Art x You x Lotus & Michael

Your Best Investment (by Historic and Personal standards)

 

1. ART- History and Projections of the Global Art Market

$552.97 Billion in 2025- Global art market size. Be honest- If I asked you to estimate, what would have been your number?

Growth 2024-2025 was at a CAGR of 5.5%. Growth through 2029 is estimated at a CAGR of 5.9% (see below)

 

How does this compare with Global GDP? Estimates for 2025-2026 range from 2.3% World Bank Group to 3.3% (International Money Fund-IMF).

Here’s what World Bank Chief Economist Indermit Gill has to say about global growth prospects:

“International discord—about trade, in particular—has upended many of the policy certainties that helped shrink extreme poverty and expand prosperity after the end of World War II. This year alone, our forecasts indicate the upheaval will slice nearly half a percentage point off the global GDP growth rate that had been expected at the start of the year, cutting it to 2.3 percent. That’s the weakest performance in 17 years, outside of outright global recessions. By 2027, global GDP growth is expected to average just 2.5 percent in the 2020s—the slowest pace of any decade since the 1960s.” 

The same World Bank report predicts about 2.7% growth in the coming years. The IMF is much the same, but distinguishes between regions:

 

 

Just how big is the number for the Global Art Market compared to other major market categories? Let’s compare it to the Global Apparel Market: Uniform Market estimates the 2025 global apparel market size at $1.84 Trillion, or about 1.6% of global GDP.  So the global art market is 1/3 the size of apparel? Did you know? (I didn’t)

Let’s take it a step further. Given the above data, where to put your money, and what is a “safe” investment that will provide stable growth with least risk? Property? Stocks? Bonds? Crypto? Commodities? Assuming you don’t have a crystal ball that can see the future, and given the global economic data, ohshit.

Clearly, the market for art is not subject to the current trade and political issues. And is it an especially good investment in times like these? What would cause the art market to depress like the stock or bitcoin markets?

2. Art x YOU

Most especially, given the economic data, what do you do with your money? OF course, you want the most growth and the least risk. You kind of knew what I was going to suggest: ART.

Why?

To begin with, the data above shows that art should be a singularly good investment in the coming years.

But what is the risk?

None. None?

If you are comfortable with the price you paid for art, you have nothing to lose. 

An investment in art has emotional value. Yes, there is emotional satisfaction in making a profitable investment but, unless you have issues, it’s not the same as a beautiful piece of art. Maddox Gallery in London elaborates four benefits of the emotional value of art as a  as a Passion Investment  which brings you lasting satisfaction and value:

1. Passion Assets Bring Emotional Satisfaction and Fulfilment.

2. Buying Fine Art as an Investment Offers Long-Term Value Appreciation and Stability (the below graphic explains).

 

3. Passion Investing Offers Portfolio Diversification.

4. There is Cultural and Intellectual Value in Investments of Passion. 

Let’s take it a step further. Why is buying art from living artists especially fulfilling?

One writer offers several reasons:

1. Unveiling authenticity: Owning an original piece means possessing a tangible connection to the artist’s creative journey, offering insights and narratives that transcend the boundaries of time and space.

2. Fostering Artistic Growth- Supporting living artists means fueling their passion and enabling them to continue their artistic pursuits. 

3. Cultivating Cultural Diversity- Art is a universal language that transcends cultural barriers, offering a myriad of perspectives and insights into the human experience. By purchasing original artworks from living artists, you contribute to the preservation and celebration of diverse cultural traditions and expressions. 

4. Enhancing Your Living Space- Original artworks have the power to transform ordinary spaces into extraordinary realms of inspiration and beauty. 

5. Investment Value- While the primary motivation for owning a one-of-a-kind painting may be aesthetic or emotional, it’s worth noting that original artworks can also be valuable investments. As artists gain recognition and their careers progress, the value of their work may appreciate over time, offering potential financial returns in addition to the intrinsic value of ownership.

