5 ways to be a more mindful consumer.
Awareness on sustainability within the fashion industry has increased tenfold over the past few years, and on founding my brand I knew I wanted the company to grow as sustainably and mindfully as possible.
I’m passionate about promoting slow fashion, using quality materials, and shopping less but better, and know that my friends & customers are becoming increasingly passionate about these issues too.
So how do I design mindfully?
It starts with materials.
I hand select only the most premium materials so our footwear is designed to give a lifetime of wear and be loved to their full potential.
We work with a luxury deadstock supplier to better our sourcing and take a further step towards reducing production waste. (The term ‘deadstock’ refers to materials leftover from large production runs that has historically been disposed of/sent to landfill)
I have a zero-waste policy in our manufacturing, with each piece of leather expertly hand cut to utilise maximum capacity and any remaining scraps of leather donated to a local school for craft projects.
I’m also constantly searching for more sustainable components – wooden heels are used for some footwear models as a more sustainable alternative to a covered plastic heel. (Commonly used in shoemaking)
What about production?
I operate our Atelier on short batch production, producing small quantities of each product that just meets demand. New styles are released on a made to order basis, so I can gauge popularity on each style and avoid over-production.
Each style is then presented in sustainable and eco-friendly packaging, with boxes made from recycled cardboard, organic cotton shoe bags and packaging that is 100% plastic free.
So what happens next?
MINDFUL CONSUMERISIM & THE CIRCULAR ECOMONY
The circular economy references the full life cycle of a product – from materials & design, through production, all the way to consumption and the end of life of a product.
How can you be a more mindful consumer?
There are a few steps you can take as a consumer to shop mindfully and contribute positively to a circular fashion economy.
Shop consciously.
Choose brands that are actively working on sustainability – using quality materials, utilising deadstock, operating zero waste policies and promoting slow fashion.
Shop less, but better.
The lure of low prices can be a trap for some, but if you’re conscious with how often you shop & ask yourself mindful questions (Do I need it? What will it go with? Will I keep it beyond a season?) you can allow yourself more time – and money – to make less frequent, more considered purchases.
Take good care of your shoes.
By caring for your clothes & shoes you can easily guarantee they’ll lead a longer life. Use a brush to brush down calf hair, and leather protection sprays for suede & nappa leather. When shoes become worn have them resoled at a cobbler or make use of the amazing array of services offered by The Restory to repair or refashion your shoes.
Swap, lend, borrow.
Unless you have a perfect capsule wardrobe, a large amount of your clothing and accessories may lay dormant and unworn each season, and there’s a high possibility you have friends/family who have the same. Make use of each other’s unworn items and swap, lend or borrow to ensure they get the love they deserve.
Donate or Resell.
When you do finally decide to part ways with something, either make use of your local charity shops and donate your items, or use a resale website such as Vestiare Collective, Cudoni,The Real Real or Ebay.
Wishing you all the best on your journey to being a mindful consumer in 2022!
