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Could Localism Beat Globalism?
Did you know that the t-shirt you just picked up at a local shop travelled once around the globe to finally end up in your closet? Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it, but it’s true. A village of people made your clothes The fast fashion way of doing textile production means every work stage is done in the cheapest way possible. When this strategy is taken to the extreme, it can mean that every seam in a piece of clothing is sown by a different person, in a different factory, in a different city, in a different country. Now try tracing the social and environmental impacts of each of those operators. Seems impossible, right? In addition to low traceability transporting fabric back and forth causes ‘invisible’ pollution and uses resources that are not counted in the charts and numbers where environmental effects are presented to the consumer. Global trade don’t know your taste Textile sector’s sustainability issues, to say it nicely, are linked to the scale of production and consumption in addition to its use of resources. Large-scale production, global trade and internationally available goods mean that we are sold the same styles and materials no matter where we live. And it really seems that we are not happy with what we get since buying and discarding is happening in an ever accelerating pace. Now, don’t get me wrong... Global fashion taste or availability are not the problem. Fast fashion is and it is often promoted by huge companies that collect the profits and leave a big environmental and social mess behind. The best alternative ways of doing clothing, to me anyways, could be going more Light and more Local. I'll tell you more about Light Design in my next blogpost, but let's jump into Local Design. Keep reading, I’ll tell you how this applies to your life! LOCAL DESIGN Designing local has a lot to do with sustainability and connection. It comes down to sustaining communities with jobs in the designing, manufacturing and disposal stages of a product and sustaining the environment with responsible production. When businesses are smaller and work in touch with their communities it allows us to see and sense the effects of our own actions on each other and the environment. We are quicker to suffer the consequences of irresponsible business behaviour or enjoy the benefits of sustainable production. What I mean by that, is that the more connection we have to the company we buy our clothes from, the better we know if they are treating their people and the environment fairly. Localism also represents an opportunity for distinctiveness with relevant and native designs that increase our connection to the clothing. Which in turn makes us use the piece more and take better care of it. This logic is totally opposite to the disposableness connected to fast fashion. For example, VAI-KØ beanies are designed in Finland, inspired by Finland and made in Finland. So owning a beanie of ours allows you to have a piece of Finland in your wardrobe, and knowing that can make you more connected! And so the beanie isn't just a beanie anymore, it means something. How could Localism threaten Globalism I am not here to suggest that local production will replace global production but the consensus seems to be that rather than replacing, localism could complement, learn from and then start to influence globalism. A properly scaled production system would allow a diversity of alternatives to thrive and wealth to spread more evenly across areas and social groups. Local production and design also doesn’t mean dropping of the trend-bandwagon. Mainly because of this great thing called the Internet (I’m sure you’ve heard of it) which allows consumers to easily connect with local producers that in turn are able to make specialized and even customized items. Localism can actually offer more and better alternatives to consumers than Globalism and its everything-for-everybody-at-any-cost type of fast fashion approach. What are your favourite pieces of clothing and what makes them important, how do you connect to them? Sources: Sustainable Fashion and Textiles (2008): Kate Fletcher
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Ethically Made - Supervised by Certificates
In a world full of snappy slogans and endless promises, I’m sure you too are wondering, can I trust my favorite brands when they vow to be eco-friendly and ethical. And what are these certificates everyone’s talking about, are they as legit as they claim to be? That was me not long ago. And let me tell you something, learning about sustainable living and how to make better purchases is much more effective and fun together. I’ll walk you through my research. Shall we? As the ecological and ethical problems of the clothing industry have become better known and the issues a topic of public discussion, new kind of answers have emerged and gained common awareness. Many questions of transparency and the lack of information available to customers can be answered with the use of certificates. VAI-KØ uses materials certified by bluesign and GOTS that are two of the strictest in the clothing industry. Certificates such as these determine higher standards for the production of clothing that are then closely supervised. In countries like Finland the legislation protects the rights of workers but in other places where those kinds of laws are lacking or non-existent, certificates are a great way to ensure fairness and influence the surrounding society. That means certificates don’t only ensure the fairness of products made by companies working with the certificate but in many cases, the ethical and ecological standards work as an example for companies outside the certificates and they can seek consultation on how to become more and more people- and eco-friendly. Setting standards Bluesign tackles both ethical and ecological matters regarding the making of a clothing which means the consumer can enjoy safe, high-quality products, no health risks or constantly wondering who made my clothes and in what kind of working conditions. The standards are much higher than those set by legal obligations: “only components and technologies are applied that have the lowest possible impact on human health and environment” (bluesign policies). But what does “lowest possible impact” mean exactly? I’ll tell ya! 1. Minimised usage of energy and raw materials In practice this means textile companies reduce their ecological footprint by optimizing energy and material input per kilogram of manufactured textile. Minimising the resources used decreases the environmental impact AND it automatically adds value to the products with cost efficiency. That means more bang for your buck! 2. Controlled water emission Protecting the natural circulation of water is key in sustainable textile production. That’s why water emission control consists of returning purified water into the water cycle and minimizing the aquatic impact. Practices such as using wastewater treatment technology are fundamental! Water is a matter of life and death to all life on Earth. So regulating the usage and emission of water has a huge impact on the health of both nature and our fellow humans who live in the areas surrounding textile factories. These demands are supervised with ongoing compliance controls and strict sewage limit values. 