Responsible Fashion

"Real fur is a calamity, but fake fur is not the solution" Orsola de Castro

Years of campaigning by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) have finally paid off. Indeed, more and more brands are excluding fur from their collections. But are the alternatives offered, namely faux fur, any better?

Why is fur so maligned? It may seem obvious, in the name of animal welfare! But you can be non-vegan and still reject the use of fur. Because, unlike leather, fur is not a by-product. The meat of mink, fox or marmot is not intended for food. If it is not used, this material is lost. The animals are therefore raised and killed for purely aesthetic purposes. And this, in breeding conditions that are often miserable for both animals and employees: intensive and polluting breeding, animal abuse, unregulated slaughter, overwork of workers in conditions of unsanitary and unsafe infrastructure. Just go to the PETA website to see images of the slaughterhouses, the skinning and dismemberment of the furred animals.

Committed brands, others more constrained

While British designer Stella McCartney , a vegan, has never used raw materials of animal origin, other houses have abandoned real fur under pressure from associations, public opinion, and their customers. In recent months, several houses have given up animal hair in their collections. This is notably the case of Valentino, which stopped using it at the beginning of 2022, as has Oscar de la Renta. The Kering group (Balenciaga, Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Alexander McQueen, Brioni, Saint Laurent) will do so starting with the fall-winter 2022-2023 collections, as will Armani, which is also abandoning angora, Canada Goose – known for its down jackets with coyote fur hoods. Moncler announced in January 2022 that it will present its latest collection including fur in the fall-winter 2022-2023, in parallel with the launch of the second part of “Moncler Born to Protect”, its collection designed from materials with low environmental impacts. Other houses should soon make the same type of announcement: Vivienne Westwood, Chanel, Prada, Versace…
In this “cruelty free” and, one might think, eco-responsible approach, some brands are opting for fake fur, a material that imitates real fur visually and to the touch.

Faux fur seeks non-petroleum-derived raw materials

The two most common fibers used to make faux fur are polyester and acrylic , both of which are petroleum-based materials, and therefore not exactly the best in terms of sustainability. In fact, a faux fur coat can take several barrels to make. As a result, as with any garment made from these materials, its manufacture and maintenance releases microplastics into wastewater that end up in algae and fish stomachs.

Progress in progress

Faced with this dilemma, more high-end or more committed brands are pushing manufacturers to challenge themselves. Some are starting to develop natural fibers obtained from hemp, corn or nettle.

French manufacturer Ecopel (which belongs to the Chinese conglomerate Haixinet and which bought Peltex, the last French manufacturer) has also launched a line of faux fur, Umi Collection, made from plastic collected in the oceans. Once the fiber is recovered, it is knitted and then dyed according to the desired cut and color. But this production remains marginal. Faux fur from plant or recycled fibers is currently limited to 10 to 20% on the market.

Polluting manufacturing

Often on the other side of the world

The question of production is always central in fashion. The more geographically distant it is from the country of sale, the more potentially polluting it is. One of the main producers of fake fur remains China. Employees there are exposed to toxic fumes of vinyl cyanide, necessary for the manufacture of acrylic, in the same deplorable working conditions as for the rest of fast fashion . But other countries also supply the brands. This is the case for France and Italy (through Ecopel), among others for the more high-end and luxury brands.

A polluting dye

Faux fur garments often come in, shall we say, “unusual” shades, which involve industrial processes that are water- and chemical-intensive.
Again, as in the rest of the fashion industry, alternatives are gradually being developed, notably using vegetable dyes or water-free dyes, but this remains the preserve of the most expensive products.

Faux fur is less sustainable, because it is linked to fast fashion

A fur coat was an expensive purchase, an investment that lasted a lifetime and was even passed down from generation to generation (who doesn't have an old fox or rabbit fur choker in their closet, and for the "luckiest" ones, an astrakhan or mink jacket inherited from their grandmother?)

But today, rainbow fur coats can be found at Burberry, but are bought in droves at Primark, Zara or H&M. Quality has been replaced by quantity. Faux fur is largely linked to fast fashion.
As a result, a faux fur coat lasts as long as any other garment, on average between 6 months and 6 years. However, it is rarely reconditioned in second-hand networks, particularly because a new purchase is very inexpensive.

So what to do? The best thing to do is to avoid, as some brands have decided, real and fake fur.

And what if you really dream of one of these plush coats? We wear our grandmother's coat - that one has been around for a long time - or we prefer to the fake furs of fast fashion brands those of specialized brands, made in France, eco-designed from natural or recycled fibers. Even if it means paying the price...

If the soaring price of gasoline at the pump has a direct impact on the purchasing power of the French, the drastic increase in the price of a barrel of oil has an indirect impact on other industries, including fashion. Explanations.

Contrary to what we might have hoped, the health crisis has in no way led to a questioning of our lifestyles and therefore of our energy consumption. The dependence of our societies on fossil fuels – including oil – remains very strong, and according to analysts will be for at least the next five years.
However, for over a year, the price of a barrel of oil has been rising and this increase is due to multiple factors:

Post-epidemic recovery

Although it took place in several stages depending on the different variants, the recovery that followed the height of the Covid epidemic caused a sudden increase in demand for oil, even though production had fallen sharply (with the historically low record in April 2020 at €17 per barrel). However, the majority of oil-producing countries have not managed to increase their production to the level of demand.

