Sustainable artisanal fashion: Why Gen Z is leading the pack?

The COVID-19 outbreak has had unprecedented impacts on the global economy, creating revolutionary changes for the fashion industry worldwide and in Vietnam. The pandemic makes people realize they do not live in an age of abundance, and it is time to strive towards sustainability when resources are becoming limited.

Having to stay home most of the time, consumers tend to choose minimalist clothes, which both save costs and contribute to environmental protection. They shop less but with more quality, especially with Generation Z and millennials. While previous generations opt for designer goods based on the brand’s traditional craftsmanship and longtime heritage, millennials and Generation Z demand sustainability and ethical fashion. A 2015 Nielsen report found that 73% of millennials are willing to pay more for sustainable products. And Forbes said in its 2019 report that 62% of Generation Z preferred sustainable brands.

Related: Vietnam local artisanal: Where heritage meets modernity

Sustainable fashion has been seen as the trend of the future for many years. Sustainability in fashion is not just about eco-friendly materials. It is also about humanity in treating people who have made the product, long-term engagement with customers and creating values for the community. Transparency is also a factor that enhances the sustainability of the brand, as consumers increasingly demand to know the origin of the products. With the development of the Internet and digital tools, along with the generation of Z generation customers and millennials growing up in the digital age, this need increasingly needs to be recognized. In that context, artisanal fashion asserts its power.

Artisans have long been considered the soul of luxury fashion brands in the world. In contrast to fast fashion, artisanal fashion offers original, unmatched beauty with the attention to detail that makes each design a work of art. Behind every handcrafted design are stories, aesthetic inspirations that are barely found in the industrial production process.
According to famous designer Jonathan Anderson, craftsmanship is a way to connect senses instead of virtual interactions of technological media. As consumers’ interest shifts from products that can be quickly discarded to products with long-lasting vitality, artisanal fashion is the ideal choice. It contributes to bringing a positive change to the environment, reducing waste, promoting liberation from limitations compared to traditional production processes.

Artisanal is considered important for luxury fashion.

But things are different in Vietnam. The craftsmanship industry has been established and developed for a long time, but is now facing the challenge of being replaced by technology and machines. Highly skilled artisans find it difficult to survive this pressure, even though the treasures of traditional Vietnamese craftsmanship are extremely rich and unique.
Developing traditional craftsmanship while paying attention to environmental protection and ensuring good working conditions for craftsmen are priorities of many Vietnamese brands, including Artisanal Fashion Company. With the advantage of owning its own atelier, Artisanal Fashion Company has created the best working conditions for its dedicated and highly skilled artisans and invested in the supply chain. At the same time, the company also carefully selects sustainable materials such as raffia, traditional artisanal materials from all craft villages in Vietnam and coats them with the contemporary beauty of high fashion.

“We encourage equality, diversity and freedom in our atelier, and empower craftsmen. We are fortunate to have them with us since the first days of establishment, since we were a family hat atelier. I believe that the production based on traditional craftsmanship combined with modern digital tools will contribute to bringing about positive changes,” Hai Minh, CEO of Artisanal Fashion Company, says.

Rustic raffia fibers can still be made into sensual, sophisticated designs. Hai Minh says: “There is a perception that handmade products from natural materials are less durable and not fashionable. But we are trying to prove the opposite: these products can still be durable, beautiful, fashionable, even luxurious if the right materials are selected and meticulously processed.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has reframed the fashion industry. However, when facing this challenge, Vietnamese fashion makers have the opportunity to transform themselves in a sustainable direction.

Artisanal Fashion Company is a company in the field of fashion & beauty with vertical integration in manufacturing, wholesale, retail. Our main specialty is the production of fashion hats and accessories with the love for craftsmanship. With the journey of more than 20 years of development as a production company and 3 generations in the hat business, we are dedicated to creating sustainable and premium hats, bags, shoes and accessories to wear and for the home. You can now contact the company at: artisanalfashionco@gmail.com

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Source: Vietnam Insider