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Fair Fashion: Trends, Challenges & How to Recognize Sustainable Clothing
Fair Fashion: Trends, Challenges & How to Recognize Sustainable Clothing
An Expert Interview
Bernd Hausmann
Bernd Claude Hausmann is the founder of glore and has owned glore Nuremberg since 2006. The name glore stands for globally responsible fashion, and as the name suggests, glore fashion stores offer a selection of fair fashion, organic cosmetics, and lifestyle products. The selection of products focuses on sustainability, not only regarding resource use but also fair working conditions during manufacturing.
Could you briefly describe who you are, what products you offer, and what role sustainability plays in your company?
We are a retailer who decided 15 years ago to only sell sustainable fashion. At that time, only natural textiles were available on the market, but hardly any brands appealed to current fashion trends and young customers. In the mid-2000s, more and more young brands and designers began to focus on sustainable fashion. Veja and Armedangels are an example of this. We wanted to bring these brands together and sell them in one place. We now do this in 12 concept stores in the DACH region.
What developments regarding fashion and sustainability have you observed in recent years, and where is the trend heading? Specifically concerning consumer behavior and the importance of fair fashion and sustainability in purchasing decisions?
The topic of sustainability now permeates all areas. Aldi and Lidl offer a wide range of organic products. Major textile retailers like H&M or Zara are talking more and more about sustainability. For many customers, the topic plays a significant role in their purchasing decision, and fair fashion is becoming increasingly sought after. At the same time, fashion is identity-forming; by that, I mean that a hip-hopper would never wear skinny jeans. In many segments, sustainable fashion is very well positioned and occupies an increasing share of the market. Veja has become a globally recognized brand. Thus, every sneaker lover and sustainability fan can buy the right sneakers. The trend is definitely towards these brands. However, in our industry, we still need to produce more segments with good brands. We have to do our homework there. The customer is ready to switch.
What are the biggest challenges for you as a fair fashion provider? For example, regarding pricing or the supply chain?
The biggest challenge is that we have too few truly well-known brands. The industry is relatively young. Most brands are no older than 15 years. Thus, we have to build brands and tell our customers the enchanting stories behind these brands. There is really something to discover, but that is, of course, a long road. Prices and supply chains are currently under extreme pressure. A small advantage of our industry is that we
often have long-term purchase agreements with producers of organic cotton or natural rubber. In addition, many of our brands produce in Portugal and are therefore not as affected by the expensive transport conditions in Asia. However, small brands are currently suffering from the current developments. For many start-ups, it is extremely challenging right now, and unfortunately, some have to give up.
"Greenwashing" is now widespread, not only in the fashion industry. Do you have any specific tips for our customers on fair fashion and sustainable shopping? How can I recognize sustainable clothing? Are there specific seals, for example? What should consumers look for when choosing materials?
Absolutely. Greenwashing is the new favorite pastime of big brands. In the textile sector, I recommend looking for certifications such as the GOTS standard or the Fair Wear Foundation. In addition, I always find it very trustworthy when brands transparently state where they produce and introduce their manufacturers and seamstresses. With many of our brands, customers can trace the entire supply chain via a QR code. For materials, I recommend good old organic cotton, hemp, and linen. Recycled cotton is also available and is often mixed with regular cotton.
Mud Jeans is a brand that works a lot with this material combination. What uses the least water and resources and is also inexpensive to get are second-hand styles. It's also always worthwhile to reorganize your wardrobe and consider what goes well together. "Capsule Wardrobe" is the keyword here. Some old styles can still be easily combined with new ones, so you don't always have to buy a completely new outfit.
Would you like to learn more about Glore or perhaps even find your new favorite sustainable item? Then visit the glore homepage.
Our MAWA Tip:
Have you already discovered our new MAWA Green Hanger collection? Our new favorites are made from renewable raw materials and are not only sustainable. They also match the design and functionality of our other MAWA hangers. Curious?
Is sustainability as important to you as it is to us? Read more about sustainability at MAWA here.
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