Of course, OPEC member countries decided in January 2022 to gradually increase their oil exports, but they are struggling to increase their production, as are Nigeria, Angola and Libya. However, the United States has also not managed to return to its pre-crisis production level. The logical consequence: a constant increase in the price of a barrel of crude oil and Brent (North Sea crude oil, the reference for determining the price of oil in Europe). After falling sharply in 2020, its price returned to its highest price since 2018 in October 2021 (i.e. €72 per barrel) and this rise has continued since December 2021.

The consequences of the war in Ukraine

According to INSEE, Russia is the world's third largest oil producer with 10 million barrels per day, 2 million of which transit to Europe. However, as fears of a Western embargo on Russian hydrocarbons grew, or of a halt in deliveries by Moscow after the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian war , oil prices soared. Two weeks after the offensive, the barrel reached 139 dollars per barrel, before falling back to 106 (€98) on April 24. These increases fluctuate between 20 and 30% compared to January 1.
The conflict could have very strong repercussions, according to the words of the Minister of Economy Bruno Le Maire in March 2022: "this energy shock of 2022 is comparable in intensity and brutality to the oil shock of 1973". A "global oil supply shock" is feared by the International Energy Agency (IEA), and the threat of a barrel at more than $150 looms.

The immediate consequences of the rise in the price of oil on the textile industry

In the fashion sector, the increase in the price of oil is reflected in:

• On the price of certain raw materials
  The cost of oil has a direct impact on the price of textiles since it is the basic product for manufacturing synthetic fabrics , such as polyester, polyamide, elastane, nylon, acrylic or even recycled polyester.
• On additional costs
  The transport of goods is also affected. It is already affected by the coronavirus, when the world's largest port, Shanghai, has been virtually at a standstill due to lockdown since February 2022. But the repercussions of the rise in oil prices are also playing a role here, as with all goods. The price of transporting a container has almost quadrupled compared to before the health crisis. Increases that can only be passed on to the price of fabrics and clothing.

Fast Fashion “Not Worried” for the Time Being

At the end of 2021 – before the second oil boom – the textile market giants were still displaying a certain “optimism”. At that time, the cost of synthetic materials had increased “by only 20%”, much less than that of natural materials.
Associated British Foods, the parent company of British giant Primark, assured AFP that the increase in its manufacturing costs would not lead to a price increase, thanks to a favorable exchange rate and a drop in store operating costs. And Sweden's H&M assured that it was "accustomed to fluctuations in the cost of raw materials as well as other external factors that could potentially impact purchasing costs."

The soaring prices of natural textile raw materials

If oil were the only raw material to experience high inflation, the consequences on the textile market should remain limited. However, this is not the case. Indeed, the cost of natural raw materials used in the textile industry has increased significantly since 2019. Furthermore, knowing that it takes between 12 and 18 months to see the full impact of the choice of raw materials on so-called "classic" brands - the time taken to purchase fabrics, create and then produce collections - it is probably not until 2023 that we will see the full impact of these various price increases on the choice of materials.

Cotton, wool and silk

In February 2022, the price of cotton reached its highest level: $1.29 per pound (€1.16 for around 0.45 kg), an increase of almost 45% over a year. You have to go back to July 2011 to find a higher price. The explanation: while they are the third largest producer – after China and India – and the world's largest exporter, the United States is facing a prolonged drought in several regions of the "cotton belt" (cotton belt, in the southern states). India is also unable to return to its pre-2020 production level due to weather reasons, with the monsoons having been less significant in 2021. The organic sector is even more affected. Over the course of a year, prices have increased by 90%.
Wool saw its price increase by 43% between September 2020 and September 2021, and silk by almost 32%.

Flax and Hemp also on the rise

In the aftermath of the pandemic and the first increases, we have seen a craze for more "sustainable development" and more local materials. This last argument could become a factor in economic as well as responsible decision-making, which was not the case until now. If linen and hemp are sustainable choices, they are now also economical.

Thus, in this spring of 2022, linen is making a remarkable surge in collections, from Uniqlo to Ralph Lauren, from Petit Bateau to Comptoir des Cotonniers. The demand for this fiber, of which France is the world's leading producer (with 80% of global production, or 160,000 tons produced and 130,000 tons exported in 2021), has only increased for ten years, driven in particular by China and India.
As for hemp for textiles, France is the leading European producer and the fourth largest producer worldwide (behind China, Canada and the United States). In 2021, 20,000 hectares were planted there. For the moment, its demand for clothing manufacturing remains limited to very "committed" lines. But while production and transport costs are increasing considerably, and some French players have started relocation work by recreating French spinning mills, "Made in France" fibers are on the rise.

As we can see, the increase in the price of oil has strong direct and indirect implications for the textile industry. The first will probably be an increase in the price of finished products, i.e. an increase in prices in stores. But for the years to come, it is likely that manufacturers will seek to turn to new raw materials that are less energy-intensive and less dependent on oil, and fossil fuels in general.

