Expert Talk with ‘The Slow Label’ - Let’s talk about Circular Economy

The typical lifecycle of a product in our linear economy goes like this: made, used, and thrown away. And unfortunately, this has not just been the case since yesterday, but for around 1.5 centuries by now. The raw materials needed to manufacture these products are not reused but end up as waste. Not only does this mean an infinite amount of waste and have devastating consequences for our climate, but the raw materials used for it are also limited. According to forecasts, by 2050 we would need three Earths to meet our demand for raw materials. At least if nothing changes. This is exactly where the circular economy comes in. The circular economy is an economic model in which existing products and materials are returned to the cycle again and again. This happens by reusing, sharing, repairing, and recycling what already exists for as long as possible. In this way, product life cycles are extended many times over, resources and our climate are protected, and the world’s mountains of waste have a chance to shrink.

Since Maren Jewellery was founded, we have been working intensively on topics such as the circular economy, material responsibility, and resource conservation. As a result, the only option for us was to integrate many principles of the circular economy into our business model. We firmly believe that it is possible to trigger systemic change if enough companies join us on this path. For this reason, we are big fans of all the other labels that also pursue a circular approach and promote the principles of the circular economy. Whether within the jewelry industry or beyond.

Today we’re speaking with Anna-Laura Amenta, founder of the sustainable label  The Slow Label, founded in 2019, about starting her company and her first circular product. The company is built on the three core principles of sustainability, transparency, and social responsibility, and from the very beginning it has been extremely honest in its communication about raw materials and production, as well as any weaknesses and areas for improvement.

What we find especially progressive is their completely transparent  price breakdown  for each individual product, which shows exactly which components make up the respective product price and to what extent.

The following statements reflect the interviewee’s personal assessment.

With The Slow Label, we wanted to found a fashion label that covers the topic of "fair fashion" holistically. That means: full transparency, slow growth, timeless collections, gentle marketing, respect and fairness in the supply chain and an effort to always use the most sustainable and innovative materials. In our opinion, there are not enough of these on the market!

We are still in the initial phase of the project, so unfortunately we cannot draw any conclusions yet. However, I can already say that the response has been great and that we have learned a lot over the past few months. We took part in circularity workshops with other fashion brands, recyclers and clothes collectors and learned a lot about circularity and reverse logistics. The coming months will show how this learning can be implemented in practice.

The biggest challenge when implementing a circularity project or take-back program is the "reverse supply chain". How does the product get back to us Who pays the expensive shipping costs Who sorts out the bad products Where do the bad ones go and where the good ones? We were confronted with all these questions (and a few more). Fortunately, we are not alone and regularly exchange ideas with other fashion brands. Because only together can the fashion industry finally become more circular.den.

Yes! As soon as we see initial success, we will strive to expand the take-back program to a larger range of products.

As mentioned at the outset, we have also built our company in a way that supports the circular economy. We have put this vision into practice through the following approaches:

> Urban Mining
Since our company was founded, we have used exclusively recycled 18-carat gold and recycled 925 sterling silver to craft our jewellery pieces. You can find out more in our Urban Mining Journal.

> Synthetic Eco Diamonds
We also use diamonds grown directly in the laboratory, whose origin is documented and traceable. In terms of quality and appearance, these diamonds are in no way inferior to their natural counterparts. You can read more about this in detail in our journal about synthetic diamonds .

> Packaging
Our two packaging options, made from paper and linen, are also fully recyclable. Learn more about our sustainable partners in the packaging sector in our journal about sustainable jewellery packaging.

> WeMind
We have captured our commitment to sustainability in our WeMind Initiative , created especially for this purpose. In particular, we would like to highlight the two aspects ‘Designed for Deconstruction’ and ‘Made for you’ in relation to the circular economy. All our jewellery pieces are designed so that they can be professionally melted down again without any issues. The precious metals and all other components can then be used again. In addition, we only begin production once we receive an order. In this way, no unused stock is created and we can reduce inventory levels.

The Slow Label put it wonderfully well on their website in the fashion section: “Getting dressed is a daily ritual — buying clothes shouldn’t be. We encourage you to continuously make conscious choices and cherish what you already have.”

However, this statement does not apply only to fashion. Before consuming any new product, you should ask yourself every time whether you really need it, whether you will actually use it regularly, how durable it is, and whether you might be able to borrow, lease, or find something similar second-hand instead. And if, after careful consideration, you decide to buy it, it is best to look for companies that provide transparent information about materials, production, and product lifespan.

You should take ongoing care of the things you already own, repair them if necessary, and use them for as long as possible. If you can no longer use something or no longer like it, try to pass it on or sell it. That way, it may continue to serve its next owner faithfully for many more years before it is — ideally — recycled.