WHAT A PLASTIC MESS
We have a problem! And it's a big one: plastic! More precisely, plastic waste that has not been recycled. Did you know that only a very small part of it is recycled? The reasons are diverse. The short version: recycling is complicated, expensive and energy-intensive. As a result, vast amounts of plastic are now found in the environment - not only in landfills but also in soils, lakes, rivers, and seas.
Plastics production ramped up from 1.5 Mio. t in 1950 to more than 350 Mio. t today
Conventional plastic is made from crude oil and is not biodegradable. It takes around 450 years for one plastic bottle to break down into the ground.
More than 10 million tons of plastic is dumped into our oceans every year.
The Prognosis: We have to question our use of plastic and step up our game. Otherwise, there will be more waste of plastic in the sea than fish by 2050.
WE DON’T WANT THAT MESS
We don't want our beautiful earth to degenerate into one big dump. This is precisely why we question our use of resources and our consumption every day. Concerning plastic, we ask ourselves very pointed questions: Is this material needed? How can we add more value to it? Is there a recycled alternative? Or even better: is there a natural alternative that is not derived from crude oil?
1. BETTER PACKAGING
In 2018 we decided against the use of newly manufactured plastic. Our polybags used to date were certainly recyclable of high quality, but we realized that virgin plastic as a packaging component was not necessary.
In the same year, we founded the #NOPLASTIC initiative and proactively joined forces with other sustainable fashion companies and organizations. The goal: to jointly research and use sustainable packaging alternatives. At the beginning of the year, we started the first test phase in which we exchanged plastic for a natural and purely plant-based product: FSC-certified glassine bags. Since then, we have gradually exchanged our recyclable polybags for paper bags and reduced packaging material by using paper banderoles. For us, this is an important step in the right direction.
In 2019 the International Association of the Natural Textile Industry (IVN) took the #NOPLASTIC initiative on board and, in the future, the IVN will act as professional consultant for packaging in the textile industry. As of the A/W 20/21 Season, we will no longer use new (virgin) plastic either for product packaging or material mixes in the collection. By doing so, we are engaging in the circular economy and affording a vital contribution to reducing the amount of plastic waste.
2. ORGANIC TEXTILE
We have always focused on natural fibers such as cotton and wool. Why? Because we love the feeling of natural fibers on our skin and appreciate their longevity. That's a benefit for us and our environment - especially if you consider that washing our clothes does not release any environmentally harmful substances. The situation is completely different when you are looking at synthetic textiles. Here, individual microparticles dissolve in the washing machine and enter the sea and groundwater via the wastewater.
3. CLEVER CARING
If you got synthetic garments in your wardrobe, we recommend using the GUPPYFRIEND® wash bag. It prevents synthetic garments from becoming "microplastic centrifuges" in the washing machine. How does it work? It traps all microparticles so that they do not get into the wastewater. Simply empty the bag after washing and you’ll be surprised at the amount of potential microplastics that can now be disposed of in your recycling bin.
4. RECYCLED FIBRES
When using plastic, stick to recycled plastic! We follow this maxim to give plastic waste a second life and to support the circular economy, in which waste is a valuable resource.
With our LANIUSxKUNERT tights, we have implemented this idea par excellence. The pantyhose consists of 100% regenerated nylon fiber ECONYL®, which is obtained from old fishing nets and other nylon waste.
5. BLUE FRIDAY
To counteract the acute pollution of the world's oceans, we support Healthy Seas. In case you haven't heard of the organization: Healthy Seas clean the oceans of marine litter (mainly derelict fishing nets, the so-called ghost nets) and helps the seas to recover. On the upcoming Black Friday - which we renamed Blue Friday - we do not give discounts that day but donate 10% of every purchase made to Healthy Seas.