The new desire for “eco”
An environmentally-aware, resource-friendly lifestyle is the goal of more and more people in Germany
Whether in living, fashion, work or leisure, young urbanites especially are gearing their consumer behaviour increasingly to ecology, social values and regionality, and so setting trends. This may be seen in the large number of product fairs to which industry now invites consumers. “Responsible consumer goods” that combine design, functionality and naturalness: this is how the exhibitors at the Frankfurt fair Ecostyle, for example, present their wares. The trade show runs parallel to the well-known consumer goods fair Tendence and its offering coincides exactly with the zeitgeist. Another popular event is called the Heldenmarkt, or “Heroes Market”, a sustainability fair that takes place in Berlin, Bochum, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart. And not to forget the Market of Good Taste, a slow food fair in Stuttgart.
Vegan cosmetics and low carbon tourism
The trend can now be observed in almost every context in Germany: there are vegan cosmetics, low carbon tourism packages and green electricity. And sustainable fashion, such as that from the Berlin label Format or the Hamburg brand Lena Schokolade. Their clothes are made of natural and environmentally friendly material and are supposed to last longer. Wood for furniture comes increasingly from ecological forestry. Even wine-growing now takes account of life cycle assessment and the carbon footprint. The trend has been bolstered by the resurgent interest in “do-it-yourself” – the application of manual and craft skills.
Tendence and Ecostyle fairs, 30 August to 2 September, 2014, in Frankfurt/Main
www.tendence.messefrankfurt.com
