That phrase rang through my head throughout reading "Configuring sustainability at fashion week". Especially since one of the articles focuses on European fashion. When you go to Europe its amazing how eco-conscious they can be. In Munich, Germany last fall (when I was there) Oktoberfest and local stores had a deposit on buying a water bottle. You received two euros back if you returned it so it could be recycled. Nearby Berlin was one of the first trade fairs to showcase green fashion! Paris was shockingly clean during my trip there last year. Trashcans everywhere. But, as evidenced in the LFW article, fashion week is oftentimes the epitome of consumption - with more concern to the experience than to the earth.
We are doing good just to make you buy more.
Picture from the Be Eco Chic campaign at NYFW
The article's quote of Eva Kruse, which I will paraphrase as being about how it's better to wash at a lower temperature because it makes your clothes last longer - but don't forget to keep up with next fall's trends it's a great example of the oxymoron happening in the green fashion industry right now. It also came right back to the front of my mind as I read the second article. As it examines the influence of corporate social responsibility and SRB I wonder about the messages that come from the four main categories of stakeholders. Going green is a worldwide trend right now - and I'm guessing an easy decision since one would think all four stakeholder groups are calling for it. As the decisions are made where are the priorities going? How are they established? In the case of Reebok was their priority just to promote it? What wins? And, at what costs? Maybe they aren't using child labor but are the dyes from the textiles that say, cover a couch at IKEA hurting children in other ways? If its only a secondary factor how much good does it really do?
Furthermore, can fashion every truly be green with all this emphasis on consumption? Will this industry ever be able to be sustainable?
I am especially interested to see how "green fashion" is presented at HKFW. For STEM 220 I did a term paper on environmental justice in fashion and the different effects that were had on the fashion industry by textile production. China was by far one of the biggest offenders according to the research I preformed. I wonder what the green profile will be of this show and the local manufacturer's and designers.
What governs me?What governs them?
The more I think of it, I kind of half to mock myself for the "materialistic tree hugger" phrase. As the "Configuring sustainability at fashion week" article states in the shows they examined "fashion governed each event". Not to mention, those events certainly made headlines for being "early adopters" in taking green fashion to a trade show, didn't they?
I don't know if I am any better.