What’s in it for you? “In essence, owning one-of-a-kind paintings is not just about acquiring beautiful objects; it’s about participating in a larger narrative of cultural preservation, historical documentation, and artist legacy. Through their ownership and stewardship of these artworks, individuals become active participants in the ongoing dialogue between past, present, and future, ensuring that the rich tapestry of human creativity endures for generations to come.” 

This appeal is not present in most investments. Or home purchases. Do you get the same satisfaction from your furniture as your art? And, if you spent a fortune on a home or office, doesn’t art increase the emotional and financial perceived value?

If you’re convinced, how should you select which painting to buy? Only you can decide, but here’s some of my criteria:

1. It speaks to me. Promotes emotional, personal empathy. Many of our customers buy a painting because of the connection it makes to them. For example, a painting of a cat might speak to you because you love cats or had one that passed. 

2. Its nature value. If I see a painting that gives me a warm feeling because it depicts something I love as part of nature.

3. I can visualize it on my wall.

4. It is original, unusual, special in its aesthetic and cultural value.

5. It reminds me of an experience that I cherish.

6. I am proud of its one-of-a-kind nature and to show it to all.

7. *I want my home to be a sanctuary of serenity, so my art should enhance that goal.

But what about the price? Again, the painting will never deteriorate or be used up. It can last and have legacy value. And if the price you paid is comfortable for the forever acquisition, everything else is gravy.

Buying direct from the artist adds to its authenticity and appeal.

3. Art x You x Lotus & Michael

So now that you are (hopefully) convinced of the timeless emotional and investment value of art, why buy ours?

Our art is expressed in our garments--Based on our profession in the fashion industry, it came natural that we chose to do garment business; Because of Lotus’ artistic taste and Michael’s market experience as a buyer in the past, we present our garments with sophisticated colors, styles, fabrics, and embroideries. So other than Lotus’ art for hanging on the wall, our garments are art as well, the wearable ones.

It's all one statement- Lotus’ art extends to more than her paintings. And our clothing extends to more than nice stuff to wear. Both are intimately related to why  we do this: Art, clothing, gardening, cooking are all connected to our lifestyle and that is what we share with you.

We want to bring art, or an aesthetic attitude to your daily life so you can enjoy it with us and make your individual statement. Like the end screen of our videos says: “Since we can’t give you a flower from our garden, we embroidered it on our garments. May you always enjoy blooming and fragrant days from Lotus&Michael.” 

This is also true of our art.

Owning our garments or paintings, you share in our Lifestyle- Many of Lotus’ paintings are direct reflections of things that are part of our environment and daily lives, such as Queen of the Night which depicts our plant which took 26 months to bloom and then blessed us with its unique flowers; some of them translate to our embroidery, such as our prunus mumei(plum blossom)  or our beautiful Chrysanthemum; yet others portray one beautiful world with the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures, such as Encounter With Beauty.

Speaking of fusion, Lotus’ style is a unique blend of Chinese Water Ink, famous for its detail, and Oil Painting, which takes the liberty of portraying beauty as an impression.

And, each painting is one of a kind.

Most important, we invite our customers to share our sacred principles of preserving our planet in our own small way that gets bigger the more it is shared. Our commitment to plant-dyed clothing and simple, classic garments that are built to last is a clear and tangible reflection of these principles. Both are timeless classics.

So it is all connected and reflected visually in our art, clothing, gardening, and cooking and captured in our videos. We categorically reject the ultraprocessed and convenience world that threatens our health and our planet.

Every painting, every garment has a story and they are all kindred. It is a story that we think needs to be told and learned to make our lives and our planet better for our children.

Surely our clothing and paintings and have their own intrinsic value. But we hope that the value of the story and lifestyle behind them, as well as conscientious quality, give them authenticity which raises their emotional and material value to you.

Take a look; we welcome your comments as well as your purchases! It is our intention to merge our garment and art customers into one community with the same mission statement.

Our store: www.lotusandmichael.com

Lotus Art: https://www.lotusandmichael.com/collections/art

Our lifestyle in video: www.youtube.com/@lotusandmichael

See you there!

