Are you an environmentally conscious consumer? Are you sensitive to the development of your community? If the answer is yes, you'll be interested in this post. If the answer is no, you still have time to do your part.
According to data from the United Nations, the fashion industry has the not-so-flattering merit (or rather, demerit) of being the second most polluting industry on the planet. The textile industry is responsible for 10% of global pollution, a horrifying figure considering that in a country as important to fashion as Spain, it only contributes 2.8% of the national GDP and generates 4.1% of employment, according to data from Ernst & Young (2020). As reported at the UN Conference on Trade and Development, the fashion industry generates more carbon emissions than all maritime and air transport combined. Furthermore, 500,000 tons of microfiber are dumped into the sea each year, equivalent to 3 million barrels of crude oil. This all seems to have fatal consequences for the acceleration of climate change. In our view, all the advances in this industry that make our lives easier and more enjoyable have a place only when the harm they cause doesn't jeopardize the sustainability of the ecosystem around us or people's well-being. According to WWF, the average person ingests more than 100,000 plastic microparticles a year, equivalent to one credit card a week. Furthermore, the fashion industry consumes huge amounts of water.
Another terrible problem facing this industry is the relocation of production (which, while we're not going to blame globalization for this, as it undoubtedly contributes to the economic, cultural, and social progress of our societies), generates obvious ethical problems. The precarious working conditions of, especially, the women and children who make the garments for the fast fashion industry are common knowledge, and we can't only momentarily become aware of them when a tragedy like the one at Rana Plaza in Bangladesh in 2013 occurs (when 1,134 people died in a collapse caused by a fire in one of the factories that supply large multinationals due to the precarious working conditions).
But all is not lost. Recently, in an ocean of brands and competition based on price cannibalism, more and more brands are choosing to break away from the norm and differentiate themselves as ethical companies, creating products that contribute to local and regional economic development and producing increasingly environmentally friendly products. Today, we have brands in our country proud to produce in Spain, contributing to the development of the local economy, value creation, and employment. Also, more and more brands are committed to reducing plastic use or recycling waste and scrap into fabrics and materials perfect for fashion. There are certain steps that help us be more responsible consumers, and they don't have to harm us as consumers or force us to buy fashion we don't like.
The first step is to prioritize quality above all else. Choosing clothes that we know will last more than one season is essential. We've all experienced buying those bargain pants at the local store that don't last even half a season, wear out after the second wash, or lose their shape and color with daily use. Furthermore, it's extremely important not to throw clothes in the trash bin, but rather donate what can still be reused or take them to a recycling center.
The second step is to make sure that the product won't have to travel tens of thousands of kilometers to reach our homes. These long journeys generate a lot of pollution due to the use of fossil fuels in air, sea, and land transportation. There are always local options, both in physical form and available online, in our area or in our country. Furthermore, purchasing in your country of residence ensures that regulations are in place to protect you as a consumer.
The third step is to choose products that offer alternatives to using plastic or that are made from recycled materials. In this article, we'll show you a few. Keep in mind that many of these recycled plastics come from the oceans, and they're plastics we won't eat when we eat fish or seafood. Plus, we all enjoy going to the beach and not finding trash on the beach that spoils the landscape.
The fourth step is to ensure that the brand we buy creates quality employment and that the company that produces and markets it has sound corporate social responsibility standards.
The fifth, very simple but one of the most important, is to buy things we like. If we don't like a fashion, it's better not to buy it, letting it gather dust in the closet or throwing it away two days after wearing it.
These are some of the steps we believe can help you become a more responsible consumer, both with the environment and your community, but they are the only ones. At DA PONTE and DA PONTE ONLINE, we always ask ourselves how we can improve both our sales experience and the product we offer. Below, we'll show you some products we sell with the DA PONTE ECO seal that will help you do your part for the environment.
First, we'll leave you with this magnificent unisex backpack from Levi's, made from 100% recycled plastics. Click here to view the purchase page.
We also present these women's sneakers from Pepe Jeans, featuring plastic soles made from recycled materials. Click here to view the purchase page.
Below are some blue men's sneakers from Levi's, also made from recycled materials. Click here to view the purchase page.
Finally, we leave you with another women's model from Pepe Jeans, which also has the ECO seal. Click here to see the purchase page.
Thank you very much for your attention. Remember you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram as daponte.tienda, and on Instagram (secondary account), Pinterest, and TikTok as daponte.online. We also invite you to take a look at our website. If you have any questions about DA PONTE or would like to contact us, we'll be happy to assist you via Facebook Messenger, Instagram private messages, or email at info@daponteonline.com.