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How much do you really know about Lyocell? Tencel is the brand name owned by Lenzing Fibers of Austria for a recently improved fabric from a fiber generically called lyocell. There're natural (hemp, cotton, linen) and synthetic (polyester, nylon) fibers, and lyocell falls somewhere in between. It's a cellulose fibre, made by dissolving sustainably sourced wood pulp and using a special drying process called spinning. Solvents are made using petrochemicals, however, the closed loop production process, means that it's recycled time and time again to produce new fibres and minimise harmful waste. The MSDS for lyocell rates the amine oxide solvent used to digest the wood pulp as being non-toxic and about 99% is recovered and recycled during the manufacturing process. Before it's dried, wood chips are mixed with the solvent to produce a wet mixture. The mixture is then pushed through small holes to form threads, which is then chemically treated and the lengths of fibre are spun into yarn and woven into cloth. Like most textiles, its production has both positive and negative impacts on the environment. Like bamboo, Lyocell is made from plant materials and requires less energy and water than cotton. It's biodegradable and uses recycled water. Waste products in the air and water from the manufacturing process are minimal and considered harmless as bleach is not required. Lyocell products can be recycled, incinerated, or digested in sewage. The fiber will usually degrade completely in eight days in waste treatment plants. Processes including chemicals (for dyeing and finishing) can vary. The transformation of lyocell fibers into fabric and garments can use many or the same harsh, and even toxic, chemicals and processes used in conventional garments. The best way to avoid this, is to buy carefully and to be able to trace the product back to its source (look for transparency!). High quality products contain no free chlorine and are sold as so-called "TCF - products". The European Union awarded this process the Environmental Award 2000 in the category "technology for sustainable developments". An improved version it's REFIBRA, ➡️ swipe to get a glimpse of it!
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I've been wondering a lot lately... 💭 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Do you remember when you were in school/college/at home and you had to read about history? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I've been thinking a lot about this, I've studied International Relations at college so I had a lot of history to learn as well as many aspects of society along with the actors involved in it to understand. This analytical process always stuck in my head. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Even if this is not the first time I ask myself this one question, I think there is many possible answers and one of them is worth sharing it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What would writers/historians/journalists write in the future about us? How will they see us as actors in society? And I mean the bigger picture, like in a timeline of 200-500 hundreds years. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ One thing is certain. Along with all the wrongdoing we may have done and still do, there's this one small group of people around the world who are willing to push positive change and defy the apocalyptic fate most experts try to picture for us. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I just wanted to tell all of you who are advocating and fighting for a change at any level and in any front, let's say, social justice, economic justice, environmental justice and many many others matters needed to be changed for good... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Take a moment and ask yourselves this: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Do you know you're making history? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And one day people who will live after us will write it down in words for others to know about us as actors of this world on our time. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Everyone of us is crucial for that, everyone. 💫 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Have you ever wondered about this?
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Let's get cozy, shall we? 😌 Chilly days start for many of us (let alone reconfinement and curfew) and if you're planning to stay home and watch films or tv shows, I may have something for you. When I decide to get "digitally connected", I'd rather go for things that may teach, cultivate or nurture me in ANY aspect. I've a film list about social and environmental impacts of fashion that I've already watched and others on my "to watch list". I'm sharing some with you, take notes! ✨ Already seen: "River Blue" by Jason Priestley, it examines the destruction of our rivers, its effect on humanity, and the solutions that inspire hope for a sustainable future. (THE one that pushed me to start exploring sustainable denim options!) "The Machinists". It documents the exploitation of garment workers in Bangladesh with the personal stories of three young women working in factories in Dhaka. "Fashion’s Dirty Secrets" by Stacey Dooley. Looks at the impact our insatiable appetite for cheap clothing. To educate rather than shame consumers, she travels the world to trace the fashion supply chain and its impact on people and the planet. "Slowing down fast fashion" by Alex James. It seeks to provide solutions by talking to designers, activists and high street brands. Showing there's a wide-ranging and growing thirst for change! "Unravel" by Meghna Gupta shows what happens to our clothes once we get rid of it. They travel from the West across Northern India to meet a factory worker in Panipat who recycles these garments. To watch list: "The True Cost" by Andrew Morgan. Asking THE questions: who pays the price for our clothes? Who is paying for that 5€ t-shirt you bought last month? "Minimalism". Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus explore the issues of overconsumption and the benefits of minimalism by “taking the audience inside the lives of minimalists from all walks of life”. "Révolte dans la mode". Through rich interviews, it analyzes the drifts of an industry out of breath, and the alternatives to make it evolve. "The next black". Dives into new technologies, sustainability concerns and innovative minds transforming our clothes. Have you watched any?
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My oldest piece of fashion is 40 years old. 💫 This gingham mini skirt belonged to my superwoman. She handed it over to me 6 years ago. It was made by her mother, as almost all of her clothes. Here's a story worthy to be told. She was born in Argentina, in the same small village as me. Coming from a humble family they couldn't afford buying clothes nor sending their children to college. So she had to wear mostly clothes her mother happily made for her and live with her parents until she found her future husband at the age of 20. She got married while carrying her first daughter in her womb when she was 22 years old. Four years after, she had her second daughter, and 6 years after that she had her third daughter. Always participating in her husband's business while raising her children at home. I'm sure she lived as grateful and happy as any other woman could, until she was unpredictably widowed, at the age of 31. Life left her alone with 3 daughters aged 10, 6 and 6 months. I always thought I could imagine how hard life has been for her, but truly, I can't. It's unimaginable. She got help and support of her closest family and friends, but she was victim of many frauds committed by despicable people who tried to take advantage of a woman in her greatest moment of weakness. The bright side is that she overcame all of that. Here she is, still standing. She runs her own business, has found an outstanding partner in life, and more importantly, she's stronger than ever. Wearing this piece means more than wearing a fashionable vintage skirt. It reminds me of the story behind it: a woman who in her darkest moments dared to brave the world. The symbolic meaning is what makes fashion personal, whatever story, whatever reason, at the end of the day it's worthy if we choose how to dress because of it. And that makes it personal. I choose to wear this skirt to remind myself that no matter how hard life can be, I'll still live to see another day. This is her gift, and her story keeps me thinking it deserves to be written (by me maybe?) in a book someday. I’m sure I’m not the only one to fantasize about writing the story of my own mother. 💛💛💛
