CEO of the saigon congregation – tran kieu anh: it is natural to live “green”

The owner of the recycled accessories brand Saigon Series – Kieu Anh told about the brand’s journey in the sustainability-themed ELLE issue exactly 1 year ago. This year, Kieu Anh “appears” again, but to talk about more “green” habits, interests, and choices in daily life.

CEO of the saigon congregation – tran kieu anh: it is natural to live “green”

Perhaps because I have parents of the “boomers” generation, I find it quite natural to live green because since I was a child, I have always been trained to limit waste. Things like turning off lights and fans when leaving the room, not letting the tap run when brushing teeth, cooking just enough, and reusing plastic bags… are reminded every day (still reminded now). Of course, for the previous generation, living frugally came from the reason that life after the war was full of difficulties and deprivations, but thanks to that, I found “living green” quite natural and not too difficult.

Living green for me is every day when doing the most ordinary things like shopping, eating, and commuting… if I have to choose between similar things, I can prioritize the one that is less harmful to the environment. Choose bagasse instead of styrofoam, use plant-based soaps and detergents instead of industrial ones, don’t use straws if you don’t need to, and walk instead of calling a car when it’s close, for example. 99% of these options are not only “greener”, but also “cleaner” for their own health, so why not!

In addition, I am practicing vegetarianism for one of three meals a day, hoping to gradually move towards a fully vegetarian diet. For myself, the main reason to go vegetarian (even stronger for health and the environment), is to not want more creatures to be slaughtered for me. I hope that one day people will live in harmony with nature and all things.

I’m a “Sida” fan, currently occupying more than half of my wardrobe. Just like other green living habits, if you know how to choose and buy clothes that are both beautiful, not in touch, and very good quality, but the price is “cheap” compared to the brand reputation. I think sustainable products cannot consider environmentally friendly as the most important and unique feature because that is not enough for buyers to pay their bills. The nature of the product must meet both functional and aesthetic aspects.

The community of idiots in Vietnam, although still a bit quiet, is developing quite quickly. Buy stuff si has 3 levels. The first level is quite simple to find and buy at the usual second-hand stores, with a variety of models, soft prices, and items collected from many different sources.

Level two is depending on the item you need to buy, and knowing where to buy it. For example, for women’s dresses and tops, clothes from Japan are very suitable because they are usually high-quality fabrics (linen, linen, silk …), easy-to-wear designs, and meticulous and beautiful seams. If you want to buy T-shirts, denim, and clothes with a little personality, you should look for European and American goods, there is no shortage of places to choose items with iconic brands such as Levi’s, Wrangler, Lacoste … at a fraction of the price. ten. If you are a connoisseur, you can also hunt for rare vintage items that can be re-sold at a very high price.

The last level is my favorite, but there are still quite a few in Vietnam. Those are the “remake” shops, which means that there are cutting, editing, embroidery, or extra painting to turn the old item into a unique new item. I really admire the ingenuity, creativity, and ingenuity of the people who do this. Often these items (in Vietnam as well as abroad) are sought after by buyers, waiting to buy each item like concert tickets even though the price is higher than new items in general. This also makes me more confident about the direction of the fashion industry, that there will always be a place for sustainable products with a thorough investment in technology, design, and especially the story behind the quality. Whether.