 

Walmart steps on the necks of grocery retailers; have they saved us from death by chemicals?

 

What about the others?

10/1/2025 Walmart Press Release:

“BENTONVILLE, Ark., Oct. 1, 2025 — Walmart U.S. today announced it is moving to eliminate synthetic dyes and the use of an additional 30 ingredients, including certain preservatives, artificial sweeteners and fat substitutes from its private brand food products. This action is a significant step forward in its ongoing mission to provide customers with affordable, high-quality private brand products.

 

The change, which includes all Walmart U.S. food private brands such as Great Value, Marketside, Freshness Guaranteed and bettergoods, is in line with evolving customer preferences and in support of a more transparent food system.” 

The list is long and very specific:

Dyes:

Walmart is eliminating 11 synthetic dyes from private brand foods in the U.S.:

 

• FD&C Blue 1

• FD&C Blue 2

• FD&C Green 3

• FD&C Red 3

• FD&C Red 4

• FD&C Red 40

• FD&C Yellow 5

• FD&C Yellow 6

• FD&C Citrus Red

• FD&C Orange B

• Canthaxanthin 

And other ingredients (holy crap, these were in our food?):

In addition to dyes, Walmart U.S. private brand foods will no longer include 30 other ingredients, such as certain preservatives, artificial sweeteners and fat substitutes.

 

Ingredients being removed include:

 

• Titanium Dioxide

• Azodicarbonamide

• Dicotyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate (DSS)

• Sucrose Polyester

• Toluene

• Anisole

• Lye

• Morpholine

• Propylene oxide

• Sodium Stearyl Fumarate

• Stearyl tartrate

• Ficin

• Synthetic trans fatty acid

• Butylparaben

• Lactylated Esters of Mon & Diglycerides (OLEON)

• Methylparaben

• Propylparaben

• Calcium Bromate

• Potassium Bromate

• Bromated flour

• Neotame

• Advantame

• Phthalates

• Potassium Bisulfite

• Potassium Nitrate

• Potassium Nitrite

• Simplesse

• Sodium Ferrocyanide (Yellow Prussiate of Soda)

• Sucroglycerides

• Talc

Nice that they are taking these out, and we don’t know how much of them was in their products in the first place, but OMG they are scary to know that they may have been widely consumed. 

For example:

Sucrose Polyester, brand name Olestra, is a fat substitute made from sucrose and vegetable oil. Neither of which are good for you, and both of which can cause adverse effects, if not long term ones. So if I wanted to make a cookie that tasted good and had a lower calorie or fat count, I would use this shit.

Synthetic Trans Fatty Acid: “unhealthy fats created in an industrial process called hydrogenation, which adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them solid and extend their shelf life. This process creates partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), which are found in many processed and fried foods and have been linked to serious health problems, such as increased "bad" cholesterol (LDL), decreased "good" cholesterol (HDL), and higher risks of heart disease, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes.” 

Yummy. It’s not just Walmart. Trans Fatty Acids are commonly found in many mainstay American food products:

  

Bottom line is Walmart, before its competitors, is announcing to the US retail world (Europe is a different kettle of ingredients, as is Asia) that it cares about its customers’ health. That creates a positive association in customers’ minds and, even if Target, Kroger, ShopRite, etc. announces a similar change in coming days/months or ever, it looks like a copycat and its motives, as well as its actions, will be cast into doubt and the zero-sum win will go to Walmart.

Whatever their real motive, Walmart can become the MAHA hero.

But nothing you don’t grow yourself is pure and clean. 

So Walmart made its announcement about its private brands. Which means that if you are intent on killing yourself, go ahead and buy all the Froot Loops you want to. Wouldn’t you think that if Walmart management decided that these certain ingredients are bad for their customers’ health, as they said in their press release, that they would ban items containing these substances from their shelves? They won’t. And we know the reason:

Money/greed. Their business is too big to send their Froot Loops customers, as stupid as they may be, to Target or Shop Rite or Costco.

