In a tiny workshop in central Paris, Paloma
Casile adding final details to eco-friendly lingerie collection that she hopes will
catch on at an international show a few days hence.
Below her chic little shop on the Rue du Jour, the designer pieces together
bits of lace, sometimes combined with lurex, taking care to gather up scraps
to be used in other models or donated to fashion schools.
“I was always careful when it came to cutting, I have worked in factories
and seen the waste” generated by industrial processes, says the 30-year-old
who intends to create another line to be made in Morocco.
Casile launched her eponymous line in 2012, with most suppliers in France
and a standardised production process to limit losses.
All the fittings are identical, “and they’re made from zamak, which
requires half the water compared to other metals,” she notes in reference to
an alloy of zinc, aluminium, magnesium and copper.
Casile also limits her range of colours and uses certified Oeko-tex dyes
that are free of toxic substances.
Finally, she repairs her wares for up to four years.
“Ok, it keeps the client on board, but it is also with a view towards not
seeing them thrown away,” she explains.
The approach has begun to gain ground in the fashion industry as
environmental concerns encourage more and more companies to explore
sustainable methods.
Young designers are spearheading the trend, which remains a niche within a
sector that was worth an estimated 2.4 billion euros (2.7 billion US dollars) in France
alone last year.
“As a consumer, I did not find a brand that offered sexy outfits that were
completely responsible along the entire production chain,” explains Margot
Dargegen, 25, who founded Nenes Paris with recycled lace a year ago.
“Scraps of fabric and plastic bottles are ground up and turned into fibres
that become thread that you can then make the material you want to from,” she
adds.
The challenge of finding sustainable materials for fashion collections
“When we started out, finding eco-friendly materials was harder, but we see
now that things are starting to move,” says Mathilde de Sacy, 28, who created
the Olly brand with a friend three years ago.
“We use certified material, organic GOTS cotton, lace made with recycled
fibres and Oeko-Tex 100 dyes. We also wanted the work to be done in Europe to
ensure proper working conditions,” she adds.
“Consumers pay more and more attention to such things,” notes Cecile
Vivier-Guerin, marketing director for a lingerie show in Paris.
In particular, suppliers are offering wider ranges of fabrics that respect
the environment, she said.
They include classic recycled cotton, or satin, or bra shells made from
coffee fibre.
A Swiss company offers a line of lingerie that is completely biodegradable
In a sector that has stagnated in recent years, “it encourages consumers to
buy better quality products that require less transport and add value,”
Vivier-Guerin said.
“It’s a significant stimulus,” she noted.
National brands such as Etam have taken note, and now offer collections
made from recycled lace as well.
“Everyone understands that it is an important factor that consumers look for,”
says Gildas Minvielle, head of the Economic Observatory at the French Fashion
Institute.
That said, “100 percent ecological is hard to attain,” admitted Casile, who
emphasises that brands interested in the idea must go beyond the purely
marketing aspect.(AFP)