Otrium continually works towards the mission that all clothing should be worn. We do this by helping to eliminate unsold inventory and using technology and data to change the way clothing is created and sold. On our journey towards a smarter, more sustainable fashion industry, weāve teamed up with Good On You, the leading source of fashion sustainability ratings. Weāve used their know-how to highlight brands on our own platform that go the extra mile to be more sustainable, which helps our customers make more informed shopping choices. Using Good On Youās data, weāve introduced the Otrium Conscious filter. And now weāre speaking to conscious-rated brands carried by Otrium to find out more about their approach towards sustainability. This week, we chatted to Eric Otten, CEO of cashmere brand So Good To Wear, who believes that ethical fashion should be the rule instead of the exception. So what does sustainability mean to you? āPeople have always thought we could take something inexhaustible from our earth, to drive mass consumption and economic growth. Unfortunately, the reality is the opposite. Sustainability means that we have to give back more to the earth than we takeā Tell us more about your brand. āCashmere without compromises sums it up. We redesign the production process of cashmere with new and restored values. Itās a more conscious and personal process.ā Whatās your roleā¦ and how did you get there? āAs CEO of the company, I have to be a farmer for our Nepalese business and at the same time a fashion specialist for our western business. I bring those two worlds together, always with consideration of our vision and goals.ā Whatās your career background and when did you start working on creating a positive impact? āI have been in the fashion business for almost my whole career. I worked for private label brands and premium brands like Wolford. After five years, I truly realised there are no limitations for the welfare of our planet and so I joined the sustainable and fair trade brand MYoMY. From there, I moved to So Good To Wear.ā What achievement are you most proud of? āPutting the whole chain theory in practice! From our own cashmere goats to our spinnery, natural dying atelier and production in Nepal to our āslow fashionā models in the retail industry. The whole chain is fairtrade, animal friendly and committed to rebuilding the economy in Nepal.āWhat are you working on at the moment? āWe are expanding our retail network internationally and expanding our own cashmere goat herd in Nepal.āWhat is the biggest challenge on your roadmap of improvements? āThe coordination between high demands in the western world and the limitations of the relatively primitive possibilities in Nepal. Some things take more time to realise in Nepal ā time we sometimes donāt have.āWhatās the best feedback youāve ever received from customers? āI have never worn a more comfortable piece of clothing than my So Good To Wear sweater ā itās physical and emotional.āWhat do customers value most about the brand and products? āItās high āslowā fashion without compromises, made from the finest quality cashmere, fully fairtrade, sustainable and animal friendlyāWho inspires you and why? āStella McCartney ā it became a movement of a luxury fashion brand built on sustainability.ā Whatās the most important aspect you keep in mind when shopping for more sustainable fashion? āI ask: is the brand really concerned about sustainability or is it a form of āgreenwashingā?āDo you have a quote you live by? āWithout action, we only have words.ā Whatās a quick change that people could make in terms of being more sustainable? āActually, that is very easy! Start changing small and easy things in your life because it all helps: take your bike, not your car, donāt let the water run when you brush your teeth, donāt throw away food, put the light out in rooms you're not in, wash only a full machine and use biological soap, throw waste in a bin, not on the street, donāt eat meat every day and many more things that make more difference than you think, in your head and for nature.ā