Vegan commitment is not to be taken lightly and requires radical changes, not only in terms of diet. Fashion too. Provided that veganism does not obscure environmental requirements…

Vegan clothing is clothing without animal materials. The materials to avoid are therefore leather, wool, cashmere, silk, feathers and fur. You can therefore look for the PETA-approved vegan logo to ensure that the products purchased do not actually contain any components of animal origin. But it is not enough to find alternatives to these materials, they must also not pollute the planet (too much). Indeed, avoiding products of animal origin does not automatically make a garment without effect on the environment. Many products labeled vegan are made from synthetics derived from fossil fuels that decompose with difficulty and can pollute the oceans. So, what wardrobe should you choose when you are a true vegan?

A jacket or coat made from hemp and recycled PET

It's not easy to find an alternative to a wool coat or a duck down parka that isn't a down jacket made entirely of polyester, and therefore a petroleum derivative. Some brands, like Hoodlamb, have created parkas with a hemp cellulose coating, a highly ecological natural material because it consumes little water and pesticides and grows endemically in France. The interior is a fake fur made from recycled PET from water bottles. Some brands are starting to offer down jackets made of recycled polyester, but be careful to make sure it is 100% recycled, because the ad often only mentions a percentage of recycled material. This is often the case when the padding is not just down.

©Hemp Land

A fleece vest

This garment needs no introduction, as it was one of the pioneers of sustainable clothing, made from recycled plastic bottles. Long relegated to country walks or mountain getaways, we now find slightly less casual models.

A lenpur sweater

This new fiber is from the same family as lyocel and tencel. It is a type of viscose , with a much less polluting manufacturing process, designed in Canadian white pine fibers, which have the property of being very absorbent and anti-odor. Owned by an Italian manufacturer, it is also called "vegetable cashmere"

A cotton t-shirt, but organic

Cotton being one of the most polluting and water-consuming materials, we choose at least an Oeko-Tex cotton or even better, an organic cotton labeled GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standards), guaranteeing cotton without GMOs, without pesticides and not bleached with chlorine!

A linen shirt

It has it all. In addition to the fact that the linen shirt is super fashionable and super comfortable to wear, it is made of a highly eco-responsible material. France is the world's leading producer of linen! What's more, it is a plant whose cultivation requires little irrigation and fertilizer, and consumes little CO2. In addition, this material is thermoregulating, absorbent, resistant and softens with washing. In short, the linen shirt is sustainable and almost indestructible.

A lyocell dress,

To avoid silk, polyester and viscose, we think of lyocell or tencel. This fiber, softer than linen, is produced from eucalyptus, oak or birch with non-toxic solvents and 97% recyclable. They are called "vegetable silk" because they are so soft, fluid and pleasant.

Tencel pants or organic cotton jeans

As with the T-shirt, choose your jeans in organic cotton (or recycled polyester), making sure that the tags are not made of leather. For example, Nudie Jeans are now vegan because the patches on the waistband are no longer made of real leather.

© Nudie Jeans

Underwear made from organic or recycled materials

Especially for these clothes in direct contact with the skin, we want clean: GOTS organic cotton, tencel and lace woven from recycled fiber certified GRS (global recycled standard). You can find them for example on Olly Lingerie or Fairytale .

A pair of “vegan leather” sneakers

One of the biggest challenges is finding an eco-friendly alternative to leather , because a lot of vegan leather is actually made from non-eco-friendly virgin PVC, aka plastic! So you need to find at least some recycled plastic. But the best is the increasingly popular plant-based leathers, such as Pinatex (pineapple leaf leather) or Muskin (mushroom leather). Many brands now offer entire ranges of vegan shoes , and some major brands have created at least one model.

For vegan heels, we are currently forced to turn to luxury brands like Stella McCartney, or the Spanish brand Beyond Skin worn by Natalie Portman.

As proof that vegan fashion is taking off, there is now a vegan fashion show in London, Bare Fashion. And there are websites to help you find the right wardrobe, such as WedressFair or alternative-vegan , which present examples of vegan and sustainable products.

To have a fashionable and eco-responsible summer, we review our wardrobe by adopting less polluting, innovative or recycled materials. Take your pick!

Flax

This is THE summer material that is everywhere. And for good reason. We have always known that this material has all the assets for summer: thermoregulating, absorbent, resistant and so chic! It covers everything while letting it breathe, protects from the sun without making you hot, and is pleasant to wear whether it is in a shirt, pants, dress or sheet… But its advantages do not stop there. First, this natural material is highly eco-responsible. Its cultivation requires little, if any, irrigation – rainwater is enough – and fertilizer, and consumes little CO2. Finally, France is the world's leading producer of flax! The plains of Normandy are particularly favorable to it (it is the leading growing region). The downside: if this fiber is everywhere this summer 2022, the drought of this winter has weighed on hopes for the coming year.

Hemp

It is one of the most ecological materials available, but while hemp is increasingly popular in the textile world, its cultivation is still somewhat hampered by regulations because hemp is the plant that also produces cannabis. However, its cultivation and processing have very little ecological impact because hemp requires neither irrigation nor fertilizer, and 5 to 10 times fewer pesticides than cotton. It also participates in soil regeneration. Finally, its transformation into fiber is a mechanical process, without water or solvent, and without waste. Ultra-resistant, it gives clothes a little more rustic than linen.

