Sustainability Matters ~ Underprotection

December 13, 2016

Living in Mexico obviously as its plus side: I am cut off from the sound of our never ending multimedia noise stream. I can’t understand the language well enough to read or listen to the local news. The weather is spectacular; the people warm and selfless. I could go on. But the reality is that we are in a second world country. A walk in the desert yields garbage thrown there with no real consequence. Recycling is not on the radar. Emission laws don’t exist. The air is fine in Cabo because we are an isolated peninsula with a minimal intrusion of industry. But they are far behind the eight ball when it comes to sustainability. This is a buzz word that has seeped into the North American cultural vernacular big time in the past decade. Now, it has become the millennial battle cry, a generational marque that headlines many buying decisions. For a brand to matter at the cash register, the focus on product nurtured with conscience has become a priority. Today’s youth, the powerhouse consumer of tomorrow, require respect for the environment, the laborer, the habitat and the message. They care about their future and they intend to protect it. Striving for a better world is not really a new idea, but for this generation, sustainability is how they choose to express it.

One of the reasons the Underprotection brand caught my attention was because their marketing mantra, “ethics and aesthetics” is so on target with current trends. This Danish company began its mission to create fashionable and sustainable underwear, loungewear and swimwear in 2010 using fabrics such as tencel, recycled polyester, organic cotton and bamboo. Working in India under the egis of the Fair Wear Foundation they strive to produce their product under good labor conditions. Their collection of contemporary intimates has already earned them accolades. But it’s their innovative prints and comfortable shapes that add substance to the story. Underprotection has a distinct Scandinavian vibe; what I call clean, fresh, and modern appeal.