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Happy #internationalruralwomensday ! I'm honored to have met such wonderful indigenous rural women communities during my trip to Peru, and moreover to be able to work with them. They can't be more inspiring to me as per what they had to overcome in the past and still overcoming in the present. Here's why: The life of rural women in Peru is far from easy. Gender roles in rural areas are fully rooted in "machismo". In this culture men are seen as superior to women: the man is the head of the family and the financial support, who makes all important decisions. The wife remains home to raise the children and maintain the home without a say in decisions. Although Peru has shifted away from this culture in recent years, a more equal society is mainly focused in the larger cities. Which means the machismo culture still persists in rural communities. The Centro Peruano de Estudios Sociales (CEPES) has shown statistics regarding education and poverty in rural areas, which give insights regarding women situation: Rural women 15 years or older have the lowest average years of education compared rural men, urban men and urban women. They average 6.6 years of education, lower than the women’s national average of 9.3 years. Older women on average tend to have less years of education compared to younger age groups. 45 to 59 years old women average only 3.3 years of education. Illiteracy rates of rural women are higher than rural men, urban men, and urban women. 33.9% of rural women are illiterate, 20% higher than national illiteracy rate for women. Rural areas have higher poverty rates than urban areas. With the mountain region as the highest incidence of poverty of all the natural regions. People who speak an indigenous language as their native language have higher incidences of poverty. There is a difference of 30.5% between rural Peruvian women and men who have no income. Marisol de la Cadena research suggests Peruvian ethnicity contributes to their level of perceived superiority within society: mestizo men, mestiza women, indigenous men, indigenous women. Empowering these women is the core of our project. And we are proud for it! Share your thoughts ✨
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Feeling a little overwhelmed lately 🙋♀️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ These last days there is so much stuff going on in my daily routine/life. I'm still struggling to organize myself to stop being overwhelmed. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It's funny though, because I'm a very much organized person when making plans for the time ahead and I'm pretty good at it, but not so in the daily basis. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Anyway, when I feel like this, I try to picture myself in a place where I found peace in the past. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I took this photo during the sunset when I was staying at the Lake Titicaca in Peru with a sweet and kind local family. I was literally sleeping in the middle of the lake on an isolated part of the Uros Island. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I promise I'll share more about this unique experience! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ How are you these days? What's your trick to get your head under the water when life seems/is overwhelming? ✨
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Fully digitally detoxed during my last long trip. Before jumping to conclusions, let me tell you about my digital experience before this project. Not until after opening Meüne social media accounts to build a community, I became fully aware of how digitally disconnected I was before all this. Living away from my family and friends seems impossible not to use my phone regularly to check on them. Yet, I remember growing tired of social media and eventually stopped using them, literally. I guess I was very much focused on trying to build a life for myself, on the other side of the ocean and clearly out of my comfort zone, that I only used my phone from time to time to speak to them. I was utterly free, I see that now. My mum calling everyone (once in a while she had her moments) to check if I was ok because I wasn't answering her within the day. Once I started working on Meüne, everything changed. This project is in my heart and I'm doing everything in my power to make it happen. So this community means so much more to me than just a social media account. This is why it was much harder than expected to just be off of it for 2 days. And yes, this scares me. I decided to do a digital detox because I felt my daily life was changing too fast, I spent too much time checking my phone and I needed that time and space again to refocus. It's so hard to keep balance, I'm learning. First I wanted to go check my phone because of notifications, they get our attention so badly. So I disconnected the account. Then I realized I was tempted to take it for no reason. Not one, it was just the habit to go grab it because, you know.. it's there, asking to be checked (too many times). And then it hit me, the dependence on my phone had grown exponentially. I spent quite some time asking myself what if someone sent me a message asking for help or needed me and the only way was my phone. I wanted to check on my community, etc, etc. This is not being focused at all! I get it, there're so many reasons why we should go off often and I want that. The questions is HOW? How to meaningfully balance It, when your purpose is inevitably attached to digital connection. Any ideas?
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Holistic approach the only way? Pulling off this project is taking more time than I've ever imagined. I mean, I knew it wasn't going to be easy and speedy but I was definitely not aware of its complexity. Everyday that passes, I'm learning something new in the matter of slow fashion, LITERALLY. This pushes me to make changes all the time, think way more than twice before making a decision, fill myself with doubts about what and how to do next. This isn't only because I'm trying my best, it's also due to a complex reality in fashion. Also, I may want this to be the ride more than the destination, because I believe solid foundations take time and I want this project to be well-grounded. 🙏🏽 One I thing I've learnt and that we all should try to find a way to make sense of it, is that in order to address the issues in fashion, we must look at every aspect, without leaving things aside. Right. How? Well, as I've talked about in previous posts, there are 4 Agendas in sustainable fashion: Ecological, Economic, Social and Cultural. What I didn't do is to discuss every aspect of each one of them because is far from simple. The best way to recognize potential issues in fashion, is to ask ourselves about a particular situation/idea/concept, this can take time and requires some knowledge in the matter (which, if you're in this community should have!) and then try to think which of these agendas better represent it. Having an idea of the claims of each agenda, this process should be straightforward. Then from that point we can address things further and better. An example: A brand who claim itself as ethical and engaged in slow fashion, means it doesn't only care for the environment during the production cycle and the people/workers involved in the supply chain (that's a baseline), but also cares about discrimination (any form of it), body positivity, mental wellbeing, and moreover, it cares about its own impact, influence, participation and how its existence affects all of those aspects. So, if it doesn't communicate the overall of those values, there's a problem. So yes! I think a holistic approach to fashion is the only way to address its issues. And you? 🌸
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Time to act! ✊⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Before continuing the Sustainable Fabrics’ series, there’s a call to action to be made regarding the Uyghur’s situation. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I’m reposting @lilyfairly . A social and climate activist who’s sharing some light into recent events. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 👇👇👇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “Today was supposed to be the march in support of Uyghurs in France and around the world. As a result of Covid-19, any gathering of more than 1,000 people is prohibited, the march was cancelled in Paris.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But it’s possible to do otherwise. I decided to share a list of ready-to-wear brands denounced by @clearfashionapp for participating in forced labour of Uyghurs in China. They have either remained silent since 3 August, or they refute any accusation despite the evidence put forward.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ @adidas: denies ASPI accusations*⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ @calvinklein: doesn’t recognize his involvement⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ @gap: still silent⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ @nike: doesn’t recognize his involvement⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ @puma: still silent⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ @sketchers: still silent⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ @tomyhilfiger: doesn’t recognize his involvement⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ @uniqlo: doesn’t recognize his involvement⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ @zara: doesn’t recognize his involvement⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We want a fashion that doesn’t participate in the Uyghur genocide and we want a fashion that offers decent minimum wages to their textile employees.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ *ASPI: Australian Strategic Policy Institute”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I invite you to tag these brands in comments to make them understand that we won’t stop and that they are held accountable for their actions! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ✊✊✊
