Simons stores backing national Save the Arctic tee-shirt campaign
Melting arctic ice is an alarming indicator of global warming affecting our planet.
Canada is a world leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming but it’s not enough. We’ve become increasingly vulnerable world-wide to rising sea levels caused by climate change, as more companies and individuals than ever have realized not enough is being done. So once again a Canadian company, Simons, is at the forefront in bringing awareness, while demonstrating innovative ideas that could help our unhealthy planet moving forward.
This year to help celebrate Earth Day, Eco Fashion Week, in collaboration with Greenpeace, launched a fundraiser with fashion designer and activist Vienne Westwood. Westwood is passionate about environmental issues and is bringing awareness to the cause with her Save the Arctic tee-shirt campaign. The teeshirt design was created in 2015 as part of Westwood’s photography exhibit, with such Hollywood luminaries as George Clooney being one of several movie stars seen wearing them. A Save the Arctic event, recently held at the Simons department store in West Vancouver, B.C. was attended by select media and VIP’S to support the cause. Pamela Anderson, a former Baywatch star, environmentalist and Greenpeace supporter, was one of the speakers, along with Myriam Laroche, founder of Eco Fashion Week, and Vice President of Marketing, Phillipe Normand of Simons, the leading fashion retailer supporting sustainability.
In a phone interview with Normand at his Quebec City office, he talked about Save the Arctic, which is a national campaign, and other sustainability projects that his company is involved with this year. Simons first opened its doors as a dry foods store in 1840, and since 1952, became Quebec’s fashion retailer, known today as La Maison Simons, head office in Quebec City with 12 stores across Canada.
Normand says, “The Save the Arctic tee-shirt campaign is still running and it spread like wildfire. The tee-shirt is still available to buy in stores and on-line.” The garment is made from organic cotton, with all proceeds from sales going to Greenpeace.
With the fashion industry generally known as one of the worst polluters, Simons is making a difference by creating brands that meet sustainability and environmental standards. “We do a sustainability review of (all) our fabric suppliers, not only in Canada,” said Normand. Simons’ other sustainability projects include an August launch of power stations for electric cars to be installed in the parking lot at their Edmonton store, and will soon introduce LED lighting in the store, which will greatly reduce their electricity needs. “We encourage people to submit project ideas. We want to be involved as a handson community organization,” says Normand.
Westwood created the tee-shirt design exclusively for Simons in North America. It shows a print of the globe with the words – by purchasing the Save the Arctic tee-shirt it is a good way to show your support for the cause. To help with sustainability, you can recycle your running gear, or use your old running garments for Pilates, weight training, etc.
As a fashion giant in the industry, Simons is making its mark in sustainability projects, from Save the Arctic teeshirt campaign, to solar panel projects and much more.
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