by Claudia Nikolova
Sustainability has become a true buzz word in recent years.”
Sustainability has become a true buzzword in recent years. Even large corporations with foundations well built on traditional (read unsustainable) practices have started to proclaim themselves green. Instead of greenwashing, they’re brainwashing consumers.
However, that doesn’t mean sustainability is the wrong path to take. We had the chance to talk to four incredible women entrepreneurs running revolutionary conscious fashion brands: Sabinna, Flair Atelier, Fabric for Freedom, and Conscious House London. Each of them spoke openly about their experience with sustainability. And all of them agreed there are certain myths that hurt the reputation of green businesses.
Sustainability is budget-friendly
One thing is for sure: certificates cost a lot. Small companies can hardly afford them. The owner can go above and beyond to make the supply chain sustainable but without the certificates, it’s virtually pointless. Additionally, the initial costs for eco-friendly technology and materials are higher compared to non-green alternatives.
Nonetheless, research shows that ROI is also higher. All things considered, it’s expensive to find a sustainable business but once you survive the critical period benefits will start to show.
Your business can be 100% sustainable
As one of the ladies put it “You have to choose your battles.” In order to stay open and profitable you have to play the sustainability cards wisely. Fairness of labor, CO2 pollution, equality, plastic pollution, transparency, etc. – you can’t win them all. You must prioritize depending on your brand identity, mission, budget, and goals.
Businesses claiming to be completely green and ethical are simply deluding their customers and the public. It’s not rare that sustainability is used for marketing purposes.
Vegan fashion is sustainable
Sabinna’s founder, a vegan, declared she’d rather wear leather than vegan clothes. We know how vegans are hard-core in their beliefs so when a vegan admits that vegan fashion is bad for the environment, you have to take it seriously. The main problem lies in fabrics used for production, which are often non-biodegradable. Even when fabrics are plant-based, the means and methods for their production are rarely environmentally friendly or ethical.
Each myth can be an article in itself. Would you like to learn more about debunking sustainable business myths? Let us know in the comments below!
She Owns It accepts guest post submissions at https://sheownsit.com/guest-post-submissions/. If you have an article that would be of value to our community, please submit for approval.
All posts will be screened, links checked (limited to 3 and must be relevant), and author must be verifiable through a website and social media accounts.
