We are overjoyed to welcome Verte Luxe, the eco-conscious lifestyle platform to our list of partners. They will be supporting our activities by donating 1% of sales from their marketplace of eco-conscious, ethically made and fair trade products.
We had a chance to interview Laura Frecon, founder of Verte Luxe, about her motivations on establishing this collective, and she also told us her 5 tips for sustainable living.
What motivated you to establish VL?
Laura Frecon, Verte Luxe
LF: In addition to Verte Luxe, I am a Costume Designer for film and television. I work on large productions, where sadly there is an extraordinary amount environmental waste. From purchasing fast, cheap fashion, to the food waste at the end of crew lunch, to actors being flown from one side of the island to the other via private helicopters on a daily basis. The waste in the fashion and entertainment industry is staggering. After years of witnessing this destruction, I felt that I needed to do something to try to make a change. In 2016, I was working on a film in Australia and trying to plan an eco-conscious wedding at my family farm in Pennsylvania. I was having a hard time sourcing the elements to make my wedding eco, ethical and sustainable. I was spending hours trying to source ethical wedding rings, eco-friendly material for my dress, farm-to-table organic caterers and sustainable florists, etc. I had a lightbulb moment and thought, “what if there was one place where people could go to find all of the things they need to live an eco-friendly life?” As I built Verte Luxe Bride, the idea grew and I found more and more people that I wanted to work with. I launched Verte Luxe, which now includes 5 pillars: Fashion, Beauty, Wedding, Home and Life.
What is eco-luxury and what are 5 tips for sustainable living?
LF: Eco-Luxury is the idea that one can have eco, ethical and sustainable products without sacrificing quality. The brands on Verte Luxe offer the highest quality products and resources while staying true to their mission of supporting a more sustainable planet.
What are your 5 tips for more sustainable living:
LF: 1) Become more conscious in your spending. Before purchasing something, think to yourself. Who made this? Were they paid a fair wage? Is this brand supporting environmental causes or making positive efforts to increase sustainability? Support brands that hold true to these ethics and help to make a change.
2) Consider installing Solar Energy in your home. Not only will you save money in utility costs, but your carbon footprint will be greatly reduced!
3) Think about implementing a plant-based diet. Try Meatless Mondays or only eating meat a few days per week. One of our biggest environmental threats comes from industrial agriculture. Try supporting small farms and eating a plant based diet to help to offset the methane and carbon emissions coming from factory farms.
4) Support charitable organizations who are making environmental conservation a priority.
5) Reduce, reuse, recycle, try composting and embrace a more minimalist lifestyle. Human consumption has gotten out of control. People need a lot less than they think they do. By becoming conscious of the amount of waste that we create on a daily basis, we can find and adopt solutions to our waste problem.
Why is marine protection important to you?
LF: 71% of the earth’s surface is water. If we don’t protect our oceans and waterways, we won’t have an Earth. We need to conserve the marine life that inhabits our oceans for a healthy eco-system. This includes marine animals, sea plants, coral reefs…..water is a precious commodity.
Why did you join Healthy Seas?
Sage Larock
LF: I first heard about Healthy Seas from the swim and active-wear line, Sage Larock. When Sage Larock joined Verte Luxe, I asked the founder, Taryn Larock about the fabrics she uses to create her clothes and charities she supported. She told me about Healthy Seas and what they are doing with ECONYL®. I was hooked! The idea of taking ghost fishing nets and recycling them in to gorgeous clothing and home goods felt like the perfect fit for Verte Luxe. Verte Luxe supports brands and organizations that are making headway for environmental conservation. Healthy Seas is one of these such organizations and we are proud to support the cause.
For more information about Verte Luxe and the brands that they support, go to: verteluxe.com