It’s not Black Friday yet, but I’m already tired of Black Friday. Since last week I have been inundated with newsletters with offers. While I saw yet another e-mail coming in yesterday (see print screen at the bottom of this article), I wondered again:
At this time when the climate crisis is urgent, the EU aims to achieve a circular economy by 2050 one is new legislation comes that sustainability further enforces, is a bargain festival that encourages consumption no longer appropriate?
Does Black Friday fit in an era of sustainability?
Moreover, there is a growing call from policymakers, brands and organizations to buy more consciously and less. So launched Environment Central a practical guide for women to purchase less new clothing and the impact of fast fashion and last week, not coincidentally in the run-up to Black Friday, the documentary ‘Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy’ about the dark side of mass consumption. In other words: we are working hard to raise awareness.
We want that anyway consumensenlike you and me, purchase clothes from inspiring retailers and fashion brands where they fan of its through the unique product offering, the experience/personal experience and the reflection of their values such as sustainability, environmental awareness and transparency?
That consumers invest in high-quality items, responsibly produced clothing and/or second-hand fashion. And above all building a more sustainable wardrobe by wearing, cherishing, maintaining and not so quickly throwing away the clothes they own?
Now my critical question…
Therefore a question of conscience for fashion companies and marketers: what is your role? Do your marketing and discount promotions help create awareness and stimulate change in the transition to a more sustainable future? What message do you convey and what behavior do you encourage?
Fortunately, there is also good news
Fortunately, it can be seen at the same time the Black Friday opposition is gaining more and more ground every year.
There are recurring initiatives such as Green Friday by Dille & Kamille, the retail company that keeps the store doors and webshop closed for a day as a ‘green’ protest, and new local events.
This Friday, on Black Friday itself, a unique one will open in the Kalverstraat in Amsterdam pop-up store met slow fashion and sustainable lifestyle gifts. The initiative, set up by fashion professional Nanette Hogervorst, owner of the SF/Collective and the Sustainable Fashion Gift Card, offers smaller sustainable brands including Noacustom and Pink Orange and rental company Rentlam a stage in one of the busiest shopping streets in the Netherlands – visibility between the violence of the chains.
On the opening day, visitors can have clothing repaired, participate in ‘vegetable dyeing’ and ‘upcycling’ workshops and listen to panel discussions with sustainable fashion experts such as Sara Dubbeldam and Marieke Eyskoot.
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Credits: owned by photographer Lennert Antonissen. Image via SF.Collective / Nanette Hogervorst
There is a Makers & Co Market on the Rombout Hogerbeetsstraat in Amsterdam, curated by the innovative fashion brand New Optimistthat clothing with a deposit sells to promote circularity. This includes bio-circular woolen knits The Knitwit Labelupcycled blazers from Nutt, upcycled jackets from Good Time Charlie and upcycled sneakers from Studio Encore, for sale. Makers & Co is open on Friday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Fashion professional Chanel Trapman from Mumster organizes Friday evening in Pakhuis de Zwijger ‘A call to conscious consumerism‘. Several forerunners, including Dr Kim Poldner, expert on circular business models, and Willem Swager, chief financial officer of Patagoniainvestigate ‘how we (humans, ed.) can regain control over our consumption behavior and initiate system changes’.
A call for more action
Black Friday feels like a relic from a time of the consumer economy. But times change. Now we’re moving towards a circular system in which the conservation of raw materials and our planet are central.
And we – consumers, fashion companies and marketers – have the opportunity and responsibility to move along.
“Building a sustainable economy requires ending the throw-away society, because the two are inextricably linked,” the Council for the Environment and Infrastructure (Rli) advised in a report which was published on Black Friday last year.
The full advice and summary can still be found on the Rli website.
Recommendations from the independent advisory body to the Dutch government and parliament were to discourage stunt offers that encourage impulse purchases and to examine whether advertisements for disposable products such as fast fashion that have a negative effect on people and the environment can be limited.
Source: fashionunited.nl
