Sustainability has been a major focus for Etiko since we launched back in 2005.
We’ve spent the past 17-years trying to create products that cause minimal environmental harm – from manufacturing to post-consumer life – while also empowering the people in our supply chains. For 2023, we’re taking a different approach and we won’t be calling ourselves a sustainable brand anymore.
Here’s why.
It doesn’t take a genius to realise that manufacturing anything has an environmental impact. It could be solar panels, electric cars, reusable water bottles or your clothing – an impact is made regardless of sustainability goals.
And, in a world with limited resources, and in a society that constantly overshoots their consumption of those resources (take a look at Earth Overshoot Day for more info on this), we don’t think ‘sustainable’ is good enough.
It’s true that sustainably-made products offer a much better alternative for essential purchases. But that’s the key word: essential. And not everything we buy is essential. Plus, we believe that the word ‘sustainable’ has become tarnished by greenwashing over the years, ultimately diluting the value of the message. So, we’ve decided not to call ourselves a sustainable brand anymore.
The production of Etiko clothing and footwear has an environmental impact. We do our absolute best to mitigate that impact by choosing organically grown, biodegradable materials and packaging them minimally, but manufacturing is not a sustainable process, nor is it regenerative. And considering the current state our planet, regeneration should be the goal of our global community.
Sustainability is no longer good enough.
That’s why we’re ditching the word sustainable in 2023 and choosing to instead call ourselves a responsible brand with regenerative goals. And, we encourage each and every one of you to take on this idea and adopt it as your very own personal mantra for 2023.
So, what does it mean to be responsible?
For us as a brand, and hopefully for you as a consumer, being responsible means
understanding that choices have consequences – many of which go unseen – and we need to take personal accountability for those choices and their consequences. Being responsible also means understanding that resources are limited and we should aim to protect and regenerate those resources.
Responsibility also means going beyond the bare minimum of what’s expected of you. For us, that means a renewed commitment to communicating the pros and cons of ethical fashion, continuing to invest in better solutions and outcomes, and always aiming to give back to people, animals and the planet.
So, what do you say? Are you keen to join us on a journey of responsibility and regeneration in 2023? We’d love to hear your ideas on how you can live your values better in this new year – comment below and help inspire a 2023 that’s filled with radical and responsible change.
16 comments
I teach regenerative gardening, and for some time I have been saying ‘Who wants to sustain what we have now?’
I agree that the effect of the word word sustainable has been diminished
Although you’ve physically moved out of my neighbourhood, I applaud how your aims have changed and still think your clothes and message, rock!
SO well done, Etiko!
I completely get this and you’re right. Plus greenwashing has become so common it’s a wonder people can even tell the difference. To quote you – “a renewed commitment to communicating the pros and cons of ethical fashion, continuing to invest in better solutions and outcomes, and always aiming to give back to people, animals and the planet” – sounds spot on to me!
Not bad thinking. I’ll continue to shop
Thank you, great post and message 👍🌈
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