Accessorize for nature: The boom of eco-friendly accessories
Written by Aghnia Hilya | Read in Indonesian
The Italian luxury fashion brand Prada recently became the talk of netizens after prominent South Korean actors and idols uploaded their photos with Prada's latest jewelry collection in the Prada Fine Jewelry campaign. Interestingly, apart from being worn by Jaehyun NCT, Lee Jae Wook, and TWICE's Sana, the articles were made of unusual materials.
Titled “Eternal Gold”, Prada presents a jewelry collection that is made using 100% certified recycled gold, a first for a global luxury brand. This collection is an example of how sustainable fashion practices in the realm of accessories are applied in the present century.
However, the luxury brand is not the only one that is moving towards sustainable fashion accessories. There are eyewear brands Sunski which processes plastic to make frames, Tiny Wood Studio which makes its jewelry from recycled metal and the watch brand Solois which makes each strap from sustainable vegan leather and other sustainable materials.
Indonesian accessory designers have also done this, even before the word "sustainable" is as booming as in recent times. At least, that's what Rinaldy Yunardi said to TFR after judging at Jakarta Fashion Week 2023.
"From the beginning, accessories have used appropriate materials. Accessories stick to people's skin and can irritate them, especially earrings that get into their ears. That's why, from the beginning, we have chosen sustainable materials, those that do not damage the environment and without chemicals," Rinaldy said.
It is not without reasons that the designer, whose work has been used by top public figures such as Beyonce, Madonna, and even Katy Perry, made such a remark. He is aware of this issue and applies this awareness to each of his works, for example by using recycled plastic or paper.
In addition to the materials, sustainability can also be pursued through more environmentally friendly processes. One of them is applied by Sunski. Material-wise, Sunski uses SuperLight, recycled plastic from post-industrial waste that often ends up in landfills.
The textiles in its accessories and products are made from solution-dyed recycled polyester (RPET) where, in the process, the color is added at the beginning by coloring the yarn before it is spun into cloth. This is done to avoid hazardous chemicals and to reduce water waste.
It is undeniable that consumers are getting more concerned about the concept of sustainability, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. The reason was revealed by a survey that found that the pandemic made respondents more aware that human activities could cause climate change and environmental degradation and, in turn, threaten humans. In fact, they think that environmental problems are no less concerning than health problems.
A McKinsey survey in 2021 revealed the same thing. Not only that, but consumers are also willing to put forth efforts to buy used goods and look for clothes and accessories made from environmentally friendly materials. The same research showed that those respondents are also willing to pay 15% more for the sustainable option.
This is because the McKinsey survey in 2020 also showed that in practice, consumers have started to change their behavior, one of which is in shopping for fashion products. 67% of respondents consider the use of sustainable materials as an important purchasing factor.
Citing the journal "Development of Sustainable Accessory Design Using Convertible Techniques" (2021), it was found that the global accessory market grew by 6.18% (CAGR) between 2004 and 2018, with a market valuation reaching $356 .4 billion.
As an illustration, the amount of gold used in one gold ring produces around 25-50 tons of waste minerals during mining, with China's gold production alone reaching 401,119 tons in 2018. That's why, when talking about sustainability in the fashion industry, it's not just clothing materials that need our attention, but also the accessories. This is also the concern of Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW).
One of JFK's efforts to highlight accessories is by holding the Accessory Designer Contest (LPA) every two years. The latest contest was held at JFW 2023 in October, carrying “Re: Shape” as its theme, where each participant is required to make an accessory using materials that can be found around them.
From waste to added value
Prioritizing the sustainability aspect, this year’s competition was won by Dyandra who made various accessories, from masks and necklaces to multifunctional earrings. Dyandra said fashion waste continues to increase due to the high level of consumerism in society.
“Each accessory has not only one function. For example, a mask can become a necklace, earrings can become a belt. That is to answer the problem of why there is so much fashion waste. At least it can be minimized by giving them more than one option to use. To hone the creativity of the wearer as well," the 27-year-old designer enthusiastically told TFR after JFW 2023.
Dyandra, who also works as an architect, converts wood waste from building construction into accessories. Her anxiety about a large amount of wood waste from building construction that is still in good shape but left just like that or even burned drove her creativity to make accessories, even since she was in college.
"I'm majoring in architecture, and every time I make mock-ups, [I think about] how come there's so much trash. I collect the trash and then I recycle it into small things that we can easily use first, like accessories. Because we want to make a comfortable home, but how come we are actually destroying the habitat," she said.
Amazing creations from foam
Wood waste which is still in good shape is not the only material that can be turned into beautiful accessories; foam waste from used shoes can also create added selling value. That is what prompted Ratih, one of the winners of LPA JFW 2023, to process materials from her surrounding environment.
The 26-year-old chose eva foam to make shoulder necklaces and necklaces in the competition. Ratih was driven by her anxiety over a large number of shoe soles from the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) industry which had been thrown away and let to accumulate even though they still have the potential to be processed.
"This material has great potential to be explored because it is flexible, so it can be made and shaped into anything. So I process it by heating, printing, and exploring its value so that it has a higher selling value," said Ratih, who claimed that there were no accessories made from foam.
What Ratih and Dyandra did is nothing new. Various foreign and local fashion accessory brands have started to implement and promote sustainability.
After all, who deliberately wants to maximize their appearance but harms the Earth? This question does not need an answer, but real actions. One way is to choose what we use wisely, from means of transportation to clothing and accessories. The good news is, this awareness has reached the fashionistas around us, so choosing sustainable options is getting easier!
