The last piece I wrote was on Slow Fashion and I know for some, the question is ‘Why Not Fast Fashion?’ Fast sounds cool, right. Yes, it does sound cool when it comes to productivity and some other related areas, however, fast is not a cool word for sustainable fashion. I will say for this, ‘slow and steady wins the fashion race’ if everyone will give huge contribution and support to SLOW FASHION.
Here is a simple calculation of these two concepts, it is left to you to make a good choice for yourself and your environment. SLOW + FASHION= hand made garments, slow production pace, environment-friendly garments, long-lasting garments, etc. FAST + FASHION= low quality fabrics, fast and mass production, and complete opposite of slow fashion’s results. Read more about Fast Fashion vs Slow Fashion here How You Can Contribute to Slow Fashion
Scandinavian Brands That Promote Slow Fashion
TITILOPE OLADIRAN Master student in Media and Communication at Lund University. The author holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication Studies from the University of Ilorin. Titilope is an Editorial Director at 180 Degrees Consulting Lund.
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Buying Locally Oftentimes, when people order a product online, it is easier to get it from a global marketplace such as Amazon or Ebay. However, especially with the current pandemic, it is important to support your local businesses as well. What does it mean to buy locally? With “buying locally”, I mean a scenario where, instead of buying from a global marketplace or international conglomerate, a shopper buys their product or service from a business that is either completely locally sourced or locally situated. For instance, instead of buying at Lidl, opt for a local, small-scale grocery store. Why buy locally? Instead of ordering, let's say, your dish soap at the internationally owned supermarket, think of buying from a local supplier. Not only do you directly support the local economy and community by buying locally, it is also a great opportunity to save on shipping costs and international taxes. However, arguably the most important reason for local purchase is SUSTAINABILITY. Buying locally is more sustainable! Besides the economic sustainability in your local community, buying locally is also an excellent way to contribute to reduction of global shipping. A paper published by MIT researchers found that the ‘impatient shoppers’, or the people who more often than not opt for fast shipping, increase their carbon footprint threefold over that of local shoppers. Also, the material usage for packaging is significantly less damaging for the environment, which is an added advantage. This is often the case because it does not need to be shipped in bulk packaging across the world, but can instead be transported locally, or not even at all! Local recommendations Now, we will try to outline and showcase some of the locally sourced or located stores, products, and services that might be a good alternative to the globally sourced items. Note that this list will of course not include all of the local alternatives, but is instead a highlight of some particular alternatives! Skosh As one of the brands that 180 Degrees Consulting Lund works with currently, we can not help but recommend this as an excellent alternative to your usual cleaning supplies. Where Skosh differs from others is that it is not only a Lund-based startup, straight out of the Lund University Venture Hub, it is also a very sustainable solution to one of the biggest problems of current cleaning supplies. Where regular cleaning supplies that you would normally buy at a grocery store are 97% water, Skosh gives you spray bottles and tablets. By cutting down on this incredible amount of water weight, the carbon footprint of the transport and shipping is cut down drastically. The products are currently available on www.Skosh.se. Africa Daily Market Tucked away in the centre of Lund, right by Botulfsplatsen, Africa Daily Market is an excellent place to do some shopping for African food or spices, or to get an amazing meal. The products in the store are very affordable, and the staff is incredibly friendly, willing to help you with any need or question you may have. Besides this, another highlight is the incredible food that is sold there. The owner will passionately tell you about all her dishes, while serving you a luxurious amount of deliciously prepared African food. Whenever you need some incredible food and a comfortable atmosphere, do not hesitate to check it out! Broder Jakobs Stenungsbageri Another gem in the centre of Lund; Broder Jakobs offers delicious, locally-sourced coffee and various goods and pastries that are prepared and baked in-house. With arguably some of the best kanelbullar and kardemummabullar in the city, you should definitely try most of their menu items. The staff is incredibly friendly and the atmosphere in the café is similar to that of a big family living room. This may be because it is a family-owned business, but seeing the staff together and with their customers makes you feel truly at home. If you want to further support their business, they also offer various merchandise for their café. I hope you enjoy some of the local alternatives, and truly wish for everyone to support their local business in these tough times. However, do remember that in the current pandemic, do what you can to minimize risks!! PIM KASTERMANS
Master’s student in International Marketing and Brand Management at Lund University. The author holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Amsterdam. Pim is a Marketing Director at 180 Degrees Consulting, Lund. Seeing this topic, tell me, what was the first thing that came to your mind? Or let’s start with this-why does this lady keep writing about sustainability? At 180 Degrees Consulting Lund, we are passionate about social impact which is one of the major reasons for our consulting services. Sustainability is one of the vital ways to impact our environment and yes, we will keep talking about sustainability, social impact, consulting, social services, promotion, and support of non-profit organizations. Check here to see some of the projects we are working on in creating a more sustainable future. To create more awareness about making our present and future more sustainable, I wrote on the topic of SLOW FASHION. To have a concept called ‘Slow Fashion’ means that there is another concept called ‘Fast Fashion’, right? Fast Fashion is a topic for some other time. The following are some of the questions that people ask on this topic: What is Slow Fashion? Slow Fashion is the opposite of Fast Fashion and it simply means ‘Sustainable Fashion’. Slow fashion refers to a slow movement of fashion; such that fashion is made considering the people and the environment, that is, an environment-friendly fashion. Slow fashion encourages local production of clothes with the use of eco-friendly materials. It deals with the use and reuse of clothes to promote a sustainable environment. A Sneak Peek into Slow Fashion’s History According to Wikipedia & Filosofiala, the term ‘Slow Fashion’ was first coined in 2007 by Journalist Kate Fletcher; it was used in her article in the British publication ‘The Ecologist’. However, the idea of Slow Fashion was widely spread because an article titled ‘Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Clothing’ was published by Elizabeth Cline; this created more awareness about the dangers of fast fashion. Why Slow Fashion? I would say the next important thing for us to know as long as we know what Slow Fashion means, is its importance. As humans, we will never do something unless we identify the need for it and its benefits. So let’s dive straight into the need for Slow Fashion in our world: ![]()
Fashion can turn ugly considering how it pollutes our water supply, causes overconsumption, and tend to exploit those in the industry and most importantly, its negative effect on sustainability and climate change (due to greenhouse-gas emission). However, Slow Fashion is our chance to ensure all these are minimally reduced to the barest minimum. Therefore, it is our responsibility to do this together. Are you willing to promote Slow Fashion? CHALLENGE/ACTION POINT: Be more conscious and deliberate about your fashion, clothes and disposal of garments!!! QUESTION: Do you know about the Slow Food Movement? If any other questions come to mind outside the ones addressed above, kindly ask in the comment section and I will be glad to answer them in the next episode. Thank you. The next episode will be on Fast Fashion vs Slow Fashion, how you can contribute your quota to Slow Fashion, how it can be adopted in developed and developing countries among other subsections to come. Watch out!!! TITILOPE OLADIRAN
Master student in Media and Communication at Lund University. The author holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication Studies from the University of Ilorin. Titilope is an Editorial Director at 180 Degrees Consulting Lund. |
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March 2021
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