Ali Azimi talks about his water-saving fashion label Kind of Blau and its in-house NGO Drip by Drip. He discusses the crucial importance of water conservation and his reasons for creating a sustainable label.

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FCG: Kind of Blau has made a name for itself as a water-saving fashion label. But what does that mean in concrete terms?

Ali Azimi: Specifically, this means that we've focused on the water footprint from fiber to finishing and try to keep it as small as possible. We achieve this through the use of particularly water-efficient, selected fibers and also through particularly water-friendly production methods. That's why we try to source and produce exclusively in Europe. At the same time, we try to finance water projects in Bangladesh by donating 5% of each sale to our in-house NGO.

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FCG: Why is the issue of water conservation so relevant in the textile industry?

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Ali Azimi: Water is an essential part of our lives; we all agree on that by now. But unfortunately, we've forgotten how much the countries of the Global South, where cotton is grown or where the textile industry is located, suffer from water scarcity or pollution. We want not only to raise awareness of this, but also to make a direct contribution to combating this problem. My journey first took me to Bangladesh, where I experienced firsthand the devastation wrought by the textile industry.

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FCG: And in your opinion, is there enough information and education on this issue?

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Ali Azimi: Yes, they exist now. But that wasn't the case three and a half years ago. That's why I decided to investigate back then, and I was surprised that it didn't have a significant place in the fashion world or fashion production. I would definitely put the issue of water and textiles on the agenda even before the issue of CO2, as we have far more options for action here. However, the issue has now found its way into the public consciousness, and I'm very proud that our association and our label have contributed to this.

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FCG: Presumably, that's how your NGO Drip by Drip came about. Tell us about it!

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Ali Azimi: That's one way to look at it. I wanted to create a combination of saving money and simultaneously investing in water projects. So I simply set out to find a solution, flying to London, Bangladesh, and Portugal to build this framework. Fortunately, I found many like-minded people who had similar goals and shared my vision. This led to the creation of the world's first NGO dedicated exclusively to the topic of water and fashion. We work on fabric innovations that I spearheaded. We conduct educational outreach at universities, fashion schools, and trade fairs. Furthermore, we invest in water projects in Bangladesh together with many other labels that have joined forces with us to finally tackle this global problem.

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FCG: Sustainability seems to be indispensable when founding new brands these days. Would you have considered founding Kind of Blau without sustainability in mind?

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Ali Azimi: I'm not sure if it was or is the idea of sustainability that was the driving force. A lot has changed since the beginning, and I no longer see fashion as a mere marketing tool or a campaign for water conservation. I want to create sophisticated fashion built on a foundation of quality, grace, integrity, and creativity. So there are many ways to live sustainably without exploiting it. I think that if you keep these virtues in mind, you can be successful even without a green or blue label.

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FCG: In your opinion, do brands founded in 2021 even have a right to exist if they don't meet any sustainability criteria?

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Ali Azimi: I think everything has its place as long as it's valued and desired. There are plenty of brands that have nothing to do with it and are significantly more successful than we are. So there are plenty of examples. The question is, what do we want to achieve with it? Do we want to provide something valuable and unique for society and give people the opportunity to be a part of it, or do we simply want to offer lifeless products at the lowest possible price? Both can be found in the "green" and "fast" fashion worlds. I've chosen the former, and I'll continue to stick to that.