GREENWASHING IN LATAM
5 Reasons Why you Should Think Twice Before Calling all Latin American Brands “Sustainable”
The appearance of disruptive -plus- sustainable Latin American brands has captured the eye of the fashion world and editors can’t get enough. Of their flamboyant ultra-feminine looks and the clicks, they’re getting from them too. However, those flocks might not be as sustainable as everyone wants to think.
Latin America became a strong Fashion Hub during the last decade. It is known for its cultural richness and ancestral manufacturing processes. The Latam fashion industry has grown in large scale, and according to Statista South-America’s revenue due to fashion products is expected to reach around US$ 12.4M by the end of 2021.
Global warming awareness has put a spotlight on the impact factories have on the planet, and fashion has been a constant target for its supposed place in the rank of most polluting industries in the world. Xyie Bastida, climate change activist, alleges “the planet has less than 7 years to half the worldwide emissions to stay below 1.5C of warming”. Many fashion businesses have developed long-term Corporate Environmental Responsibility plans to lower their carbon footprint.
According to The Cambridge Dictionary, sustainability is the idea that goods and services should be produced in ways that do not use resources that cannot be replaced and that do not damage the environment. However, we can’t talk about sustainability without talking about “intersectionality” says Emily Farra, writer for Vogue Runway, in a recent piece about accountability in fashion. According to Farra, “intersectionality advocates for both: the protection of people and the planet”.
Latin America is not exempt from abuses to the environment and its workers. Contrary to the common belief that everything that comes out of these lands is sustainable by default, brands have a lot to learn and do to reach this milestone, from packaging to how they pay their workers. Here are five reasons why you should think twice before calling Latin American brands sustainable and “what to look for” in future purchases in order to protect the planet.
Transparency and accountability
Usually, Latin-American fashion brands are small and don’t provide accountable information about themselves and their sustainable accomplished metrics. That is why people can’t be sure that brands are actually being sustainable. It’s necessary to be well informed about the brand’s environmental compromises in order to support them in their journey. That information can usually be found in the brand’s web page.
The obnoxious use of the term “organic”
The use of organic fibers like cotton, wool, linen, and others don’t necessarily mean that a brand is sustainable. The term “organic” stands for a method of production without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other artificial agents. However, product transportation and packaging also play a big role. It’s not only the organic certifications consumers need to be aware of.
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If you’d like to keep reading the other reasons Why you Should Think Twice Before Calling all Latin American Brands “Sustainable” go to my blog https://cinq-a-sept-blog.com/blog/greenwashing-in-latam.
Bibliography
Cambridge Dictionary (2021). Sustainability (Consult: Sept. 13th) Recovered From: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/sustainability
Cambridge Dictionary (2021). Organic (Consult: Sept. 13th) Recovered From: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/organic
Statista (2021). Fashion. (Consult: September 13th). Recovered from: https://www.statista.com/outlook/dmo/ecommerce/fashion/south-america
Vogue Runway (2020). “Accountability is usually what’s missing” — Will 2020 Finally force Fashion to break its greenwashing habits? (Consult: Sept. 13th) Recovered From: https://www.vogue.com/article/end-of-greenwashing-accountability-in-fashion-sustainable-brooklyn
