space. A dominant companion whose effect we can see in every corner of the planet. The thing is, everyone ignores it, hides it, or pretends not to see it. 

But can the fashion industry make change without addressing its elephant in the room? 

Fashion industry: what is the elephant in the room?

It’s overproduction! An enormous, visible, tangible and destructive elephant. Is the industry aware of it? Fashion insiders, CEOs, fashion designers? And the group of all the new “sustainable labels”? And what about those who promote corporate change? Of course, they are aware. But they still put profit first, not the planet. Even new companies born to spread sustainable messages do not renounce the overproduction/overconsumption pattern. In fact, some deemed changing that system would be too radical, and bosses wouldn’t accept it.

But is it plausible to talk about sustainability regardless of overproduction? No! Of course, not! 

To make it more clear: can brands overproducing goods be sustainable? No, they can’t! It seems obvious!

So, why does every single brand involved in this overproduction system promote its sustainable practices? Marketing is the answer: the purpose is, selling more, feeding the system and their pockets.
And marketing takes the shape of greenwashing or social washing in order to show a clean face engaging with people. 

Specifically, are top brands and new green companies bringing real innovation? Are they doing the right thing with their sustainable marketing strategies? No, they simply found a new way, an updated way, to make money!

And so, in the end, it all boils down to this point: can the fashion industry attempt to make a change without addressing the elephant in the room? No! Of course, not! Indeed, the industry is far from changing for the better.

Sustainable fashion: hemp for clothing

11 May, 2023 / Leave a Comment

Are you familiar with its properties?

Checking out Spring-Summer 23 new arrivals, we had the chance to learn more about hemp, a natural material with excellent features.

Garments’ compositions show hemp among various materials. Every time we receive orders placed months before, we check the tailoring, fit and touch the fabrics to ensure our selection matches our expectations. As to provide you with good design and quality. 
Also, during Milano Design Week, we received an invitation to view “Prototipo” – a clothing brand supported by Lampoon Magazine. An accurate design for an entire collection made of hemp. Which we found interesting!

What is hemp used for?

This material is versatile. The wide range of use goes from eco-building to cosmetics to textiles – for fashion and furnishing, food and more. Considering the environmental impact, this material offers many advantages compared to other natural fibres. 

Richard Fagerlund, an expert who has over 40 years of experience in the management of plant pests, explained that: “Cotton cultivation is probably the biggest pollutant on the planet since, occupying only 3% of the agricultural land of the world, demands 25% of the pesticides used in total. The chemicals go into the groundwater, and the poison targets not just insects, but all organisms, including humans. Furthermore, the hemp fibre is longer, more absorbent, resistant and insulating than the cotton fibre”. Also, from a cultivation viewpoint, cotton requires about twice as much water to grow as hemp. (Source)

Why is hemp a sustainable material?

  • it grows quickly
  • does not need any special care
  • the whole plant is used, therefore there is no waste.

Hemp properties

Thanks to its hollow fibre, hemp yarn with a high thermal insulating and breathable capacity, which behaves like wool: cool in summer and warm in winter. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties and can absorb moisture from the body, keeping it dry and absorbing infrared and UVA rays up to 95%. 
Furthermore, tear resistance is three times greater than that of cotton. In fact, among natural fibres, it is the most wear-resistant.

And so, hemp is a great fabric for clothing. Just an ironic note: do not try to promote a post on social media, the Meta’s algorithm doesn’t allow it! Are they afraid you get high by wearing clothes?

The Tate Dress

5 May, 2023 / Leave a Comment

Niche fashion #formodernhumans

Today we introduce The Tate Dress by Un_namable.

The image is avant-garde but understated, refined and comfortable.

Indeed, the high-quality fabric, dyed by hand with natural colours, and the asymmetric shape make it a meaningful garment you can wear day to night just by changing the shoes.