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Souvenir d'été 🌞 Before fall officially started, I had the pleasure to visit again my favourite little village near Paris. Welcome to Gerberoy, a village of bricks, wood and flowers. A small town with tiny art galleries to watch artists and craftsmen at work. Let me tell you about it! Less than two hours from Paris, it's indeed Picardy and Normandy that one finds in the houses of Gerberoy where half-timbered rags and brick hourdis rub shoulders in a mixture full of charm! Yet, history could've been less beautiful for Gerberoy: his strategic location on a hill on the border between the former kingdoms of France and England made it, from the 11th to the 15th centuries, the place of many conflicts. Henri IV, Louis XIII and Richelieu passed to Gerberoy. In the 16th and 17th centuries, plague and fire brought the final blow to the city, which fell asleep peacefully for two or three centuries. It was in 1901 that the post-impressionist painter Henri le Sidaner, falling under the spell of Gerberoy, woke the sleeping beauty. A source of inspiration for many of his paintings, the village quickly became the residence of the painter who was involved in his restoration. He created the magnificent Italian gardens, established on the ruins of the castle built in the 19th century and still visible from the ramparts. Little by little, he modelled the village to his liking, leaving the emphasis on flowers: glycines, hydrangeas, clematis, daisies… and yes! THE roses, around which he created a party whose success has not wavered for more than 90 years! Le Sidaner invites Manet, Rodin and Monet to find a new source of inspiration for their art. Nowadays, cars aren't allowed in the village, last census on 2018 registered only 95 habitants and there are strict regulations to preserve old structures and the environment. A mix of nature, beauty, art, crafts, colors and history... and you got a powerful elixir to make me fall under charm! ✨
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I think It's time I share with you at least one part of my trip to Peru 💫 As many of you already know, I travelled to Peru to meet the indigenous communities that will be working with us in Meüne project. I've been in incredible different places, climbed several mountains and visited plenty of small isolated villages. Everytime, I found myself feeling the same: How small we humans are, as visitors of the earth. The overwhelming nature of these places does speak for itself. Here’s my trekking to Huayna Picchu, a place less visited in Cusco region. The Incas created a trail up the side of it and built temples and terraces on its top. The peak of Huayna Picchu is 2,693 meters above sea level, 260 meters higher than Machu Picchu. According to local guides, the top of the mountain was the residence for the high priest and the local virgins. Every morning before sunrise, the high priest with a small group would walk to Machu Picchu to signal the coming of the new day. The visit was restricted to 200 people at the same time for safety reasons. The trails were very steep, I had to use the ropes to overcome some parts of the road. It cross rock-built staircases and wooden stairs. The road was visually scary! To get to the top I've climbed more than 1600 steep steps, around 400 ascent meters. I still don't know how I did it! But I do remember signing that if anything happened to me (meaning death) it was under my responsibility. After such a sacrifice, reaching the summit can't be described in words, but I surely won’t forget that feeling. Right after, I went to visit the lost city of Incas. I remember arriving to Machu Picchu without a scheduled guide and I thought, I'm not just walking around a 15th-century Inca citadel without knowing all the details of this place. It was late, most of the groups were already gone and it was difficult, if not impossible, to find another to do the guided visit with. Sitting alone, looking around saddened, wondering if I should just do it myself before they close, acknowledging the level of ignorance I had regarding that unique place, I started talking to someone who completely changed the story. To be continued...
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Linen lovers, check this out! 💛 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Did you know linen is one of the oldest fibres known, dating back to 8000BC? and that the U.S. dollar bill is 25% linen? (The other 75% is cotton.)?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The Egyptians used it as currency, forming an integral part of the mummifying process and many European cultures formed traditions of handing down linen bed sheets as heirlooms. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Like hemp, linen is one of my favorites fabrics and is considered one of the most biodegradable and stylish fabrics in fashion history. It can withstand high temperatures and absorbs moisture without holding bacteria. It also becomes softer the more it's washed and worn. Linen is made out of flax (for fiber), which is considered a more rare, high quality product and represents less than 1% of all textile fibers consumed worldwide. Organic flax is one of the most sustainable fibers you can use, it has an "A" rating - like hemp - according to the Made-By Environmental Benchmark for Fibers. The cultivation of flax is the least water and energy intensive part of a linen garment’s lifecycle, while fiber extraction, material processing, and consumer use and care can have a much higher impact. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The majority of flax for fiber is still produced in Western Europe, with France as the world leader.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Specifics:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Flax is a fast growing renewable resource. Regular production requires significantly less fertilizers and pesticides than cotton, but slightly more than hemp; and it doesn't require a lot of irrigation. In many cases is fed by natural rainfall alone.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Cultivated annually, it has positive effects on eco-system diversity and offers a welcome environmental pause for soil quality, bio-diversity and landscapes, according to the Advisory Commission Report to the European Parliament, Brussels, May 20, 2008. Retting (when natural fibers are separated from the stem of the plant) can have harmful environmental impacts.
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Autumn feelings 🍂🍁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I woke up this morning wondering how people feel about Autumn.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ So I looked up on the internet about it and I found plenty of interesting thoughts around this season.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Here I put together some of my favorites so far:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “Autumn is the season to find contentment at home by paying attention to what we already have.” - Unknown⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ "If a year was tucked inside of a clock, then autumn would be the magic hour." - Victoria Erickson ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “Notice that autumn is more the season of the soul than of nature.” - Friedrich Nietzsche⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ "Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go." - Unknown⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “Autumn is as joyful and sweet as an untimely end.”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ – Remy de Gourton⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “There is something incredibly nostalgic and significant about the annual cascade of Autumn leaves.”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ – Joe. L. Wheeler⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “Dancing of the autumn leaves on a surface of a lake is a dream we see when we are awake.”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ – Mehmet Murat Idles⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Now it’s your turn, how do you feel about Autumn? 🧡🧡🧡
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New Chapter 💫⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Meüne and I are entering into a new chapter! 🤩⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I wish I could share any details with you but I will once we are ready. Pinky promise! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I guess I was just hoping you could wish us luck!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 💛💛💛
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What about Cotton?🌱 It's a soft, fluffy staple fibre that grows in a protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants. The plant is a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including Africa, India and América. The fibre is spun into yarn, used to make a soft and breathable textile, which is the most widely used natural-fibre in clothing nowadays. The Cotton industry uses a lot of water, toxic and polluting chemicals; contaminates water and ruins the land; uses GMOs; has HUGE implications for people, especially farmers; creates a lot of waste and its processing is water, energy, and chemical intensive. It has always been destructive, which is why it's so important to make changes in terms of how it operates. Alternatives? Perhaps the most sustainable cotton is the mechanically recycled one, which can be made from either pre- or post-consumer waste. Organic cotton is another more positive and sustainable alternative. It's made from non-genetically modified plants that are grown without the use of any synthetic agricultural chemicals such as fertilisers or pesticides. This is better for the environment, the climate and the health of the people involved. Instead of using fertilisers, farmers will either: use organic sprays such as garlic, or they will companion plant, using other species to deter and confuse pests. According to Fashion Fibers, studies show that organic farming builds organic matter in the soil, air, and water contamination; increases soil fertility and biodiversity; reduces human and wildlife health hazards, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Fair Trade Cotton: Many fair trade standards take into account both human rights and the environment. Naturally Colored Cotton: The fiber is soft, biodegradable, absorbent, and resilient and does not need to be dyed using chemicals. It comes in tan, green, yellow, red, brown and white, but there are not as many options as you would have with dying the fiber. Also, Cotton made in Africa, Better Cotton Initiative and e3Cotton. Check for one (or more) of these alternatives before you buy! 🙏🏽
