by Kristiana Kuneva | Linda Bezos

In the midst of a global industry built on brand recognition and commercial demand, the rise of fast fashion made the fashion industry one of the biggest polluters in the world. As a form of rejection of that idea and as a functional alternative came the sustainable movement rooted in Scandinavian upcycling and recycling.  Within a few years that idea proliferated and permeated all tiers of the industry and it is no surprise that smaller fashion houses became the go-to shop for the fashion insiders willing to shed the giant footprint of a tone-deaf industry.

Charlie Feist – a sustainable minimalist backpack brand based in London is the flower child of that movement. The clean lines with its appealing aesthetics to professionals, adventurers and everyday fashionistas CF became sort of like a sustainable in-crowd accessory like a Toyota Prius. Charlie Feist's ability to combine utility and style in a captivating way makes it stand out from the rest of the sustainable accessories crowd and the market is getting crowded. 

If Charlie Feist is the darling for minimalism and utility wrapped in sustainable, organic, open and transparent supply chain package then, Gold is a Neutral is the darling of boho-chic' fashionistas. Deeply entrenched in the philosophy of fair trade and organic materials, GiaN is made by Indian Craftsmen and Artisans in Kuch, India, and brought to the shores of London by its founder Ruth. which has this ideology of sharing craftsmen’s and craftswomen’s stories, and mediating the intertwining of those stories into exquisite, vivid eco-friendly designs. The personalization of designs has this added value of traveling through space and time by leaving your mark for someone else to finish the story-telling you have initiated. This mixture of cultures, traditions, and generations in craft-making gives a more enriching perspective of this type of fashion industry – fashion is for the people by the people. Preserving this special connection is what guarantees sustainability, innovation, and appreciation of the art in making it. 

Gold is a Neutral is all about the ethical way of preserving traditions. 

The founder of Gold is a Neutral, Ruth, would point out that by placing equal emphasis on the environmental consciousness of production to the design of the product, the fashion industry has woken up to the urgency of sustainability of our planet. In other words, by slowly creating the fashion production today, we are trying to secure its better consumption for tomorrow.  In many ways, Gold is a Neutral and Charlie Feist are fighting the good fight while making us look good. And ultimately fashion is all about that equipoise.