I am not here to tell you what is right or wrong.
Natural Dyes
Besides plenty of water usage, chemicals are used for dye-adherence, bleaching and anti-shrinkage during the processing phase of natural and synthetic fabrics. 20% of these synthetic dyes are dumped into rivers and non-biodegradable, so they persist in the environment and become long-term polution.
The synthetic dye process turns out to be the biggest polluter in the fashion supply chain.
Natural dyes are all fully biodegradable and won’t harm the environment. They are non-toxic to the maker and the user. Some cultures even believe natural dyes can benefit to our health, like indigo in Japan or Cutch in Ayurveda. Natural dyes are hypoallergenic and less likely to cause allergic reactions.
Organic Cotton
Growing conventional cotton requires a lot of water and insecticides usage.
- Cotton production uses $2 billion worth of pesticides each year, and accounts for 16% of global insecticide use – more than any other single crop.
- From seed to a finished t-shirt, it is estimated that 2700 liters of water are used.
Organic grown cotton decreases the water usage numbers and erases the use of fertilisers and pesticides. The farmers can work in healthy environments, and the soil and air are also kept clean. Strict rules apply for the cleaning and finishing of organic cotton fabrics, which erase more usage of harmful chemicals for the environment and your skin.
Japanese Supply Chain
Zenzen proudly makes and sources all its products in Japan. By having a local supply chain, I can minimise transportation-related emissions and have control and close contact with my suppliers. Besides, Japanese made products have a strict quality control and value craftsmanship.
Somebody once told me the following joke;
A foreign company placed an order at a Japanese supplier, demanding a max 3% product fault rate on its order. The order arrived in 2 separate boxes, 1 with 97% working products and 1 with 3% faulty products.
I can confirm this.