[tweetmeme]I‘ve received several responses from designers and fashion writers regarding 20 New Eco Fashion Designers! But Do They Have a Future? Rather than publishing the longer replies as comments, I’ve offered their authors the opportunity to have their thoughts appear as guest articles. The first is from eco designer Gretchen Jones of MothLove.
As one of the designers highlighted in the aforementioned photo essay, and after reading this article, I thought I might comment with the questions I myself pose as a creative using the extremely wasteful fashion industry as my medium.
Eco fabrics: Not so sustainable when you break down the energy necessary. Tencel, bamboo,and any of the cellulose genre — how sustainable is a fiber that is not one? What energies are necessary to produce it? And what about the the breakdown of materials? Real organic fibers — cotton, silks, etc. — have a real thread versus faux threading of overly processed materials.
Taking the uniform project to the next level. Sustainable design: Do the garments have relevancy beyond the date of production? Are we, as designers, really asking the questions about conscious/sustaining designs?
Sustaining our economies. What does domestic production really mean? Are we fostering our own production community within actual geographic communities, or just outsourcing within the states? How connected are we to the production process? Can’t sustainable design mean sustaining proper relations with your sewers in an environment that you can step into on a regular basis?
Aren’t they basically pricing out their independent boutique competition? High markdowns, let alone the charge backs to the brands (which in itself can kill a label), are totally killing the small business end of retail. Independently owned and operated boutiques cannot and — in my opinion – should not be carrying mass marketed and sold products. Its hurts both ends.
Isn’t this the perfect time to be launching a well made, well focused and eco minded label? I believe that the time is now for us to ask this, rather than having the answer dictated by big box corporate retailers and department stores . If our own community refocused its attention on the small, unknown,and highly sought-after unique pieces that make one feel so special, I think we would all gain. We’d gain from being independent, rather than losing from it.
These questions are ones I pose daily as I tread waters towards a successful career. I believe in conscious consumption. I think we need to be more present in the way we purchase. Buying timeless pieces with clean lines and then adding interesting accessories each season is the most sustainable way to dress. And that is how I approach my own designs.
Portland-based designer Gretchen Jones’ ol’ fashioned “hunter & gatherer” approach begs us to reverse and reevaluate our methods of production. The earthy pieces of her design label, MothLove, reject the current state of synthetic production and reflect the traditional methods consumer’s once demanded. Each piece in Jones’ collections are hand crafted. In a Lewis Carroll-esque twist, MothLove is inspired by different caterpillars (accessories) and moths (garments).
