Eticlò and The Three Pillars of Sustainable Fashion
by Sofia-Teresa Di Bacco
Desirée Madonna, the founder and owner of Eticlò
Eticlo is an Italian sustainable fashion brand that was founded in 2017 by Desirée Madonna. In March 2018, Eticlò launched its first store in Bologna (see picture below), Italy and an online store that both pride themselves on developing sophisticated and long-lasting collections with sustainable fabrics. On March 12, the Dickinson Mosaic students had the privilege to visit the store in Bologna and also to meet the founder, Desirée Madonna. Throughout this visit, it became immediately apparent that the main focuses of this brand, or the “three pillars” as the Desiree referred to them, are fabrics, production or supply chain, and design.
Eticlò dedicates itself to sustainability by only using natural and organic fibers and GOTS-approved dyes. She states that her brand also pays tribute to the Made in Italy movement, by only partnering with healthy and reputable factories all mainly based in Italy. In our meeting with Desirée, she explained that her definition of sustainability was quite specific. She believes that sustainability involves the ability to be responsible as a producer and consumer and to ensure that fabrics are organic.
Desirée asserts that it is extremely important to her to “know what she truly puts on her skin,” and that anyone can be sustainable if they are attentive and conscious when buying. She describes her brand lines as “timeless with a clean and sophisticated style,” and emphasizes that “if something is of high quality, it can be beautiful forever.” While Desirée does not involve herself or her brand in secondhand thrifting, she explains that her contribution to help the fashion industry is through a sustainable production process, one that can be traced back to the very beginning of the creation of a piece of clothing made of all natural materials. By doing this, she allows her customers the opportunity to take a step away from greenwashing in Italy and the bombardment of Haute Couture, giving them a personalized and ethical experience.
I hope this blog gave you readers the chance to explore different approaches to sustainability in the Italian fashion industry. Please continue to follow us for more information on sustainability and other approaches through diverse organizations. Until next time, thank you for tuning in!