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Overcoming obstacles ✨⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ More often than not, during this journey, I've had to face difficulties. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What I've realised is that, those times, where I was going was more important than where I was standing at any specific moment. This idea helped me to keep going. ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I'd like to share with you a statement made by Brianna Wiest, which made it even clearer.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I hope, whatever drawback you might be facing, this can show you some light.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ "In the time we spend reeling in confusion, grasping at straws trying to piece our egos together, we forget to acknowledge some things. Society created gender roles and categorizations and lifestyles and names and titles because we fear the unknown, especially when the unknown is us.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It’s as though we’re stranded in the middle of an ocean, but we were promised the current would bring us back ashore. We’re given all we need on the life raft. As far as we can see, we’re being led back, slowly. We don’t know when we’ll approach the shore, but all evidence points to the fact that we will. But we don’t spend our time looking around, enjoying the view, seeing who came with us, and riding out the waves. We sit and panic about what we’re doing and why we came here.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It doesn’t matter where we started because we may never know. It matters where we’re going, because that, we do. We begin and we end. We’ve seen one, so there’s only one other option.”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 💛💛💛
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Delivering as promised, I'll start the series talking about Hemp. One of my favorites fibers! 🌱 Hemp fabric could be crucial to creating a more sustainable world. Making possible the impossible: lasts longer, is cheaper, and harms the environment less than an average cotton garment. It's comfortable and soft on the skin, growing softer with each wear. It’s also naturally resistant to bacteria and provides natural UV protection (good for our skin) and it retains color better than other fabrics. Not only practical but stylish too. I'd say hemp fashion can be the real thing! Specifics: Hemp is a natural plant fiber. It comes from the stem of a plant (like linen, jute and bamboo). According to multiple sources, including The Made-By Environmental Benchmark for Fibers, Organic Hemp is one of the most sustainable fibers known as of today. It has an “A”, the best possible rating. Harmful impacts can come from chemical retting, bleaching, and other processes so it is important to know the details before buying. According to Vote Hemp, approximately 30 countries in Europe, Asia, and North and South America currently permit farmers to grow hemp. A renewable fiber that grows extremely quickly in a variety of climates. It doesn't require the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers. However, the latter are occasionally used and should be avoided. It requires little water and usually without extra irrigation. It can have a beneficial effect on soil by replenishing vital nutrients. It produces 250% more fiber than cotton and 600% more fiber than flax on the same land. It has the highest yield per acre of any natural fiber and there is currently no GMO hemp. I'd suggest you to go for dew retting and certified organic hemp. It's preferred in terms of sustainability, it requires no additional inputs of energy, water, or chemicals and allows nutrients to return to the soil through natural decomposition. Production of hemp fiber requires a lot of hand labor and should be closely monitored to ensure good, fair, and safe labor practices. Look for transparent brands/suppliers. Hemp is biodegradable, unless bad stuff is added to it. Make sure you have all the details!
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Slow Sunday 🌸 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Those who have their Sunday off, I hope you're enjoying it as you should.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Many of us are lucky to have it. Believe me when I say it, I've been on the other side.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Sundays are made to slow it down and rest. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Indulging ourselves and refuel our souls.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Living the present without worrying about what lies ahead.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I'm sure we can be kind to ourselves at least once a week, don't you think? ✨
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Angie Weiland-Crosby once said...⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ "In a world of constant change and streaming technology, I find solace in the forest where a tree remains a tree"⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I feel exactly the same beside the ocean, where water remains water. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ No borders, the horizon.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Only freedom.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ✨⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Where do you find solace and peace of mind?
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We know this is a long journey, but...⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In so little time we made it this far.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We are already over 1000 people gathered in this community, and believe me, we are counting!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We are so grateful for this, words are not enough. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Let me tell you, each one of you is making this project possible with your support. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And yes, you make a difference for us!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This is a post dedicated to all of you: THANK YOU 💛⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And those who aren't on board yet... Hurry up! We're dreaming!✨
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I have a question for you 🌸 Lately I’ve been thinking and discussing with other enthusiasts regarding inclusivity in slow fashion. Not regarding brands, but conscious consumers. This time I want to stand and question the other side, meaning us, as advocates. I’ve seen many discussions in different sustainable fashion dedicated groups and I must say I’d never thought this could happen, but unfortunately, sometimes people can be aggressive and ruthless towards those who are not experts in the matter, have just started their journey towards a more sustainable life or that just have a question they consider foolish, ignorant or brainless. I’d love to hear your voices on this. There are people sharing their personal journey in social media, who have shifted from being compulsive buyers to conscious consumers. I’m interested in how they managed the process and if they ever confronted snobbism at some point. I’d like to stress out that in order to help the fashion transformation this kind of attitudes are only blocking the way. At some point in life we were all ignorants in the matter and had to learn as everybody else. It’s never too late to change and we embrace brave human beings who are courageous enough to face it. ✨ So, here’s my question: Have you ever faced this kind of attitude at some point in life that made you feel inferior, second-rated, unwelcome or just bad because you ignored any or every aspect of slow fashion/living? This is a very important topic, let’s share experiences 💛 Psst! This is a great book and helped me a lot 🤫
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Read a book day seems appropriate to share with you some of my favorites readings regarding fashion and sustainability. 🌸 Many of you asked me which books I recommend to better understand the challenges in the clothing industry and how it affects people and the environment. I made a list for you here, I’d love to know if you’ve already read any of them!✨ “The conscious closet” and “Overdressed” by @elizabethlcline “To die for” by @theseagull “How to break up with fast fashion” by @laurenbravo “Slave to fashion” @slavetofash by @safia_minney “Fashionopolis: The price of fast fashion and the future of clothes” by @danathomasparis “Buy the change you want to see” by @janemosbachermorris No matter what type of reader you are, you can always make room in your bookshelf to learn and get inspired, moreover, when it’s about changing the order of things for a better future. 🌱 So I encourage all of you to pick one and read it, you won’t be disappointed. I promise! 💛 Do you have any other recommendation? I’m reading!
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The magic of water reflection will never cease to amaze me. ✨ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ On the last day of my short trip to Deauville, I took the time to just wander the streets, with no particular destination.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When you truly stop and look around, you find beauty everywhere. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Don't you think?
