The term ‘circular economy’ has recently been – again – converted into a buzz word. To some extent there are a couple of good reasons for that as both common sense as well as the Ellen McArthur foundation's most recent report prove.
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.
Cork is one of the most sustainable natural materials extant. Portugal supplies about two thirds of the world's cork, but the industry has been under pressure in the past few decades. This post shows how innovative companies have found application for the material in the realm of fashion.
North Italian fabric manufacturer Bonotto is returning to their roots and at the same time giving luxury fashion fabrics a new lease of authenticity and craftsmanship.
For their ‘Fabbrica Lenta‘ (the slow factory) range, they have unearthed the looms as well as dye techniques their district made its name with in the early 20th century.
Indigo is probably the most famous of all dye stuffs. Hacienda Los Nacimientos is one of only 2 farms world wide that produce certified organic Indigo, and is located in El Salavador. The farm's story reaches far back, and is marked by the years the country suffered from a violent guerilla civil war.
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.
Financial accounting is rather ill suited as well as ill equipped to deal properly with a system that has finite natural resources. Else, why would it not record the environmental losses that come with e.g. extracting bauxite? And what about ESG? Well it turns out, ESG is just more of the same (growth) just in a shade of ‘green’. It is for a reason that the Global Materials Footprint has kept growing in alignment with the much coveted GDP growth. Despite all green efforts. ESG – investing in ‘greener’ tech and businesses – is definitely NOT ‘Sustainability’ as we need it.
Daring to ask and daring to understand: the key ingredients that turn a passive customer in an active (activist) participant in our market economy. This book portrays 26 natural dye artisans, in beautiful pictures, honouring their skill and wisdom.
Itchiku Kubota is possibly the Japanese Kimono artist par excellence. None of his contemporaries have created such a body of work. At the same time, the artist brings the value of craftsmanship, today often ignored or under-rated, to our attention.
Sashiko - a now extinct Japanese textile technique and tradition which for centuries was used to adorn as much as make garments more durable. A portrait.
As a consumer, we have a basic understanding of “Ethical”. We know that buying such a product is supposed to alleviate some of our guilt, by doing a little bit of good, but what does it actually mean?
Julius Walters of Stephen Walters & Sons is a ninth generation weaver of a family business founded 1720. This is the company that wove the silk for the Queen’s coronation robes and for Princess Diana’s wedding dress.
Like its larger sister ISPO – normally taking place at the end of January or the beginning of February, half way between the two Fashion Week cycles – Performance Days feature a high-end portfolio of performance and sports wear manufacturers, many of which actively develop and push the innovation agenda of their industry.
“The raison d'être of Lilou is my desire to connect people with 'their' colour.
I wanted to take the opportunity and expose people to their colour, the ones that make them feel relaxed, energized, happy, motivated..." says Ingrid Vercruyssen, the textile designer behind Lilou.
In a recent trip to Italy, I encountered many a beautiful leather product.
Yet - all of them seemed to too cheap. Cheaper than sustainable - or not?
The task was easy, so one would think: Shop for a sensible winter-apt overcoat as ethically as possible and at a reduced budget. But nothing is easy in fashion!
In the 1990s Nike was caught in a sweatshop scandal showing poor working conditions in the Asian factories of its suppliers.
Today Nike wants to “bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world”. The evolution of the company’s mission is powerful because it adds meaning and purpose to its existence: from “produce”, to “help” to eventually “inspire and innovate”.
In Medieval times the location of a tannery was heavily based on the requirements of a nearby river or stream, cattle which could supply the hide, and of course oak trees which would supply the bark needed for the tanning process. In the present, because of the demand for luxury at the cheapest possible prices, the industry is pushed out to where it is easier to ignore the moral and environmental reek.
I've recently resurrected my knitting skills. I've learned since that the lack of skill and ability to make our own, leaves us with a complete wrong understanding of the efforts required when making clothing.
Wanting to buy hobby knitting yarn more ethically is a difficult undertaking. Read what why it can be problematic, and 'do good by doing better'.