What is sustainable fashion?
How do we choose the brands we buy from? How do I know if this product is good for me, good for the planet?
These are all questions we ask ourselves when shopping, buying cosmetics, dressing our children, or equipping our home… in short, in all our purchases.
Who is not lost in front of the number of existing labels, and their meaning, on the information we receive from here and there…
An era of ecological transformation
We live in an era of ecological transformation where the consumer is inundated with information. It is important to learn how to sort through this information, and especially to try to understand what is being explained to us.
In this article we will not be able to review the scope of the subject.
The purpose of this article is to help you make up your own mind based on the information you receive.
Sustainability, eco-responsibility…
The notion of sustainability, eco-responsibility… is a subjective notion behind which everyone puts what they want and what suits them.
It is a fundamental starting point.
For example:
Should we favour the purchase of a product made in France, whose material comes from China, or a product made entirely locally in a fair way (production of the material + product in the same country + social commitment)?
To have the answer, one would have to calculate the CO² emissions of transporting the material from China to France + those of production in France, and compare with the other product. In addition, we would have to measure the social impact of the 2 products and see how many people live thanks to the sale of this product…
Another example related to the choice of material: some people praise the merits of « vegan leather« .
Do they know what vegan leather is? It is nothing other than imitation leather, a product made from petroleum. Using vegan leather makes sense if you want to target the vegan consumer market.
As for it, leather comes from the food industry, it is biodegradable, a priori better from an environmental impact point of view.
Made in France
Another element related to the place of production. The designation « made in France » can be affixed as soon as 80% of the value of a product comes from France. A bag, whose handle is not sewn, has no value. You can easily interpret the legislation whenever you want… A product made in France with a very low price can make you aware that it is not really made in France.
In the manufacture of the product, several elements are taken into account:
- the material
- the place of manufacture
- the production method (use of chemicals, water use, energy use, production of waste, etc.)
- the people involved (respect for labour law, working conditions…)
- packaging
Its quality and price will also determine the durability and solidity of the product.
So, as you will have understood, knowing whether a product is « good for the planet » is a delicate exercise involving the consideration of many criteria.
Do we have all the elements in hand to know if a product is sustainable?
Not necessarily.
What should we do then?
Today, we believe that every step taken in the right direction counts, everyone does with their own means what they can do. For us it is very difficult to make judgements about the commitment of a particular brand.
As soon as a change is implemented, whether it is in the choice of material, the production method, the packaging…, it is positive and a further step towards sustainability.
At E2R, we started with the choice of material (upcycling car fabric, upcycling seatbelt) and the production method, and we improve something every year.
Making quality products that last over time is fundamental for us so that our products accompany you as long as possible.