Forbes asked Jasmien whether Belgium is ready for changes. She noted that it is challenging for Belgian brands to take comprehensive measures toward sustainability without knowing the specifics of the upcoming EU Textile Strategy. To prepare, brands are staying informed, testing logistics and IT solutions, exploring new business models, and experimenting with sustainable practices. 

The Infinitex project, led by Thomas More University in Mechelen, supports companies in adopting eco-friendly processes, such as recycling end-of-life products and managing second-hand goods. Companies like E5 and Filou & Friends are investing in digital management to enhance efficiency. From 2027, a “digital product passport” will become mandatory for all clothing and fashion accessories in Europe.

Read the full article below:

Today is Fashion Revolution Day and also the 11 year anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh where 1,134 people were killed and more than 2,500 others got injured, because the building collapsed. During Fashion Revolution Week, we remember the lives lost and demand that no one should die for fashion.

Each year Fashion Revolution Week has a theme and this year it’s ‘How to be a fashion revolutionary’. Knack reached out to ask Jasmien and 8 others for a tip on how you can have an impact on the fashion sector.

Jasmien’s tip? Chat while shopping. With each other and with the people in the store. You will find that it makes the shopping experience more fun, interesting and sustainable.

In the article, Jasmien mentioned that she recently went shopping with my dear friend Laura in  Barcelona and with a group of friends in Brussels. She discovered some nice local stores and brands during her trip and wanted to share two of her favorite past ‘shopping  = chatting’ experiences : 

• Psyche Store in Brussel where Jasmien bought a pièce unique jacket by Eva Maria Bogaert. Eva works with fabric surpluses, end-of-series and accidental finds. Once a piece is sold, there will be no second. While standing in the store, the shop personnel and her friends actually helped her answer the question ‘Will I wear it 30 times?’ out loud. 
• Recraft in Barcelona. They give hot air balloons a second life by making hats, bags, coats and so much more. They had a great chat with founder Tomas, who explained the difficulties of pricing and sustainable entrepreneurship with his amazing start-up.

Het Belang van Limburg, together with FTI and Vito, had a survey conducted among 500 Limburgers: where do we shop and how much do we spend? And do we still consider the price of clothing more important than sustainability?

Price and quality.

The Limburgers were surveyed on their priorities when shopping, revealing key insights into their preferences.  

1. 88% of respondents emphasized the significance of quality.
2. Following closely behind, 84% identified price as a crucial factor in their purchasing decisions. Sustainability is less important to the 500 shoppers. Only half of Limburgers consider the working conditions under which garments are produced, indicating room for increased awareness and ethical consumption practices. Environmental impact ranked high for four in ten respondents, the manufacturing location held importance for three out of ten shoppers.

It is normal to think about price and quality when we shop. When it comes to sustainability, things can be better. Although I think we are already doing better than ten years ago. 

During an interview with Het Belang Van Limburg Jasmien shared she often hears ‘Jasmien, I want to buy more sustainable clothes, but it is just too expensive.’ This survey found that half of Limburgers spend less than 50 euros on clothing every month. Yet they buy a lot of clothes for that amount. More than 23 (!) pieces in total every month to be exact.

This is just absurd. And that while 88% find quality the most important factor? Masjien would like to know how you can buy 23 pieces of clothing with 50 euros and still find quality important.

Here’s something to think about: someone who buys 1 T-shirt at  Primark every six months because they can’t afford anything else is not the problem. But someone who leaves the shop with five bags every week or every month is. Because the latter does actually have the purchasing power to make different choices and that is precisely where the problem lies.

It’s the conspicuous consumption habits of those with greater purchasing power that contribute significantly to the issue. Ultimately, making sustainable choices doesn’t have to break the bank—as long as one exercises moderation and considers the true value of their purchases. 

After all, sustainability isn’t just about the price tag; it’s about making thoughtful decisions that prioritize both quality and responsibility. 

So no, making a sustainable choice does not need to cost you hundreds of euros…

as long als you don’t buy 23 pieces 😉

The most important thing in this story is that we invest in quality, see the value and not be so careless with it. On the one hand, people say that they find quality important. But the figures for how often we buy clothes and how much money we spend are somewhat at odds with this. That’s an eye opener. There is still a lot of work to be done.

This research was carried out in collaboration with Flanders Technology & Innovation (FTI). From March 16 to 21, 2024, FTI will be in Hasselt for a festival on sustainable prosperity with more than 100 initiatives. Check ftihasselt.be for all information.

What an absolute honour to be featured as one of Knack Weekend’s ‘Changemakers’.

For this article, Jasmien had the pleasure to converse with Ruth Goossens, Editor-in-Chief of Weekend Knack & the driving force of REAntwerp, the amazing studio she started with Tim Van Steenbergen.

During the pandemic, there were calls to produce less, calls for a reset of the fashion industry. Little of that seems to be left now?
“How do you turn that ship around? We don’t think it can be done without strict legislation that streamlines everything. You already have to be a very profitable company to voluntarily decide to produce less today, while your competitors keep going. That’s signing up for bankruptcy in the current circumstances. It will be quite a transition for our economy and for consumers, but it can be done. 

We remember when, between your main course and dessert at the table you could smoke a cigarette. It’s hard to imagine that now. So a major social turnaround is possible but you need ballsy leaders to take the right measures. And preferably at global level, because we find the fact that a brand like Shein could grow so much in recent years hallucinatory. The generation that demands a different kind of world, is also the generation that spends its money there.”

What do you think of the discourse that sustainable fashion is too expensive?
“Quality costs more money, that’s just the way it is. And I’m not talking about ‘sustainability’, but simply not buying junk. Clothes have proportionally not become more expensive than before, but we do spend more money on them. For us, the answer to this question is therefore twofold: first, what is the cost per wear of a piece. The more often you
wear something, the cheaper it becomes per wear. And second, the people who can’t afford it, who only have pennies for one T-shirt from Zara or Primark every season, are not the problem. It’s the people who buy five shopping bags one week and show up the again the next week, who need to change. They are wealthy enough to make different choices, but they simply don’t.”

Where do you hope the industry will be in 10 years’ time?
“I hope that by then there’s no work left for me. (laughs) I would love it if we get rid of ultra fast fashion. I know it’s ambitious to expect that in ten years, but I hope to see at least to see a slowdown. Sometimes they tell me I’m naive, but I’ve learned to see that it’s not an insult. You need some naive optimism to keep believing things can be different. Great strides have already been made in a decade. And there will still come, because I see around me many warriors pulling the cart and fighting for a greener world. That gives me hope.”