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  • kira
    Senior Member
    • Mar 2008
    • 2353

    NY Times on Eco friendly fashion

    In the spirit of Earth Day/Week...
    April 27, 2008

    Style


    Green With Envy











    Since
    fashion is a reflection of the times, it makes sense that designers
    should be looking for lasting ways to conserve the environment while
    still setting trends. They?re taking into account that the cotton
    industry uses 25 percent of the world?s pesticides, with terrible
    consequences for wildlife and aquifers; that in an increasingly
    profligate society, recycling clothes might be a worthwhile endeavor;
    and that PVC, a chemically-produced plastic that doesn?t break down,
    perhaps isn?t the slickest of materials after all.




    FutureFashion, an initiative pioneered by Earth Pledge and sponsored
    by Barneys New York and others, is bringing eco-conscious clothes to a
    well-heeled audience. For New York Fashion Week, Earth Pledge presented
    a group show featuring everything from casual day wear to ball gowns ?
    all made with nature-friendly or secondhand fabrics. ?Design and
    creativity don?t have to be sacrificed to make garments that are less
    harmful to the earth,? says Julie Gilhart, Barneys? fashion director.
    ?In fact, developing something sustainable can be a much more creative
    process.? Leslie Hoffman, the executive director of Earth Pledge, says
    fashion will play a key role in the greening of the planet because of
    its ability to set trends across a variety of industries and markets.
    She anticipates increasingly innovative textiles and a growing consumer
    awareness. Leading by example, she is a compulsive label checker;
    launders with cold water and natural detergents; and says line-drying
    clothes is a forgotten luxury.




    That?s not to say that wearing an eco-statement on your sleeve means
    shuffling about in a hemp sack. Hoffman and her team have consulted
    with designers like Stella McCartney, Donna Karan
    and Rodarte. And FutureFashion compiled a sampler of more than 1,000
    sustainable materials available to manufacturers. The idea is to cater
    not just to environmentalists but also to demanding luxury hounds. ?New
    Zealand wool is a great product, as well as cashmere from Southeast
    Asia,? Hoffman says. ?We even list leather that has been tanned in a
    responsible way, and fur from the brush-tail possum, which is an animal
    that has become a scourge in Australia.? So now what?s your excuse?



    pics







    Distraction is an obstruction of the construction.
  • Casius
    Senior Member
    • Dec 2006
    • 4772

    #2
    Re: NY Times on Eco friendly fashion



    The only thing about this whole Eco trend is that it feels so disingenuous. The companies are doing it just for the sake of following a trend and I can bet that most of these companies will not incorporate Eco friendly processes or materials in their lines 5 years from now.



    Eco should be the way things are done, not a trend.

    "because the young are whores. dealers come to carol to get the rock"

    Comment

    • kira
      Senior Member
      • Mar 2008
      • 2353

      #3
      Re: NY Times on Eco friendly fashion

      Yes, and the trend is another way to make money, another ad campaign. Of course this does not apply to all, nothing ever does. It would be interesting to see who does follow through 5 yrs from now.
      Distraction is an obstruction of the construction.

      Comment

      • Faust
        kitsch killer
        • Sep 2006
        • 37852

        #4
        Re: NY Times on Eco friendly fashion

        agreed with albert. it was especially evident in those xmas barneys window theme. it was laughable. unless, of course, they were being cheeky, in which case they were the ones laughing.
        Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

        StyleZeitgeist Magazine

        Comment

        • Casius
          Senior Member
          • Dec 2006
          • 4772

          #5
          Re: NY Times on Eco friendly fashion



          Once everyone stops paying as much attention to global warming, the whole Eco thing will die off, which is a shame but bound to happen. It's not just fashion either, many others are pushing eco friendly to back their other agendas.



          Whatever happened to doing something because you actually believe in it?



          All the more credit to those that carry it through to the future but I just don't see it happening. Something else will come along where these companies will need to push their marketing dollars to and 'being green' will be a thing of the past.

          "because the young are whores. dealers come to carol to get the rock"

          Comment

          • Faust
            kitsch killer
            • Sep 2006
            • 37852

            #6
            Re: NY Times on Eco friendly fashion

            [quote user="Casius"]

            Once everyone stops paying as much attention to global warming, the whole Eco thing will die off, which is a shame but bound to happen. It's not just fashion either, many others are pushing eco friendly to back their other agendas.



            Whatever happened to doing something because you actually believe in it?



            All the more credit to those that carry it through to the future but I just don't see it happening. Something else will come along where these companies will need to push their marketing dollars to and 'being green' will be a thing of the past.



            [/quote]



            you are right Cas - all this gesturing is pretty pathetic. Seriously, how many trees will Apple's paperless receipts will save? But the way they blow it out of proportion makes it seem so responsible!



            nothing will happen until the shit will hit the fan. for example, today there are enough alternative energy methods to switch from oil, but it won't happen until the reserves dry out or OPEC gets too greedy (the former will affect more than the latter - remember, the more expensive gas is, the more money exxon mobil makes). it's just all this moral behavior is especially laughable when it comes to the fashion industry, which is probably the most irresponsible industry out of all. where are all those anya hindmarsch 'i am not a plastic bag' bags are, hmm?

            Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

            StyleZeitgeist Magazine

            Comment

            • Chinorlz
              Senior Member
              • Sep 2006
              • 6422

              #7
              Re: NY Times on Eco friendly fashion



              The "green movement" is spilling over and taking hold in just about every facet of commerce. It's one "fad" that I actually don't have too much of a problem with in the end. Sure I really find those that tout it really quite laughable but all the advertising and "look at us! We're doing something for the environment" aside, even a little something is still something.




              It's pretty clear that most corporations are doing it to bring in money by showing that they're "green" rather than actually doing it FOR the environment. That's clearly secondary to bringing in more revenue... but if it helps, it still helps you know?




              I guess what I'm saying is that these companies gotta start somewhere. At least if Apple starts e-mailing receipts, maybe it'll catch on.

              www.AlbertHuangMD.com - Digital Portfolio Of Projects & Designs

              Merz (5/22/09):"i'm a firm believer that the ultimate prevailing logic in design is 'does shit look sick as fuck' "

              Comment

              • Casius
                Senior Member
                • Dec 2006
                • 4772

                #8
                Re: NY Times on Eco friendly fashion



                Exactly. Once the oil reserves are gone (which might even be in my lifetime), the oil companies will all of the sudden come out with, 'Oh, we just found out we can run your cars more efficiently on corn oil." It's all a game. We all know the technology is there but no one wants to spend the money to implement it; The car manufacturers and the oil companies, wont push it till there is no other choice and it's sick because if there's a way to cut down on pollution, consumption, and save the planet, if not a little bit, then why not do it?



                But to get back to fashion; I just don't appreciate companies treating this planet and it's well being, like a trend. If companies really cared about the environment, they would have been using and creating Eco friendly processes and using Eco materials well before 'Eco' hit the mainstream.



                The company that I will appreciate is the one who comes out, says nothing about being Eco friendly but is really 100% Eco. Meaning, they care, but they're not pushing it in your face because to them, it's the way manufacturing should be.

                "because the young are whores. dealers come to carol to get the rock"

                Comment

                • Chinorlz
                  Senior Member
                  • Sep 2006
                  • 6422

                  #9
                  Re: NY Times on Eco friendly fashion

                  [quote user="Casius"]


                  Exactly. Once the oil reserves are gone (which might even be in my lifetime), the oil companies will all of the sudden come out with, 'Oh, we just found out we can run your cars more efficiently on corn oil." It's all a game. We all know the technology is there but no one wants to spend the money to implement it; The car manufacturers and the oil companies, wont push it till there is no other choice and it's sick because if there's a way to cut down on pollution, consumption, and save the planet, if not a little bit, then why not do it?




                  But to get back to fashion; I just don't appreciate companies treating this planet and it's well being, like a trend. If companies really cared about the environment, they would have been using and creating Eco friendly processes and using Eco materials well before 'Eco' hit the mainstream.




                  The company that I will appreciate is the one who comes out, says nothing about being Eco friendly but is really 100% Eco. Meaning, they care, but they're not pushing it in your face because to them, it's the way manufacturing should be.




                  [/quote]




                  Word Cas. I agree with you. The technology is absolutely there for better efficiency... it's just not implemented because they don't want to. Why make your consumer spend less when they can spend more? It's like a drug dealer giving an addict something that costs 1/2 as much and twice as effective. Why would you do that?




                  I think the non-trendy portion of the green movement is slowly hitting the architectural world. More and more firms (at least those that I know of) are using more eco friendly materials and designs without making a big hullabaloo about it. Just takes time... It seems like something has to be trendy first, and then accepted generally afterwards sometimes.

                  www.AlbertHuangMD.com - Digital Portfolio Of Projects & Designs

                  Merz (5/22/09):"i'm a firm believer that the ultimate prevailing logic in design is 'does shit look sick as fuck' "

                  Comment

                  • Casius
                    Senior Member
                    • Dec 2006
                    • 4772

                    #10
                    Re: NY Times on Eco friendly fashion

                    [quote user="Chinorlz"][quote user="Casius"]

                    Exactly. Once the oil reserves are gone (which might even be in my lifetime), the oil companies will all of the sudden come out with, 'Oh, we just found out we can run your cars more efficiently on corn oil." It's all a game. We all know the technology is there but no one wants to spend the money to implement it; The car manufacturers and the oil companies, wont push it till there is no other choice and it's sick because if there's a way to cut down on pollution, consumption, and save the planet, if not a little bit, then why not do it?



                    But to get back to fashion; I just don't appreciate companies treating this planet and it's well being, like a trend. If companies really cared about the environment, they would have been using and creating Eco friendly processes and using Eco materials well before 'Eco' hit the mainstream.



