Lifestyle Over Luxury is all about mindful shopping

Jeff Duke isn’t hoping to change the way you shop. He’d just like to get you thinking about it.

And, as the founder of the Vancouver-based brand Lifestyle Over Luxury, he has a chance to do just that. The company, which specializes in creating a curated range of pieces for men and women crafted from “upcycled fabric waste,” was created with the hope that people will choose memories rather than material goods.

Duke chatted with Postmedia News about the idea, what makes the brand unique — and more.

What is Lifestyle Over Luxury?

Lifestyle Over Luxury — or L/L — is a school of thought, an idea, a way of living. A way of treating yourself and the planet. It means not getting caught up in the consumerism and the lifestyles that we’re sold as successful. It means defining your own terms of success. It’s about being a conscious consumer because you know every dollar you spend is a vote for the world you want to live in. Often that will actually mean spending a bit more.

It’s about being conscious of your impact on the environment and understanding the more we consume the more impact we’re making on this planet. It’s about spending your money on experiences not possessions. Memories are greater than materials. You don’t need a 70-inch television; you do need a trip to India to discover meditation and learn about another culture

For those who aren’t familiar, what do you sell?

L/L makes eco-minded goods and apparel. We primarily make apparel from pre-consumer waste, which offsets the production of virgin material. In-turn this reduces a very significant amount of environmental impact that is caused by typical garment production. We make comfortable, practical goods and clothing with the active, adventurous lives of our community in mind.

Who is your target customer?

I suppose it’s people leading an active lifestyle, travelling, exploring, adventuring, who understand and care about their environmental impact. They’re continuously searching for ways to minimize that impact and inspired by the idea life doesn’t have to fit into the little box they’re handed.

Although, we don’t limit our target market to people who we think will spend the most money on our clothing like most brands. We seek out the people who won’t. It’s starting those conversations, educating and changing their perspectives that will ultimately make a difference. Our “target market” will find us on their own because as I said, they’re looking. We target the people who aren’t.

What is the price range for your designs?

Our designs range from $36$45 for standard apparel and $65-$75 for hoodies and sweaters. We work very hard to keep our prices competitive. A big part of our missions is to make a more sustainable option available to everyone.

Where can people check them out?

You can check out our complete range at lifestyleoverluxury.com.