EDITO
Conscious Consumerism
Must have has gone out of fashion, indeed now it’s just for losers.
“Fashion must now slow down its unsustainable pace. The moment is complicated but it offers us the possibility to fix what’s wrong and regain a more human dimension.” Giorgio Armani’s words, not just any one. “It should not be forgotten that quality garments take time to be made and to be appreciated.”
There are many clues as to whether a brand is fast fashion. If the collection is released quickly after introductions, if the garments are produced in large factories in countries with poor worker protection, if customers are pressured to purchase special editions available for a limited period of time, or in limited quantity, and if lower quality and highly polluting materials are used, you are probably buying from a fast fashion brand.
Hence a part (albeit minor) of environmental pollution. It is claimed that 20% of water pollution globally is caused by the processing of fabrics. But there’s more, there are also social issues, in case you don’t care that our waters are polluted.
Clothing production in Bangladesh has increased in recent years after rising labor costs in China, the largest textile producing and exporter country, with a market share of 37.6%. It is estimated that the minimum wage for Bangladeshi workers should be around $341 per month, but the actual minimum wage for the humblest jobs in the textile industry is 5 times lower, do your maths. In addition to unfair wages, the fast fashion industry exploits child labor and forced labor in Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Turkey, Vietnam and the Philippines. But let’s not put labels on everything, there are also companies that protect the workers of these countries, but unfortunately this is not always the case.
But after all these words, what can we do as customers?
Each consumer plays a fundamental role in the renewal process of the clothing sector, including the outdoor one. As customers, we must demand full responsibility from the company and its total transparency. What is advertised must match what is actually done. Change must also occur by changing our shopping habits and our mentality.
You can go to the extremes by shopping in thrift stores or buying products born from the reuse of other products, this could be a very cool experience. And, why not, share and swap clothes with friends (if you go hiking just once every summer, maybe it’s better borrow shoes). Rent or reuse products that you don’t normally use (it’s useless to buy a bike, for example, if you go cycling 3 times a year, it’s better to rent it, right?). Furthermore, for some products that are now worn out, they do not necessarily have to be thrown away, in this guide we will tell you how our team offers a second life to their running shoes after having consumed them.
However, if buying a new garment is really necessary, and obviously this doesn’t have to make you feel like you are destroying planet earth, the imperative is to buy sustainable clothing brands: these are garments with superior quality, a longer duration, eco-friendly fabrics with a reduced environmental impact and recycled or organic materials. Many brands today prefer quality rather than a lower price and prefer to tell more about themselves and their ethical values than about their latest collection colorway: the brand you decide to wear will therefore be the one that represents you also through its values.
Since the time of Adam and Eve, clothing has been considered a necessity. This will never change. However, consumers have the power to guide the decisions of the fashion market. We have the right to demand responsible behavior towards environment and society, we have the right to have internal transparency throughout the supply chain. We want to make informed purchases. These are all actions of responsible consumption that we mountain lovers must activate.
This Outdoor Guide (attention is not a buyers’ guide) was born from the passion of people in love with the mountains and with nature just like you are, people who try with seriousness and humility to direct you towards your next purchase, so that it will be better, more suitable for you and for your needs, so that you won’t have to do another one in a short time.
Living life in nature.
Denis Piccolo