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All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking, said Friedrich Nietzsche.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I cannot agree more on that. And you?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I think I can say I'm a witty person, everyone who knows me can back me up on that!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And I must say, for the past 5 years I came up with many ideas to create something. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Ranging from achievable to crazy. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If not each one of them, at least the greatest, popped up in my head while walking, just like that. If walking can change and pop up great thoughts on us, it means it can change our personal world. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This is how Meüne came to life, and I'm so grateful for that. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Yes, something that simple can be a life changing. So, what if we slow down and walk more to see what happens? ✨
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Today’s weather isn’t on our side, but who cares? We got the sea 🧡 Welcome to Deauville! ✨ A short weekend to this beautiful coast is how this year’s holidays look like for us. A lot of work and dedication to this project, wouldn’t be possible without a little sacrifice. This is a charming little village in the Calvados, Normandy. Creators, photographers, filmmakers and painters have always drawn inspiration from the sea, light and atmosphere in Deauville. This creative spirit inspires the city with an open culture. It’s also very well know as “the stars village”, due to its film festivals, two music festivals which are held each year, the Salon Livres&Musiques, a cultural season of fifteen shows, and a photo festival! Have you ever been here? This is my first day! I promise I’ll be showing more on stories! 🥰
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I’m happy to share this beautiful and powerful collage posted by @fash_rev_ecuador and made by @mmon_96 🧡 It very well represents MEÜNE project core values and I’m so glad someone took the time to create it. 🙏🏽 Here is the original caption, I’d like to invite you to share your thoughts with us: “La moda nos inspira a crear y generar vínculos más cercanos; además de recordarnos que nadie, nunca, debería morir por la moda. Ustedes ¿cómo se inspiran a través de la moda?” “Fashion is not only clothing. Fashion inspires us to create and build closer ties, as well as reminding us that no-one should ever die in its name. How does fashion inspires you?” ✨✨✨
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Have you ever been in Mars (on earth)? ✨ I have! Want to hear about it? During my trip to meet the artisans in Peru, I’ve visited San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. This was my second stop, after northern Argentina! The pictures show El Valle de la Luna, considered as Mars on Earth. It’s overwhelming. I have to say, this was completely unexpected, because Chile was never in my original schedule. I guess you remember November 2019, a terrible period of political crisis in Bolivia. I was supposed to get to Peru through Bolivia, but everyone advised me to definitely skip Bolivia, and thus one of my dream places to visit: the Uyuni salt flats, because it was extremely dangerous. This was a terrible situation for me and a tough decision I had to make. Let the excitement apart, I had everything already planned and on schedule (transport, accommodation, trips and visits to see Bolivian indigenous communities of weavers). I wasn’t ready to give up on Bolivia, but everything went from bad to worse, so eventually I had no choice but to abandon this part of my journey. San Pedro de Atacama, came as an unpredicted alternative route to get to Peru. Believe me, when they say every cloud has a silver lining, it’s true. This place I had come to visit was already in my mind as a must destination to go at some point in my life, but I wasn’t aware of its exceeding natural beauty. This was a moment for me to go out of my schedule and purely enjoy the present and nature. 4 days in my crowded agenda to stop, slow down and to see around me. To Realize what I was willing to do for this project. I wouldn’t change a thing even if I could. I’m sharing with you one of many places I’ve been in this extraordinary part of Chile. I promise I’ll share some more! 🧡 Oh! Almost forgot, I took the liberty to take a picture of a random cute couple enjoying an outstanding view! 🤫 Now is your turn, have you ever heard about this place or visited it?
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We are all in this together 🧡 ✊🏻✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 #blacktuesday
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Taking steps towards sustainability means to move towards nature. 🍃 And who doesn’t love nature? I’ve been talking about how small positive actions can help reduce the negative impact on the environment. I’m wondering how was your first move towards being a more sustainable person and what encouraged you to take your first steps. I’d love to hear your personal experiences, because the starting point can be completely different among us which makes this super interesting and inspiring for others.✨ Would you mind telling us about it? 🧡
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Today, humanity has exhausted nature's budget for this year. This is called #Earthovershootday Are you familiar with it? On one hand this makes me blue because it confirms how neglectful our times are regarding nature and resources preservation, but on the other hand, I feel grateful and honored to be engaged and able to work for this to change. Those who are unfamiliar with this topic, as described by overshootday.org, the EOD marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. There’re hundreds of recommendations I could give you to help #movethedate and reduce the negative impact on the environment, but everything comes down to being a conscious person which means also being a conscious consumer. In every aspect of our lives we must think before we act. This includes all essentials and non-essentials goods. I know to track our carbon footprint could be overwhelming and this is why we need to, at least, learn the basics. Like math when we are in school. You can take small steps in order to reduce your carbon footprint. Following overshootday.org advices, I made a list for you here: - Join the “move the date” movement. - Increase your plant-based diet. - Travel with eco-sensibility. - Jump in front of the camera, like many of us did, to show the world you stand by the Planet. - Nurture nature. - Streamline your wardrobe. - Make research about this issue to be informed and aware. - Choose biking, walking and public transports over others types of transports. - Take on food waste. Shop smarter to avoid waste. - Challenge your city leaders to move the date. - Engage in public discussions and debates. Like I stated in a previous post regarding helping constructive change, this world needs millions of small positive actions more than a couple of big ones. ✨ If you still didn’t, today is definitely a good day for you to take the first step towards your own positive impact. Not only for the planet, but for all the life that breathes in it, and this includes you. 🌱
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They say curiosity is reserved only for children, who else doesn’t agree with this? 🙈 I’m an exceedingly curious person, so this can go two ways: either I keep a childlike soul (I love this theory) or I belong to the tiny percentage of adult people with infinite curiosity. I highly recommend all of you to never stop being curious because this allow us to be amazed quite often and I definitely think it makes life far more interesting! (Yes, like a child!) This is one aspect of my personality I wanted to share with you because this might influence some of my posts and I hope you’ll appreciate them and find them interesting as I do! Here I gathered some remarkable facts about fashion from @thefactstagram I must admit I didn’t know about most of them! - Men have been wearing shorts for decades, but women were only allowed to wear them in public after World War II. One of the main reasons for this was because less fabric was available during the war, so shorts were more cost-effective than pants or skirts. - Historically, purple clothes were only worn by magistrates, emperors and other aristocracy in Rome. - The first ever fashion magazine was sold in Germany in 1586. - While lots of things are increasing in price, clothing is actually decreasing. Since 1992, the price of clothes has gone down by 8.5%. - High heels are nothing new to the world. In the 18th century, they were fashionable even for children. - Up until the beginning of the 19th century, models were not used to showcase clothes. Fashion companies would use dolls instead. - You can’t go out these days without seeing a shopping center, thanks to the ancient Romans who built the very first one. - An unlikely person to be associated with the fashion world, Napoleon invented the buttons for sleeves after his soldiers kept wiping their noses on their button-free clothes. - Genoan sailors were known colloquially as “Genes” and wore cotton pants, which is where we get the word “jeans” from. - Queen Victoria was the first person to wear a white wedding dress. Prior to this, white had been used as a color of mourning. - During the Renaissance period, it was fashionable to shave off the eyebrow!
