Pro deciphering speeches that are too green to be honest about giants, Marie Nguyen is the co-founder of Wedressfair (in French, “we dress ourselves ethically”), a useful site where to find advice for those who wish to switch to sustainable mode, see where to buy ethical and responsible brands.
For her, there is no doubt that the consumer must unlearn how to save money "on the environment and human rights".
Swimwear, sneakers, now if you look at the ads, everything seems recycled ...
MARIE NGUYEN.
This is far from the case, it is estimated that only 1% of the textile industry is recyclable.
The mixing of materials in industry makes it almost impossible to remake new fibers.
It's worse in the world of shoes.
Marie Nguyen, co-founder of WeDressFair.
WeDressFair
So the upcycling, remaking something new with old without going back through the box undoing a stitch to reproduce thread is an interesting option.
But it is inevitably difficult to do it on a large scale.
If we want to dress with a lower impact on the environment, how do we do it?
Above all, you have to review your consumption, asking
yourself
with each new purchase:
Do I really need it?
In addition, the second hand must be a reflex: by bartering with relatives or by buying in networks of shops or Internet sites more and more numerous.
In the new, are there labels to watch out for?
Yes.
It's not always easy to understand and it's one of our reasons for being at Wedressfair.
Labels like Gots or Oeko-Tex, for example, are very serious.
Watch out for the GRS logo on recycled clothing.
It not only certifies that the garment comes from truly recycled fibers but also processed in good environmental conditions.
Many initiatives from creators, upcycling or more virtuous production methods are emerging.
Are they doomed to be more expensive?
In a way, yes.
Upcycling will remain expensive because it requires more labor.
And the manufacturing processes cannot be duplicated on a large scale.
We are not talking about exorbitant prices, nor luxury prices.
But let's be clear, we got used to saving money on the environment and human rights.
Ethical and eco-responsible products are always more expensive than those of fast fashion (
Editor's note: constant renewal of clothing collections
).
Even these big brands promote 100% recycled ...
On a product, they may have an extremely virtuous approach. But watch out for the tree that hides the forest. Even the Fashion Pact initiated last year and which brings together more than 200 brands is ultimately quite disappointing. The players have made an absolute commitment to reduce their emissions by 30% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, but nothing very concrete.
