There has been a gradual push for people to be
more conscious of how their clothes are made
and what the impact their garments have
ecologically - as a designer how much do you
take this into consideration when creating your
own pieces?
I grew up in an extremely environmentally aware
household, so that ideal is engraved in me at this point. I
have also been working in sustainable design for long
enough to be a bit less naïve and idealistic about certain
realities in approaching that ideal. As the world currently
exists, it is near impossible to produce 100% sustainably...at
least not without an astronomically high price tag. You have
to consider the whole process, not just the end product:
creative development, raw material, trim, finishes,
manufacturing, shipping, etc....it all adds up and becomes
very difficult for a small designer to produce in such a way
that is an appealing or profitable business model.
However, while we can’t be perfect, we make strides in
getting there. We can be smarter and more efficient in
design from the point of conception. We can make sure
there are at least a few elements in materials or
manufacturing that are sustainable alternatives. We can do
our best to educate consumers. As consumers, we can
educate ourselves and invest in quality over quantity. You
can’t expect consumers to buy solely on the basis of
conscience. That’s just not realistic for huge portions of the
population, even if they wanted to live that way. And the
portion of the population that can afford higher end, luxury
product, have an expectation of design quality that comes
with it.
In the end, it is important that good design and quality
come first if you are going to attach a higher price tag. We
all play a role in this corner we’ve painted ourselves into,
but I feel the responsibility as a designer to be constantly
educating and improving myself, so that I can create an
ecological choice that is the more aesthetically appealing
one.
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THE CONE - ISSUE #9 - SPRING 2016