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Let’s take a moment to think and thank anyone who is doing anything for others, shall we? ✨ I want to dedicate this post to whoever is helping others, anywhere, anyhow. 🧡 When I decided to get involved in this project, my only purpose was to help the indigenous communities who, in spite of having an extraordinary craftsmanship, live in isolation and poverty. More often than not, I had this helpless feeling because I never thought myself capable of helping others in a meaningful way if I was on my own. This happens when we think that in order to make a change we need to achieve big goals that are usually out of our reach. So instead, we just wait up and see if politicians or humanitarian organizations take care of the mess because they know better, right? Well, I think this is kind of convenient. Eventually I got tired of waiting and expecting others to take care of things. I wanted to participate and start my own positive impact no matter how small it was. The thing is, this world needs millions of small positive actions more than couple of huge ones. So, if you ever wonder how you could help others or contribute in a cause, don’t get yourself overwhelmed by the work of others. You can always start with your own little deed which is worth more than you can imagine. I’ve chosen a few quotes, hoping they might help you on your quest: - “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” – Martin Luther King J. - “If you can’t feed a hundred people, feed just one.” – Mother Teresa. - “Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.” – Mahatma Gandhi. - “To say that on a daily basis you can make a difference, well, you can. One act of kindness a day can do it.” – Betty Williams. - “Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice. Like Slavery and Apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great. YOU can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom.” – Nelson Mandela. Any personal experience you'd like to share? 🌞 #worldhumanitarianday
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Show time 🌞 I promised to share personal experiences once in a while ✨ Here's my holiday destination last year, and it's one of my favorites for many reasons. Want to hear about it? Gozo is a lesser-known destination in Malta and is the second largest island in the archipelago. A much quieter place to be, a rural area where time just seems to be passing slower than most places. It's Malta's sister island and said to have been the home of the mythological Calypso, the nymph from Homer’s Odyssey. It can be distinguished from Malta by its green nature, rustic atmosphere and its local identity. Gozo has been inhabited since 5000 BC, when farmers from nearby Sicily crossed the sea to the island. It was an important place for cultural evolution. Its temples are among the world's oldest freestanding structures, as well as the world's oldest religious structures. Before its Independence Malta group of Islands were occupied by a number of rulers. The islands’ strategic and central position was always an attractive feature to different rulers throughout history. First the Arabs, then the Normands, Swabian, Angevins, Aragons, The Knights of St John, France, Great Britain, and finally in 1964 they succeeded their independence. That’s a lot, right? And this is what makes this Country a mixture of cultures I’ve never seen before. Gozo has both: the beaches with its stunning nature and heritage sites. Most of the local food and dishes in Gozo are 100% organic and it’s one of the targets of the “Eco-Gozo island 2020” strategy. It also promotes eco-education in schools and through different NGOs programs.They're focused on promoting sustainable tourism through a number of initiatives like sustaining cultural initiatives within local communities and voluntary groups; promoting these both nationally and abroad; sustaining small scale tourism niches but which can provide high value added to the local tourism economy; promoting Gozo not as a sun and sea destination but as a place where one can enjoy life within its diverse local communities and restore and protect Gozo’s cultural heritage. Have you ever heard about this little piece of heaven? 😍
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🎈Happy Birthday, Thrift! 🥳 Did you know the noun “thrift” originated from the verb “thrive”, from the middle English word thriven, and it dates back over 700 years? 🎁 Buying preloved clothes are one way to help the fashion transformation and it’s a lot of fun! Right? Here I point out some of the most important events in the history of Thrift I gathered from @thredup for you! 1300’s: Thrift = Thrive. The word “thrift” is derived from Middle English thriven, “to thrive.” 1760 – 1840: Industrial Revolution Mass production leads to greater consumption. 1820: Charity fairs originate in America featuring secondhand goods. 1902: Goodwill Industries is founded in Boston. 1919: The term “thrift shop” is coined. 1971: Dolly Parton releases Coat Of Many Colors. 1986: Pretty in Pink’s Andie Walsh further popularizes thrift. 1990: Invention of the World Wide Web Businesses begin to shift online as local becomes global. 1991: Kurt Cobain epitomizes the grunge look. 1995: eBay and Craigslist are founded. 2007: Tyra Banks challenges America’s Next Top Model contestants to create secondhand outfits. 2008: Angelina Jolie wears $26 thrifted dress on the red carpet. 2011: The RealReal and Poshmark are founded for the resale of luxury goods, and as a peer-to-peer social networking resale platform, respectively. 2013: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s hit single Thrift Shop reaches #1 on U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. 2016: Apparel resale now an $18 billion industry (online and offline). 2016: Sarah Jessica Parker boasts that she only buys her son secondhand clothing. 2021: Market size of the resale industry is projected to be at $33 billion. How familiar are you with thrifting? How would you describe the experience of thrifting? I love sharing experiences! 🤗🌸
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Have a flowery weekend, all of you 🌺🌼🌸 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I love this quote from Ralph W. Emerson. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Wildflowers are my favorites, ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Which are yours? 🌿
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What do you see for the future of sustainable/slow fashion? 🌱 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This question has been on my mind for a while now. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I certainly have my answer, but today is different… ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I want to hear yours. ✨ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Let’s start this discussion 👇🏼 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ALL voices are worth it for me, don’t shut yours up! 🌸
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How good does “tips for natural dyeing at home” sound for you? 🍃 Yesterday, one of you asked me to talk about natural coloring so I decided to spent a moment on the phone with a dyeing expert, Guadalupe. She is a member of an indigenous community in Puno (Peru) and I asked her some advice in natural dyeing so I can share with you some ancestral knowledge, which you can use at home! ☺️ Here is what I got: 🌿 When to collect your roots or plants: To get the most vibrant colors out of your plants or roots, collect your materials when they first spring. In Peru, the best time of year to collect materials is in May. Let your plants or roots dry out over two to three days and store in a safe and dry place so you can use your materials all year round. 🌿Quantity Matters: It is really important to get your quantities of dye to materials right, otherwise you won’t get the color you desire. For example, to make blue or green, Guadalupe uses 1 kilogram of “kinsa kucho” to 100 grams of wool. 🌿Consider the materials you are dyeing: If you are dyeing different materials, dye the toughest one first. Guadalupe only dyes alpaca wool for us but if you have other materials, first dye the stronger and harder one because it will take a bigger amount of dye. 🌿Always dye from dark to light: If you are planning to dye several shades of the same color, always start from darkest to lightest as the dyes will lose their strength the more you dye. 🌿Mordants make all the difference: Mordants bind the natural dye to the material you are dying. They’re really important to help obtain the color you want when you are first dyeing and helps the natural dyes last for years. Guadalupe uses other plants with fixating agents as “ñuñuca” and other natural minerals as salt for this purpose. Your turn! 👇🏼 Did you already try natural dyeing at home? What materials do you use? Let us know!✨
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Wellbeing 🌸 The 8th and final issue! Ready? Go! I’ve exposed an industry which continues to increase the level and pace of production and consumption compromising not only the wellbeing of workers, communities, animals and the environment touched by the supply chain, but yours as a consumer as well! The fashion industry is a clear illustration of the increasing gap between rich and poor, contributing to injustices and inequalities in relation to race, gender and geographic location. This can take place all the way from raw materials extraction to the design studio. Critical aspects of decent work are being breached across the industry. Over 50% percent of workers in fashion are not paid the minimum wage, and even then, it’s generally half of what can be considered a living way in most producing countries. Even though women make up an overwhelming majority of the workforce, they are particularly vulnerable to low wages. In Pakistan 87% of women garment workers are paid less than minimum wage, versus 27% of men. They are exposed to health and safety concerns – from injury, factories fires and disasters, long hours and exposure to hazardous chemicals. The risk extends to the communities, whose environment, access to water and food is affected by local factories. In many cases animals’ welfare is also often ignored at critical points across the supply chains. Fashion is a giant industry but it is also part of our day-to-day lives and so it has the power to impact wellbeing in many forms and at many scales! An aspect I’ll discuss further with you is the consumer wellbeing, meaning all of us. Fashion communicates negative imagery and harmful messages, it places pressure on young people, women and men to look, feel and act in certain ways – to live up to body ideals or to buy into latest trends. Which more often than not leaves us with a lurking feeling of inadequacy, frustration and anxiety. There is a lot to consider in the relationship between fashion, wellbeing, and sustainability. I encourage you to do your own research, ask questions and engage in what is important to you. I’d love to hear your opinions on this matter, do share your thoughts ✨
