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Sustainable Clothing @ London Fashion Week

Published 20 February, 2009 Articles , CSR , Ethical Consumerism 3 Comments
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Picture: New York Times

Picture: New York Times

Even in the current economic turmoil we’ve counted on fashionistas to be glamorous and over-the-top, especially during events like London Fashion Week, currently sweeping through the city.

But this year, things might be a little different, “I am looking forward to seeing how our designers cope with the current mood,” says Alexandra Shulman, editor of British Vogue, “Often, times of economic difficulty for some reason encourage interesting ideas and creativity.”

What might surprise Alexandra, is that not all interesting and creative ideas showcased during LFW has come from designers, an unlikely candidate, Lord Hunt, Minister of Sustainability, has chosen to use the interest in LFW to launch his ministry’s ‘Sustainable Clothing Action Plan‘ (SCAP).

The Action Plan was announced at the estethica showcase, where 37 ethical designers, including founding labels Noir and Bllack Noir, come together with their works that adhere to 1 of 3 estethica principles: Organic, Fair trade or Recycled.

But what is SCAP?

It is, a series of Green Pledges by some of Britain’s leading garment retailers.

These pledges involve initiatives like..

  • Increase Range of Fair Trade and Organic Fashion
    • Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Sainsbury
  • ‘Take-Back‘ of unwanted clothing to enable Recycling
    • Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Sainsbury
  • Open more ‘Sustainable’ boutiques that focus on quality 2nd hand clothing
    • Oxfam, Salvation Army Trading

But the plan is not just the sum of these commitments, a key aspect of it in these actions being discussed and coordinated among all stakeholders in the industry.

So, did Lord Hunt’s SCAP outshine the designers at estethica? I doubt it, after all, it IS about aesthetic creativity here. But it does seem like a well coordinated effort by the British Government to make the UK a leader in Sustainable Fashion.

P.S. – One of this writer’s favourite designers at estethica is ‘From Somewhere‘, a label that recycles Luxury Designer Pre-consumer Waste (e.g. proofs, swatches, off-cuts), turning them into gorgeous clothes. Check them out at their London boutique on Portobello Road.

Download the Full Sustainable Clothing Action Plan: Here

More details at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Website

Also Blogged At: Ethical Living, BusinessGreen, Treehugger, TextileBol, MRW

More on Estethica here: Inhabitat, GreenMyStyle

Also of Interest: Centre for Sustainable Fashion’s @ London College of Fashion Blog

‘Fake’ Products Soar in Popularity: China

Published 6 February, 2009 Ethical Consumerism , Shorts 2 Comments
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Not Just Bags & Watches

Not just limited to imitation Louis Vuitton Handbags and Rolex Watches, the “Culture of Fake” in China is soaring in Popularity across a whole spectrum of Consumer Goods.

Tough Times

In tougher economic times when “The Real Thing” is increasingly out of reach of your average Chinese consumer, many are taking to “ShanZhai” (as the culture of fake/imitation goods has been called) products which its proponents insist are “Just as Good”.

Intellectual Property Rights

This will present a large problem for International Brands, who have been looking to enforce their intellectual property rights in China, as these “ShanZhai” brands grow in popularity in their own right.

Will SQNY replace SONY?

Will ADADAS (or ADIDOS) outsell ADIDAS?

Will KFG move more chicken that KFC?

Original Reuters Article: Link Here

More Examples of Funny and Clever “Shanzhai”: ChinaSmack

An Interesting Post about Apples with Chinese Characters “Grown” into them: AaronFu.com

At Davos: Coca Cola on Top Sustainable Corporations List

Published 3 February, 2009 CSR , Ethical Consumerism , Shorts , Sustainability 1 Comment
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Last week, Coca Cola (alongside BHP Billiton?!) appeared in the “Global 100: Most Sustainable Corporations” list released at the World Economic Forum in Davos. 

Has Coca Cola, which received significant criticism for the sustainability of its businesses in years past (some university campuses even stopped purchasing all Coca Cola products), turned around? 

If it IS Greenwash, they’ve been very thorough, in the same week Coca Cola was also awarded the Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development from the World Environment Center.

This could be the real thing though with John Brock, Coca Cola’s CEO, in an interview with Knowledge@Wharton declaring that “Sustainability is no longer Niche” and highlighting his thoughts on High Schools removing Soda Machines and his firm’s new fleet of Hybrid Delivery Trucks.

What do you think? Can a company that uses up so much of the world’s sugar and corn to produce its beverages and then ship these drinks thousands of miles to their consumer be a Leader in Sustainability?

More on the Top 100 List at: Environmental Leader, Social Funds, GreenBiz, CorporateResponsibility.net

Fiji Water: Food Miles Greenwash?

Published 12 January, 2009 Articles , Carbon Management , CSR , Ethical Consumerism 3 Comments
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Fiji Water’s efforts to promote its Green Credentials (previous article here) have received significant attention since launch, not all of it positive of course.