Cotton, but organic

Cotton is one of the most polluting and water-consuming materials. It covers approximately 2.5% of the world's cultivated areas. and because of its natural character, benefits from an eco-responsible reputation . Moreover, It represents a quarter of the raw materials used in the composition of textiles. And yet…64% of the cotton grown in the world is genetically modified . In addition, cotton is the third largest consumer of irrigation water on the planet after rice and wheat (between 5,000 and 17,000 liters of water to produce 1 kg of cotton). It also requires a lot of pesticides: its consumption represents 25% of the insecticides, 10% of the herbicides used and 4% of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers used in the world according to the World Health Organization . Polluting soils and waterways, cotton poses a health risk to workers. Cotton cultivation is therefore one of the most polluting in the world, as are the treatments for its transformation (washing, dyeing, etc.) requiring the use of chemicals sometimes toxic (heavy metals, solvents, etc.).

So, if we can't do without cotton, we choose jeans, a t-shirt or a dress at least in oeko-tex or organic cotton labeled GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standards), guaranteeing cotton without GMOs, pesticides or chemical fertilizers and not bleached with chlorine. Its production consumes 91% less water compared to conventional cotton throughout the manufacturing chain. GOTS-certified organic cotton is also less dangerous and toxic for consumers. But its prices have soared in the past year, by almost 90%.

Pima cotton

This is the Rolls Royce of cottons. Also called “the silk of the Andes”, this cotton endemic to northern Peru is grown with little or no pesticides or fertilizers. As a result, this variety is very rare and represents only 3% of the world's cotton production. Its fibers are silky and very resistant. This is why Pima cotton clothing is fine, breathable, resistant and extremely comfortable to wear.

Tencel or lyocell

Lyocell, or Tencel – which is a registered trademark of the Austrian group Lenzing – is a fiber of natural origin similar to silk or viscose in feel, but much less polluting. Soft, fluid and pleasant on the skin – it is used to make dresses, nighties, T-shirts – this material is produced from eucalyptus, beech or birch from sustainably managed forests, with non-toxic solvents and 97% recyclable.

Ecovero and Refibra are two other eco-responsible materials similar to Tencel, developed and marketed by the same group, a specialist in this type of innovative material.

Grape Leather

This vegan leather is made from grape marc, which is all the solid and dry materials (skin, stems, seeds) remaining after pressing or crushing the grapes. Once dried and then ground into powder, vegetable oil and water-based polyurethane are added, which produces a paste that is dyed and then dried again. It was created and patented by the Milanese company Vegea. This summer, it is being used to make vegan espadrilles.

Tennis Balls

We knew about soles made from recycled PET, marine plastics from the oceans, tires or recycled latex... This year, the eco-responsible brand Faguo launched a sneaker with a sole made from tennis balls for Rolland Garros! These do not come from the Parisian courts, but from the clubs in Porto, close to the brand's workshops. Instead of being thrown away once they are unusable, the tennis balls are recycled. A single tennis ball can be used to create 3 pairs of soles that also contain recycled rubber.

Bioplastics or recycled PET

What could be better in summer than wearing clothes and objects made from marine waste, plastic from bottles fished out of the sea and fishing nets transformed into threads. We thus contribute to the circular economy , in a zero waste philosophy.

We find sunglasses , but also clothes, swimsuits, sneakers and duffel bags made from these materials.

Boat sails

Several brands – based in major French ports (La Ciotat, Lorient, La Rochelle) – offer very chic bags, kits and accessories made from cut and recycled sails. The sails are generally collected from individuals and then processed and the bags are made in partnership with work assistance structures.

No choice, winter is just around the corner and the falling temperatures force us to dress warmly. How can we reconcile cocooning materials, even technical materials, and eco-responsibility? Which clothes, which materials should we choose?

Recycled wool

It is the natural material par excellence of winter, the one that protects best from the cold. Biodegradable, insulating, thermoregulating, cocooning, we love it.

Wool, a catastrophic assessment

However, whether it is sheep's wool, alpaca or cashmere from goats raised in Tibet, the environmental impact is catastrophic. Sheep's wool is one of the 5 most polluting materials to manufacture.

Sheep are the largest producers of methane, even more than cows. In New Zealand, the ^third largest producer of wool after China and Australia, 90% of greenhouse gas emissions are due to sheep farming. Raising sheep and goats impoverishes the soil, when it does not cause deforestation. The animals are often raised in poor conditions, to meet the growing demand. Finally, the processing of wool is highly polluting, between washing, bleaching, dyeing and spinning. Sustainably managed sectors exist, but remain rare.

Recycled wool, under development

Recycled wool sweaters are starting to appear. However, the feel is still different – ​​the fiber is generally stiffer and less soft. Even if they are sorted by color, recycled wools mix different tones, which gives the finished product a mottled look. It is often found in sweaters and coats, mixed with virgin wool or other fibers – silk, recycled PET – to give it better resistance and a more pleasant appearance.

Recycled plastic fleece: warm, eco-friendly and cozy

This pioneer has become the classic for clothing that is both technical, warm and ecological. Made from recycled plastic bottles – 27 1.5-litre water bottles make a fleece sweater and a tonne of recycled plastic saves between 700 and 800 litres of oil – it is often associated with skiing or hiking. A little less so since many pyjamas, overpyjamas, blankets and jumpsuits have also adopted this warm and cosy material, even regressive because it is so soft.

