Why Stella McCartney Doesn’t Work with PVC

IMAGE: Imaxtree

Stella McCartney‘s namesake label is known for its sustainable, environmentally-friendly approach to producing luxury fashion goods. It is one of the only high fashion houses that doesn’t use fur or leather in any of its products, but traditional skins and pelts aren’t the only things on McCartney’s no-no list. The designer chatted with WWD‘s Bridget Foley about staying true to her aesthetic and morals, while sitting at the head of her label. Through the interview, you really get a good feel of how passionate McCartney really is, and that being sustainable is about much more than shying away from fur.

“I also don’t do PVC,” McCartney revealed. “I work with women’s groups in Kenya and I work with associations in Patagonia. It’s not just about my lifestyle choices. It’s more than that now. It’s very much about the impact — that water going into an animal for a handbag. That is not a good use of our resources. You don’t have to be a genius to work that out. It has a big impact, the chemicals used to turn the leathers. How that affects the local communities with PVC, how cancerous it is for the people working with it. It goes into the water. It’s a bigger story. Some people are thinking about it, but, the thing about our industry, you’re not answering to that many people. There aren’t many laws in place. The large corporations, the very few that run the industry, aren’t answerable to anyone.”

Obviously, McCartney isn’t just a bleeding heart animal rights sympathizer — not choosing to work with certain materials is more than just about being kind to our furry friends. It’s also about being kind to other human beings, the very human beings whose lives impact our wardrobes. 

[via WWD]