Awareness, ethics, responsibility… Which are the new future challenges?

Suddenly the 2021 left us with multiple challenges and difficulties we are going to live also during this new year. How to get prepared and face the new changes and trends for the luxury market? How is it evolving?

In an era, where for most people life is lived through multiple commitments to fit into the typical day, you end up having little time to devote to reflection.

This also happens for our purchasing choices. Although we are moving towards increasing transparency on the part of producers, thanks also to regulations that require it, we must consider that the high consumerism we are experiencing is leading some sectors to the top of the ranking in terms of global pollution.

“As consumers we have so much power to change the world by just being careful in what we buy” (Emma Watson)

The industry can only change if we consumers are the first to become increasingly sensible to what we buy. This is called awareness.

Being aware of wearing clothes that will not have a negative impact on the environment and that have been produced in a responsible way makes our choices ethical. Just like companies are aware when they prioritize attention to the choice of suppliers, their workforce, the origin of raw materials, sustainability with the goal of zero impact on the environment.

Ethics concerns the entire production process, from design, production, retail to purchase. An ethical industry faces important issues such as fair wages, decent working conditions, effects on nature, sustainability, exploitation, animal welfare.

Fast Fashion

"Fast fashion is like junk food ... after the sugar rush it leaves only a bad taste in the mouth" (Livia Firth)

The term “Fast Fashion” indicates a phenomenon whereby large fashion companies produce cheap garments at low production costs to maximize profit and sales. This is possible thanks to the low cost of labor and precarious working conditions.

Another disturbing aspect is the environmental impact due to the lack of attention and lack of investment for changes aimed at protecting the environment in which it is produced, among the most significant are the emissions of harmful chemical substances in the production of synthetic materials, the use of pesticides in the cultivation of cotton, which in addition to polluting the soil and water, harm the health of workers.

Obviously, the toxicity of discharges from factories where transformation processes take place with the use of solvents and chemical dyes should not be overlooked.

The term "fast" also indicates a way of acting by the consumer.

Trends change quickly and we are all involved in the style changes happening around us. The speed with which fashion passes from the catwalks to our wardrobe exceeds our ability to stop to ponder our choices and habits. We often forget that behind a satisfactory purchase, perhaps for having bought a low-priced fashionable garment, there is someone else who is paying the price. Slowing down does not mean falling behind with the giant steps in fashion or having to give up, but it means making a change first on ourselves, to understand the importance of our individual actions, and then contribute to the well-being of the earth and human beings. 

There are a few simple and reasonable actions we can consider to be ethically aware in our purchases:

- Reach for information, ask questions and get answers;

- Look for producers who are transparent with their customers regarding their policies in terms of sustainability and ethics;

- Buy less but better, focusing on what our needs really are and assessing the cost of quality as a great way to save;

- Recycle, where possible, considering that today 20% of global waste is represented by textile materials.

Awareness & Responsibility

"The biggest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it."

(Robert Swan) 

Letting know to brands about your awareness of wanting to buy something you know the origin, the sustainability in the production phase, the ethics with which it was conceived, allows you to be the protagonists of a real change.

Preferring brands who choose to be responsible towards the environment and fundamental human rights translates into mutual trust and responsibility. They are both values ​​that can and must lead to an epochal change to give a real possibility to ethical fashion.

It is an effective support for those who, through research and innovation, develop technological and industrial solutions capable of meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising those of future generations.

The Jewelry Pillars of sustainability

About jewelry, we have talked about sustainability in a previous article.

Sustainable and ethical jewelry means transparent and responsible sourcing practices and the use of sustainable materials. 

When we talk about sustainability in jewelry we can refer to some fundamental pillars:

• Traceability of materials and sources: transparent and verified Supply Chain for precious materials and alloys;
• International Standards (GIA, World Gold Council);
• ethical mining;
• tracing both the product and production process.

Being fashion today is not measured only thanks to the aesthetic and trendy taste, but is enhanced by the culture and sensitivity that we show in our conscious choices.

Behind every wise purchase, of a garment, a shoe, a bag or a jewel, there is also a social and environmental commitment that is in our hands. Actions of responsibility but also of great social and environmental value which, when shared, evolve into a much better future.

Actions of responsibility but also of great social and environmental value which, if shared, evolve into a much better future.

In this way, we can proudly say: "I love to be fashion!"