The luxury world is witnessing a butterfly effect — resting on the wings of a black butterfly and the efforts of two women. It all began in 2011, when Diana Verde Nieto and Karen Hanton MBE got together to form Positive Luxury, a London-based company that rewards luxury brands that care about safe environmental practices. “The word ‘sustainability’ almost always has negative associations, but rarely do people talk about the amazing work that brands are doing in this area,” explains Nieto, co-founder and CEO. “We felt it was time to change the dialogue — to reward brands for the steps they are taking and to champion the leaders of responsible business.”
So they award ethically-run businesses with the Butterfly Mark, tapping into the travel, hospitality, fashion, jewellery, beauty, and premium drinks and living segments. The stamp is an accreditation programme (not a certification) that companies can apply for. Today, 117 brands, from Alexander McQueen to Krug Champagne, have it. These brands are also promoted on their newsletter, social media and blog. Ahead of Earth Day (April 22), Nieto speaks to Weekend about the organisation and what it means to ‘capture’ the Butterfly.
What is the story behind the Butterfly?
In 2010, I was privileged to present a Lifetime Achievement Award to David Attenborough. Later that evening, he told me the fascinating story of the Large British Blue Butterfly — a species that became extinct in Britain in 1979, yet has been brought back to the natural world. It is known as the most successful insect reintroduction in the world, and it inspired me to consider how, if we all work together, we can create a butterfly effect and reverse the negative impact we are having on our planet.
What is your vision?
We want to become the globally recognised trust mark for the luxury lifestyle industry. We want consumers to see the Butterfly Mark on brand websites and retailers, and know which ones they can trust.
How do you measure responsible practices?
Before being awarded the mark, all companies go through a stringent screening process that looks at sustainability holistically, beyond just the supply chain. The application, devised with the help of a council of experts, evaluates companies across five areas: governance, social framework, environmental framework, philanthropy and innovation.
To become a Positive Luxury brand, companies must respond positively to a minimum of 80% of the questions, along with providing supporting documents. If they don’t reach the requirements, we will work with them on the areas they need to improve. Every two years, brands need to reapply and go through the process again so we can make sure there is constant improvement.
Do other certifications like Fairtrade and USDA feed into the Butterfly mark?
Yes, we do take into account other certifications in order to ensure that we provide the consumer with a full picture of a company’s activities. Ultimately, the Butterfly Mark breaks down complex information about a brand’s sustainability journey into consumer-friendly language. When you see the mark at a point-of-sale, you can simply click or tap it to discover the brand’s environmental and social efforts and achievements.
To what extent do you believe customers look to mission-driven companies to shop from?
Being responsible global citizens matters to today’s consumers, with 87% of adults saying that ethical and sustainability-related concerns impact their purchasing decisions. Social media has made it much easier for us to find like-minded people. It also provides a business the opportunity to secure a steadfast segment in the growing millennial market, which now represents $2.5 trillion in spending power and will be the dominant force in both the luxury marketplace and workforce by 2020. This generation is as much, if not more, concerned with ideas than facts and what they feel rather than what they are told.
As major brands and retailers around the world – for example, Selfridges – are adopting the Butterfly Mark, we are seeing an increase in consumers exploring brands’ Positive Actions.
How important are your curated experiences?
The experiential economy is growing year on year. And by curating experiences across the lifestyle sector — from wellness retreats to exclusive opportunities to meet the designers — Positive Luxury is enabling brands to craft memorable experiences with a unique spin on positive living. In creating these mission-driven experiences, brands are able to develop a close relationship with a consumer who is far more engaged than if they were simply to browse items online or in-store.
Finding their mark
India has its own butterfly — the Silk Mark, launched in 2004 by the Central Silk Board, to help consumers distinguish between authentic silk and factory-made yarns — but this global stamp is yet to reach our shores. We can hold out hope, though, especially when brands like the four listed here, are looking East for inspiration.
Noor Fares: The designer of Lebanese origin, who started the label in 2009, is inspired by India — from mandalas and the colours of Holi, to gems, especially the Navratna. She also uses Sanskrit in the naming of individual pieces, like in the Sri Yantra series, for instance.
Oshadi: The contemporary womenswear line uses natural-dyed organic cotton, linen and ahimsa silk. Artisans in Erode take care of everything, from making the yarn to weaving.
Forevermark: The Forevermark Diamond Institute, located in Surat, as well as other locations, examines and hand-selects each Forevermark diamond. Since the stones are often mined from ocean floors, the mines are carefully selected and committed to high business, social and environmental standards.
Artha: Started by a mother-daughter duo, the brand retails home accessories and personal wear. They partner with artisans and craftspeople to bring in elements of the local, handmade aesthetic. They have also partnered with Mandala Apparels, a Fairtrade organisation, to help coordinate production with the Lambadis from Tamil Nadu.
