Can marketing be ethical? Far too many times I am asked this question or come across people who strongly believe that marketing simply cannot. Actually, still today, for many, marketing is evil. I think that this conviction is the result of two main factors.
JoinedMarch 22, 2010
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My passion: ‘Future Fit’ Business as a Force for Good.
Corporate Responsibility expert for consumer goods, FMCG, fashion, textiles.
INSEAD IDP-C certified non-executive board director.
Prato, a few kilometres outside Florence, Italy, is one of the country’s historic textile districts. With the launch of a range of carbon neutral fabrics the district seems to finally enter a period of experimentation of how to leverage its legacy in a positive way and for its future survival and competitiveness.
With an event targeting the industry. the United Kingdom’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) launched their first Sustainable Action Plan (SCAP) report revealing the data about the extent and impact of the country’s clothing waste.
The reaping (black market) trade in reptile skins for the luxury fashion and accessories market is an openly talked about, albeit ugly, reality of the present.
The recently published UNCTAD BioTrade report and toolkit provides useful and pragmatic info for designers.
There exist basic assumptions that are commonly, but wrongly, accepted as universal truths. Shirahime has cherry-picked 6 myths and will examine them close up and outside in over the course of 3 article instalments. Part 1.
In the briefest of time, Bottletop's iconic bags have not only made into the limelight of fashion weeks supported by VIP, but their business model and approach has earned the organisation a shortlisting for the Observer Ethical Awards 2012, the British 'Green Oscars'.
At the Copenhagen Fashion Summit 2012 the NICE Code of Conduct and Manual was, in collaboration with the UN Global Compact, officially launched. A review of this document, and the impact it may, or not, have onto the fashion industry it is targeting.
Perfumery can be a dirty business. In this interview with Marina Barcenilla, founder and creative perfumer of Glastonbury-based The Perfume Garden, we investigate the company's approach to ethical and vegan ingredient sourcing.
The term sustainability is applied as the responsibility of enterprises for their impacts on society. In this context sustainability is about the integration of social, environmental, ethical, human rights, consumer concerns and financial performance into business operations and strategy in collaboration with stakeholders, with the aim of: Identifying, preventing and mitigating any possible adverse impacts of business’ actions on the environment and society while maximizing societal benefit.
Story telling is a powerful tool, and an important part of how we create lasting memories. Can we use the power of story telling to encourage a different type of fashion consumption?
There exist basic assumptions that are commonly, but wrongly, accepted as universal truths. Shirahime has cherry-picked 6 myths and will examine them close up and outside in over the course of 3 article instalments. Part 3.
'Fashion & Sustainability: Design for Change' is a worthy successor to Kate Fletcher's first book. Not only does it document the state-of-the-art as we encounter it in the present, but for the first time designers have both: a hands on manual of how they can hands-on change their practise, and what new concepts and technologies will be at their disposal in the near to mid-term future.
The developments in the British Midlands of the industrial revolution have coined the textiles industry possibly like no other.
It was is this area that we find the roots to the modern textile industry, including case studies that (nearly) could be dated from our modern times. From archives and historical records the industrial revolution left behind in the area, we can gain many an insight that will trigger a simple ‘déjà-vu’ when taking note of news about textile factories from the Far East that with regularity hit our headlines.
There exist basic assumptions that are commonly, but wrongly, accepted as universal truths. Shirahime has cherry-picked 6 myths and will examine them close up and outside in over the course of 3 article instalments. Part 2.
Book Review: In Second Skin India Flint analysis the sustainable fashion challenge from the practicalities of a consumer. She makes it clear that our choices have a direct impact. Sadly, many of the practical examples she provides will push consumers away, rather than towards, improving their track record.
The Guardian Sustainable Business & Observer Ethical Awards 2012 edition in fashion terms. Cradle to Cradle is becoming popular in the nitty gritty of the carpet industry, Puma's Profit and Loss Accounts get credit, and Kids imitate Katherin Hamnett's 1980's slogan T-shirts to raise awareness.
“Innovatively combining new British and sustainable fabrics with reclaimed textiles” – this is Goodone’s raison d’etre in their own words. Their most recent initiative: A proper upcycling factory that can cope with both, pre- and post-consumer waste, and is the first ‘streamlined’ upcycling facility equipped and ready to work with designers on something more than one-offs.
Are natural perfumes the panacea for sustainability in the fragrance industry? Are there good sides, not only bad ones, to synthetics ingredients in perfumes? And what about health impacts? A brief overview of the most important issues.
'Make it British', or the equivalent: French, Italian, German, Spanish ..., is often talked of as the ultimate panacea to address the lack of sustainability in the fashion industry. A few reasons why it all is slightly more complicated than it sounds.
'The hidden face of fair trade' is a thoroughly researched, critical review of the fair trade movement and its players. With France as the primary focus, the author revisits the movement's history, points out paradoxes and problems, and suggest what may, or not, become of it in the future.
