I don’t know about you but since I’ve been making my own clothes, I’ve become much more discerning about the stuff that I buy. I’m more conscious of the quality of the materials; who they were made by and where; and how long they will last.
Jeans are something I’ll probably never make and whilst I’m not particularly brand conscious, I do prefer to give my money where possible, to companies that make products and follow business practices that are sustainable.
But we don’t live in an ideal world and it’s not always easy to find sustainable products at affordable prices. So when I was flicking through the latest copy of ‘Eve’, (a German free magazine available in my local grocery store that promotes organic products www.eve-magazin.de) and read their article about Mud Jeans, an innovative clothing brand from the Netherlands (www.mudjeans.eu), my attention was immediately grabbed!
This company’s concept is so ‘right on’ that I just had to share it.
Mud Jeans have been making fair fashion ‘for people who care’ according to their strapline, since 2008. Their stuff is organic, ecologic, sustainable, climate neutral and Fairtrade! I haven’t even seen or touched their jeans in the denim as it were but I love them already! I’m just a sucker for innovative concepts and all things made in Europe.
And as if that wasn’t good enough, they’ve taken the sustainability of their business one step further by offering a new ‘Leasing Jeans’ concept. This award- winning business strategy is the first of its kind in the jeans market and what’s catapulted Mud Jeans into the limelight now.
The idea to lease and not buy products is a win-win concept for consumer and producer. It makes an otherwise expensive item available to a wider variety of consumers because it’s now more affordable and it ensures that the materials remain the property of the company so they can then be recycled. Simple really!
It’s not a new idea though, just new to jeans. I first came across this when I was studying sustainability at Blekinge Institute in Sweden and we discussed a carpet company which switched to leasing as well as selling carpets to improve the sustainability of the company and its products. It’s encouraging to see this business practice being picked up by the fashion industry.
I wish this brand well and hope that this concept catches on and I’ll certainly be checking Mud Jeans out the next time I need some new jeans.
Has sewing your own clothes changed your buying habits? Have any ground-breaking brands caught your eye lately? Does the idea of leasing clothes appeal to you?
C
