A Note On Sustainability: Antonina Poppy’s Dedication to Environmental Responsibility

As it stands today, the fashion industry contributes to ten percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, twenty percent of global clean water pollution, and about eighty-five percent of all garments created end up in landfills. Annually, that waste amounts to over 8.3 million tons. Of the sectors that impact the planet, the fashion industry is one of the largest and most harmful. Each day that passes presents further reasons to match environmental standards and drastically minimise their impacts.

At Antonina Poppy, we recognize the dire need to protect our planet's vital ecosystems and lessen our part in worldly decline. We understand our place as a part of this industry and therefore our responsibility to conduct our business with the environment in mind. Choosing ethical fabrics and appliques, embracing practices that mitigate material excess and water usage, and collaborating with local small businesses are among our top priorities. 

Our personal pledge to sustainability comes to fruition in several ways. Approaching our seasonal manufacturing with a slow pace and demand-based outlook allows us to limit overproduction, overconsumption, and maintain authenticity within our pieces. Similarly, we’ve done extensive research on the producers of our textiles and their commitment to an ethical workplace and eco-friendly standards. 

Within our products, we’ve chosen to stick to renewable, naturally biodegradable fabrics like silk and linen, as opposed to synthetics—such as polyester or nylon—which uphold neither of these qualities. In doing so, we also lessen our usage of water, chemicals, and energy in comparison to other alternatives. Our design strategies involve structuring our pieces so that they can be constructed with limited excess, also mitigating waste levels.

In our jewelry, we’ve chosen to source our freshwater pearls as pioneered by CEO and founder Antonina Powlowicz. Using fresh mother-of-pearls also prevents the use of excess water, chemicals, or manual labor—as required for synthetic pearls and gems—being that they are a renewable, ethically-collected good. 

Other jewelry includes hand-carved or hand-crafted rings, bracelets, or necklaces created from stone or various metals. Most of the chains and settings used for these items are made from vintage or recycled metals, in a practice called “copy-paste”. Doing this establishes Antonina Poppy’s contributions to keeping fashion cyclical and being innovative when it comes to sustainable design. 

Our pricing and marketing elements also uphold our dedication to environmentalism. Acknowledging the quality of our fabrics and effort used to craft them allows us to price them accordingly. This ensures our manufacturers are reimbursed appropriately and our dedication to decreasing unhealthy or over-paced consumerism is upheld. 

Additionally, we love partnering with small businesses to help make our imaginings come to life. Local pottery makers, painters, and woodworkers have all been an integral part of the Antonina Poppy storefront. Companies that prioritize ethical environments and maintain traditional craft practices are similarly at the forefront of our curated relationships. 

Their collaboration and assistance in helping us develop a community around our brand is invaluable to us; their companionship is not only greatly appreciated but limits our need for manufactured or highly-processed products or services. Working with such driven creatives also gives us insight on how to better manage our products with the environment in mind.

Considering our place in this industry is immensely important to us. We value prioritizing and maintaining ethical and environmentally-conscious practices, materials, and partnerships, in an effort to ensure our commitment to sustainable fashion. Hopefully, our dedication to protecting our planet will inspire others to do the same. 

For the cover of “A Note On Sustainability: Antonina Poppy’s Dedication to Environmental Responsibility”, we used the artwork of Lorenzato Paisagem - ose 1978.