Eco-Friendly Suede: Green Fashion
Suede doesn’t usually make one think “eco-friendly” – the suede-based thought process is generally more along the lines of “pleasing and fashionable by-product of that very tasty cheeseburger, with a side serving of guilt.” But no longer. August marks the launch of the first line of eco-friendly suede jackets. From the beast to your back, Bernardo Green’s line of women’s outerwear is created following a process designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible – and put your eco-conscience at ease. (Unless you’re vegan, in which case we can’t help you.)
Keen to validate its uber-eco production process, Bernardo Green operates via environmentally responsible agencies and waste free tanneries (the water used in production is recycled to be drinkable and any remaining waste is converted to organic fertilizer). Using skins from humanely treated animals and biodegradable tanning agents and dyes, the entire manufacturing process can be verified as ecological. (It’s currently the only leather company to boast such credentials.) Even the tags are embedded with seeds that blossom into California poppies when planted.
Your responsible suede can come in the form of a safari-esque jacket with bone buttons or brown suede with structured sleeves. If you like your coats colorful, try the purple with three-quarter sleeves or a red military style. Green jackets come in a crop waist with metal buttons or a belted waist with nut buttons.
(Find Bernardo Green suede jackets at selected Nordstrom stores in August.)
Comments
Faux suede has been in the market for a while, its not new and how eco-friendly is it?
This isn’t faux suede- but real suede. The process Bernado uses to process the suede uses less energy than the traditional process. Of course this is all relative and the term “green/eco friendly” has become the new “pink breast cancer ribbon” of marketing, so even a slight reduction is heralded as green. Still, a small reduction is, at the every least, a move in the right direction
“(Unless you’re vegan, in which case we can’t help you.) “
Wonderful. Once again, people who actually care about the well-being of animals are completely overlooked. I don’t wear suede for ethical reasons, and I’m not here to bash people who do. However, the supplier that Bernardo is getting their skins from (Hormel) does not actually treat their animals humanly. They are currently under investigation for abuse. Additionally, the by-product waste that comes from the tanning process is processed and sold back to local municipalities for drinking water. I can’t imagine a bigger slap in the face of people who try not to consume animals.
Am I the only one who thinks that “green suede” is an oxymoron? How are killing animals good for the environment?