Green Designed Fashion

Last week, June 13, 2020, was the day of the sewing machine! That sounds a bit old-fashioned, but it certainly isn't. The sewing machine revival is a fact! Partly thanks to the Corona crisis and all creative people who started sewing with face masks.

Quilty pleasures
We have written about sewing magazines (also for children: ZigZagZoom magazine!) And sewing books. We realluy appreciate these books. But also books that fall under the category: "Quilty pleasures", the so-called "must-have" books, fashion trends and tips & tricks.

Green Designed fashion
And suddenly there is a book "Green Designed Fashion" by Christine Anna Bierhals. It had been between my pile of "readable books" for a while. The book looks beautiful. Square format, attractive front and a bit of a combination of glossy and alternative. An eco-fashion glossary!
Page by page, designers come along with photos of their ideas about fashion, trends and designs. Unknown names, but also well-known names such as Filippa K, American Apparel and Levi's. On the left page two columns with text and explanation: English and German.

It is written in short pieces; how the designers are concerned with the environment and their own collections. Most excel in creativity but are also very innovative. "Sustainability" is a word that (tahanks God!) Is often mentioned, just like "environmentally friendly" and "social responsible". Each and every one explains what their emphasis is on. For one, this is mainly the choice of materials (raw materials), for the other this is support for an organization or target group.

Conserving resources is a good thing
The designers, from all countries of the world, are of good will and do everything to "green" their industry. A good thing, because with "fashion" we soon think of good clothes that you can no longer wear because they are so "out-dated" and are therefore no longer acceptable in the street scene. Or cheap mass production of the low-wage countries where exploitation is a fact. And especially the poor quality that ensures you will throw away the garment after five washes.

Not so joyfull...
The book is easy to read and radiates hope and courage. Yupie! The world is changing for a while and we live in green cities with fresh air and we wear clothes and we are not feeling guilty. But then the downer: the book is from 2008! It is already twelve years later and nothing seems to have changed at all. In fact, the choice for the consumer has become limited between dirt-cheap mass-production clothing or expensive designer clothing.

Green future?
But I remain positive. It is a beautiful book, may have been very innovative in 2008 and the fact is that terms such as 'ethical trade', 'fair trade', 'sustainability' and 'organic cotton label' and 'recycling' have become concepts that everyone knows and pursues.
Now we hope for a continuation of this book about all designers who have gained a foothold with their innovative ideas and have indeed reached the mass consumer.

And back to the day of the sewing machine: we are increasingly producing ourselves. Sewing as a hobby is no longer old fashioned, but environmentally conscious, modern and very green!