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Recent events and news evidence Modern Day Slavery still exists in fashion industry, one clear example is the #Uyghur case. 👇🏼 The increasing speed of the industry can’t be separated from social injustice. One of the most serious challenges facing fashion is this 7th issue: Inexcusably, slavery still thrives all over the world in forms of forced labor, people trafficking and child exploitation. It is an absolute violation of human rights – denying people their right to life, freedom and security. Distinct from labor practices or working conditions, victims of Modern Slavery are unable to leave their situation because they are subject to threat, violence, punishment, coercion and deception. The United Nations International Labor Organization estimates around 21 million people are involved in forced labor at any given time! Fashion is one of the most labor intensive industries, and while there are figures it directly employs at least 60 million, given the lack of transparency across global supply chains, we don’t really know how many people are working directly or indirectly in fashion. Because of this, there are likely to be many more cases of modern slavery that we aren’t yet aware of – a report conducted by the Ethical Trading Initiative found that 71% percent of fashion companies believe modern slavery might exist in their supply chains! And whilst the UK passed the Modern Slavery Act in March 2015, and Modern Slavery legislation has been spreading around the world, there is still a long way to go before slavery is truly abolished from fashion. 🙏🏽 Were you aware of these numbers? Do you know how to run a brand scan before buying? How do you check transparency? Share your strategies so people can be aware! ✨
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Did you know in the western world we consume 400% more than we did 20 years ago? 🤔 And between 2000 and 2014 clothing production worldwide doubled? This account for our 6th issue: Consumption and waste. I’ve already talk about it in a previous post, but let’s review it in more depth. High end brands went from traditionally producing two main collections a year to producing five or six, whilst now some high street and online brands introduce new products every week! During this time clothing has been getting cheaper, so people have been buying more and inevitably keeping garments for shorter periods of time. The average European person now buys 60% more items of clothing and keeps them for about half as long as they did 15 years ago! Just as fashion production is unevenly distributed so too is fashion consumption. Although it’s growing rapidly in developing countries, places like the US, China, UK and Europe are where the majority of fashion consumption takes place. This is an enormous burden for the planet to bear because it creates an incredible amount of waste. Take the UK alone, and we have 2 million tons of clothing and textiles thrown away each year and only 16% of that waste is reused. Globally, the vast majority of clothing waste ends up in landfills or is incinerated, only 20% is collected for reuse or recycling. A crucial point: whilst many people believe donating their unwanted clothes is a good solution, in fact much of what is given to charity is exported overseas – flooding developing countries, destroying local crafts, textiles and tailoring economies. What are the measures you’re taking in order to reduce waste? 🌱 Let’s share insights! ✨
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They say kindness never goes out of style ✨ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Ellen DeGeneres once stated: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ "If we’re destroying our trees and destroying our environment and hurting animals and hurting one another and all that stuff, there’s got to be a very powerful energy to fight that. I think we need more love in the world. We need more kindness, more compassion, more joy, more laughter. I definitely want to contribute to that." ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ So do we, ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ what about you? 🌞
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Have you heard about Diminishing Resources problem in the clothing industry? 🤔 It’s probably clear by now that the fashion industry relies heavily on many resources which are depleting and some of which are finite. Today over half of all fashion is made with polyester and it is the most common material used and it primarily relies on oil, a finite and extremely polluting resource! And whilst the amount of oil used in synthetic fibers is relatively tiny, the fashion industry as a whole is extremely energy intensive, and completely dependent on fossil fuels. But beyond the use of fossil fuels, there are examples of precious metals and stones, which are also depleting fast and of course species, which throughout fashion’s recent history have been threatened by extinction, by the exotic skin trade for example. However, it isn’t only natural resources which are diminishing, and here relies Meüne project foundations: valuable human resources and skills such as hand weaving, spinning, embroidery, printing is all vanishing because of faster and cheaper manufacturing options. The industrialization of fashion since 1970 has been wiping out traditional textile and garment techniques around the world. Entire communities have lost making and manufacturing capabilities, and once these skills are gone they are really hard to get back. With your help, we’ll be able to recover part of this human resource, starting in the Peruvians Andes. If everything goes as planned, the idea is to extend our help and work with different indigenous communities with millenarian weaving tradition around the world. It’s a long way but we are already walking it! Will you join? ✨
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Let’s wonder a little bit 💭 If nature never hurries, why should we? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When was the last time you feel the real rhythm of life? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Try to look into the water: It’ll whisper you pulses… calm, steady, gentle, smooth, eternal. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Why do we need to run that fast? To where? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What if we slow down, and try to uncover the simple wonders of life? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ How much we’d be able to make up for? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When was the last time you quit the rush to find the true colors of this world? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Why don't we go back? Back to what matters, back to essentials, back to hands, ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ back to Nature 🌱
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The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is part of an extensive Inca system of trails of more than 23,000 kilometres that integrated the Inca Empire of Tahuantinsuyo (“ four regions” in Quechua) that covered big part of Latin America: from Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, to Chile and the north of Argentina. These were mainly on the coast or in the mountains, but sometimes even reached the tropical edge of the jungle. It was a route of pilgrimage to Machu Picchu used by the Inca in the 15th century. There are different sites between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu where you can note the variety of architectural resources that give importance and mysticism to this Royal Road. The only purpose was religious and ceremonial, a pilgrimage that included rituals to honour the mountains, peaks and Mother Nature. With this beautiful story in mind let’s look into the next issue 👇🏼 Biodiversity is the foundation for a healthy planet, and it’s measured by the variety of life found on earth at the level of ecosystems. Fashion is directly linked to the decline of biodiversity through land use and habitat loss. Areas of forested land have been cleared for uses such as cotton cultivation, livestock raising and cellulosic fibers made from wood (such as viscose) - this includes ancient and precious endangered forests. It’s predicted that fashion will increase its land use over the next decade. The way land is managed for the development of raw materials also results in degradation and at times desertification (fertile land becomes desert and nothing is able to grow). Overgrazing and overstocking of livestock has been a particular problem in different parts of the world. For instance, Cashmere relies on natural grasslands in limited geographies, and now its availability is suffering because of the degradation of those grasslands. In Mongolia 90% of the land is in danger of desertification because of the large increase of Cashmere goat herds since 1990! The loss of fertile soil greatly impacts loss of biodiversity and climate change. Have you ever heard about this issue? Did you visit any of these breathtaking lands in Latin America?
