Is your journey necessary?
We all think the trips we take are important - but are they really?
The ethical fashion retailer, Howies, has come up with a sensible solution to the problem of photographing a summer catalogue in winter - as this short film makes clear.
Well done Howies!
Howies Business Philosophy is based on Yvon Chouinard's Patagonia as written in his book "Let my people go surfing". Howies sell the book on their website. A great book and very inspiring if you own a company.
When someone makes and stand on a subject like the environment why do some people berate them and accuse them of "marketing bullshit"? Even if the concept is slightly flawed (your still creating a carbon foot print by Air freighting the clothes) at least they are trying to minimise the impact.
Posted by: Stephen | 5 Mar 2008 16:43:07
Well actually the catalogue shots do show up on the website so its not all stdio based on the web store. However I do wonder if a company seemingly obsessed with the environment realise how their products go to the other side of the world, and to two separate locations I believe. Wouldnt one have been enough? I mean if you are to make a song and dance about the environment shouldnt you practice what you preach?
Posted by: James Cross | 4 Mar 2008 13:58:32
Howies are (at least the great majority) owned by Timberland, they announced it themselves.
Low impact? They're bit vague about how low impact most of their product is, where/how its made.
Why do they even need to photograph the product outside in the sun of another country? The web store only has studio shots.
All smells like marketing bullshit to me. Praying on middle class guilt with a really quite boring concept. And now corporate owned like everything else.
Posted by: simon | 4 Mar 2008 12:51:34
Timberland bought a stake in Howies but not the whole thing i think and is still controlled by the founders. A great company that makes great clothes ethically, often a bit pricey but there we go. They can sometimes be a bit "treehugger" for my liking but on the whole they do a good job!
Posted by: James Cross | 4 Mar 2008 10:57:38
I have been monitoring the progress of howies as a company, not to mention collecting their wonderfully inspiring books ('Catalogue' brings up connotations of merely selling something...trust me ....these wee beauts contain far more substance, order them online NOW...thank me later) since 2002 and am really amazed by their gradual rise from obscurity to, well, not exactly the mainstream, but at least finally getting some recognition for their fantastic work.
The way these guys produce their stuff, should (but wont) be a blueprint to all companies manufacturing methods.
Anyways always nice to see them get a mention somewhere...anywhere!
And no....im not on the Howies payroll.
Posted by: stefano pia | 3 Mar 2008 19:48:44
Howies is not owned by Timberland. A year or so ago they realised that to really develop they needed some kind of backing from a bigger company - a bit like going on Dragon's Den! Timberland support similar policies as howies (Timberland are carbon neutral, for example) and after much deliberation howies opted for Timberland to back them.
As a major retailer and brand there is no doubt a lot of business sense in this move, as howies products will eventually be featured in Timberland stores, but they also share some ethical/environmental views which made the basis of the link. They are still independently run from Cardigan in Wales, by the same people who started it all up 10 years ago.
Posted by: Al | 3 Mar 2008 17:43:14
Howies are now owned by Timberland, the sale went through in December 2006. They're still run independently though, and haven't been swallowed up.
They may have shot former catalogues in far flung countries, but it sounds like they're committed to shooting future catalogues like this.
Posted by: Graeme | 3 Mar 2008 17:21:41
No howies have not sold out to Timberland. Baby steps is better than nothing.
Posted by: Rob | 3 Mar 2008 16:48:28
hasnt howies sold out to timberland?
they went off to some far flung country to shoot a catalogue too ... in the catalogue it said they planted a few trees to offset the emissions, but they weren't specific
howies definitely try harder than others, but we don't have time or 'baby steps' anymore ... we need bolder leaders ... in business and government
Posted by: pete | 2 Mar 2008 18:52:58
My personal journeys are certainly not always necessary, but since I cycle everywhere, I don't need to feel guilty.
I no longer own a fossil-fuelled vehicle through personal choice and do-not fly any more.
I have no difficulty parking, rarely get stuck in traffic, except when I get trapped by an oaf in a SUV who just had to get in front of me and then blocks my path.
Whic happens surprisingly often.
Posted by: Christopher Sauvarin | 2 Mar 2008 09:00:56