A Different Holiday Mindset
Over three past few years, we have loved putting together our holiday gift guide. But this year, we have decided to forgo it with a new edition of ROSE & IVY—stay tuned on that! I thought I’d share the reason why we decided to change things this year in hopes that it could also inspire the way you gift (get and give) and consume.
Earlier in the fall, I traveled to Sweden, you might have seen this post here, to learn more about sustainable efforts in the city of Gothenburg. We also took a day trip to Boras, the textile capital of Sweden to dive deeper into how perhaps science, a brilliant idea, a new material can help transform the apparel industry, a business that is wrecking havoc on the planet. As mentioned in my previous post, after walking through an exhibit about ocean plastics and seeing how everyday items could get into our ocean supply and cause massive pollution which eventually breaks down to micro plastics, that eventually gets eaten by sea life which eventually causes the fish or mammal to suffer an ill-timed fate.
At ROSE & IVY, we pride ourselves on not telling you how to live your life but I feel almost a moral obligation to share this. Everything I was taking in, deeply rattled me. I thought, “I’m part of the problem.” I felt ashamed both on a personal and professional level. While I make a concerted effort to bring my own grocery bags and rarely shop fast fashion days, I realized that, still, I had a lot of waste. I sometimes drink out of plastic, I’d toss old clothes in the garbage, I get gifted an ample amount that I feel badly saying no to and it just piles up. I give a lot away but still that isn’t the answer. On a business level, I had to ask myself how I can not perpetuate a problem of this excess of what companies offer. So much is created without any consideration to what will happen once it’s used or maybe never used. On the other hand, there is an increase in the amount of brands who are doing positive things in a clear and transparent way—no greenwashing there. I feel like novelty has worn off and this idea of newness has gotten stale. We will be making sustainability just part of what we do, it should become the norm eventually for everyone. This season, we are being more mindful about this idea of gifting. As I have gotten older, I find much more pleasure in giving than receiving, but this year, it will be gifts that won’t be leaving behind a huge environmental footprint.
Stay tuned for our gift to you, the newest edition of ROSE & IVY.
- Alison Engstrom
Founding Editor
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