What impact do sustainable fashion brands have on the industry and on people’s daily lives? How do they influence consumer decision making? Do we continue to consume impulsively and unconsciously? These are some of the questions that were raised in the seventh edition of “Building Futures” in La Roca Village; a session that opened the debate around the fashion industry with impact. In recent years, sustainable fashion has emerged with a bang, challenging traditional industry practices and promoting a more responsible approach. Brands committed to sustainability are not only changing the way clothing is produced, but also the way we consume it.
On this occasion, Bibiana Ballbè moderated a talk attended by various brands that represent an alternative to conventional fashion. Caroline Lachat, production director of The Animals Observatory, Chiara Marconi, founder of the Italian brand Chite, Maria Fontanellas, founder of Mietis, Clara Esteve, founder of the All that she Loves brand, Gemma Barbany, founder of IAIOS, Nina Blanc, participated in the conversation. also founder of the brand that bears the same name, Elena Foguet, Business Director of Value Retail Spain and Noelia Collado deputy director of content for Spain at The Bicester Village Shopping.
After an introduction in which each speaker explained what the concept of sustainable fashion meant to her, Noelia Collado shared the vision of respect from the world of retail: “In a world of creativity and talent, when you talk to designers talented emerging, what really concerns them is precisely how to be sustainable. And at La Roca Village, sustainability is part of our DNA. The new generations do not understand society or fashion if it is not sustainable”.
Immediately afterwards, Clara Esteve explained that for her sustainability was a choice that she placed within respect and responsibility, and quoted verbatim: “When I founded All That She Loves, I decided that I wanted to do it within a sustainable process, with workshops proximity, with materials that were as least polluting as possible or were recycled”. Chiara Marconi from Chite told it in different words: “When we talk about the fact that there is no Planet B, it is a very true topic. Sustainability is not only paying attention to the traceability of the fabrics, but also choosing well who produces you, the people you work with and the relationship you have with them”
Brands are taking bold steps to address the environmental and social challenges associated with the mass production of garments. Within the framework of “Barcelona Fashion forward”, Elena Foguet explained that one of the main challenges to be a sustainable fashion brand is to rethink even the production and supply process. Caroline Lachat, for her part, shared her perspective by stating that, although they are not considered 100% sustainable and they have a lot of respect for that word, in each collection they try to minimize impacts by using materials with recyclable components. In addition, she highlighted the need for greater transparency on the part of the industry. On the other hand, Nina Blanc expressed her struggle to get as close as possible to an ideal of sustainability, but she preferred to focus on the idea of ??slow fashion.
In short, brands recognize the challenges and seek solutions that promote sustainability in the fashion industry. During the talk, Bibiana Ballbè wanted to deepen and specify the different ways that brands have to be sustainable. Some brands choose to use organic and recycled materials, thereby reducing dependence on natural resources and minimizing waste, but it’s not the only way. Gemma Barbany from IAIOS summed it up: “I come from a family that has been dedicated to textiles for five generations and we recovered a way of making jumpers that is using a yarn that is 100% recycled. There is no one way to be sustainable, there is no brand that does it better than another. On the part of the consumer, there is not only one way to consume responsibly, but each one has to find his own way and that there are many ways ”.
Other brands have established ethical standards in their supply chain, guaranteeing fair and safe working conditions for workers. For example, Clara Esteve from All that she Loves, commented that when it comes to seeking proximity in production, they encounter many impediments due to the closure of the workshops. She stated bluntly: “We need a generational change to take place in the workshops and we don’t have to stop working and manufacturing here.”
Maria Fontanellas from Mietis said that having suppliers nearby, with the corresponding sustainability certificates, allows them to get to know them and the products, thus adding a lot of value to the production chain; At Mietis, they have also opted to customize the product, producing to order. In this way, while it becomes an exclusive product, it is manufactured once you have made the sale and in this way there is no waste.
They all agreed with a wish that Nina Blanc could not express better: “We want to continue being part of the change, keeping alive the crafts and art that we have at the local level.”
In short, sustainable fashion brands are leading the way towards a more responsible and conscious industry and, without a doubt, their impact extends to influencing our purchasing decisions and our perspective on fashion.
