Our commitment is not only to reduce our business’ impact, but also to bring awareness about the importance of locally made products and slow fashion.
Slow Fashion is a concept of transforming our perception of how we consume clothing, jewelry, handbags, etc. It’s really no different than how many people prefer non-GMO and Organic food, but thanks to companies like Whole Foods, our society’s perception has shifted. Today, people are aware of the impact of consuming non-Organic food on the individual and the environment from which it came.
We hope that this societal shift can help contribute to the transformation the fashion industry. This billion dollar industry is the second greatest contributor to pollution after oil and has a direct impact on the environment. The processing of raw materials required for textiles and the vast amounts of water used (713 gallons per t-shirt) contributes to the emission of greenhouse gasses, which are causing climate change. Fast fashion has resulted in a substantial increase in the amount of clothing people are not only consuming, but also quickly discarding a few months later.
Great articles/resources:
- Fast fashion: Inside the fight to end the silence on waste
- The environmental costs of fast fashion
- Fashion + Climate Change
- After Burberry was exposed they are singing a new song: Stella McCartney, Burberry among fashion brands uniting against climate change
- Timeout For Fast Fashion by Greenpeace
- The True Price of Fast Fashion
- Seven Forms of Sustainable Fashion
“Jeffrey Burroughs New York is committed to participate and explore any efforts of our process which help preserve our planet and its natural resources.”
Jeffrey Burroughs
The responsibilities doesn’t just lie with consumers, even luxury brands like Burberry, must re-evaluate their negative impact on our environment. It was recently discovered that they burned almost $40m of unsold clothing, accessories and perfume. Rather than selling it at a discount to protect the brand’s exclusivity and value. Fashion brands must re-think their process and approach to help reduce their impact.
Clothing, accessories, etc should be made by employees who are paid fair wadges with proper working conditions, using natural eco-friendly materials, and designed to last beyond a short trend or season.
Must see documentaries:
“Jeffrey Burroughs New York respects and honors the centuries old traditions of jewelry making.”
Jeffrey Burroughs
