THE WALLET AS A POWER TOOL: WERK IT
As consumers, our power tool is money – so let’s werk that wallet to make an impact on our world. Given that we have little choice about basic consumption (we’ll always need “stuff”), the where, when and how we spend are where we can make a personal difference. It doesn’t mean we can’t shop – it just means we need to think twice before we buy and consider our place in the circular economy.
While Bryanboy and other fashion mavens might be suffering from “green fatigue”, brands are definitely getting the message, which is a big win for business and the environment. It allows people who want to live a more conscientious life to appease their guilt and make an impact, however small that may be.
Reformation hits home with its motto: “Being naked is the #1 most sustainable option. We’re #2.”
Zara claims that its clothes will be made from 100 per cent sustainable fabrics by 2025 – parent company Inditex has a whole strategy for recyclables and forest maintenance.
Econyl has cottoned on to the current concern about plastics disrupting our oceans. Its bathing suit range uses regenerated nylon from waste materials that would have otherwise been destined for the landfill – fishing nets, fabric scraps and recycled polyester.
Wobabybasics’ policy of using organic, sustainable material for all its children’s clothing means you can start your kids on the path to environmental responsibility as soon as they’re born.
Lush has always been fantastic at minimising packaging and waste – it’s why the stores always smell so delicious, as the products are out “in the wild”. More than 70 per cent of its range is “self-preserving” (without synthetic preservatives), and the company is on a mission to start using refills and to increase the amount of reusable packaging used to transport products between its factories and stores.
Hermès has Petit H – the design studio that gives its waste to local artisans to create products that use world-class materials in ways that reflect their cultures.
You might think they’re doing it for the headlines and jumping on the sustainability bandwagon – but at least they’re doing something. What are you doing?