Want to give a meaningful gift this Christmas but unsure what to give? At VILDNIS HQ we always keep a wish list full of fab ethical fashion, jewellery, bags and beauty products, and we are happy to share. Below are some of my favourites for your inspiration. 1. The Bombom Clutch from Belo The black Bombom clutch from Belo is made from decommissioned seatbelts and oozes Rock Chick with its shiny texture and silver metal chain. Ethical working conditions, fair wages, lining made from recycled plastic bottles, 500 gsm of seat belt fabric saved from landfill and donations to a charity for homeless; this clutch looks badass but is 100% goodness. Price: £65 2. Wedge bangle from Little by Little...
The strap on my beloved shoulder bag recently broke. A bag that I had used day in and day out for two years – and had planned to enjoy for many more. It had originally taken me hours to find it – the one ‘with my name on it’ - and it was with part sadness that I deposited it in a cupboard after two failed attempts to repair It. The remaining part of me, I must admit, was quite excited about having to go bag shopping, and exploring what is out there on the sustainable bag market! Below is my shortlist of my favourite bag brands for your inspiration – all of which don’t compromise on style (either). ELVIS...
In my first role as a Buyer in Denmark 17 years ago, I was sometimes tasked with sourcing coats made from real furs. At that time in Scandinavia it was quite mainstream for people to own a real fur and little thought was given to where the fur came from. Whether it was due to the colder weather, a sense of ‘wearing fur is part of nature's lifecycle’ or something else is unclear. People's attitude towards fur was just different and in the 5 years I worked as a Buyer, I only remember seeing one (1!) letter from a customer worried about us selling real fur. In this particular incident it was in fact (a not very nice) 100% faux...
"And you are absolutely sure that you are able to source affordable sustainable fabrics?" one of our Directors asked me again. For the 10th time. We were at the very beginning of our VILDNIS journey and I was presenting my vision to my fellow three company Directors. They all loved the idea of a sustainable fashion brand, and were now scrutinising the plan to decide whether the proposal was viable or not. Having assured them that I could definitely source all the sustainable fabrics and materials needed for the collection, I was met with another question; "but if sustainable fabrics are widely available and affordable, then why aren't all fashion brands using them?" It is a very good question! There have, of course, been obstacles on the fabric sourcing...
Remember that special feeling of excitement when receiving a parcel from your favourite fashion brand and unwrapping your new purchases? While some retailers still keep it fairly simple with a transparent plastic bag, other retailers go to great lengths to delight their customers with beautiful bespoke packaging: gorgeous boxes inside boxes, luxurious perfume scented tissue paper, sleek paper bags, bespoke canvas bags and sometimes even small presents! The more we, as customers, get used to this, the more it takes to delight us. Before we know it, something that used to delight us has become the norm, and our favourite brands have to come up with something even more spectacular. It is a vicious circle. Every day we throw out huge amounts of...
