How Luxury Goods Stand In The Eco-Friendly Fashion Debate - 24/2/10

Green was definitely in style at A/W New York Fashion Week with the event becoming carbon neutral for the first time, according to Reuters.

This development has inspired us to look into both sides of the ‘eco-couture’ debate.

On the positive side, Treehugger.com said: “While we don't necessarily endorse the price tag attached to luxury goods, we believe that items handcrafted by artisans are far better investments than off the rack, mass produced products. The key words here are quality and durability."

On the not-so-positive side, a fashion blogger argued in The Huffington Post that “Reorienting itself to one kind of green means the sacrifice of the dollar kind, and fashion will not do that. So the luxury goods industry masks the problem in soundbites and buzzwords, and enacts PR-friendly changes designed to promote the appearance of giving a shit beyond the status quo.”

To conclude her long tirade, the fashion blogger asked, “Is it possible for fashion to embrace its doppelganger, to produce sustainable goods, to do more with less and still stay in business?” And even she concedes it is possible (using stronger language), so the positives far outweigh the negatives in this debate.

And plus, the luxury goods industry is determined to become more eco-friendly. Gucci, for instance, is looking to a greener future by sponsoring research in sustainable fashion (click here for our earlier report on this). And that’s only one example of the changes taking place. See also our article on Luxury Brands Seek Greener Pastures for more details.