Greenwash BrigadeRecently it made a ‘Top Greenwashes of 2008′ list by National Public Radio’s Greenwash Brigade along with a satirical comment

‘Yes, shipping water in container ships from a pristine aquifier in paradise is somehow green’

But could it be?

 

Life Cycle

Fiji Green)

Fiji Water's Carbon Footprint (Courtesy: Fiji Green)

Fiji Green (Fiji Water’s Green Blog) points out that bottled water has not been a substitute for Tap Water, a commonly held assertion, but for carbonated soft drinks & sugary fruit drinks.

From an Environmental perspective, bottled water is preferable to these other drinks that use up significant Refrigeration Energy and have a higher Agricultural Impact stemming from the Energy, Pesticides and Fertilizers used in growing their inputs, e.g. Sugar & Corn.

Quoting articles from the New Yorker and the Wall Street Journal, which propose more comprehensive approaches to measuring a product’s Carbon Footprint, Fiji Water asserts that when compared to its alternatives in this comprehensive ‘Life Cycle’ manner, demand for Fiji Water is good for the environment. 

They compare Fiji Water with Apples & Lamb from New Zealand which have a lower carbon footprint (including transport) than locally sourced alternatives in England.

Why New Zealand Imported Produce have Lower Carbon Footprints:

a) Increased Productivity from More Sunshine

b) Lower Direct Environmental Impact from Less Fertililzer Use

c) Lower Indirect Environmental Impact from Greater Access to Renewable Energies

The above factors probably don’t hold true for Bottled Water though, it is hard to imagine that Bottled Water produced ‘Locally’ will have a greater environmental impact than Fiji Water.

What’s more, Fiji Water give themselves (and the bottled water industry) a pat on the back by crediting the switch to bottled water with: Eliminating about a Trillion calories from the American diet.

Food Miles

A growing form of measuring the carbon impact of food & drink has been ‘Food Miles’, the idea that the more food/drink has to travel to get to you, the greater its impact on the environment.

Fiji Water, in its Green Efforts, has actually INCREASED the Distance it travels to get to NYC by 50%. However, it demonstrates that this results in 55% LESS Emissions.

This is largely achieved through an increased reliance on Ocean Freight which generates 85% less emissions than Trucking.

Here are the Past & Current Routes Compared:

Past: Fiji to Los Angeles (Ship) > Los Angeles to New York (Truck)

Current: Fiji to Philadelphia / Newark (Ship) > Philadelphia / Newark to New York (Truck) 

 

Trying

Sure, alot of what Fiji Water is publishing about its activities is easily perceived as spin (e.g. comparing ‘producing’ water with the production of apples and lamb) but I believe they have taken significant steps to sustainably reduce their environmental impact and between bottled water and soft drinks, would anyone insist that we would be better off selecting soft drinks?

How about you?

Do you think Fiji Water’s efforts are a total Greenwash? Vote here:

A Carbon Neutral Hotel – URBN Shanghai

Published 3 January, 2009 Articles , Ethical Consumerism , Sustainability 1 Comment
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Shanghai, one of the world’s most rapidly growing cities, in a country which produces the world’s highest levels of carbon emissions (24% of Global Total), seems to be a fitting location for one of the world’s first hotels that claim to be Carbon Neutral.

In typical Shanghai fashion, this project draws from diverse backgrounds and skills from across the globe. Conceived by a Californian and a Chinese-Australian and designed by 3 Canadian Architects based in China, including Tais Cabral, a Brazillian native who imbued the interiors with ‘a sense of luxury, modernity and comfort’.

    

URBN Hotel Shanghai

 

URBN Hotel Shanghai

So what makes this development so special then?

It’s Construction

The site itself is ‘recycled’ with the developers transforming a former factory building.

Bricks and Tiles used were Salvaged from Demolished Buildings.

All the Hardwood used was Reclaimed.

Additional Building Material was Locally Sourced.

It’s Design

Natural Shading is provided by Living Bamboo.

Ambient lighting comes courtesy of Fluorescent Lights housed in Lanterns.

Power is Supplemented by Passive Solar Shades

Rain Water Retention Basins are used

The Air Conditioning is Water Based

It’s Programs

All Energy Used (yes, including staff who commute and all supply deliveries) is Offset with Carbon Credits

 

URBN has grand plans for the future too, in an interview with Jill Stalowicz of Feel More Human, URBN indicated plans to expand to 20 Hotels throughout China including ones in Beijing, Hangzhou, Dalian & Suzhou and to include a retail section with ‘home-grown organic products’.

Since its opening in December 2007, the project has received significant attention from the travel world, named in Conde Nast Traveler’s 2008 Hot List, cited by Fodor’s Hot List and reviewed by the the NY Times.

Not Alone

It however is far from alone with ‘Eco Tourism’ growing by leaps and bounds in recent years. 

