SUSTAINABLE STYLE
DBS Insignia is at the forefront of celebrating the accomplishments of successful individuals. But beyond this, it also recognizes businesses that make an effort to do their part for the community.
Beyond being a buzzword, sustainability is now a way of life. Whether you’re an individual conscious about your lifestyle choices or a business that takes into consideration the impact of your actions, it is a choice that benefits the community in the long run.
While sustainability efforts are often practiced by industries that tend to have a lot of wastage, such as F&B or construction, industries like luxury fashion – and even banking – are doing their part. And why not? A recent study by CDP, a not-for-profit charity, showed that companies who have sustainability in their core strategies actually fare better than those who don’t.
Coming Full Circle
Sustainability is described as the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources to maintain ecological balance. And at the heart of it is respect – respect for the environment, flora and fauna, and heritage. However, respecting all these is easy to overlook, that extra effort is needed to remind us that these are finite resources that need to be used wisely.
For DBS Insignia, it goes beyond celebrating the impressive accomplishments of individuals – it also partners with brands and businesses working towards the same goal, as well as follows in the sustainability footsteps set by DBS, with the pillars of responsible banking, responsible corporate citizenship, and the creation of social impact.
As discerning consumers ask questions that prod a little deeper – “What is the philosophy behind the product? What is its story? Where does it come from and how is it made?” – DBS Insignia works with partners to answer these questions and promote sustainable development.
One brand that strikes a connection is Ermenegildo Zegna, a leading Italian luxury brand that many DBS Insignia Cardmembers are familiar
with because of its finely crafted menswear offerings. It has a claim to fame of ‘sheep to suit’ excellence that, interestingly enough, finds its roots in Australia.
The ‘Sheep to Suit’ Difference
The connection between Australia and the Ermenegildo Zegna Group may not be apparent, but there is a deep history between the country and the Italian brand. Since its start as a textile business in 1910, all of Zegna’s fabrics are made from Australian wool. But it was only in 2014 that the group acquired the majority of Achill (60 per cent), an Australian Superfine wool farm in New South Wales where Merino sheep are bred, closing the gap between brand and supplier.
By doing so, the group has direct control of each step of the production chain, from the breeding of the Merino sheep in Australia, the creation of wool fabrics in Trivero, Italy, to the final products in Zegna stores in over 100 countries globally.
Finally, the decision of entering the world of wool as a producer reflects the group’s pledge to not just the survival, but also the long-term viability of fine wool. There is an innate sense of authenticity here, which, at the end of the day, aims to protect and preserve a crucial industry for the company’s history and heritage.
Fashioning An Oasis
In addition to sustainable material production, Zegna also places conservation at the forefront of its business with the Zegna Oasis. It traces its roots to the 1930’s when founder Ermenegildo Zegna gave new life to Trivero, in the Alps around Biella, the town where the brand was founded.
The initiative started with housing for employees, as well as health and recreational facilities, followed by a complete reforestation of the mountain slopes with over 500,000 pines and the construction of a road dubbed “the Zegna Panoramic route”.
Today, it has evolved into a “live laboratory” for nature lovers and young visitors. Here, sustainability extends into the field of hospitality, with the area’s wide choice of hotels, local restaurants, and farm holiday structures that offer an experience unique to the area.
With Zegna’s finger firmly on the pulse of sustainability, the results are promising and the support from its clients, even more so. By striking a connection with such brands as Zegna, DBS Insignia affirms its stance as a product that promotes sustainability and a new way of doing business, the ecoconscious way.