Before summer started, so-called experts were tipping this season to be a scorcher. Records will fall. Temperatures will go off the charts. Heat waves will be commonplace. Beaches will be jampacked. Forty degree days will be the norm.

Scorching Spring

They had reason to believe so. This spring has been the hottest ever. Seems like each month, we were setting new records. The Black Friday sales unfolded in a sea of red-hot sunshine. People were literally sweating for a bargain. I’ve already posted about Boxing Day. Birkenhead Point was crowded with shoppers. The sunny weather was quite conducive to this hive of activity.

So far, the meteorologists gave us inaccurate predictions. December and January have not been as fiery as advertised. There have been some weekends where I could even get away with wearing linen pants. Indeed, the Sydney weather has been rather flighty. On some days, strong rain and thunderstorms meet you. On other days, overcast conditions.

No-show

I kept expecting a forty degree day. Traditionally, mid-January is our state’s hottest time . If it should reach forty, then now is that moment. Alas, we seemed destined for a reprieve. Tomorrow the 21st will flirt with forty. However, the whole month has given us pleasant conditions. To be honest, I wasn’t alone when I wore those trousers. This is in stark contrast to earlier years, when everyone was donning summer attire. Quick aside: ‘kuno’ is Pinoy slang for ‘apparently’.

Worldwide, 2023 went down as the fieriest on record (since 1850). The past few years have continuously set new highs, a product of climate change. Globally, temps have increased by over one degree Celsius. This will persist to be the case unless we change our ways. Clothing and accessories brands are becoming more sustainable. Allow me to proffer some examples.

Carbon Neutral

Mitch Dowd is one of Australia’s leading underwear and sleepwear brands. As I’ve mentioned in a few posts, I’ve purchased many items from them. Most of my PJ’s are from MD. Whether summer, spring, or winter, I’ve been a loyal MD buyer. The label started in 1987, when the eponymous artist sold hand painted boxer shorts. As per their website, MD ‘remains one of the very few independent and privately owned businesses in Australia’.

MD offers lots of cotton garments, using twill and poplin. Aside from cotton, they also sell bamboo and, sometimes, linen. Their underwear range includes boxers, briefs, and trunks. They likewise sell socks, shorts, and henleys. When you order online, they send it out in a compostable bag that you can use for future parcels. A small step, this means less trees are wasted. The move makes for a greener planet. They aimed to be carbon neutral by 2030. However, they beat this target and were reportedly CN in 2023. That deserves a big ticko from Topher.

Sustainability Spree

More people should be familiar with Veja. The French brand was founded in 2003. This means that they are a much younger label than MD. However, they carved their niche with ethically conscious footwear. These days, for most of their shoes, they use recycled bottles. Furthermore, they utilise organic cotton laces. Finally, their rubber soles are usually from the Amazon rainforest. This ensures that the latter is really durable.

From humble beginnings, the brand quickly grew to have a worldwide footprint.This is in spite using recycled materials. Moreover, this is notable since their prices aren’t for the plebs. In 2018, the Duchess of Cambridge famously wore a pair while on a boat in Sydney Harbour. Afterward, Veja’s Instagram ‘broke down’. As a result of this publicity, in 2018, Veja topped IG’s list of shoe brands.

Veja does not have brand ambassadors. The money that would go to billboards, print, and TV ads are better spent on more noble causes. However, many other celebrities are happy to share the love. Their quality should be top-notch. As one blogger put it, ‘If it’s good enough for a duchess, then it’s good enough for you’.

I got in on the trend, buying a Rio Branco pair from DJ. They ran out of sizes at The Iconic, so I ordered from DJ instead. The upper material was a combo of leather, suede, mesh, and cotton. The sole, as mentioned, was Amazonian. The box declared that the black-grey kicks were made in Brazil. I saw that size 44 was small for me. There was no allowance. So I ordered size 45, which wasn’t in stock before. This turned out to be the correct fit. In my experience, Rio Branco runs small, so it’s best to go a size up.

These are casual shoes that you could wear with jeans or chinos. They’re certainly not something you’ll sport to work or formal events. I got the pair for $102, down from $230. I liked the colour and the style. The quarters, as with most Vejas, have the V logo. Despite the thick sole, they’re a rather light pair. They may not be Portuguese leather or Ralph Lauren’s. However, by choosing these trainers, you know that you’re supporting the global effort to protect the environment.

The Car of Dreams

Tesla is definitely another sustainable brand. For the uninitiated, the latter is the worldwide leader in electric cars. These highly original autos are seen as the next step up in the vehicle evolution. Their price points make them luxury cars. Being electric, there’s no need for gas. They used to be a novelty. They are more palpable in movies like Back to the Future. Remember the DeLorean?

Through time, tech advancements paved the way for hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Prius. With solar panels becoming more common in homes, these days, Teslas are not uncommon. By opting for electric power over gas, you are doing an incredible service to the planet. The problem though are the charging stations. They’re still not as ubiquitous as they should.

An Early Start

I’ve offered three fine examples of companies who give a damn. One is Aussie, one is French, and one is American. Though they provide very different products, they share one common trait: sustainability. We should not be hostages to the future. Like these three stewards, now is the time to get cracking.