Cut from conscious cloth

In conversation with Doina Ciobanu on the environmental ramifications of the rag trade, how we can push for change, and why things must not stay the same.

To get dressed poses no immediate danger to the self or any other. No person has ever, as far as we know, endured death by closing a zip or fasten- ing a button. Even so, the clothes we drape upon our bodies tell stories all too often steeped in sinisterness, servitude, and sin, with many garments born from journeys made in shadows purposely positioned by those who profit from keeping us vain and ignorant. At the mercy of materialism, the modern citizen succumbs (in style) to their insatiable appetite for consumption, enamoured by narratives that champion characters who wear fine and lovely things, calculating their worth against clothes that have wrought havoc on the lives of others and upon the fabric of our environment.

‘No man ever stood the lower in my estimation for having a patch in his clothes,’ American poet and philosopher Henry David Thoreau once wrote, ‘yet I am sure that there is greater anxiety, commonly, to have fashionable, or at least clean and un-patched clothes, than to have a sound conscience.’ Speaking to our love of novelty over utility within our wardrobes, and our imprinted desire for the approval of others, Thoreau’s musings illuminate the ideologies that have led to the gradual destruction of our cosmic landscape. As we’ve dressed throughout history, we have done so (mostly) with the status quo in mind, in blissful ignorance of those who have fallen victim to the relentless demands of fashion.

Though most of us know our size, far fewer appreciate the measure of the malpractice that continues at the heart of much of the rag trade. But as the seasons have changed, so too have our sartorial standards, with more savvy consumers than ever before challenging the industry on its behaviours and intentions. But the wearers are not the only ones who have awoken. Tired of the treachery that taints their trade, many labels and brands—large and small—have joined the conversation, vocalising visions for the future of fashion sans the unethical element of unforgivable foul play. To do so, they are rapidly joining forces with influencers whose fingers trace the rhythms of two important pulses: the desires of those who consume and the visions of those who create.

Model and activist Doina Ciobanu is one such influencer. Born and raised in Chișinău, Moldova, the London-based tastemaker has a degree in political science and a passion for educating others on the changes they can make to lead more sustainable lives without having to compromise on style. Spending much of her time orbiting both the realm of fashion and the business of sustainability, Ciobanu is driven by her desire to guide others on their individual paths to reduce their own carbon footprint, understanding that our shared vision for a more sustainable future can only be actualised one small step at a time.

KATHRYN CARTER: As a digital influencer, do you observe a tension between the desire to “have what they are having”—without stopping to consider the consequences of over-consumption—and wanting to reduce your carbon footprint, both within yourself and your audience?

DOINA CIOBANU: Of course, and I don’t think it’s just myself as a digital influencer, but all of us. Our lives are filled with hypocrisies and dilemmas. If you think about it, most jobs these days contribute to an unsustainable way of living. Our sole existence in such big numbers goes against protect- ing the natural order of things on Earth, and that is simply the truth. But most of us still want to contribute one way or another, so to me it’s about doing what you can with as much as you have access to.

What conscious steps do you take on a daily basis, in a practical sense, to increase your own personal sustainability practice?
I have greatly reduced my use of single-use plastics—from plastic bottles to takeaway coffee cups. I’ve also reduced my meat intake, as the meat and dairy industries are two of the biggest polluters, and lessened the amount of food waste we produce at home, as this is a massive methane source. By choosing to donate and resell my possessions when I no longer use or wear them, I also extend the lifespan of the products I already own.

To the point of polluters, since the onset of fast fashion, many labels have transformed their business models to keep up with the ever-changing climate, with many brands being accused of adopting wasteful practices, using toxic and unsustainably sourced materials, and failing to keep their employees safe within manufacturing workplaces. What are your thoughts when it comes to the lack of transparency across the board— high and low—within the industry? Thanks to some amazing journalists that have brought these issues to our awareness, we have a much more transparent industry at the moment. My problem is that even with all that [unearthed] information available to us, there still seems to be a lack of desire to change anything towards better [practices] from the companies’ side, and no policies to force them to either.

I’m pleased you’ve made mention of policies, because I too feel there is so much work that can be done in this regard. It’s easy to fall into discussions about how consumers can change their behaviours to further the sustainability cause, but what role do you think policy plays in both impeding and encouraging greater sustainability in the fashion industry?
An absolutely crucial role. The reality is, not many people are eager to sacrifice their time, comfort, or money to opt out of unsustainable habits. The only way our society can change fast and efficiently is through [the implementation of] policies—for example, by taxing companies that produce harmful materials a substantially higher amount, to the point where their earnings feel it, and by introducing mandatory offsetting for the production processes that use non-green energy. Other things we could do include introducing limits to how many materials each corporation can use, and taxing those businesses a significant amount if they go over their cap. The reality is that while we might be passing on our steaks and water bottles, most big corporations carry on as if nothing is happening. I mean, just look at how Coca Cola has announced it will keep increasing its production of plastic bottles.

I think it has to do with both of these factors. I’d be curious to see the demo- graphic of the surveyed consumers because I can assure you that in regions like Eastern Europe, India, the Middle East, and Asia, sustainability is not a big driver for people, and most people don’t even really know [that much] about it. It’s still a very Western, new-wave idea that has gained popularity mostly online. So an enormous sector of the population is simply not aware of the urgency of these topics.

