The opening of the exhibition “Eco Chic – Towards Sustainable Swedish Fashion” at the Scandinavia House proved Tuesday night that sustainable fashion can look stylish. I’ve always loved the simplicity and smartness of Swedish design. It was enlightening to see the same sensitivity in sustainable fashion. All Swedish designers were carefully selected based on their eco-friendly and ethical approach. I loved watching the short film “Globalization” that raises the question
if there’s such a thing as sustainable globalization. It follows Annika Axelsson, one of the founders of Dem Collective, starting her own manufacturing facility for her sustainable clothing line in Sri Lanka. All employees are paid a living wage based on actual living costs, three times higher than the national minimum wage.
The video set the tone for the rest of the exhibit by illustrating that ecology, ethics and well-designed quality can coexist. Some of my favorite eco-designs at the exhibition were by Dem Collective, Camilla Norrback and Zion Clothing. Camilla Norrback calls her ecological line Ecoluxury and skews more upscale like her modern black coat made of organic cotton. Currently 75% of her collection is made from organically certified materials. Zion’s line is inspired by street fashion and music like the dark green hooded sweater and T-shirt made of organic cotton. All dyeing and printing is water-based without the use of heavy metals. It was a fun surprise to see the hand-made wooden shoes by Swedish Hasbeens based on the original 1970s models that complement any eco-outfit.
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