In a society consumed by materialism, it is often easy to forget the process behind the next big fashion trend. When production and profit are simple and easy, it is difficult to take a stand and make alterations to the way you manufacture. With the needle moving from opulence to conscious, sustainable fashion is no longer tedious, boring and unglamorous, but the new norm.
Sowing the Seeds of Sustainability
The concept of circular fashion is taking centerstage globally, making sustainability a conversation that each brand needs to have. Egged by the rising demand from conscious consumers, last summer, 32 fashion companies including renowned brands of luxury fashion like Chanel, Prada and Ralph Lauren signed a fashion pact to combat greenhouse gases and emphasize on sustainability. When luxury fashion leaders commit time and considerable efforts to work towards being sustainable in the long term, you know the ripple effects are bound to affect the whole industry.
One-fourth of Gabriela Hearst’s collections are made of deadstock – materials that would’ve ended up in a landfill. Gucci launched Equilibrium online, a platform to show the company’s efforts towards sustainability that has received unprecedented publicity on social media with the help of the great The Marketing Heaven team. Of the various campaigns on this platform, ‘I was a Sari’ on upcycling of leftover scrap leather and fabric to produce embroidery with one-off handcrafted designs.
Deepened Consumer Participation
Building sustainability into the narrative of luxury fashion establishes trust and transparency between brands and their customers. It makes the customer an active participant of understanding where their products come from which in turn affects their purchase decisions.
Social signaling which basically means giving a hint/signal about oneself in the social sphere, is also one of the reasons organic, sustainable and ethically grown fashion has become a personal priority for many.
Closer to Home
As suppliers in India, the heart of textile exporting, we work with fabrics and weavers in equal capacities. We believe that equality and mutual respect for both is a necessary foundation for a sustainable work environment. While we are in the nascent stages of being a sustainable organization, we are taking steps to source responsibly, reduce wastage and use in-stock materials for our collections.
The Road Ahead
With the rise of technological innovations, growth of sustainable options and consumers becoming more conscientious, fashion brands need to pivot their processes to ride the green wave.
– Blog written by Ananya Sharma Shah for Nidhi Embroideries