3. Controlled air emission When talking about health, air is quite important, right? Can’t breathe with no air! Bluesign system has tackled this issue by specifying strict criteria for substances and components used in the production of textiles. The aim in all of this is to reduce CO2 emissions in all stages of manufacturing. This requires that the exhaust air must be cleaned and recycled by adequate environmental technology. It’s the only way to go in order to protect the climate and the quality of the air we breathe! 4. Supervised working conditions Everyone deserves to work in safe and healthy conditions. The reality is, living in this world of ours is not always safe or easy. So the least we can do is demand that the people making our clothes are safe in their workplaces and give them one thing less to worry about. This is why bluesign has set strict guidelines for the safeguard of textile industry employees. Working conditions are constantly supervised and assessed to detect local problems and update safety measures. And if necessary, appropriate measures will be imposed. These things might seem to like a no-brainer but sadly occupational health and safety factors such as safe chemical-handling, noise, dust or emergency training are too rarely taken into consideration in the textile industry. Therefore the bluesign system has set training programs for employees concerning the storage and handling of harmful substances as obligatory. 5. Consumer safety As a result of the previous four principles, bluesign products meet the high expectations of safety, performance, and quality that the knowledgeable clients of today have. You never have to worry about the product getting wet and leaking icky chemicals or losing its color, they are always safe to use even on the sensitive skin of children. What’s up with all these chemicals — criteria for chemical safety Going through these standards it seems to me that chemicals play a big role when it comes to the health of our planet and every living thing in it. So let’s dig a little deeper with these chemicals… To determine whether a chemical substance conforms to the bluesign sustainability standards a detailed risk assessment of contents and its specific environmental impacts are executed. Conclusions are based on the strictest calculated values and the specific conditions in which the chemicals are used are taken into consideration. Then each applied chemical component is rated (this is called homologation): “Blue” category: components meet all of the bluesign® criteria and requirements “Grey” category: components shall only be used under certain appropriate conditions “Black” category: components do not meet the bluesign® criteria Just blue, grey and black. No misunderstandings or unnecessary explanations, either a substance meets the bluesign requirements or it doesn’t. Simple isn’t it? Demanding more than “okay” Sustainability is often associated with being environmentally responsible but social responsibility is a great piece of this puzzle. That is why bluesign system partners commit to the observance of UN Global Compact, the international initiative supporting universal social and environmental business principles. But what I love about bluesign is that they don’t settle for being fair, they go further. That’s what The Best Available Technology -concept is, going the extra mile. It means that the latest locally available technological solution has to be implemented. This means the latest, safest and most ecologically efficient machinery and technology is used. And that benefits everybody! This concept creates an environment of continuous improvement and that is crucial to all development, of labor rights, of sustainable manufacturing, of new alternatives, you name it. You’ve got the power! Transparency is the only way to go. And that actually gives YOU (yes I mean you) the power, because: -Upon request, every partnering operator must provide blue sign with documents and samples proving the abidance of standards listed above -The tracing of fabrics and semi-finished goods must be ensured with the bill of material -“We don’t know” or “The info is not available” are not acceptable answers. P.S Have you ever taken a closer look at the packaging of the products you use? Well we have! One of the bluesign principles is to use sustainable and environmentally friendly materials in packaging. In VAI-KØ packaging that means no PVC, recycled is the best and less is more! Sources: https://www.bluesign.com/industry/bluesign-system/principles https://www.bluesign.com/industry/bluesign-system/criteria
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Sustainable Fashion Brands: How to Recognize Them & Avoid Greenwashing
Finding and recognizing the truly sustainable fashion brands behind polished slogans and greenwashed marketing is not an easy task. In this article, we have gathered 3 easy points to check while shopping plus a compact materials guide to go by. Dark Truth Behind Green Marketing Many of us have heard, that the textile industry is the world’s second most polluting industry. But did you know that it’s run by us: we, individuals and consumers show to big corporations what sells and what matters with our consuming habits. As long as we only crave for more and cheaper it will keep on going. That is the law of demand and supply. But what is there to be done? A few days ago my friend showed me a new jacket she had bought. Not because she had bought something new but because she was proud that she had bought an eco-friendly jacket. But while being proud she was a little unsure if the fashion brand really was as sustainable behind the green marketing. And that’s what led me to my topic. My friend, like many others, has just woken up to the realization that they have to change their shopping habits in order to save this planet and have their fellow humans treated fairly. To buy from sustainable fashion brands and even more important to buy less. But the problem is: How to recognize a sustainable fashion brand when there’s so much greenwashing in the industry? The Definition of Sustainability Mike Schragger, the founder, and director of the Sustainable Fashion Academy (SFA) simplifies that a 100% sustainable brand is a brand that ensures its business model is fully circular and renewable. And that its workers have fair working conditions and salaries. This sustainability definition challenges each and every fashion brand & company to some serious work in the area of sustainability. And to be honest: we always take more from nature than we give back. Yet we need clothes. So lets focus on finding the sustainable fashion brands that are truly making good choices environmentally and ethically. This list of three steps is dedicated to my friend who bought an eco-friendly jacket and all of you who are looking to make more sustainable clothing choices.
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Lana biologica: 4 motivi per indossare solo pura lana naturale
In any case wool and all that comes to its production is not that innocent. Like any other fiber in the textile industry, wool has its environmental and ethical effects. But the good news is, good practice can significantly limit any negative impact!
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I want it all and I want it now
“Shop now! Click here! Celebrate by shopping! Can’t stop won’t stop!” There´s something quite dark about these Black Friday slogans. Maybe it’s the fact that they work. They trigger something deep in us in offering a solution to all our problems...
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