Is The Environment A Luxury

The purpose of this collection of essays is to shed some light on the complex relationship between environmental quality and the distribution of income. Are the preferences of the poor towards a cleaner environment really different from those of the rich? Environmental economists have traditionally focused on efficiency issues. In their analyses the quality of the environment is usually related to aggregate or average variables, like per capita income; policy recommendations are usually formulated considering efficiency with no regard for equity and also the predicted effects of policies are evaluated in aggregate terms. The essays collected in this volume go into the problem of the relationship between environmental quality and income distribution. The book’s opening essay shows how different theories of economic growth and environmental quality seem to suggest that the higher the level of income the higher is the value of environmental protection. The essays that follow, a mix of already published papers and of papers solicited for this book, analyse the relationship between environmental quality and income distribution from different perspectives (both micro and macro) and on the basis of more than one methodology. This book highlights that the preferences of the poor towards a cleaner environment may differ from those of the rich, but income is also very likely to represent only one factor affecting them. The essays consider other relevant factors affecting preferences for environmental quality. What clearly emerges is that the distribution of costs and benefits of environmental policies is the key for their successful implementation, and that further research is needed to both address the distributional effects themselves and the strategies to mitigate them.

This book counteracts the claim that luxury and sustainability are conflicting concepts, and contends that they can successfully co-exist. Discussing key characteristics of luxury such as craftsmanship and preservation of artisan skills, product quality and durability, and limited quantities of luxury goods, the authors argue that luxury brands are inherently sustainable from economic, social and environmental perspectives. Sustainable Luxury Brands gives a comprehensive overview of luxury to demonstrate this claim, also focusing on sustainable luxury from a consumer perspective. The authors furthermore compare and contrast sustainability within the mass market to the luxury sector, and present insights into current and upcoming topics in luxury research.

​This book addresses the issue of sustainability in the luxury industry, which has become a major topic of concern for brand managers, scholars, policy-makers, the media, and academia. Spanning 13 chapters, the authors provide insights from developed and developing countries, whilst at the same time exploring a variety of issues within sustainable luxury, the hidden value of secondhand, eco-luxury, circular economy principles and perceptions, ethical sourcing and eco-label strategies. All of which can be linked to the broader theme of SDG12: Responsible Production and Consumption. Thus, the book not only has a wide geographical scope but also brings together a collection of scholars spanning many disciplines such as marketing, management, textiles, fashion, economics, and digital media. Offering a combination of empirical and conceptual works, the book also provides important insights for future research enquiries.

Most consumers of luxury products and services use them as status symbols – symbols of success. However, the definition of success – and the way it is perceived by others – is changing. Increasingly, consumers want the brands they use to address growing concerns that luxury products invariably come at a heavy social and environmental cost. The luxury industry faces its biggest challenge yet in satisfying an emerging demand of successful consumerism – products that meet high environmental, social and ethical standards.This collection sees internationally renowned fashion, luxury and sustainability experts come together to explore the challenges faced - and solutions developed - by luxury goods companies in sourcing, producing and marketing luxury products. Sustainable Luxury: Managing Social and Environmental Performance in Iconic Brands represents the most comprehensive collection of current writing on the nascent relationship between sustainability and luxury. It will be essential reading for academics researching sustainable development in the fashion and luxury industries and it will provide invaluable guidance for practitioners seeking the latest research to help them meet consumer demand for sustainable goods and services.

This book highlights ten cases of entrepreneurship that – in the context of circular economy – have redefined the paradigm of luxury and the notion of exclusivity that it requires. It shows how, by using technology and a new consumption model, the ten companies have created novel business models for luxury, and more intelligent forms of use better-suited to modern times.

This book discusses the current trends in luxury and jewelry and presents how to make these sustainable for a better future. In the age of sustainability, we increasingly see how designers and consumers begin to think beyond a product's look&feel and operation, and are especially concerned about what has happened during its manufacturing process and what will happen once its useful life comes to an end. Today, consumers value that every industrial product and process should be sustainable, beneficial for the people, the economy and the planet, and so is the case for jewelry.

This book presents and analyzes aspects that, within the framework of luxury, have been or are currently being redefined by sustainability considerations. It also presents and reviews cases from industry and entrepreneurs in connection with this ongoing redefinition process.

This book explores the intricate relationship between luxury and craftsmanship, using brand-based case studies and consumer behavior to do so. In addition to revealing how the artification of luxury affects consumer behavior with branding and traditions, it discusses how sustainable luxury could not only offer a vehicle for more respect for the environment and social development, but could also be a metaphor for the cultures, art traditions, and innovations of various nationalities, continuing the legacy of local craftsmanship.