Recycled polyester and PET

The other basic winter garment is the coat, the down jacket, the parka, in short the outerwear that protects us outdoors. But let's be honest, none of them are ecologically satisfactory, whether it's the polluting wool or cashmere of the coat, the down of the down jacket – hello animal welfare – and even less the Gore-tex of the parka and ski pants, made of stretched Teflon, rich in perfluorocarbons, extremely volatile and contaminating endocrine disruptors. So what to do?

Not a lot of choice at the moment, it must be admitted, except for recycled materials. You should favor jackets and coats that include a maximum of recycled materials. Very often polyester for down jackets and parkas (we have already produced so much that it is better to reuse it rather than produce new ones). But you can also find some technical jackets in PET made from recycled plastic bottles. And even a ski jacket whose membrane is made from bioplastic from castor oil and the rest of the garment partly with recycled polyester.

© Decathlon

Another use for these recycled synthetic materials is warm underwear. To replace the famous Thermolactyl or technical materials such as Uniqlo's Heattech – the brand is making efforts in sustainable development but not yet on these warm underwear –, effective but polluting, the alternatives are limited. Some brands (notably in New Zealand, one of the leading countries in sheep farming) use natural materials such as Merino wool, arguing on the naturalness and respect for animals. Others (notably Odlo, one of the leaders in this segment) offer one or more models in recycled materials, combining Merino wool and Tencel (a sustainable alternative to viscose).

Fur, vintage or recycled PET

Some people still dream of a warm fur coat, despite years of fur-bashing and PETA campaigns? In order to avoid killing animals exclusively bred for this purpose, we look in our grandmother's closet, at flea markets or at garage sales for a vintage coat that is not too moth-eaten/shabby and that will not cost too much. In this case, with a mink, fox or astrakhan on our back, we are sure to be warm. But we still have to accept it.

The alternative? Synthetic fur . Yes, but as its name suggests, it is mostly made with petrochemical products (polyester, acrylic). Some manufacturers are starting to develop furs based on natural fibers obtained from hemp, corn or nettle. Others are making them, again, from recycled plastic, or even collected from the oceans. An offer that is still limited but which could gain ground.

It is therefore not easy to reconcile warm and eco-friendly clothing in winter. Natural materials – mainly wool – remain very polluting, and synthetic, warm and technical materials are even more so. The alternatives? Second-hand , once again. And as for raw materials, there is only one solution: favor recycled raw materials, natural or synthetic. But there is still a lot of progress to be made.

You don't necessarily have the means to spend €50 on a T-shirt and the big brands are, for you, the solution to be dressed fashionably without breaking the bank? Know that there are solutions to dress at low prices without giving in to the sirens of fast fashion . Here are some ideas.

Do you like to treat yourself to the latest fashion, copied from a designer model, but at a low price? Your shopping trips necessarily include big brands like H&M, Zara, Bershka or Primark? During the lockdowns, you discovered pure players like Shein, Wish or Pretty Little Things, this ultra fast fashion that offers an incredible and constantly renewed choice of the latest clothes at mini prices and you have become a fan?
It is possible to escape this headlong rush that constantly causes more spending and destroys the planet.

What is behind this ultra-fashionable low price?

• Ultra-polluting raw materials , whether it is cotton stuffed with pesticides and which required thousands of liters of water to be cultivated and then treated, synthetic fabrics such as polyamide or polyester, derived from polluting petrochemicals, which release microplastics with each wash.
• Exploited workers, working in unsanitary and extremely precarious conditions, very poorly treated and paid, exposed to substances that make them sick and pollute the air and rivers in the areas where they live.
• Collections that are constantly renewed, every week or even every day, which may seem pleasant when you want to be up to date with the latest fashion, but which involves unjustifiable waste. Thus, tons of clothes end up in open-air landfills in Africa or South America and pollute landscapes for decades.
• Customers caught in a spiral, a sort of buying frenzy, who, under the pretext of paying less, in fact spend more and more.

In short, an unsustainable combo. At a time of climate change and a desire for ethical fashion, nothing can justify such waste.

So what to do?

Thrift stores and resource centers

They no longer have the dusty image of yesteryear and are often even hype. The clothes come from donations from individuals or from industrial lots bought in large quantities. Whether it is thrift stores like Guerrisol , Ressourceries or Recycleries like we now find in every city, or even clothing stores sold by weight, we find, by arming ourselves with patience and searching carefully, nuggets among old rags. Because sometimes, at unbeatable prices (2 to 20€), there are designer clothes and ultra-stylish vintage pieces. And then, finally, rummaging in a bin at Primark or Guerrisol, there is not much difference. And at least, we give a second life to a garment that becomes sustainable and responsible.

Consignment stores, departments and second-hand sites

The Second-Hand Shop, for beautiful pieces

Another way to get fashionable and cheaper clothes, without buying new, is to track down consignment stores. The prices are generally higher than in thrift stores, because the clothes have been deposited by individuals and the reseller must also make a margin. But this allows you to find nice pieces from mid-range and high-end brands (Maje, Sandro, Bash, and even Chanel, Saint Laurent) at at least half the store price. Pieces that we would not otherwise afford and that will last much longer – we hope – than Fast Fashion clothes. The alternative? Sites like Vestiaire Collective , where you can find brands and pieces checked by experts.