Kapawi Lodge - Ecuador

Kapawi Lodge - Ecuador

Conde Nast’s Concierge.com highlights some of the best,

from a lodge in Kenya run by Maasai Tribesman without skimping on Italian Linen…

to one in the Ecuadorian Amazon, run by the Achuar Natives on Solar Energy, while not denying traveler’s their Filet Mignon…

and even a property in Egypt built out of Clay and Salt with only oil lamps & candles to light the way, without skimping on the comforts that persuaded Prince Charles and Camilla to holiday there!

Doing Good Trumps Design and Innovation

Published 20 November, 2008 Articles , CSR , Ethical Consumerism 2 Comments
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GoodpurposeWhen choosing products, a whopping 42% of consumers  value a brand’s commitment to a social purpose over both design and innovation!

This was a key finding in goodpurpose’s ‘Global Study of Consumer Attitudes’ report published this week.

The report is extremely timely as many firms would be reconsidering their commitment to non-core, cause-related activities. It sends a resounding message that if anything, they should be investing more into it than ever in the face of recent economic events.

A couple of compelling reasons why:

  • 7 in 10 would remain loyal to a brand that supports a good cause
  • 7 in 10 have either given the same or more despite economic conditions
  • The Chinese consumer, an increasingly lucrative market, has emerged as a clear leader in the above metric, with 58% giving more despite the economic downturn

Why are they doing it? In a word, contentment.

42% quote “helping others and contributing to my community” as their largest source of contentment compared to “the shopping experience” which only 25% agreed with as a source of contentment.

“They can bring ‘double value’ to their customers, who get a product they want, plus support for a cause they believe in” – Mitch Markson, founder of goodpurpose

The term “return on involvement” makes an appearance in the report, referring to an increasingly popular metric which recognises participation and involvement (e.g. in causes) as true builders of brand loyalty. “Doing Good”, which can create stronger emotional bonds between the brand and the consumer, can hence translate rather easily into “Doing Well”.

more at MarketWatch

Fiji Water – World’s 1st ‘Carbon Negative’ Water

Published 5 June, 2008 Articles , Carbon Management , CSR , Environment , Ethical Consumerism 3 Comments
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A ‘culture of indulgence’ ? The explosion of bottled water into an industry worth over 15 billion in the US alone has had many of us asking..

Why IS it that each week, we fly, ship and drive more than 1 billion tonnes of water that’s only a twist of a tap away

Fiji Water

Will Fiji Water faithfuls continue to tolerate that beautiful idyllic image of its source being tarnished by ideas of polluted rivers overflowing with waste byproducts. In a world where we are often judged by what we consume, will bottled water still continue to be fashionably ordered at a cafe without friends gasping in horror, “You mean you haven’t SEEN An Inconvenient Truth?”.

Last year, Fiji Water, perhaps on fears that it might be losing customers to (shock and horror) tap water, announced that its operations were now carbon negative.Tap Water

Yes, when you pick up a bottle of Fiji Water, you ‘should’ no longer feel like part of that ugly problem of climate change. In fact, that 1.5l bottle of water you’re holding has just saved as much carbon as your decision to walk 5 blocks to the grocery instead of driving (you DID walk didn’t you?).

Its a little tricky though, Fiji Water’s factories did not just start absorbing all the carbon around them, neither have all of Fiji Water’s trucks stopped emitting carbon.

They have achieved this dramatic ’120% carbon offset’ by investing in carbon negative projects like reforestation and renewable energy initiatives.

An example of one such project is the ‘Forest Carbon Project’ in the Yaqara Valley on the island of Viti Levu in Fiji. Partnering with Conservation International (CI), the project engages in native species restoration.

What is Forward Crediting?:

Step 1. Projects like the above have their cumulative ‘carbon impact’ for the next 30 years estimated.

Step 2. 30 years worth of carbon impact are immediately factored into Fiji Water’s 2008 120% Carbon Offset

Immediate real reductions are also being reported:

- Trucking Miles (from Warehouses to Distributors) : Reduced by 26%

- Fuel Usage (from Plant to Port with Fuel Efficient Trucks): Reduced by 50%

- Packaging (1.5l bottle only): Reduced by 7%

- Waste Reduction (Landfill Use): Reduced by 70%

Maybe buying that 1.5l bottle of Fiji Water has not miraculously offset the carbon you generated driving to the supermarket, but at least, with full carbon footprint measurement (raw materials to consumption) and reporting, you now have a better idea of exactly how much carbon has been released to get a bottle into your hands.

From the initiative’s website FijiGreen.com, you will also be able to discover that it is suppliers that are producing over 80% of your bottle’s carbon emissions, not the guys at Fiji Water (you know and love?).

Now if only they could get safe drinking water to the 1/3 of Fijians who have no access to it.

For more bottled water facts: Pacific Institute on Bottled Water

For a blog that makes its stand clear: Don’t drink Fiji Water

This blogger’s favourite spots in Fiji: Leleuvia and Bobo’s

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