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Think back to every outfit you have ever owned. The leather bomber jacket in the eighties, the double denim in the nineties, the gaudy trainers in the noughties. Do you ever wonder where on earth they all end up? Our founder, William Forshaw, writes about his views on the devastating effect fashion industry pollution is having on the environment…
The fashion industry is the second biggest polluter behind oil. Fact.
The recent data revealed at the Copenhagen Fashion Summit last week is incredibly shocking. As an international society, it seems that we have lost our ability to truly appreciate what’s in front of our eyes. Maybe it’s because our attention spans are getting shorter, maybe it’s because we just simply desire more options. Whatever the case may be, the facts speak volumes. I started Maxwell Scott with one mission: to make people fall in love with owning something beautiful. During my twenties working in advertising in London, I became acutely aware of human nature’s inability to truly look after our possessions. Bags caught my eye, in particular. I would encounter several man-made material monstrosities a day, swung under tables, yanked open and rummaged in frantically. There was no real pride there.
• In the last 15 years, textile production has doubled.
• The average number of times a garment/accessory is worn before it ceases to be used has decreased by 36% compared to 15 years ago.
• Less than 1% of material used to produce clothing/accessories is recycled into new clothing/accessories.
• Of the total fibre input used for clothing, 87% is land filled or incinerated.
• In 2015, greenhouse gas emissions from textiles production totalled 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2. 81 more than those of all international flights and maritime shipping combined.
Maxwell Scott has and always will be about creating durable leather bags and accessories to delight in using day in, day out for decades. Whether you’re travelling around Asia, on the Northern line to work or meeting friends for that well-deserved glass of Malbec. We are the antidote for the current fast fashion culture that, it seems, is seriously harming our universe.
Our craftsmanship is unrivalled in its quality and, most importantly, strives to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Our signature full grain leathers are vegetable tanned using organic tannins and treated in large wooden barrels – no toxic chemicals emitted. All our pieces are manufactured by an independent family run factory in Italy who believe that traditional is best. This means manpower is still rightly perceived as more valuable than machinery – less energy needed, less fossil fuels extracted.
Think back to your grandparents and the pride they had in taking care of their belongings. There’s something romantic and classic about it, right? Together, that’s what we need to resurrect. We need to follow in their footsteps once again and prove that fast fashion is not the way forward if we want to look after our world and lead meaningful, honourable lives.
Together, I really hope that we can get back to that way of thinking. I know most of you reading this probably already do believe that it’s the way we should go. It’d be wonderful if you could join me in passing on the message to your family and friends and hopefully, our Maxwell Scott community can make a small but effective difference.
I hope within this article I have made you think a little about being more conscious in investing in belongings that will stand the test of time – whether for either an ethical or a sentimental reason.
Best,
William
Tip 1: Give it heirloom status
According to The Telegraph, three quarters of Britain throw away unwanted clothing, rather than donating or recycling it. Passing down, say, a briefcase through generations is both highly ethical and equally rewarding. It’s more meaningful and the recipient is bound to treasure it. Make incredible memories with your possessions.
Tip 2: Adore it
Make sure you choose a leather shade and style that you know you’ll adore for years. Our bags are all timeless for this very reason. Ensuring you pick the right bag for you is essential to sticking by it through thick and thin. If it complements your style and your wardrobe, the fact is you’re most likely to treasure it for longer.
Tip 3: Take care of it
Taking good care of your bag will keep it in great nick and you’ll find that your Maxwell Scott piece actually improves with age. Looking after a piece is highly honourable and will set you apart from others. We need to start cherishing our possessions again.
Tip 4: Pass it on
Swishing is a term used to denote the switching of items amongst family and friends. Make an evening of it and ‘swish’ alongside some cheese and wine. We know that you may fall out of love with some of your belongings – it does happen. This is a responsible way of passing on your items to another owner who will, in turn, use it for many more years to come. No landfills necessary.
