Is organic an exaggerated fad??

Following up on the brief 30 seconds given to Peau-Ethique in La Quotidienne (on France 5 at noon)

The question was: Organic: An exaggerated trend?

Let's be honest, many abuse the term organic when their product is barely natural; this is what we call Greenwashing. I'm going to delve back into it because it irritates me immensely.

As for Peau-Ethique, we are not a multinational corporation. We have been doing organic for over 10 years; if we had been liars, we would have closed down a long time ago.

I'm going to talk a bit about textiles because that's my area, but believe me, nothing is simple. I just learned that two organic textile brands are closing down or are in the process of doing so. At what point is it easy and do we make a lot of money? Our goal has always been to demystify organic products, making them accessible to a wider audience. Because organic isn't just for hipsters. At least not for us. Perhaps that's why we're still here today. Perhaps also because our products are genuinely GOTS certified (the organic cotton label). But at what point is it exaggerated? At what point does wearing organic underwear or a pair of socks make us special? Nowhere, I think. I don't claim 24/7 that I wear organic underwear. I also don't say my shoes are organic. I live my life, I see what's best for me.

So yes, we mainly talk about food. And rightly so. Today, 60% of French people consume organic products. Do they consume them because it's fashionable? I don't think so. Or else they are stupid, but 60% is still a lot. The argument for consuming organic is that we pay attention to what we eat/wear because we don't want to get sick. The number one argument for organic is Health, at the expense of taste or style. Right or wrong? For clothes, wrong; I wouldn't wear a T-shirt with a message, even if it's organic. I have a minimum of style, and that's not mine.

Is it more expensive? It all depends on what you buy, of course. I'll give you a very simple example. At organic fairs, there's an Italian who sells Parmesan, but at €40 a kilo. That's huge. I'm telling you, with my Italian genes, I would never spend that much on Parmesan. Conversely, you can find organic oil cheaper than a brand in supermarkets. And much better, especially. So yes, there's a bit of everything. But you can buy organic eggs directly from the producer at the same price as in supermarkets (and not organic), same goes for milk. For vegetables, I compared them to those sold in non-organic supermarkets and found them identical. And for clothes, our panties cost less than a brand that is starting to make organic lingerie...

So yes, I consume organic, I encourage my friends to consume organic as much as possible, because for me, the further we go, the fewer alternatives there will be to this lifestyle. I consume organic by choice and not because it's a trend. I'm not 100% organic, but a good part of it. I've been looking for a cool organic pair of jeans for months but can't find one, and I'm afraid I'll have to settle for an organic Levi's, which doesn't excite me.

I am part of this new generation that wants the planet to change, that wants consciousness to awaken. So yes, I will consume, even when it's no longer fashionable (or, let's be utopian, when it has become THE traditional way of life).