Second-hand departments and sites

Who doesn't know Vinted ? This peer-to-peer sales platform of Lithuanian origin has spread throughout Europe in just a few years, and has supplanted the more general Le Bon Coin or Ebay . You can find both designer clothes and fast fashion there, at a lower cost. The pitfall you need to avoid? Buying piles of clothes from Zara, H&M and others, because they are even cheaper there.
Tempted by this windfall, more and more brands , from Monoprix to Pimkie and department stores, are also offering second-hand clothes racks.

Outlet and sales sites

Can't stand the thought of wearing clothes that have been worn by others?
So, you have sites like Veepee or Showroomprive , or Outlet Villages like La Vallée Village or the city of Troyes , which sell previous collections at half price. We save money, we buy clothes that are still fashionable and of better quality, since these are branded sales stores. The problem? Through this system, we maintain this vicious circle of overproduction and therefore overconsumption.

Buy ethically

Here, it is about changing the paradigm and the way we consume. Instead of 5 cheap t-shirts, which we will only wear 2-3 times because they are of poor quality or we get tired of them quickly, we buy one in organic and ethical cotton, a beautiful timeless classic like a French-made sailor shirt, or a linen shirt. We can also mix a beautiful ethical piece – jeans , a coat, which we will keep for a long time – with more trendy second-hand items.

There is one last solution: bartering. Friends and friends of friends get together. Each one brings the clothes and accessories they no longer want and we exchange the items. A good way to treat yourself to something new… for free! Guaranteed laughs as a bonus.

Right away, we want to answer: no! Indeed, the lingerie market is undoubtedly part of the ready-to-wear market. And the big fast fashion brands opened this section at the same time as the specialized brands multiplied the collections

Lingerie, from democratized functional purchase to fashion accessory

Since the beginning of the 20th century and the abandonment of the corset during the First World War, in order to free women's bodies and allow them to work in place of men, lingerie has had the essential goal of being functional and practical. At the same time, sexy and provocative lingerie has developed, but it is rarely worn on a daily basis. Girdles and corsets are the preserve of Hollywood stars before becoming more democratic. The bra with its two cups and its classification by letter appeared in the 1930s. And the creation of technical materials, such as nylon and lycra, contributed to this democratization with the beginning of mass production, industrialization and standardization, when previously you would go to your hosiery to have your own custom-made model made. We are not yet at fast fashion , but we can consider the turn of the 1950s as the beginnings. Dim also appeared in the 60s.

If the 70s were the era of "no bra", the 90s on the other hand saw the appearance of the Wonderbra, the plunge bras, balconette bras and push-up bras. We wore our underwear on top and lingerie entered the world of fashion, sold in supermarkets (Dim, Variance, Playtex...) as well as in luxury brands (Dior, Eres...). Underwear then became real fashion accessories that followed trends, just like clothes.

The Victoria's Secret Revolution

The first boutique, intended as an English boudoir – Victoria is an ironic reference to the Queen of the United Kingdom, whose reign is known as the "Puritan era", hence the "secret" attached like an oxymoron – was born in 1977 in Palo Alto, California. But it was after its resale that the brand multiplied and exploded. Although of average quality and manufactured in Asia, the brand adopted the codes of luxury by creating its first megashow in New York in 1995, designed as a real fashion show. Extravagant and sexy, this spectacle lined up the slender supermodels of the time: Naomi Campbell, Helena Christensen, Karen Mulder, Eva Evangelista… For two decades, these shows became an institution. All the stars of the catwalks paraded there, from Gisele Bündchen to Gigi Hadid, and starved themselves beforehand for weeks with a drastic discipline imposed, as we would discover later. These fashion shows will make the brand famous with its multiple collections, its abundant offering frequently renewed by its patterns and colors, from cotton lingerie to the sexiest lace and swimsuits. In 2013, Victoria's Secret, present in every American shopping center, represented nearly a third of the lingerie market, before declining, accumulating scandals, finished off by the pandemic which halved its sales. And even if the brand only appeared recently and confidentially in France - after the beginning of its decline - its notoriety and its model have largely influenced the world of lingerie.

Entry into Fast Fashion

Lingerie is not spared from what was the success of the fast-fashion model: a permanent renewal of collections with products offered and manufactured at low cost, whose life expectancy is shortened as much as possible to encourage permanent consumption.

Etam also puts on a show

Even as Victoria's Secret, caught up in bad publicity linked to the era of MeToo and Body Positive, lost its luster and stopped its megashows in 2014, in France, Etam took over and paraded for the first time in 2016, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary, with Natalia Vodianova and Constance Jablonski as figureheads, to acquire a more fashionable and desirable image.

The group is multiplying its stores (1,400 points of sale including 860 boutiques worldwide for Etam, and the first locations in the United States in March 2022) and brands. Thus, in 2007, it created Undiz, a lingerie brand aimed at younger people with inexpensive and low-quality products. Conversely, this same group co-created Livy, a high-end brand focused on "sexy", with the Vog group (Bash) and took a majority stake in Ysé, a mid-range and high-end lingerie brand. From the highest to the lowest end, the Etam group dominates the French lingerie market, where it remains the leader with 10.2% of sales in 2021 - ahead of Leclerc (9.6%) and Carrefour (6.7% market share) - by offering new models every week.

