A conversation between Sveva Clavarino and Rebecca Prunali (CEO and founder of Talia Collective)

What is Talia Collective?

We are the first editorial marketplace, promoting fashion, beauty and lifestyle products for conscious consumers who don’t want to sacrifice quality, luxury and aesthetic.

Talia Collective is the ultimate destination to talk about sustainability, discover new brands and get inspired by the eco heroes who are leading the change.

What is your mission?

While researching eco-chic apparel and sustainable products for my beauty routine, I realised that there was a lack in the market. I had to spend lots of time in order to find the products I was looking for, and even when I found them, websites were generally not presenting brands in an appealing way. And what I realised was, why can’t sustainability be aspirational?

At Talia Collective, we strongly believe that in order to have an impact we don’t need a small bunch of people living a 100% sustainable life. What we do need is for everyone to start taking small steps toward a more sustainable and conscious living. We want to encourage that by changing people’s perception of sustainable living from the required to the desired. 

Our belief is that ethical living is no longer an option or a trend, rather what needs to become the new normal.

What are the main challenges that sustainable brands are facing today? 

I believe there are two key challenges that sustainable brands are facing. 

The first is related to differentiating themselves from brands that are not really sustainable but are willing to exploit sustainability as a trend and are greenwashing their image. Sustainable brands need to not only communicate this to their consumers, but most importantly need to start measuring their own impact. 

The second challenge is related to prices which are generally higher compared to the fast fashion industry. Over the past decade, fast fashion became a part of our daily life and consumers got used to buying garments at the price of a cappuccino. In order to keep costs and prices low, big players in the fast fashion industry grew at the cost of workers and the environment. The challenge is encouraging consumers to love the “buy less, buy better” attitude. Combining one high quality piece with different accessories can get you a completely different outfit. 

How is sustainability changing and increasingly impacting our life?

Sustainability is quickly becoming a key element of corporate strategy in every sector. Several big players across different sectors are starting to invest in R&D to find new technologies, materials and processes in order to minimise their environmental impact, and increase transparency across their supply chains. What this means, in practice, is that going forward, we’ll have a wider range of products to choose from that will allow us to take the small steps needed towards a more sustainable and conscious style of living, without adding pressure to our already busy lives. 

What are the most eco-friendly brands in the market? 

Since launching Talia, I have discovered a wide range of amazing independent eco-brands from all over the world, each with their own stories and values. It’s difficult to shortlist my favourite brands, however, for a fancy night out, I would definitely wear a Vernisse upcycled dress combined with Shekudo Mule shoes locally crafted in Nigeria. If I think about my beauty routine, I love Goldfaden MD and Irene Forte Skincare products. 

How can we be effortlessly sustainable according to Talia’s ethos and philosophy? 

There are many things that we can do to live more consciously without overturning our lifestyle. I believe it all starts with awareness and knowing what options we are presented with. Whether it be planting a mango tree, offsetting your carbon emissions when travelling, buying the ultimate vegan sneakers, or using reef-friendly sunscreens, these are all small steps we can take to make a big impact. There are lots of sustainable choices, we just need to know them. And that’s what we are here for.  

What sort of services do you offer if you become part of Talia’s community?

From sustainable retreats, talks and events, to special sales and giveaways, we have lots in store for our community!

After the Covid19 pandemic, how do you think people’s behaviours will change in terms of eating, thinking and acting?

For those who were lucky enough not to lose their jobs or even worse, their loved ones, the pandemic forced us to take a break from our hectic lives and think about where we are going. We had time to cook our meals, to sleep a bit more, and have quality conversations with our families and friends, and I think we all realised that we need to slow down and look after ourselves and our planet more. I hope people will remember all the lessons learned during the lockdown. Big changes always take time, but I think the pandemic has been a catalyst in increasing awareness, one that will hopefully have a long term positive impact.