Ever wonder what the term “regenerative fashion” means?
THE BEAUTY OF REGENERATION- When we refer to “regenerate fashion“, we talk about fashion that supports circularity, which means using reclaimed materials by up cycling them, using wasted discarded items or supporting regenerative agriculture.
FARMERS, THE GAME CHANGERS- Farming has always been an interest of mine, and anyone living in Ireland has some sort of an affinity for farming. Not all farming is the same; farming is divided into two kinds of farmers; those that are part of the solution and those that aren’t. When designing our products and before we even dream of producing, we look at our products’ timeline, which brings us right back to, you guessed it, farming! The ideology that the most sustainable fashion items in your wardrobe are the clothes you already have; well, there is way more to growing a solution than that conclusion. No doubt, this assumption tries to counterbalance the harmful effects of overconsumption for sure. Still, for longevity, we need to change how we produce and use innovative, restorative, regenerative, and biodiversity-enhancing farming; along with honest business practices married with conscious behaviour patterns.
According to the UN, The fashion industry is responsible for 10 % of annual global carbon emissions than international flights and maritime shipping combined. Due to inadequate technology, less than 1% of clothes are recycled!
MATERIALS- At AOIFE ® lifestyle, we use recycled, regenerated, reclaimed and biodegradable sustainable materials. We are looking at materials closer to home now, supporting local farmers because every bioregion has its own set of rules and we are all about supporting community-based local producers. As a growing Irish brand, we are heavily involved in supporting environmental initiatives and enhancing ecosystems. Focusing on soil health is essential to us. If plants are more resilient and nutrient-dense, we get to design and craft with exquisite, quality fibres. Although we are not farmers, we are constantly committed to improving our carbon footprint along the way by actively making positive changes. Presently we donate a percentage of our sales to planting native trees in Ireland and ocean clean up. Plants have always fascinated me personally, the idea that placing certain plants strategically together can assist and enable others to grow stronger; I love this; I think we have a lot to learn about mirroring this behaviour as humans! The industrial revolution has many things to answer for but that will have to wait for another blog! The bottom line is that regenerative agriculture could help stop climate change because, in a little nutshell, healthy soil traps much more carbon!
YOU CAN MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT- Can we make it to zero net greenhouse gas emissions? Circularity principles need to be implemented throughout all value chain stages to make the circular economy successful. From design to production, all the way to the consumer. I am hopeful we can make it happen!
Discover @aoifelifestyle “The Beauty of Regeneration” in the fashion section in this Autumns Issue of the Galway Now.
AOIFE ® was recently shortlisted to Irelands Sustainable Green Awards 2021. AOIFE ® is a brand label from Ireland, all legal rights and intellectual property is reserved.