New in this Spring-Summer season, Un_namable is an Italian brand that creates unique and timeless clothes which are, at the same time, experimental and innovative. Juxtaposing fabrics submitted to special processing and avant-garde techniques, they transform the pieces into unexpected volumes and silhouettes. The brand emphasises the value of exceptional craftsmanship and uniqueness.

Discover The Tate Dress

About the design
Sleeveless, round neckline, loose silhouette. Under-knee asymmetric length. Garment-dyed dress; its beautiful textured fabric highlights the unique design. Indeed, the hand-dyeing process provides a special hand feel and particular shape.

The Tate Dress
The Tate Dress by Un_Namable – Antenora Cross Strap Sandals

About the material
28% recycled linen, 20% hemp, and 52% recycled BCI cotton.
BCI is the acronym for Better Cotton Initiative, the world-leading sustainability initiative for cotton. Their mission is to help cotton communities survive and thrive while protecting and restoring the environment.
Also, hemp is a yarn with a high thermal insulating and breathable capacity, which behaves like wool: cool in summer and warm in winter.

About the colour
Double dark cacao, garment dyed.
All garments are dyed with pigments of natural origin. Specifically, the designer makes the colours starting from food ingredients.

Laundry
Easy-care product: wash by hand inside out in cold water. 
Reshape whilst damp.

Styling tips
The Tate dress stands out as one piece. Because of the rich texture, it works on special occasions too, just by changing the accessories. Pair it with Antenora cross strap sandals. However, to wear it for a large part of the year, layer it over leggings or underneath a sweater.

How to purchase from us:

Drop us an email or WhatsApp for any further information. Also, you can book your private shopping experience – physical or via video call. 

International Shipping available!
We are based in Milano but ship our niche fashion selection #formodernhumans everywhere.

In order to provide unicity and a sustainable approach, our selection offers a limited number of pieces.

Treat yourself today! ❤️

Earth Day 2023

24 April, 2023 / Leave a Comment

Do we really care about the earth?

Saturday, April 22, we celebrated Earth Day 2023. Even though it may seem absurd, some brands used this day to release promotions to sell more products! Maybe the purpose of this day is not clear. Or people just don’t care.

Why do we celebrate Earth Day?

Earth Day was established in 1969 when US Senator Gaylord Nelson witnessed a natural disaster caused by the explosion of an oil well next to Santa Barbara, California.

What is the purpose?

For those involved in achieving a sustainable lifestyle, which goes beyond the empty slogan bombarding us at any one time, Earth Day doesn’t mean a celebration. In fact, there is nothing to celebrate! What’s the point of celebrating? The destruction humans bring? Or maybe give it a pause for one day? Surely not!

The purpose is to raise public awareness. Therefore, making people understand we only have one planet, and we must preserve it. Protect it. We need to give mother earth time to heal herself from the mess we massively put out on a daily basis. So the tons of waste which is the byproduct of our economic system. Of our lifestyle! The byproduct of progress: something we cannot renounce.

But if we follow people who promote sustainable growth, green growth, sustainable fashion, and sustainable tourism, we go nowhere. Indeed, as Herman E. Daly said:

We expected any day to hear about “sustainable sustainability.”

Herman E. Daly

Earth Day 2023 & marketing

We received newsletters offering promotions: shop now, and get your discount to celebrate Earth Day! Really, this is it? Another chance for promoting products? For marketing? Is selling more an effective strategy for fighting global warming? Is it the strategy to protect our planet?

Let’s be serious. It’s just marketing to sell more! There’s no such thing as sustainable growth. Likewise, there’s no such thing as sustainable fashion or sustainable tourism without a dramatic reduction in consumption!

“What is needed in the first instance are reduced levels of consumption, not just changed patterns.”

Herman E. Daly

In the end, brands can play with marketing to celebrate the Earth Day 2023. Tourism, fashion, and any other industry can make their sustainable bubbles. But we won’t solve any problem unless we are not committed – every day – to save the planet by reducing our consumption.

