Italian Artisans for Sustainability: an Option to Consider
Is Made in Italy craftsmanship the best solution to defeat fast fashion?
Not a Plan(et) B:
Our planet is slowly crumbling under the weight of man’s whims and frenetic consumerism that clouds the minds of humanity. The flames that are devouring Australia, the floods that are sweeping Southern Italy and the thinning of the ice are alarming factors, symptoms of an already advanced disease.
Beyond zero emission:
The fashion industry is the second most polluting sector after oil and the main objective of the Industry is to reduce global emissions to zero by 2050. To reach this goal, fashion will have to go beyond the general commitments of carbon neutrality and invest a significant amount of resources in generating innovations and in adopting sustainable solutions to reach the green conversion.
Is Craftsmanship the Future of Sustainable Fashion?
Artisanship could be the ultimate solution for reducing the pollution produced by the fashion industry. In fact, craftsmanship, by not exploiting economies of scale and relying on small production, is a model of slow fashion, where quality has more value than quantity.
Small-scale Manufacturing:
Craftsmen usually work in small communities and produce in family businesses. This small-scale production provides greater assurance of product quality, as each creation is signed by an individual. The products therefore tend to be more durable and environmentally friendly as the extraction of the raw material is almost always done locally.
New Way of Consuming Fashion:
Craftsmanship can re-educate consumers, as each item manufactured by an artisan hides a story, attention to detail and care in the choice of materials. The variety of craftsmanship that is based on local cultures, leads us to have a greater sensitivity towards the object purchased, capable of collecting traditions and stories of distant countries.
How to create a Sustainable Brand Legacy?
The slow fashion movement and the return to craftsmanship seem to be the most concrete and feasible solutions in the short term to reduce emissions and the environmental impact of the fashion industry. Craftsmanship will be a great example for large companies, thus succeeding in achieving the results required by the Paris Agreement and reaffirmed at COP26.
