A Conversation with Nkwo Onwuka – Founder & Creative Director, NKWO
Interviewed by: Nnenna Hemeson
A lot of people do not have a full understanding of sustainability. What does it mean to you?
Sustainability in fashion is such a broad term without a single definition and as such, it is open to interpretation. For me, it simply means being mindful of the impact our actions have on a social, cultural, and environmental level.
What role do you think it plays in the fashion industry?
The fashion industry is an extreme polluter that is driven by profit at the expense of millions of employees, workers, and makers. Across the entire value chain, there are many touch points – from extraction to production, to distribution, to consumption, to disposal – that need to function differently so they can have less of a harmful impact on people and on the planet and this is where sustainability has a role to play.
Do you feel it has had any impact so far?
The conversation has started, and several brands have adopted more mindful ways of conducting their businesses. Consumers are becoming more aware of the need to buy better and buy less, however, we are still on the threshold of a waste crisis. More needs to be done.
Congratulations on all your accolades, recognitions, and awards, they are well deserved. What have they meant to you?
Thank you so much!
All of this means that I am doing something right – in my own little way, I am driving change and doing something that the rest of the world can learn from.
As an honouree for the conscious fashion campaign, What is conscious fashion?
Fashion that is fair, inclusive, regenerative, and geared towards creating a sustainable future where both the producers and consumers play an active part.
Responsible consumption and production touches on every aspect of sustainability; social, economical, environmental and cultural. How do you feel the fashion industry scores on this?
I feel there is still so much work that needs to be done to improve sustainable resource management, keep materials in flow, rethink product design, change consumer habits and measure success in broader terms than solely financial.
What other goals in the SDG’s, is the fashion industry expected to deliver on? Are they delivering on this?
In my opinion, all 17 of the SDG’s have elements in them that the fashion industry should be expected to deliver on. They were built on the principle of leaving no one behind and several brands have made the pivot towards adopting more inclusive and mindful practices in the running of their businesses.
When it comes to Social, Economic, Cultural and Environmental pillars, which is the industry’s strongest suits?
I feel they are all as important as each other. They are all interconnected and must work as one for the greater good of the industry and the world as a whole.
The fashion industry has been more often than not, been accused of ‘woke washing’ & ‘greenwashing’. Why is that?
The thing about ‘sustainability’ is that it does not have one clear definition or one clear standard of measurement and as such it has made it possible for brands to hide their true profit-driven motives and make claims that cannot be easily verified.
A study conducted in June 2021 by Changing Markets Foundation, found that 59% of green claims made by apparel brands for products were lacking substance. The report analysed green claims by Fashion brands and declared that 91% were “unsubstantiated or misleading”. In your opinion, why do you think brands Greenwash? Perhaps they can’t bare the true cost of sustainability.
For most big fashion brands, the motivation is purely profit. They can bear the costs of changing to more sustainable systems but greenwashing provides them with a cover story to continue business as usual. The smaller brands are for more likely to build more mindful and transparent systems into their businesses.
Legislations all over the world are being put in place by the government to penalize greenwashing, what effect do you think this will have on the industry?
In time I think it will force players in the industry to be more careful with the choices they make and more transparent with the information they divulge.
It used to be said that the fashion industry led in sustainability initiatives when it comes to consumer goods. As an innovative fashion brand, what are your thoughts on this?
The fashion industry probably connects the most number of people on a global level and so these initiatives actually have the potential to be large-scale drivers of change.
It could be said that all these initiatives are towards driving the bottom line, leading to ‘overconsumption’. Would you agree?
The main aim of any business is to be successful and make a profit. I think what needs to change is the idea of success – it needs to be measured in broader terms than solely financial terms. It should be about building communities, preserving cultures, paying fair wages and protecting the environment.
There is a rise in overconsumption of fashion, who do you believe is responsible? Consumers or the Industry?
I think consumer behavior is guided by the industry. It has developed complex retail systems that are designed to keep the consumer wanting and ultimately buying more.
What do you think has led to this? And what do you think can be done about it?
This is all driven by profit and where the industry is reluctant to effect change, then the onus is on the consumer to seek and support brands with more responsible production activities.
Sustainable fashion is viewed as inaccessible to most people. Some say they are too expensive, and the styles are too boring. How true is this and can it be addressed to ensure that sustainability is embraced easily?
The problem is that fast fashion is too accessible and over time it has convinced consumers to believe that if it is not as readily available or as inexpensive, then it is too much like hard work. Technology has opened up the sustainable fashion space to the globe with many independent designers making beautiful wearable clothes for several price brackets. Again, the onus here is on the consumers’ habits to change – to buy better and buy less!
Or could the aim be to discourage overconsumption?
I think the aim should be to discourage overconsumption and that ultimately will reduce overproduction.
Considering the previous question, do you find this fact to be misleading? ”Nearly 2 in 3 consumers who describe themselves as fashion conscious, would rather pay more for an eco-friendly product”
From my experience with my brand, I find this to be true.
Looking back on your answers so far, do you think sustainability in the fashion industry is a façade?
This depends on whether we are talking about the fast fashion industry and big business, the smaller independent brands, or the consumers.
Why do you feel this way? And what do you think needs to change?
The priorities vary for the different stakeholders in the industry. Better practice needs to come from both the producers and the consumers.
Why do you think people say that sustainability in the fashion industry is a fad? There is an assumption that sustainability is used as a marketing tool and doesn’t represent the full business picture.
Sustainability is one of the biggest buzzwords on the planet right now though my hope is that it will go beyond being a marketing tool and become an integral part of the entire fashion ecosystem.
As we move from climate change to climate crisis/emergency, experts see sustainability as no longer enough. They propose regenerative and nature-positive initiatives as the only way to reverse impact. How do you think the fashion industry can put back more than it has taken from the planet?
I think the most important step is for the industry to become truly circular. We need to take what is already made, improve it and turn it into a fresh item without seeking new materials and get it to the consumers using more efficient systems. That means rethinking our product design and designing out waste from the very start of the process and all along the value chain from extraction to production, to distribution, to consumption, and all the way through to disposal.
