Eco Fashion Network Meeting in Berlin

Last weekend during the Berlin Fashion Week we organized a network meeting with Karmakonsum for the German eko fashion scene. 35 designers, shop owners and bloggers got together in Bio Restaurant Diwan and had an inspiring and fruitful evening. It was fun, next time we'll be probably more again... the scene is growing...

On the pictures: Magdalena Schaffrin, 500Godz, Bransparent, Jovoo, Armedangels, Karmakonsum, Slowmo. More pics of the meeting at Karmakonsum's Flickr

The Premium exhibition was rather disappointing. Less green brands than last time, and less international. The Green Area does not have a policy on which brands are "green", so everyone can buy a green spot. And is a bamboo floor really the right thing? If the Premium wants to keep the green thing going, they have to invest in it big time. Otherwise they might miss the boat.

Clothingbrand Tchibo Print their own Anticommercials

"This T-shirt is sewn by a child for Tchibo" stands on the shirt. Clothing company Tchibo offers a new print-on-demand service, where you can send in your own texts to be printed.

Dr. Kirstin Brodde, German textile expert and editor for the Greenpeace Magazine, sent in some critical texts about the company and they were delivered to her as she ordered them.

On her blog she describes her communication with the companies involved. It's a fun story (also read part 2 and part 3) for those reading German...

ÖkoRausch & Sommerkiosk: Events for Eco-Design

While we at Grass Routes are still clearing the details for the next Fair Fashion in Berlin, the Bureau Gruen in Cologne comes with a concurring event in September: the ÖkoRausch, a "Fair for design with consicousness". The event wants to present the pioneering design labels in green design in Germany. Sounds like a promising event for those in Germany interested in design and sustainability, and it is open for consumers.

For those sustainability freaks who can't wait till September, next weekend you can visit the Sommerkiosk in Nuremberg, an eco-design event with fashion show and a "Textil Fair Fürung" with Bernd Hausmann from the eco fashion concept store Glore. Next to a groovy program an exhibition with some interesting young and local designers. Not all 100% eco, but a lot of local, handmade, one-of-a-kinds, recycling, etc.

I am truly happy that so much events are taking up the issue, and hope it will boost the media coverage and consumer popularity of the sustainability issue even more...

Image: bags made from recycled materials by Vollstoff at the Sommerkiosk exhibition.

My Encounter with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Brandenburger Tor

Today me and my daughter Gaya went to see his Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Brandenburger Tor in Berlin. We were not the only ones, about twenty-five thousand people had the same idea, and so we stood pressed together, waiting for the leader of the Tibetan people in exile to arrive.

There were also people who were not there, such as most of Germany's politicians. For all the social democrats created a scam around the visit. After an under-minsiter announced she would meet the Dalai Lama, the top of the socialists got furious. SPD-leader Beck stated: "Unfortunately we can't stop this shit anymore." Well, shit happened, but it had a very friendly face.

Mao's promise
Considering all the political tensions around his visit, the Dalai Lama seemed to be fairly untouched. He smiled as usual and held a very calm, China-friendly speech. After his speech ended and his goodbye, he turned back to the audience to say something about all the Tibetan flags around. He said, Mao had asked him back in the fifties, if Tibet also had a flag, and promised him that he would allow the Tibetans to hang the Tibetan flag next to the Chinese communist flag. The Dalai Lama quoted this to make clear, that he does not aim to replace the flags, but to have the two in peaceful coexistence.

Dialog or boycott?
It is stunning, that with so much willingness for dialog from the Tibetan side, so little politicians dare to take a clear stand in the matter. The only party where the whole top supported a meeting was the German Green Party. The Silence of the International Olympic Committee and world leaders is tacit endorsement of abuse, says Amnesty.Regarding the brutal and dehumanizing way the Tibetans are treated, it is only because of the strong economic power of China that there is no boycott or other forms of official, international protest. But the Dalai Lama is the one being boycotted here. Even today, even in Germany.

Made in China
It is in this light brave of the Dalai Lama to be against a boycott of the olympics or any boycott at all. From an ethical consume perspective, I think it is better to look at the origin of your product before you buy. And to realize that "Made in China" does not really guarantee workers rights, if any rights at all. Well, make your scan. To be honest, I'm writing this on a China made Apple. I'm not promoting a boycott here, but just be aware of your consume choices!

