It almost seems like hype. Everything is and must be produced sustainably in order to keep up with social change. We have taken a closer look at the topic of sustainability over the past two years and show why it is much more than just hype.
What does sustainability actually mean? And why is everyone talking about it now?
Sustainability in the fashion industry means not only producing fairly, i.e. paying appropriate wages to all those involved in the value chain, but also making the selection of materials as environmentally friendly as possible. At the same time, the production itself should meet ecological and social standards.
Demand for sustainable fashion is rising steadily, and more and more consumers are now taking a closer look at where and how the product was made when they buy it. This is also shown by a study in which 87 percent of consumers stated that they were convinced that companies should place at least as much emphasis on the social and environmental impact of their actions as they do on their core business activities (Edelman, 2012).
For the BAGSOLATE team, however, being sustainable or not was not even a question, because the team takes it for granted and has never thought about working in the Far East or with irresponsible materials.
Especially for a freshly founded company that is just building up the value chains, all doors are open: BAGSOLATE was not and is not stuck in any procedure. The goal is not only to produce a functional and stylish backpack, but also to be in harmony with social and environmental aspects.
We have every opportunity to influence the manufacturing process and material selection to achieve the goals we set for ourselves.
That’s why we have said from day one that our goal must be to design the BAGSOLATE as sustainably as possible – with materials that we can represent with a clear conscience and also to meet our high quality standards.
In the development of the backpack, three major pillars have formed for the BAGSOLATE: Style, Function and Sustainability. And this concept is well received by our customers!
Let’s get a little more specific: What exactly is sustainable about the BAGSOLATE?
The outer fabric: The raw materials for our recycled polyester fabric are fished from the sea and collected on land and are certified by the Seaqual Initiative. This reduces the eco-balance to a minimum. The raw material is then processed into the finished fabric in a Franconian weaving mill. The dyeing is of course carried out under the strictest environmental conditions.
But also our leather does not have a long journey, because our producer is located only a few kilometers away from Reutlingen, in Baden-Württemberg. Here, the special thing is that only hides are used, which arise as a slaughter by-product. Thus, no cows have to die due to the leather production. In addition, the leather is made fit for long-term use in our BAGSOLATE by means of an environmentally friendly mineral tanning process.
More info on the other materials, can be found here.
When it comes to innovation, we’re not just relying on what the market has to offer either: while we’ve included extremely high-performance insulation in our first series, we’re currently working on even better, sustainable insulation that is completely biodegradable. At the same time, neither function nor style is being neglected. We are experimenting with different sheep’s wool blends and fabrics made from hemp. To do this, we are working with companies in the packaging sector, among others, to benefit from their expertise. Since many tests are required, we have a lot of work to do until we get a usable – and sustainable – result.
That we are not the only ones who consider sustainability to be crucial is shown by the results of studies conducted by the industry magazine “Textilwirtschaft,” for which 169 fashion manufacturers and 291 clothing retailers were surveyed. The results showed that 73 percent of the manufacturers surveyed now consider sustainability to be “the most urgent project of our time”. And for 78 percent of all manufacturers and retailers, sustainability is clearly a top priority.
And of course, it’s just as important at BAGSOLATE.
A sustainable, insulated backpack? Yes, it exists!