Specialty retailers follow suit

In the 90s, new specialist franchise stores appeared in France, based on the Etam model. Princesse Tam Tam is a perfect example. Created by two sisters, the brand was then bought by the Japanese group that owned Uniqlo and then entered a more commercial logic, closer to fast fashion. Here too, lingerie, swimwear and indoor clothing can be found at reasonable prices, but not necessarily cheap. However, expertise in corsetry is limited and large sizes are not covered.

Fast Fashion brands open lingerie section

Attracted by this market that young people are fond of, fast fashion brands are rushing in and using the same codes as for other departments: collections that are quickly renewed. While traditional brands, with real know-how, need more than a year to put a bra model on the market. Fast fashion giants like Topshop, H&M and Forever 21 have all launched their own lingerie lines. The most recent arrival is Zara. The Inditex group already had its specialist brand Oysho, but opened a lingerie department at the end of 2020. All these brands are much better known to new consumers who do not always dare to walk through the door of a lingerie store or go to department stores.

While traditional corsetry brands are fighting to survive (Maison Lejaby in the 2010s, Indiscrète more recently), fast fashion, represented by major textile brands of all categories and by a concentration of specialized brands, risks tipping the lingerie market. And yet, when you need real good support, and while French women have an average bust size of 93.7cm with a C cup, these brands rarely provide the necessary support, not to mention advice!

Unless digitalization, and its share of small “digital native” and “ body positive ” brands offering all sorts of silhouettes, change the situation again in the years to come…

If fashion is taking an increasingly eco-responsible turn, the movement still seems to be in the minority when it comes to shoes. It must be said that alternatives are still rare, and reserved for limited series or brands that are not yet mainstream.

The first observation, when you try to wear responsible and sustainable shoes, is that it is not easy. If the eco-responsible alternative has gained ground for sneakers and other city sneakers - much less for real sports shoes, very technical - ankle boots, sandals, and other city shoes, they remain more difficult to find. You have to track down the labels, go to the brands' websites to understand their sourcing and manufacturing policy.

Shoes, a complex product

There are two main reasons why it is more complicated to find an eco-friendly shoe than a t-shirt or a pair of jeans.

• A shoe is a complex assembly of elements and materials, and can include up to 40 different components, sometimes without information on the origin or the assembly conditions.
• A shoe must be robust, must withstand time, weather (rain), elements (mud, asphalt), shocks and repeated friction related to steps. Suffice to say that it needs materials that are also robust. Leather and its imitations, such as PET, remain difficult to replace to achieve this goal. However, these are materials with a high carbon footprint... The equation is therefore difficult to solve. And yet some are working on it.

More sustainable materials

Obviously, the first thing we think about when defining a sustainable shoe is the material(s) it is made of. These must be more ecological. What are the alternatives?

LWG Certified Leather

More and more brands are turning to leathers from European tanneries, located in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Germany, certified by LWG. The Leather Working Group is made up of the main stakeholders in the leather industry : brands, suppliers, retailers, NGOs and other associations who work together to agree on a common environmental protocol . The objective is to align the industry with a certain number of environmental and societal obligations and to promote sustainable management and business practices, in connection with environmental protection . Not only are the hides treated without chrome and toxic products, but there is a sourcing, water and waste management policy, in addition to a societal policy towards employees.

Vegetable tanned leather

Tanning, the step of transforming a still putrescible skin into leather, a rot-proof and resistant material, uses chromium sulfates in more than 80% of tanneries, especially those located in India or Bangladesh. Vegetable-tanned leather is leather of animal origin whose tanning is carried out with plant extracts (wood, bark, roots, leaves). However, it takes longer: from 10 days to 8 weeks.

Vegetable leathers or alter-leather

Plant-based leathers are derived from pineapple leaves (Pinatex®), mushrooms (Muskin®) or apples (Appleskin®). Some brands now offer entire ranges of vegan shoes, and some major brands, such as Carel, have created at least one model

In upcycled leather

It is still very rare, but some brands use recycled or upcycled leather, from scraps, dormant stocks or skins not used by other brands.

Recycled plastics

So-called vegan shoes are mostly made from virgin PVC, so not at all eco-friendly. You have to be careful that this plastic is at least recycled, which is increasingly happening, like the trendy Lemon Jelly rain boots. We can also now find, notably at the AllBirds brand, a material like EVA (the material used in almost all shoe soles) made from sugar cane, also used for plastic beach sandals

Recycled soles

Some shoe soles are now made from car tires. Just as water bottles make excellent sweaters, tires, after transformation, make solid soles. The soles of Bobbies shoes are made of 70% recycled rubber and 30% natural hevea and come from an environmentally committed factory.

European manufacturing

It is not enough for materials to be more eco-friendly to make responsible shoes. It is also interesting that they are manufactured in short circuits, and not in Southeast Asia. Many brands are now paying attention to sourcing and are once again having their products manufactured in former European shoe flagships, with long-recognized know-how: Portugal, Spain, Italy, when it is not in Romans-sur-Isère, a mecca of shoes in France (Kélian, Charles Jourdan) until 20 years ago. Some young shoots, such as Madame Pied, Un si Beau Pas or 1083, have given new impetus to this historic capital of French shoes.

