Pink and ethical!

Starting this blog has helped me to realised two things. First, and quite surprising, it is how present pink is in my life! I knew I liked pink, but not that much… Second, and more important, this blog is encouraging me to research and read a lot about sustainability, not just in fashion, but in every aspect of our life. And today’s look has a lot to do with these two facts.

As you can see, I am wearing a beautiful pink shirt dress, I have already mentioned that I love these type of dresses. They are comfortable, fresh for the summer and feminine. I am carrying a handmade basket from Spain, where the knitting wicker tradition is still very popular. These baskets are beautiful, useful (I use my basket to carry everything, from groceries to my laptop) and sustainable, as it doesn’t require electricity to be made and they are 100% biodegradable.

The best part of these baskets, they are fashionable and a great resource to avoid using plastic. Let me tell you why… I try to go every week to the farmer’s market. Growing up in Spain, it was normal to know your fishmonger or fruiterer by name, so shopping at the farmer’s market is the closest to being home. I also enjoy selecting my own tomatoes or oranges, instead of having to choose from a preselected option packaged in plastic. One of the best parts about buying at the local farmer’s market is that I can place all my picked fruits and vegetable in my basket and skip the need for a plastic bag.

Plastic is a petrol based material that is not biodegradable and will stick around for centuries, the life cycle of a plastic bag is much longer than a human’s life, a product that will be used maybe just for 20 minutes. This is a topic, I have been researching a lot lately and the more I read about it, the more I understand the measurement of the problem. This research, it is also helping me to be aware every time I consume plastic and helps me to avoid it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be a big deal for everyone.

Grocery stores and some farmer’s markets have plastic bag rolls where you can serve yourself in their produce section. Last week, I was getting sick while seeing people (including kids, which should be more educated regarding sustainability) pulling the roll non-stop and placing each of their fruits and vegetables in a different plastic bag. I couldn’t believe how bad it was and by the time you get to the cashier, he or she would offer you as many plastic bags as you want or need and even though they are free the environmental price to pay for them is way too high.

So today’s outfit is more than just another cute look, but to proof that you can still love fashion, be ethical in your behavior and awareness towards the environment! I hope this inspires many of you. I would also like to hear about the things that you are doing to help the environment!

Images: Mario Panebianco

Dress – Ralph Lauren | Shoes – Camper | Basket – Local artisan in Majorca