Earth Day is currently the biggest environmental event on the planet! Every 22 April, the world mobilises to celebrate the Earth and to promote its preservation.
The first World Earth Day took place in the United States in 1970, one year after an oil rig accident off the coast of Santa Barbara, California. This tragic event caused approximately ten million litres of oil to be released into the sea for 11 days, shocking the public opinion all over the world. From the 70s till today, the Earth Day movement has grown constantly, involving up to one billion people in 193 countries around the globe.
As Regenesi, we believe that the goals and values promoted by Earth Day should be pursued 365 days a year! This is why, since 2008, we have been turning an ambitious vision into reality, regenerating waste raw materials such as aluminium, paper, plastic, leather, textiles and transforming them with innovative processes into high-performance materials, suitable for creating sustainable fashion and eco-design objects. In this way, we strive to contribute daily to a better world by proposing a circular business model, in which every single creation is made by the capable hands of Italian handcrafters.
In spite of our perseverance, we believe that the importance of this day should be properly emphasised. This anniversary is an opportunity for us to reflect on the future of our Planet, but above all it reminds us of the importance of acting in its defence by trying to set an example with our actions, as we believe that the world of fashion must also actively contribute to the renewal taking place.
At the moment, one of the most controversial phenomena in the fashion industry is hyper-fast fashion (valued at $100 billion). This business model, the opposite of the circular economy that we have been pursuing for years, is accused of violating trademark rights, human rights, health and safety, and yet it does not stop thriving. These fast fashion giants are skilled at decoding consumer tastes and offering a review of what are 'the clothes of the moment' at unbeatable prices. These brands, which are at the centre of endless controversy, are currently the most popular e-commerce sites in the world. The most disheartening thing is that the biggest buyers of these brands are young people, the members of the generation that is now so active in the struggle and demonstrations against global warming caused by multinational corporations.
It is important to understand how these cheap clothes, which young people can buy with their weekly pocket money, are instead costing not only the planet dearly, but the workers who do the work. There are reports of inhuman working conditions, with shifts of twelve hours a day, seven days a week, with only one day off a month, poor wages and the use of the worst quality fabrics.
Today is Earth Day and we want to take this occasion to appeal to consumers and especially to the younger generation not to fulfil their dreams by carelessly clicking the 'buy' button in front of cheap polyester clothes at the expense of thousands of exploited people and at the expense of the Earth's health. We should always keep in mind the principle of the three Rs: Reduce costs, Recycle and Regenerate.
Behind every purchase lies a political act, because sustainability in the world of fashion starts with us who buy!