SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN DESIGN WITH KATARÍNA HUTYROVÁ OF NOSENE
Just days before our much anticipated event* in Ruse on sustainable practices and the role of design in reframing the narrative on the imminence of taking actions for saving the planet now, we present our two special guests in consecutive interviews.
Katarína Hutyrová is the founder, co-owner and manager of NOSENE. She was included in the “30 under 30” list by Forbes Slovakia (2019) and won two times the Via Bona Award with NOSENE (Good Community Partner Award in 2016, Green Company Award in 2018). She is an avid enthusiast and ambassador for sustainable fashion and lifestyle through her activities as an author and moderator of the podcast “The New Sustainable Age”
NOSENE offers a wide range of sustainable options for the consumer: worn or upcycled clothes, natural and local cosmetics, ecological handbags or sneakers, beautiful recycled jewelry, books, recycled stockings and nylons and household cleaners. “Our production is not only local, but as close to being zero waste as is achievable, and we recycle most of our waste and up-cycle where possible.”
What does NOSENE mean and what was your concept when labelling your brand with it?
Katarína Hutyrová: NOSENE means “worn” in English. It is the new generation of second hand, it’s “shop that makes you feel good and sells clothes that smell wonderful”. The decision to buy an already used piece of clothing is a step towards supporting fashion sustainability. Fast fashion causes the clothing industry to produce waste, which often ends up on a junkyard, where it takes decades to decompose. In most cases, those are clothes that were worn only a couple of times, sometimes not even once.
In what way is your second hand brand different from the rest? What is unique about it and how do you nurture it?
KH: We change the way you feel in the second hand and how it looks. We select right pieces, have own upcyled collection RENEWALS BY NOSENE and bring choices how you can change your behaviour in sustainable livestyle
Why is secondhand consumption better as a lifestyle choice? What needs to be done in order to keep it in the loop of contemporary fashion developments?
KH: Every day millions of people buy clothes without any thought or remorse for the consequences of those purchases. Shopping is becoming “Americans’ favourite pastime.” Because it is one of the biggest environmental problems. More specific – second or third dirtiest industry in the world.
If there is one thing each one of us should start doing right now in order to save the planet, what would it be?
KH: Stop buying new clothes. Instead choose an already used piece or a local brand, take your own bottle, your own cup, buy less food or take a walk instead of traveling by car.
One misconception about the term sustainability?
KH: That I cannot change anything as an individual.
Your favourite book/movie on the subject you would recommend?
KH: David Attenborough – A life on our planet.
*Sustainable Practices in Design and Fashion is a series of discussions and presentations in five Bulgarian cities – Ruse, Burgas, Gabrovo, Varna and Plovdiv. The project is initiated by Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Institute in Sofia and is curated by Studio Komplekt, who are also leading the discussions. The event introduces the general public to a variety of practices that formulate an important change in the industry towards greener production and consumption. Combining science, design, technology and media, they offer new, closer to nature models for the use of raw materials. Each of the selected Bulgarian cities is hosting a discussion on sustainability with two guest speakers from Europe, as well as a traveling exhibition with 24 examples of sustainable fashion and design brands from the Visegrad Group.
