This chrysanthemum is one of nature’s gifts. Delicate, beautiful, colorful, strong yet gentle. We call it “Nature’s Fingers.”
In China, the origin country, it is renowned as one of the Four Gentlemen:
“The four most important flowers in Chinese culture are the plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum, which are collectively known as the Four Gentlemen or Four Noble Ones:
- Plum blossom: Represents winter and symbolizes noble and modest qualities
- Orchid: Represents spring
- Bamboo: Represents summer
- Chrysanthemum: Represents autumn and symbolizes endurance and vitality
These flowers are often depicted in Chinese art, especially in bird-and-flower paintings and ink wash paintings. They are also a popular motif in traditional Chinese arts like textiles, porcelain, lacquerware, and wood carving.
The Four Gentlemen are a symbol of traditional Chinese virtues like uprightness, purity, humility, and perseverance. The plants are thought to have natural characteristics that are similar to human virtues.” (source)
Endurance and vitality- we all need that. More so than ever. So shouldn’t this flower be part of your life?
Chinese tradition has it that on “double 9” (9/9) families should go to the mountain and watch the chrysanthemum bloom, which will give them strength to face all the world’s ills successfully.
Wouldn’t you want that?
IF you don’t f**k it up, maybe we will continue to be blessed with its unique beauty. (that is why we chose this flower as one of our main embroideries in our plant dye collection)
Who, me? What am I doing to cause this beauty to disappear?
Well, what is your answer to these questions?
- How many polyester garments do you own?
- How full is your closet?
- Do you buy stuff because it’s cute or cheap or both?
- How many times do you wear your garments on average?
- For how many different occasions can you wear your typical garment? How many do you?
- What do you do with the stuff you don’t want to wear anymore?
And more about your lifestyle:
- On average, how many full-size garbage bags do you fill per week?
- What percentage of your weekly diet is packaged—in boxes, bags, cans?
- What percentage of your food preparation comes from the microwave or automatic oven?
- What percentage of your food purchases are fresh? (meat, fish, vegetables, fruit—not including prepared items like peeled garlic, cut fruit etc.)?
- What percentage of your kitchenware and dishware are disposable or plastic?
- Do you always use a dishwasher? What percentage of the time do you hand wash?
Wait- so what’s the problem? How am I harming nature? I am not cutting down flowers or trees.
Let’s just talk about the main topics:
- WASTE- We all have seen the numbers on clothing as a major waste component. See our blog article for more.
- OVERCONSUMPTION, OVERPRODUCTION- Which is a cause of the incredible amount of waste.
- TOO MUCH CLOTHING- same
- INCREASED USE OF ENERGY, NATURAL AND PHYSICAL- Every garment requires energy to produce (material and construction), ship and deliver. More garments=more energy used.
- NONCOMPOSTABLE OR TOXIC RESIDUE- Polyester and oil-based apparel and other tools cannot decompose for 200 years. Toxic dyestuffs will remain toxic dyestuffs, In your laundry water and in their final resting place.
- MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF CONTAINERS FROM PREPARED FOOD IN TRASH AND LANDFILLS
There’s more. But check yourself from the list above and feel guilty.
WAIT- There are still lots of flowers and trees around. So what difference is all of the above bullsh*t making? QUESTION: If you could come back 50 years from now and see your children’s and grandchildren’s world, would you bet on that the above makes little or no difference?
It will. So what should you do?
One thing that is NOT an answer is to buy only secondhand clothing. OVERCONSUMPTION IS OVERCONSUMPTION. Buying only secondhand clothing is a stay of execution, not a reprieve. Sooner or later, those garments will end up in the shit pile.
What can I do to reverse this trend, on my end?
- Buy less, buy better. Say no to the cheaper the better mentality.
- Buy clothing that is multifunctional and can be worn on many occasions.
- QUALITY, quality, quality. Leads to longer life.
- Don’t use a goddamned dryer—it ruins your clothes, pollutes the air and consumes lots of energy—let nature dry your clothes.
- Be choosier about what you buy- If it makes you feel good, happy and better when you first wear it, that should continue for well- years.
There are lots of textile producers and brands, including Lotus & Michael, who are committed to environmentally positive processes and products. You should not buy from any brand until they are transparent about their sustainability practices, not for one or two groups or items, but about EVERYTHING they do. As a consumer, you should demand that before purchase.
As for the rest of your practices including food consumption:
- DON’T use the excuse of being busy as an excuse for poor consumption; I can make a fresh salad in the time you cook your frozen pizza. You should avoid the frozen and packaged aisles as if they don’t exist. For us, they don’t.
- Throw out your microwave and dishwasher—they use a lot of energy and give you another excuse. Washing dishes takes less time than the dishwasher and you can heat your leftovers in pots and pans.
- Eliminate plastic from your life- it is poisoning the environment on the way in and on the way out.
VISUALIZE- Your view from your window is not of the beautiful chrysanthemum or other flowers, but all of the contents of your garbage can that are continuing to pile up daily.
I think the vision should shake you out of your comfortable and destructive life. Below is not a future fantasy; it is reality today.
Join us at Lotus & Michael—People, Planet, Product.
This, not that- enjoy nature with our plant dyed sportswear featuring—what else?- chrysanthemum embroidery.
Show your support! Make your statement with Lotus & Michael.
To show our love, we did a Haiku as homage to the Chrysanthemum:
Your delicacy
Masks your rugged endurance
A cloak of beauty