The language of design

19 April, 2023 / Leave a Comment

Milano Design Week 23: between fashion and design

Milano Design Week offers the opportunity to reflect on the language of design, though we hope it won’t be another chance to spread more sustainability fluff. By the way, Milano seems to be involved in design more than fashion. In fact, the town is full of events, and the atmosphere is lively and engaging.

Design: clothing & objects

Clothes and objects we use daily make up a language – the language of design. Therefore, fashion reflects contemporary culture and tells our story. In other words, fashion is culture. And so is design, of course.
But while design kept a high-level positioning, fashion has lost its allure. From top brands to fast fashion, the industry identifies with a disposable culture or transient trends that lead to compulsive consumption. Now, the image of fashion is cheap, and the industry itself has undermined it. So, the mixture with design adds that patina of class, enhancing fashion portrayal.

However, the modern language of design is all about sustainability. But, we hear catchphrases which are empty claims. Their goal is marketing, selling more. And since the topic is popular, many people jump on the bandwagon in order to have the possibility to reach a wider audience.

Back to the core: the language of design

Now back to the core: the language of design.
What matters to us? Good design with an ethical approach. Certainly, people should be active thinkers and not just consumers. But designers must do their job. Creating original pieces, artisanal rather than standardised mass products. Good design means caring about the materials, workings, production chain, and people – understanding the impact on the planet. It means caring about the whole creative and productive process.

Sustainable design, recycling, and upcycling – as part of a circular economy, are designer’s work. So, do that!

In the end, the dialogue between fashion and design implies shared values. But the outcome of this reciprocal contamination must bring a tangible change, not empty slogans. The planet needs action!

EU Commission: a plan against greenwashing

12 April, 2023

Can non-mandatory rules fight greenwashing?

On March 22nd, the EU Commission released a plan against greenwashing claims. But these new rules leave some leeway that will probably generate more confusion. 

Environmental claims aren’t reliable!

Over the last five years, we started digging deep into sustainable matters. And how tricky it is for people to understand which label is sustainable or not. That is because of greenwashing: the process of brands and companies deceiving consumers to believe they are green when they are not. Obviously, brands release fake green claims to sell more. Indeed, the sustainability business is flourishing! And perhaps, those who believe in fairy tales are happy with it!

The plan to fight greenwashing

These are the data:
53% of green claims are vague, misleading or unfounded information.
40% of claims have no supporting evidence.
1/2 Half of all green labels offer weak or non-existent verification.
There are 230 sustainability labels and 100 green energy labels in the EU, with vastly different levels of transparency.

Hence, the new criteria want to make green claims reliable across the EU, protecting consumers from greenwashing. Also, contribute to creating a circular economy based on reuse, repair, and recycling.

Expected impacts

“With certain consumers purchasing products that will be truly better for the environment, it is estimated that the impacts on the environment will be highly positive.”

Now the above statement may sound like greenwashing, too! In fact, the only “better for the environment” is a drastic reduction of new products and not more eco-products!

The controversial point

“However, it remains a decision of companies to include (or not) environmental claims in their voluntary commercial communications. This means that the companies can control their costs by determining the scope of the claim (if any) considering its expected return on investment. In short, the costs of substantiation are of a voluntary nature to companies as they are part of one’s marketing strategy and therefore credible estimations of the overall cost for the Union market are difficult.”

Therefore, rules aren’t mandatory for companies. Indeed, businesses have been given leeway on how to provide their evidence. Likewise, governments will be able to decline the guidelines when they transpose them into national legislation. 

In conclusion, without unified regulations, the EU plan to fight greenwashing won’t stop greenwashing!

Fashion waste recycling

12 April, 2023

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!

Retail and sustainability

12 April, 2023

How Italian consumers view sustainability

Today, Fashion Network shared a survey released during the second edition of the “Retail & sustainability” event. A meeting arranged by Mind-Milano Innovation District.