On the other hand, for most of those who do know about it, it’s a matter of finance. Realistically speaking, all sustainable products have a higher market value, whether it’s recycled toilet paper, biodetergents, electric cars, or sustainable clothing. That is why I have always been a supporter of high street fashion brands that are creating change. Of course, the idea of a sus- tainable mass market is an oxymoron. But that part of the market is not going anywhere anytime soon, so we can either crucify it or help make it less polluting [of our environment].

It’s true that an increasing amount of high street labels have declared that they are taking steps to improve their practices, but it’s sometimes hard to determine what changes are truly being made and what promises are actually being kept. At the end of the day, I think many of us can agree that we have a long way to go. As reported by Business of Fashion and McKinsey & Company in their annual report The State of Fashion 2020, the global fashion industry remains extremely energy consuming, polluting, and wasteful. ‘Despite some modest progress, fashion hasn’t yet taken its environmental responsibilities seriously enough.’ Moving forward, the report states, ‘fashion players need to swap platitudes and promotional noise for meaningful action and regulatory compliance while facing up to consumer demand for transformational change.’

What are your own thoughts on the shallow nature of the promotional noise made by the industry to date, and what do you think it will take for us to cut through the rhetoric to the core of the conversation—as consumers of fashion, yes, but first and foremost as global citizens who truly care?
The massive majority of what we see is greenwashing. For instance, some- one once calculated for me how much it would cost a company like H&M to fully offset their emissions through a gold standard project; it would come to around €3 billion per year. Sure, this is a highly technical wind power investment, so it does come at a premium. But have we seen them plant at least one tree per garment? No, we have not. And a company like that can plant trees for as little as 15 cents. That would be a real game changer. But I really don’t think something like that can be achieved by us being individually aware and involved consumers. This is an area where, to my mind, policies really need to be set in place.

There’s only so much that we can do as individuals, absolutely, and equally only so much we can do as a global collective without the sup- port of government policies forcing change upon those in positions of power. To the point of the philosophies that underpin this discussion, though, each country has its own culture, made up of its own distinct rules and regulations—both written and unspoken—that govern not only the ways its citizens live but also, to a certain degree, how they feel and think. If we are to consider sustainability as a culture in itself, which you arguably could, we begin to envisage a culture that knows no borders, translating to a way of life that is underpinned by philosophies shared by humans all over the world. In this sense, do you feel as though our global fight for stronger sustainability simultaneously unites us as global citizens, in turn strengthening our sense of connectedness with all of humanity?

I sure hope so, and I have seen how it can unite people. But just like any ideology, it creates a hundred other sub-ideologies, and so the whole issue becomes very messy, and people very quickly lose the interest to be tied into it. A perfect example is the Extinction Rebellion blockade of the Lon- don Underground [in October 2019]. Or ongoing protests against the use of ethical, natural fibres like wool by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), hence encouraging the use of [harmful] synthetic fibres. That is why I think leaders of movements such as these need to be extra careful when formulating and communicating their messages.

Absolutely. There’s a lot that needs to be taken into consideration, many perspectives that ought to be considered, especially in times such as these when the issues we are facing are multifaceted and complex, impacting on us not only physically but also psychologically and spir- itually. Even so, ongoing environmental and ethical injustices do need to be brought to our awareness: when we hurt the planet, we harm ourselves. Given this reality, do you feel that our increasing interest in, and passion for, sustainability as a global collective is a reflection of a universal cultural shift towards greater self-love, compassion, patience, and understanding?

I don’t think there’s anything to suggest there’s a cultural shift that’s related to sustainability [specifically—however,] I would highlight that the use of antidepressants is up, indicating that people are unhappier with life than ever before. Rather, I think it’s a [cultural] shift [that has been] brought on by many people feeling an impending doom—[just] look at the likes of [Swedish environmental activist] Greta Thunberg. There’s nothing there showing her as a leader for self-love, compassion, patience, and under- standing. Instead, the message is more: do this or face extinction.

French writer Voltaire once wrote: ‘Judge a man by his questions rath- er than by his answers.’ What is your take on the importance of consumers asking questions of corporations regarding their sustainability practices, and the current opportunities (or lack thereof) for us to do so, given that so much of the supply chain remains a corporate secret?

Of course it is great to ask questions; however, it bothers me how easy it is for companies to avoid giving us an answer. And, I won’t get tired of mentioning, that is where policies can come in. The amount of times I have not quite understood the supply chain of a product and contacted the company insistently but heard nothing back is worrying. An example would be an Italian water that I bought in London. At some point I discovered that their bottle indicated that it was packaged in South-East Asia, which made no sense to me. That would mean that the water that I previously thought was quite a local product was being shipped to the other side of the world for packaging and then re-shipped back? I wrote and wrote, but nobody an- swered—not the stockists, not the company, not the distributors. It remains a mystery to this day.

What does it truly take, in your opinion, to be a completely conscious consumer?
Honestly, you’d have to move into a forest or onto a farm and live off every- thing you grow and provide for yourself. Not being a consumer at all would be the only way to become a completely conscious consumer. That is why we shouldn’t look at absolutism. Instead, we should strive to be better than yesterday, to be more conscious, more sustainable. That is the only goal we can realistically achieve.