Sandra Sandor on Sustainability

“It’s exciting to be pushing for change” Nanushka Creative Director, Sandra Sandor, has been passionate about the environment since she was a child, so our sustainable ethos is of vital importance to her. Here she talks about how she first fell in love with nature, why we should all strive to live responsibly and how a combination of tradition and technology is going to help us establish a new paradigm.

PROTECTING THE PLANET

“I always felt very close to nature and I always loved spending time outdoors, hiking with my dog, Ginie, and spending time in the Buda Mountains. I’ve always been struck by the beauty of nature and the sense of balance it provides us with, so I’m drawn to people who work tirelessly to protect our planet: David Attenborough; Jacques Cousteau, specifically his film about the River Danube, the river that runs through Budapest; and, of course, Jane Goodall and her extensive work on conversation and animal welfare.”

SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

“When you are involved in sourcing and production, you start to learn more and more about processes and their effects on the environment. I was always interested in the topic because nature has always played a big part in my life, but it was around 2014 when I actively started looking for solutions. As for many people, the tragedy at the Rana Plaza garment factory was definitely an eye-opener to the complexity of the problem we are facing. If we don’t live responsibly both in our personal and professional lives, then humanity will cause irreversible destruction to the planet and its inhabitants. I firmly believe in living a life that respects the planet and all living things on it. If we act, good change can happen.”

NEW SUSTAINABLE AESTHETICS

“Now there are some great sustainable alternatives in raw material supply, so we don’t have to compromise on aesthetics as much anymore. Fashion is also a way of shaping our ideas about how we shop and wear clothes, supporting the people behind the clothes and challenging the limitations of technology and human behaviour.”

TRADITION MEETS TECH

“Both sustainability and circularity tap into values that are inherently part of our culture and heritage. Crafts, upcycling, reusing and natural dyeing are activities that were passed from generation to generation, but for some reason we lost them. Through sustainability and circularity, we are once again exploring the value of slowness, crafts and heritage and the positive impacts they have on people, their wellbeing and the environment. We need technology to support us, and that is where the two worlds come together. Without technology, we would not be able to scale and offer these solutions and opportunities to a wider audience.”

FASHION’S FUTURE PARADIGM

“It feels like we are part of a wider movement, and when it comes to sustainability, we are all moving towards the same objectives; it’s less about competition and more about collaboration. It’s exciting to be pushing for change and the establishment of a new paradigm. At times it can be frustrating because it’s such a complex and holistic topic, and what you would like to do needs much more time, but it’s rewarding to see it coming to life knowing that it will have a much more positive impact.”