There is still a lot wrong in the clothing industry. Just listen to this broadcast of Argos . In it you will hear the discussion about legislation and voluntary industry initiatives. Due to the divergent interests it is difficult to arrive at effective measures. Lobby organizations try to block as much legislation as possible in favor of industry initiatives. The result is little progress. Oneworld also has a good article about the impasse. And also look at Behindmycloset . Sustainability is scarce and also an exception in many sectors.
MYOMY do goods
There is also a lot going on in the field of bags. What applies to textiles also applies to bags. This year MYOMY , the Dutch manufacturer of sustainable bags, celebrates its tenth anniversary. The Positive Icons campaign was recently launched. Why? Because MYOMY understands that sustainability is a good idea, but that not everyone has heard of it or understands why it is important.
How it started
But what is MYOMY actually? MYOMY was founded 10 years ago by Marja Baas . From the beginning, sustainability was already on her mind (not knowing that Goodforall, the original name, would grow into one of the most sustainable brands in the Netherlands). Marja started with a webshop
At one point she met Hans Both. Hans volunteered in India (Calcutta) for Fairtrade Europe. He helped to better align the products of a fair trade workshop with the Western market, in order to create more fair employment. This sustainability must take place in all links: from the tannery to the making of the handbags themselves. Over the years, the parties have become accustomed to each other. In addition, steps have been taken when it comes to the requirements and wishes with regard to manufacturing, in which quality and sustainability are central.
It started with a bag in a circulation high school coaches email list of 75 pieces, which then resulted in 900 orders due to an article by fashion journalist Milou van Rossum (in de Volkskrant). Eventually it became a complete line of bags for women and laptop bags. Mostly leather, but also for example a My Paper Bag in a recycled felt version. MYOMY is a major player with 275 stores, both online and offline, a distribution channel in the Netherlands and surrounding countries.
Bags
What does the bag market look like today?
Top segment
If you look at it from the outside, you have the top segment: designer brands such as Louis Vuitton, Hermes, etc. That starts at 600 euros and goes up to many thousands. First, the selection is based on brand and then on design. The selection process is more complex than that of course, but that is the essence.