Xu Xiaomin

Is the fashion industry eco-friendly? No

By Xu Xiaomin (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-08-21 07:07

I was a fashion writer for a couple of years, but the luxury industry could neither make me fall in love with it nor respect it. The first reason is obvious: astronomical prices. But the second reason, environmental unfriendliness, which deserves more attention.

Fashionists may argue that I'm not aware of the eco-fashion products that have hit the market one after another recently. The famous "I am not a plastic bag", jeans made from organic cotton and clothes made from garbage bags are just a few examples, they would say. And then, of course, they would mention charity donation programs held by big brands to help the impoverished people and protect endangered animals.

Well, some companies do come up with eco-friendly products or hold events to promote eco-friendliness, but that does not necessarily make them eco-friendly.

For proof, you have to go no further than an invitation letter from a luxury brand. Once I got one for the opening of a new store. I opened the big blue (master) envelop of the carrier company. Staring me in the face was another big envelop, made of thick and expensive paper with the company's gorgeous logo on it. In it was a piece of semi-transparent paper wrapped around the "real" invitation card, a 2-mm-thick board with golden characters. What a waste!

And that was just one of the "luxury invitations" I've received.

Most of such ceremonies are grand, usually followed by a big party or banquet. Enter the banquet hall at the height of summer and you'd feel like you are in Siberia - so low is the temperature. Haven't they heard about global warming? Most women feel the cold, but very few dare to say it. To understand why the air-conditioners run at full blast, you have to see the invitation cards, which say men should be in formal dress, that is, suit and tie.