                    The company that I will appreciate is the one who comes out, says nothing about being Eco friendly but is really 100% Eco. Meaning, they care, but they're not pushing it in your face because to them, it's the way manufacturing should be.



                    [/quote]



                    Word Cas. I agree with you. The technology is absolutely there for better efficiency... it's just not implemented because they don't want to. Why make your consumer spend less when they can spend more? It's like a drug dealer giving an addict something that costs 1/2 as much and twice as effective. Why would you do that?



                    I think the non-trendy portion of the green movement is slowly hitting the architectural world. More and more firms (at least those that I know of) are using more eco friendly materials and designs without making a big hullabaloo about it. Just takes time... It seems like something has to be trendy first, and then accepted generally afterwards sometimes.



                    [/quote]



                    I take a lot of inspiration from Architecture and you are certainly right on! A lot of firms don't tout being eco friendly because it's practically 100% of what they do and what they believe in.



                    You are right that every little bit counts and I feel the same way, I just wish it would last, or at least be for the right reasons. But I guess, no matter what, all these companies are in it to make money and therein lies the problem.

                    "because the young are whores. dealers come to carol to get the rock"

                    Comment

                    • aruva
                      Senior Member
                      • Dec 2007
                      • 171

                      #11
                      Re: NY Times on Eco friendly fashion



                      Looks like an avatar of "RED" campaign,(with different theme of course), initiated by spotlight infected celebrities and the bandwagon where gap,converse,emporio armani jumped into...everyone got the mileage and oprah was happy ,so was bono.....




                      Comment

                      • AKA*NYC
                        Senior Member
                        • Nov 2007
                        • 3007

                        #12
                        Re: NY Times on Eco friendly fashion



                        [quote user="Faust"] it was especially evident in those xmas barneys window theme. it was laughable. unless, of course, they were being cheeky, in which case they were the ones laughing.
                        [/quote]



                        Funny you bring this up Faust. I'm pretty sure they knew EXACTLY what they were doing. If I remember correctly the campaign was a hodgepodge of "green" slogans rendered in (deliberately?) obnoxious, very Williamsburg-looking type. This was either the work of a well-intentioned idiot or a world-weary cynic with a dry sense of humor. And well-intentioned idiots don't work in advertising.

                        LOVE THE SHIRST... HOW much?

                        Comment

                        • Avantster
                          ¤¤¤
                          • Sep 2006
                          • 1983

                          #13
                          Re: NY Times on Eco friendly fashion

                          [quote user="Casius"]

                          I take a lot of inspiration from Architecture and you are certainly right on! A lot of firms don't tout being eco friendly because it's practically 100% of what they do and what they believe in.



                          You are right that every little bit counts and I feel the same way, I just wish it would last, or at least be for the right reasons. But I guess, no matter what, all these companies are in it to make money and therein lies the problem.



                          [/quote]



                          You're right, but I think it's a little too easy to place the blame on money driven companies. IMO what's more important is going to the root of the problem.



                          Humans have an inherent psychological propensity to game any and every system. It is visible everywhere, if you look for it.



                          Think about the people working in these companies and their incentives. Employees are paid bonuses when companies perform well. Management are driven and paid according to company profits. Directors also make money when profits are strong (prices of their shares rise). It's a little difficult to ask people to care if there's no incentive attached (and incentives don't have to be monetary, either).



                          This same game theory can explain why companies are starting to go 'eco' now. People are becoming more aware of it - and they are starting to care, by putting their money where their mouth is.



                          Educating people and getting them to vote with their feet is one way of improving things. But it's also the system, and it's incentive structures that needs changing. Just my two cents.





                          If anyone's interested in these sorts of ideas I've got a great speech by Charlie Munger that goes into many of the faults of academic economics, that leads to things like what we are talking about here.

                          let us raise a toast to ancient cotton, rotten voile, gloomy silk, slick carf, decayed goat, inflamed ram, sooty nelton, stifling silk, lazy sheep, bone-dry broad & skinny baffalo.

                          Comment

                          • Casius
                            Senior Member
                            • Dec 2006
                            • 4772

                            #14
                            Re: NY Times on Eco friendly fashion

                            No, I completely agree! One reason why I will not work for 'the man' my entire life.
                            "because the young are whores. dealers come to carol to get the rock"

                            Comment

                            • Avantster
                              ¤¤¤
                              • Sep 2006
                              • 1983

                              #15
                              Re: NY Times on Eco friendly fashion



                              Another reason to make the move to NY, Cas! [73]



                              But yes, it's the question of how to change the system that's much more challenging. Giving companies a monetary subsidy or tax relief for implementing eco-friendly manufacturing procedures could easily result in the opposite of the desired outcome.





                              let us raise a toast to ancient cotton, rotten voile, gloomy silk, slick carf, decayed goat, inflamed ram, sooty nelton, stifling silk, lazy sheep, bone-dry broad & skinny baffalo.

                              Comment

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