Source: Pure Magnolia
Weddings make up a whopping $300-billion worldwide industry. It is a notoriously extravagant industry driven by people’s desire to have the “perfect wedding”. The possibilities are endless if you can cover the costs. For many couples however, the “green wedding” trend may stem more from a cost-savings mentality, rather than an eco-friendly one.
Pure Magnolia is a North Vancouver company that provides eco-friendly wedding dresses. They do this by using vintage and new fabrics that have minimal impact on the environment. In addition, they accept donations of old dresses, adding them to their fabric collection and redesigning them into new dresses. The price range of their dresses is fairly standard. In this way, Pure Magnolia is targeting eco-conscious brides, including those who may not be willing to pay a premium for it.
For brides who are more price-sensitive, Pure Magnolia does offer dress rentals. While rentals are a more cost-effective option, selection is limited and the dresses cannot be altered. However, it does solve the problem of storing the dress once the wedding is over. It is an issue that is particularly prevalent in Asian countries, including Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea, where urban density is high and free space is scarce. In these countries, it is very common for brides to rent their wedding dresses. In North America, however, the wedding gown rental market is only beginning to catch on. As with Pure Magnolia’s customers, the rental market seems to be driven more by a desire to save money and to be environmentally friendly, rather than saving space.
It will be interesting to see how the wedding dress rental business in North America will change, and how businesses in the industry will respond to brides’ growing environmental concerns.