By: Sandra Ricco
Finally the day has arrived where being ecological is in fashion. I say this with joy! Luxuries are in decline. The word “green" is and will be attractive to consumers. The day has come when ecology has become part of marketing. Things like furniture and billfolds are made of recycled material. They exist, people want them and they work.Slow fashion is the new option and it defies fast fashion which produces objects every season.
Slow fashion suggests creating quality products that last over time and that support local artisans and indigenous communities.It has been a while since this idea come about but now it's the new tendency: "the new fad”. For some people it is a way to launch into the market or an attractive publicity tool. For others, it is a way of life or a simple whim, a new fashion.Sensitivity is needed to be successful: sensibility and strategy. This sustainable luxury is the topic of executive congresses and conferences.
The fashion industry has always set the guidelines for new creations. Eco and chic are no longer contradictory terms. It is now possible to use renewable wood or solar technology with glamorous results ... for the planet.It is no longer just a hippy or Neo Zen trend. We have seen it in the latest fashion shows where leaves and vines have been transformed into haute couture. The days of big cars and private planes are numbered like the big shot who is the least green, the one who destroys and contaminates the most. Stores in New York are using five-metre windows with sun filters which keep room temperature in without having to use air conditioning.
There are new fields of design which you can see in stores and in packaging. There is a redefinition of policies when it comes to production and to securing fair conditions in the workplace... whatever it takes to be ecology minded: the latest trend.The merciless killing of animals and the use of chemicals in dyes that impact the environment can no longer be hidden. Products are being created that satisfy this new type of consumer who is conscious of the crisis and of global warming.This trend not only invites you to save but it radically brings us back to the basics: the past and its traditions, uses and customs.
We are slowly incorporating this ecological tendency in food; fabrics, cars and eco-sustainable, businesses.We had to wait until this crisis came about and now there are few brands that do not show an ecological conscience. They do not hesitate to visibly show it on their labels: organic cotton or natural carbon. Merit goes to the ones who have survived and who, from the beginning, have been committed to the communities and the environment.
L`Occitane has created on association of recyclers who have benefitted every year from the sales of this french brand. Their legacy is to have a lifestyle that respects the environment. We must recognize though, that it is not easy to change nor is it an option for many but without a doubt it is the future of the new consumer. We must pay attention to the labels on our products and to the material to know the origin and to be sure they do not come from defenceless communities that are exploited. An example of this is the blood diamonds.The windows in London or on Madison Avenue have turned into a cavalcade of ecological clothing and pieces made from materials that respect the environment.
Finally, more and more people are noticing that what they do directly affects the world even though the motive of this new ecological tendency is not purely altruistic. In this insane and complicated economy the luxury brands need a publicity stunt in order to sell.But is this sustainable trend destined to disappear like so many others? No, not according to facts, experts and natural disasters. The climate change will be ready to remind us, when necessary, that there is no turning back. Living with sustainability is not an option. It is the key to survive and recognize that what is left on the planet is a treasure that we must preserve. The most prestigious and required responsibility today is to be Eco-green.
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