It is no news that sustainability has become a worn out and watered down concept, often lowering consumer confidence rather than raising it. This is precisely why it is important to continue talking about sustainability in the right way, and even more important for all companies to make decisions and carry out activities that supports a better future for people, animals and nature. In fact, the fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world, after the oil industry.
Did you know, for example, that:
It can take over 2000 liters of water to produce a single cotton t-shirt
Here in Sweden, we buy an average of 15 kg of new clothes per year, and throw 8 kg of textiles in the garbage
A garment is used an average of just seven times before it is thrown away or recycled
Even recycling requires resources. If the clothes were to be used just three times longer, the negative environmental impact would be reduced by 65% and water consumption by 66%. And this is the attitude we at Wangari Studio have. The responsibility for sustainable change cannot lie solely with the consumers. It is the companies together with the politicians who must lead the development and we must be able to contribute with both hope and faith for the future, if the work is to be as impactful as the latest fashion trend. Growth and profit margins alone should no longer be the only parameters for how successful a business is.
Fashion is power. The fashion industry is big and powerful. With Stockholm Slow Fashion Week, we see yet another prominent example of how influential people and businesses come together to make a real difference. Consuming with thought is so much more inspiring than the word "quit". Showing possibilities is so much more dynamic than the word "must". This is how we need to act if sustainability is to be as attractive as the season's latest styles. It is entirely possible to be in forward motion and make conscious decisions at the same time - this applies to both individuals and companies. Together for a better tomorrow!