This survey scans Italian consumers and their views towards sustainability.

The survey

According to it, Italian consumers are more conscious towards environmental issues. One out of three (32%) is more careful to waste. Also, 30% believe it is crucial to limit pollution sources. Most importantly, 58,6% think companies are important players, together with citizens and government, in order to reach UN 23 goals.

According to the people interviewed, they say there is a mismatch between the active role companies should have and what they are actually doing. Specifically, 57,8% of consumers think that fashion and clothing companies are “little or not at all committed to the issue.”

In other words, Italian consumers say brands are not doing enough for sustainability.

But on the other hand, sustainability doesn’t have a fundamental role in the purchasing decision. Indeed, 65,9% of the interviewees consider multiple factors or not at all these aspects (14,7%).

However, in general, the price of these products or services is deemed higher compared to less sustainable alternatives.

Our viewpoint retail and sustainability

We see two problems here:
As a matter of fact, brands and retailers are not doing enough. Because it is difficult, it is time-consuming. Most of all, they wouldn’t make money as they did so far. Why should they make this effort? Of course, business and consciousness do not play well in a capitalistic view!
But also, consumers still purchase a lot of fast fashion or poor-quality garments.

Why aren’t consumers consistent with their expectations?

As a retailer, apart from our niche customers, the only request we hear is: “how much is it?” Because people do not care about quality. No one cares about “buy less, buy better.” They only want “cheap and buy more!”
Furthermore, social media are complicit in the ongoing diffusion of misleading practices. For instance, many brands with hordes of followers sell shoes for 50€, passing them off as made in Italy! Or cheap clothing with a price tag too low to be sustainable with eco-friendly tags. Do we believe in fairy tales?

So, we really would love to hear from consumers, from you!
As consumers, Italian, European or wherever you come from – what do you expect from retailers? And you, on your side, what are you willing to do for sustainability?

Drop us an email or comment here below!

How do we make consistent choices?

12 April, 2023

FW23 niche fashion buying

As a niche boutique, how do we make consistent choices? Actions in accordance with our values, ideas, and lifestyle for modern humans. So, with the thoughts posted here or shared with our community when we chat with you.

The culture we believe in is not about the perfection of an ideal world. Because it is obvious that we cannot be 100% sustainable, no one can keep that promise! But, with our selection, we are doing something radically different. And consistency is crucial for trust. So, we need to pay attention to what we select.

For a more sustainable approach to fashion buying, our key message is being selective.

Step 1: what is the reason for a fashion brand to exist?

Creativity – expressed in good design and through skilled craftsmanship. These are fundamental elements for a fashion brand. But, many “sustainable” brands – other than picking eco-friendly materials to make their garments aren’t delivering any special designs. Therefore, we don’t need them.
On the other hand, contemporary brands must find the perfect balance between design and sustainability. One is not possible without the other anymore.

Step 2: how do we select brands?

• Avoid juggernauts: big brands aren’t making any change. Some can offer a refined design, but they are still involved in the overproduction pattern, exploiting people and the planet. The world cannot sustain this system anymore!
• Forget brands who cannot understand that the reality has changed, so they must shift how they operate the business. Adapting to evolved needs.
• Auto-proclaimed sustainable labels are not for us: first, there’s no control. Second, we don’t need more marketing and less design! Brands without a soul can avoid overcrowding an already saturated market.

Our consistent choices: less but better

We learned to search for smaller companies whose designer’s touch and vision are tangible in their unique and meaningful garments. Indeed, they focus on design, and sustainability comes along. They have something to say. Even though it’s not a matter of popularity for us. Moreover, these brands are not mass-produced. Skilled artisans make their garments or accessories, so productions are limited.

How do we make consistent choices?

We operate a careful, accurate, and thoughtful selection searching for value expressed in good design, quality and limited pieces. That’s how fashion can match sustainable standards.