First image (c) by Frans Prins
Second image: circulating on Facebook
Sources: Taz, N-TV
More to the Tibet case: Tibet Online, Avaaz, Wikipedia, Amnesty International

NB: This article is written on personal title. Not all blog articles on this blog are representing the standing point of the Grass Routes Foundation.

Boom of community based ethical consumer sites in Germany

In Germany there is a boom of new, community based ethical consumer websites that are being launched. One of the most successful of these on the moment is Utopia.

Another initiative with some good names behind it is New Ethics, both German and international. But they are still a bit in a starting up stage. Also a good one is Weltretter. Other sites working partly with a community are lohas.de and ivy.de.

It is a shame that some of these 'community based' sites choose a rather commercial strategy, which might weaken the purpose they say to stand for. The question is if conscious consumers want to connect their ideal word with too obvious product placements. But in general it is a good sign that so much of these initiatives are being set up, and that ethical consume is getting on the trendy side here in Germany as well.

Recently I joined the (invitation only) network FairDo, which gave me a good feeling being in a more real online community again. All the communities you join but somehow do not relate to that much, or never visit after registering, mean a lot of wasted time. Hopefully there will be technology in the future where your different communities interact with each other...

LOHAS Conference and Green Camp in Germany

The German eco-lifestyle experts from Karmakonsum organize a LOHAS marketing conference on May 30 and 31. LOHAS stands for Lifestyle Of Health And Sustainability and is said to be a large, new upcoming and long lasting lifestyle movement connected to a more sustainable consumption.

Next to the conference there is the Green Camp, organized as an open space for networking and exchanging ideas on several sustainability related topics. I am excited to come there because it could very likely have the right mix of creative activists, bloggers and green entrepreneurs, and have a good inspiring spirit. Joining the green camp is free of charge.

LOHAS marketing conference
On the conference there are several German specialists speaking, including representatives from the Club of Budapest, green fashion agency Good True Beautiful, cosmetics brand Dr. Hauschka, newspaper TAZ, organic supermarket Basic, and the green bank GLS.

LOHAS- green lifestyle or marketing concept?
Sometimes I can have my skeptical moments about the whole LOHAS thing, because it often presents sustainable products and lifestyle as luxury. Good strategy from a marketing perspective, but the LOHAS marketeers should be aware that being exclusive is a risk to exclude as well. Off course in the end sustainable lifestyle should be normal and not something for the ones who can afford it. Meanwhile it is better to be positive and promote green lifestyle in whatever way. In the end it is about the way you live your life so let's see if we can make a real green lifestyle movement out of the LOHAS marketing ideas!

Green & Recycling Fashion in Nuremberg (Germany): Duenda and the Glore Store

The best things come per coincidence. Yesterday I travelled to Nuremberg to visit the BioFach Messe, the largest professionals fair on organic products in the world (more reports later). I had my trip last minute booked through the German online carpool network Mitfahrgelegenheit and a very guest friendly host through the couchsurfing network Hospitalityclub. Altough I did not meet the guy hosting me, he just left me the key of his appartment and let me stay here in trust. There's still hope for humanity.

Creative decorations and recycling fashion by Duenda
When I arrived in the city I went looking for a cosy cafe with internet. After a unsuccesful detour through the romantic Nuremberg city, I stumbled over a small designer store called Duenda, which turned out to be a small cafe as well. Everything in this shop is made by the owners, a young German-Spanish creative couple full of wonderful ideas. Shoes with two big toes, uneven furniture, tons of fantastic decorative things and above all very worked out designer clothing with uneven cuts and handpainted drawings. A small, artistic universe and a great place for coffee as well. By the way Jordi, thanks for using your internet!

Cool Green Fashion in the Glore Store
From Duente it's over the bridge and you're at the Glore Store, Nurembergs Green Fashion Store. "Look fabulous, do good" is their motto. My first impression of the shop: colourful! Not only the pink store logo on the window, also the clothing was daringly outspoken in colours. I've seen some ethical fashion stores like Nukuhiva in Amsterdam, where black and grey have been dominating. I like green fashion on the creative side. The Glore Store combines classic ethical fashion brands like Howies, Kuyichi, or People Tree, streetwear styles from Nudie, Tudo Bom and the Berlin label Slowmo combined with cool screenprints on American Apparel shirts. Also a good selection of sneakers from Terra Plana, Blackspot, Ethletic and Veja. A good store concept that we will hear more of in Germany, I hope!

see also earlier report on Glore by Karmakonsum