Pachacuti - Panama Hats and Fair Trade Clothing

Pachacuti has just been awarded the Best Performance in Sustainable Luxury in Latin America in the Fashion & Accessories category by Lujo Sostentable.

But is Sustainable Luxury an oxymoron with regard to fashion?  Doesn't the term luxury fashion carries connotations of all of the excesses of the fashion industry?

Speaking at the International Herald Tribune’s conference in 2009, PPR chairman Francois-Henri Pinault remarked, “today, more than ever, people want a return to genuine values, such as timelessness, sincerity and exemplary standards. These are all qualities which are inherent in sustainable luxury.”

Luxury fashion begins to look more inherently sustainable when compared to the disposability of fast fashion at the other end of the price scale where shops are filled with rapidly-changing clothing which the consumer can afford to wear only a few times before moving onto the next new style.  Luxury fashion, on the other hand, frequently exhibits a more timeless appeal and will undoubtedly remain in the purchasers wardrobe for longer than its fast fashion equivalent.

A report for the WWF by Jem Bendell and Anthony Kleanthous entitled Deeper Luxury: quality and style when the world matters examined the social and environmental performance of the luxury goods sector.

They identified consumers within this sector as those who had both the means and the motivation to make purchases which respected both people and planet.  The report called upon the luxury industry to "bring to life a new definition of luxury, with deeper values expressed through social and environmental excellence. Their performance and progress on environmental, social and governance issues should be comprehensively measured and reported."

At Pachacuti, we believe that authentic luxury incorporates both social and environmental responsibility without compromising on style.  Pachacuti is unfortunately still something of a rarity: a company which adheres to the highest Fair Trade and environmental standards and yet is sold in some of the most luxurious stores around the world.

Becoming the 1st company in the world to be Fair Trade Certified by the WFTO demonstrates out commitment to both quality and ethical principles. As the Deeper Luxury Report recommends, our performance and progress is measured through a series of social and environmental indicators and reported in our annual Fair Trade & Sustainability Report.

Pachacuti is recognised as a pioneer in ethical fashion, practising Fair Trade since 1992. As the world changes around us, we will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible within the fashion supply chain, providing a role model to challenge compromise and mediocrity.  Our classic style ensures that our designs will not end up in the recycling bin for many years.

We are delighted with this award and will continue to lead the way in creating true luxury products which display integrity, traceability and sustainability in addition to our unswerving commitment to Fair Trade principles.

Pachacuti is extremely proud to announce that we have been awarded a Big Tick from Business in the Community.  The award is for the Sustainable Fair Trade Management System which has been implemented at Pachacuti for the past two years, resulting in sustained progress towards Millenium Development Goals amongst our producer groups. We will receive our Big Tick at an Awards ceremony next week.

Moreover, we have been shortlisted as an Example of Excellence in the International category for our work towards Millenium Development Goals and helping to create a replicable model for international development through the SFTMS.   The overall Example of Excellence in the International Category will be presented by Prince Charles on 5th July.  Pachacuti is running alongside Barclays Bank, Thomson Reuter and Cisco Systems for this coveted award.

The Awards for Excellence reward businesses who demonstrate the positive impact they have had on society and also the business benefits created by ensuring that being responsible is integral to their business model.

I am delighted and honoured to be a finalist in the Women on their Way Awards in the Outstanding Contribution to Women's Learning and Development category. Apparently the competition was very tough this year and so I'm very happy to have reached this stage, particularly as I only found out about the awards through Twitter the day before they closed and had to stay up very late to do a last-minute entry!

The Women on their Way Awards were set up by former candidate on The Apprentice, Jo Cameron, and her Co-Director Lisa Ibbotson. The aim of Women on Their Way is to inspire women around the world to improve their lives, moving towards equality.