By Anita Zuñiga
Craftcore, as defined by Nylon Magazine, is the new trend driven by a mix of reflection and nostalgia, a move that contrasts with the current industrialization of global clothing design and poorly finished fashion collections, a product of the explosive rise of e-commerce and the "fast fashion" phenomenon.
This is taking into account that the fashion industry, according to WRI (World Resources Institute), produces 20 garments per person per year, 140 billion new pieces every 365 days, 383 million clothing items per day and 4,400 textile designs per second, a reality that in the future will position craftcore, indigenous and signature design, as protagonists of Chilean closets.
For Valentina Lagos, Director of Impacto Emprendiem, “ in recent years, slow fashion has become a fundamental movement to promote the production and consumption of clothing in an ethical and sustainable manner. This has generated a global impact, and Chile has been no exception.”
Thus, the revival and positioning of local, sustainable designer fashion that combines artisanal or craftcore finishes hopes to cement the idea of investing in long-lasting pieces, rather than encouraging the purchase of disposable clothing.
In this scenario, sustainability in fashion hopes to transform into a business model that slowly encourages consumers to demand increasingly personalized experiences, that is, the return of unique, custom-made garments, as is the case with Ananda Román, a Chilean designer brand based on the manufacture of clothing with organic, reused fabrics and national sales with a history.
"This trend promotes local and artisanal production, and one of the consequences is a resurgence of interest in artisanal techniques and a recognition of local production in Chilean designer fashion. Designers can focus on quality rather than quantity, creating unique and lasting pieces," adds Valentina Lagos, who is also a speaker at Emprediem's "Consciente a la Moda" (Fashion Aware).
Slow Fashion versus Carbon Footprint Reduction
It is clear that the design and manufacture of personalized clothing aims to play, according to an opinion column “Goodbye to Fast Fashion!... Welcome Sustainable Fashion!” by Sonia Reyes Packe – Seremi del Medio Ambiente RM in Chile, an important role in the future of fashion, since the creation of clothing, the change in our consumption patterns: buying fewer products, taking care of them to extend their useful life, reusing garments, stopping following ephemeral fashions, tailored outfits, the use of these “artisanal” techniques in a brand, is today a standard practice for many designers.
On the other hand, for consumers, paying a higher price for clothing lines made from quality textiles, with detailed and careful hand-finished finishes that promote the circular economy, and with production methods that minimize waste and environmental damage, contributes to educating users on how to make informed decisions, supporting brands aligned with their values, and prioritizing the purchase of pieces from companies whose production methods are environmentally friendly or that have transparent supply chains.
Designers like Stella McCartney have been visionaries in sustainable, closed-loop business models using innovative materials, but the bottom line is that today's consumers are choosing brands that strive to minimize their global impact by reducing their carbon footprint.
Craftsmanship and Sustainability
“Craftsmanship and sustainability have been, both implicitly and explicitly, a constitutive part of the identity of local designer fashion. In that sense, in the future, my impression is that this spontaneous vocation will be intentional and strategically worked into not only the creative process, but also the business model and brand communication,” says Sofia Calvo, journalist, MBA in business management from PUCV, and author of “Cambiar el Verbo: Un Viaje por el Lado Oscuro de Nuestra Ropa” (Changing the Verb: A Journey through the Dark Side of Our Clothes).
So, how can sustainability and craftsmanship in designer fashion transform the local industry? By increasing customization and promoting reuse whenever possible, and by embracing "ancestral" technologies in fashion, businesses can create the sustainable future their customers desire.
This has led to an increase in environmental awareness among Chilean designer designers, encouraging them to adopt more sustainable practices in terms of materials, manufacturing processes and waste management, putting an emphasis on sustainability,” said Valentina Lagos, Director of Impacto Emprendiem.
Added to this are current trends in the apparel industry, which are beginning to reflect the adoption of practices such as preferring clothing design with perishable textiles and reusing them, the basis for creating sustainable, high-quality products.
As early as 2004, Pía Montalva, a designer from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and a researcher specializing in the history of clothing, expressed in her book “Morir un poco” (To Die a Little) (Catalonia), “native fashion is explained by a revaluation of the individual who returns to their origins, searches for their identity and, therefore, rejects massification and the consumer society that encourages it.”
With this vision, it is hoped that the growing concern about the environmental impact of fashion will pave the way for a more sustainable business model and clothing ecosystem.