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Any doubts about Alpaca fiber? 🧶 All the answers here 👇🏼 According to The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) the Alpaca fiber, like the one using at MEÜNE, “is produced in the alpacas’ native environment, the Andean highlands. Goats and sheep have hooves which can cause land degradation. Alpaca, on the other hand, have padded feet that are gentle and do not harm the earth. When alpaca graze, they do not damage or destroy root systems, so land is left undamaged and plants continue growing after an alpaca has eaten it. The alpacas require less water and food. Its fiber does not contain lanolin or grease; therefore, it is easy to wash without intensive detergents or chemicals. For the most part, animal rights are not a big problem when it comes to alpaca production. Alpaca is one of the oldest domesticated animals in the world. In Peru, where 80% of the world’s alpaca fiber comes from, people have been wearing alpaca fiber for hundreds of years. As pointed out in the Daily Beast, alpaca has the power to help the country’s indigenous populations, many of whom suffer from poverty. At least 50,000 families in the Andean highlands rely on herding alpaca for income and to sustain themselves. According to the FAO (based on 2009 data), 85% of Peruvian alpacas are run by smallholders with less than 50 animals each (FAO 2009).” These are the main reasons why we chose alpaca fiber and we work directly with the indigenous communities we met and know for a fact how they work. This take us to our 4th issue we’ll be discussing next 👉🏼Land use and biodiversity loss. Are you familiar with this issue? Enlighten us! ✨
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C’est les vacances en France ! 🌞 I’d like to talk about a topic I love: Vacations & Travelling! I love travelling and getting to know other cultures and places, but this industry can be very harmful to the planet. Sustainable Travel Org. consider tourism as “an industry prone to overconsumption. Tourism consequently produces a substantial amount of waste and pollution. In some places, tourists produce up to twice as much waste as local residents. This can put incredible strain on local waste management systems, causing landfills and sewage plants to overflow. Another major issue is the improper disposal of trash, raw sewage, and toxic chemicals by tourists, hotels, cruise ships, and others. In addition to making destinations less attractive, this litter and pollution can have detrimental effects on local people and wildlife. While tourism contributes to our global waste problem, the industry can also be part of the solution. Tourism has the potential to build awareness around the issues and spur waste infrastructure improvements. If we want to preserve the beauty and health of the places we visit, we must take action to reduce the amount of waste we create and practice proper disposal.” There are many ways to travel and minimize our negative environmental impact, popularly known as “Eco-Tourism”. 🌱 How do your vacations look like? Do you have places to recommend for Eco-Tourism? Please share! ✨
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I want to say this today 🌸 To myself, and to those of you who need to be spurred in this moment ✨ “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover.” 🌞 - Mark Twain 🧡
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Pachamama’s Celebration day! 💫 Every Aug. 1, the Indigenous people in South America pay tribute to Pachamama, which in Quechua translates to World Mother. For the Andes region, not just the date but the whole month of August is dedicated to this Mother Earth deity 💛 The desire of people to connect with nature is also found in many civilizations. To appreciate nature’s sustainability is common across communities. Indigenous people in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru celebrate Pachamama Day with different ceremonies and rituals to honor Mother Earth, the fertility goddess who oversees harvesting, farming, crops, embodies the mountains, and even causes earthquakes. Some believe their problems and the world’s drastic climate change, including hurricanes and tsunamis arise because humans are taking too much from Pachamama. On Pachamama Raymi, which means feast, people work on developing a close relationship with nature and the land, performing a ritual to give back to Earth what it has given them. I’m sparing you the learning lesson today, to ask you one (important!) question: When was the last time you put your hands on the ground? 🌱 By discovering nature we discover ourselves ✨ Tag someone who may need this little dose of calm today and love learning about other cultures 🌸 #pachamama #pachamamalove
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Hazardous Chemicals! 👇🏼 This is the third issue we’ll be discussing today 🤓 The fashion industry is one of the largest user of chemicals – it can take 8000 synthetic chemicals to turn raw materials into finished textiles. Cotton alone accounts for almost a quarter of the world’s insecticide use and over 10% of pesticides. It’s not totally surprising that around 1/5 of all water pollution is caused by textile processing. These chemicals which are hazardous to the environment and human health wash into our waterways and enter into our ecosystems. The worst part is that often factory mills are located near rivers or canals. In Indonesia, one of the biggest garment and textiles producing countries, hundreds of factories line the upper banks of the Citarum river, giving it the well-known reputation as one of the dirtiest rivers on the planet – in areas it is so polluted it is not safe for animals to drink let alone humans, and yet the entire 168 mile-long river provides irrigation and water for millions of people. 🤯 Air pollutants are also a significant issue throughout the fashion supply chains, in farming, processing, manufacturing, shipping and transport. Some practices are more damaging than others, for instance in the production of synthetic fibers, nitrous oxide emissions are released into the air, and these are 310 times more damaging than carbon dioxide! But pollution isn’t limited to production. For example, once purchased, synthetic garments release tiny plastic fibers into wastewater through washing, polluting our waterways and ending up in the food chain. There is an increasing amount of research taking place in this area, as we still don’t really know the full extent of this impact - but it’s estimated at the moment that a single polyester garment releases 1900 individual plastic microfibers! So... Do you know any alternatives to wash our clothes other than safe laundry detergents and avoiding polyester garments? Please share! ✨
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Access to clean water is a basic human need and a fundamental right. ✨ Next Issue 👉🏼 Water Stress. Many people take this right for granted, and yet now it is at risk. Already 1.1 billion people lack access to clean water and 2.7 billion find water is scarce at least one month per year. If we continue to consume water the way we do now, by two 2025, two thirds of the world’s population may be facing water shortages. Fashion is a very thirsty industry. Water is required in growing fibers like cotton, production processes and of course for washing clothes at home. Here’s a ridiculous number: It can take 2700 liters of water to make one t-shirt, which alone could provide up to 3 years of drinking water for one person. Quite often fiber growing and production processes take place in parts of the world that are already experiencing a water crisis. One quite extreme example is Uzbekistan – where unsustainable practices in cotton farming has had devastating environmental and social effects. The Aral Sea, which was once the world’s fourth largest lake and home to a thriving fishing industry shrunk by 90% between the 1960 and 2000 – and this has been largely due to cotton irrigation. Unfortunately, this example is not alone. More than half of the world’s wetlands have disappeared, and many have become stressed. But, this is not just due to over-consumption of water but also contamination. This bring us to the upcoming issue we’ll be reviewing: hazardous chemicals and pollution. Do you know anyone facing water scarcity around you? Are you familiar with this outrageous numbers or did they completely shock you?
