Black Friday - what?
For years, many companies have participated in Black Friday: the mildly terrifying event where consumers are urged to buy goods they probably don’t need at deep discount prices. For many, Black Friday is the start of their Christmas shopping season. The event was brought over from America and falls just after the staple US holiday; Thanksgiving. Here in Europe, today, the 25th of November is Black Friday.
Consuming
Never before has consumption been so entrenched in our society. We want more, more and more! The purpose of Black Friday is to push consumption to an extreme level. Because of heavy advertising that appeals to our fear of missing out - the fear that if we don’t get it NOW, then we’ll miss out on some amazing deal - we end up buying unnecessary stuff. This comes at the expense of people and the planet, encouraging producers to cut corners and do anything they can to keep the cost of goods down. Black Friday is unsustainable and it’s time for it to go. Collectively, we need to be more conscious of what we do buy.
Green Friday
Green Friday is the opposite of Black Friday. It’s about taking a step back to look at what we consume and how we can be more sustainable. It’s about thinking about how the choices we make impact our natural environment. It’s about conscious consumption.
We support this initiative! Not because we want to make people feel guilty, but rather to raise awareness that overconsumption is not the way to go.
What K&J does
For years, K&J has been working on sustainability. Climate change is real and there’s no denying that we all have a part to play to fix things.
But the burden does not (and should not) fall exclusively on the shoulders of consumers. Companies also need to jump onboard the 'going green' train. Everyone has to contribute or we’ll never get where we need to go.
Below you can see how we support the idea of Green Friday (today and every day) and how you can get involved:
Last year, we launched our 10-year belt guarantee. Because we are very loyal to our products and we can assure the Italian top quality of these belts, we have launched a 10-year guarantee. Hereby, you have a 10-year guarantee on any K&J belt you own or just bought. If there is a defect in the belt, we will repair it. If there is no possibility of repair, we will give you a new belt.
We are currently working with Dressr, a designer rental platform for clothing and accessories. Through Dressr, you can rent previous K&J collections with a monthly membership or for a special occasion. Dressr only works with conscious creators and we are so proud to be a part of their journey. Their sustainability values are totally in line with our own and their vision for a more circular, more sustainable future of fashion is pretty powerful. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, you’ll be pleased to know that Dressr offers one month for FREE on all of their 3 month rental subscriptions.
Reliable, sustainable partners are important - not just on Green Friday, but always.
Our maker partners are based in Belgium and Italy. We choose these partners not only for their exceptional quality but also for their great communication, commitment to sustainable production and the fact that they are local. With K&J, you can ALWAYS rely on local, sustainable production.
K&J is always open to change. With our open-minded workflow, we’re always looking for new ways to create and collaborate, with both businesses and charities. Just some of the ways we’ve collaborated to elevate unused stock include:
Coming soon - The UCO x K&J Collection
Our holiday collaboration showcases the exquisite 'Holly' kimono, offered in two captivating colors: deep blue and vibrant red. The essence of the 'Holly' kimono is rooted in K&J's proactive approach, driven by the belief that letting beautiful deadstock go to waste is simply not an option. Fashioned from upcycled Belgian woven scarves, each kimono is born through a meticulous process in a family-based weaving factory, emphasizing the woven, not printed, nature of the scarves. Notably, each scarf transforms into one kimono, leaving no remnants or waste behind. Discover the Holly kimono here.
The CLINCH Collection
Earlier this year we collaborated with CLINCH to create a bag made entirely out of unsold silk scarves from a previous K&J collection. Take a look at the Clinch X K&J Cookie bag here.
Organization Belgians for Ukraine
In 2022, we donated a part of our stock to an organization that helped support refugees of Ukraine
Waste not, want not
Every year we produce a small range of upcycled products made from unused or repurposed fabrics of previous collections. In the past, these have been cushions, throws and scarves - keep your eyes peeled for future goodies!
Stock sales
Every year, we try to hold a stock sale. We do this to reduce our waste. After several years in our stock, we collect previous items and can sell these items for a cheaper price. This year, during Knack Designer Sales, we are organizing a whole week of stocksales in Antwerp on Monday 13 until Sunday 19 November. Our annual stocksale in Ghent will take place on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 December.
As you can see, things CAN be different. At K&J, we’re against overconsumption, fast fashion and Black Friday. Hopefully, with a Green Friday, we can all do some small bit to help to preserve our natural environment.
Happy Green Friday!
Want to know more about slow fashion? Read our previous blogs.