Some examples of eco-responsible brands:

Not all of their models are always, or they do not necessarily meet all of the specifications with part of the shoe not yet eco-responsible, or manufacturing outside Europe (often in the Maghreb), but these brands have made great efforts and stand out from shoes massively produced in Asia, or with classic and toxic leathers.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of brands that are very close to eco-responsible and sustainable footwear. They are mostly French and offer fashionable models: Bobbies, Jules & Jenn, M. Moustache, Craie, Sabots YouYou, Carel, Kleman, Etre Amis, the Portuguese Minuit sur Terre or NAE (No Animal Exploitation), obviously the English Stella Mc Cartney (partly owned by LVMH), the American Allbirds with B Corp certified shoes, WRAP and SMETA.

As we can see, alternatives exist, and young brands – as for clothing – are starting to promote them, even if everything is not perfect. Indeed, the product is complex and it is still difficult to meet all aspects of the specifications, at a cost acceptable to the consumer what's more!

Bags, belts, scarves, shawls… If we choose ethical fashion, can we adopt it even in our accessories? So, where and how to choose them?

In the bags section: Ethical bags, from vegetable-tanned leather to alternatives

Second hand, an obvious choice

The first option in terms of leather goods is obviously second-hand . And on this side, there is plenty of choice, in all possible styles and for all budgets. You can find very cheap bags in stores like Guerrisol or on the Vinted app as well as high-end leather goods and major brands in specialized consignment stores or on sites like Vestiaire Collective or Monogram Paris, as well as mid-range items.

Upcycled or vegetable leather

Another possibility, which we are seeing more and more frequently, is leather goods made from vegetable-tanned leather (and not with harmful chemicals, such as chrome, commonly used in large Asian tanneries). This is the case in nice French brands, such as Jules & Jenn, Valet de Pique, the Basque Bihotz, or the Spanish Minuit Sur Terre, which moreover have these items manufactured in Europe. In fact, many leather goods brands creating vegetable-tanned bags are the same as those making shoes in the same way. Others make bags from leather from dormant stocks, or from leather scraps.

The alternatives

As with all traditionally leather items, there are vegetable leathers, bags made from grape leather (at Maison peau neuves), mushroom, cactus, apple (Apple Skin) or pineapple (Pinatex). Less common, these bags are a few models in a collection or are the preserve of small brands.

Others have chosen cork, which can keep its natural Roots look or be treated to look like leather. This know-how is particularly widespread in Portugal where most of these bags are made.

Finally, there is even more choice for leisure bags. Thus, recycled cotton and polyester are used. The trendy brand Rive Droite makes all its bags and bum bags in recycled cotton while backpacks from brands like Sandqvist or Patagonia are in recycled polyester. And there are also bags made from scraps of truck tarpaulins or advertising tarpaulins (the famous Freitag, Oh la bâche) or boat sails (727 Sailbags, Les Voiles du large)

In the belt section

Obviously, we find the same possibilities on the side of belts and other small leather goods, from upcycled leather to alternative materials. But because of their shape, belts have called for even more inventiveness. Thus, we can find, notably at Saint Lazare or La Vie est Belt, items designed from seat belts, fire hoses, tires and other inner tubes.

In the scarves and shawls section

In this sector, the alternative to classic materials is more complicated and it is not easy to find your way around. Because scarves and shawls are, by default, made from polluting materials: wool, cotton, acrylic and silk. So, what to do?

Scarves made from certified wool or fleece

Now very widespread but still relegated to the sports section, neck warmers and scarves made from technical fleece material, made from recycled plastic, are an economical and ethical option, but not very chic.

On the other hand, there are now a few brands – with much higher prices – that manufacture organic cashmere items (Kujten) and luxury squares and scarves made from Organica Precious Fiber certified merino wool (at Amédée), the first international label for Merino wool, ecologically and socially responsible, and respectful of animal welfare (you can even find out the identity of the sheep from which the product's wool originates by scanning the QR code). Organic Basics has chosen recycled Merino wool for scarves that are ethically and environmentally friendly manufactured in Europe.

Scarves, a real headache

When it comes to scarves, it is even more difficult to find a completely virtuous product.

There are a few scarves made from organic or recycled cotton, but you have to look carefully.

And when it comes to silk, it's even more complicated.

The raw material comes 90% from Asia. China is also the world's leading supplier of raw silk, where silkworm farms (mulberry silkworms) most often use pesticides and fertilizers and where the worms are often suffocated and boiled to recover their precious thread. Of course, there is eco-sourced silk, certified GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), from the Sichuan province, a protected area east of the Himalayas. A few descendants of Lyon silk workers are gradually trying to reintroduce sericulture in France (which disappeared at the beginning of the 20th century following a series of epizootics), particularly in the Cévennes.

But when it comes to scarf production, India is world-renowned for its weaving techniques and print expertise, so much of the manufacturing is done there, in conditions rarely showcased even by the finest brands.

All that remains is to turn to small brands that produce in limited series with local artisans, particularly in Laos, or to choose linen or lyocell scarves, which are more ecological.

In any case, to make the right choice, you have to read the labels, find out about the brands' websites or Instagram accounts, paying attention not only to the origin of the materials, but also to the place and conditions of manufacture.