But before we blame Walmart, we should blame a. the people like Procter & Gamble that put this shit in the food supply in the first place b. The FDA that allowed it and c. most of all, the stupid lazy customers whose only standards were fast, filling and cheap.

Unfortunately, the truth is that shit-free foods like the ones that Walmart will stock in its private brands by 2027 were available in the US Marketplace, some since 2015. 

For example, Aldi. “Aldi US removed certified synthetic colors from all of its exclusive food products in 2015, so Aldi brands have been dye-free for nearly a decade. This decision was made in response to customer feedback, who expressed interest in more natural, plant-based colorings.”

Why? Because they care so much about US consumers’ health? I doubt it. I believe the main reason is that their home base, and most of their stores, are in Europe, which is a much healthier place to live, and which has not allowed this crap in its food for a long time now. Nonetheless, Aldi woke up to MAHA and put this ad on Facebook:

 

Trader Joe’s, which has become a cult favorite in the US, and which has also been owned by a European company since 1979, has a clean bill of health on all its own-branded products (which make up most of its inventory). The company’s FAQ page spells it out.

Whole Foods also makes a similar commitment but takes it a step further. Not only do its private brands avoid the dyes and chemicals that Walmart is banning now, but it claims not to sell other brands’ products if they contain those substances: “These requirements are applicable for Whole Foods' own affordable 365 label and all other products it stocks -- so you can shop with peace of mind, without having to intensely scour ingredients labels.” 

Ever notice that almost all grocery stores, whether a mega-Walmart or Lidl, are arranged with the fresh stuff around the outside, and everything else in the middle? So all you need to do to avoid the crap is shop the outside and buy fresh. Or grow it yourself.

Bottom line is that, if you want to avoid the nasty chemicals that Walmart is now banning in its private label, you don’t have to shop there. Just buy from a store or chain, like Aldi or Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, that has and has had that standard for some time now or for as long as they have existed--or just buy fresh or grow your own. 

Don’t care? As was said in Brooklyn where I grew up, it’s your ass (and maybe your heart and liver and etc.)

Kudos to Walmart for jumping in front of the customer’s face with their announcement and stepping on the necks of those retailers who believe if they give the shit away at a loss or for free, they will get the customer’s dollars, and that makes their shareholders happy. Let’s see where that customer shops in the next five years.

And Kudos to RFK Jr. for upturning the apple cart and making US consumers aware of the fact that they have been slowly poisoned and debilitated by greedy conglomerates, shareholders and the lazy lifestyle they gave in to. Every detail that HHS gives us may not be ironed out, but the intention is there and the message is effective if we get the overall point—as in the 1976 film, Network, and we are "mad as hell and won’t take it (buy it) anymore." And those of us who listen, and act accordingly, will be the better for it. 

Those of us who don’t will feed the medical profession. And the drug suppliers.

Viva la pura vida! Or, better yet, la pura vida nos hara puros (the pure life will make us pure). This is and has always been Lotus & Michael’s lifestyle, which is present in everything we do or make.

Have to end this article now. I need to water my vegetable garden.

 i. Corporate.walmart.com, “https://corporate.walmart.com/news/2025/10/01/walmart-u-s-moves-to-eliminate-synthetic-dyes-across-all-private-brand-food-products”

 ii. Ibid.

 iii. https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+synthetic+trans+fatty+acid&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS1032US1032&oq=what+is+synthetic+trans+fatty+acid&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCTIxOTg0ajBqN6gCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#vhid=8xHUnc2APorVhM&vssid=l

 iv. Sushruta, https://www.diabetesendocrinology.in/diabetes/why-should-i-bother-about-trans-fat/

 v. Yahoo! Life, https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/grocery-store-chain-thats-committed-144000754.html

The Circular Economy Nightmare: Is there a better alternative? (Yes there is)

 

The Circular Economy Nightmare: Is there a better alternative? (Yes there is)

 

Focus: Europe’s EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) Law

Recently, Europe passed a statute which holds producers responsible for the recycling of their clothes, known as the EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) law.

What is EPR? “Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is an environmental policy approach that shifts the responsibility of a product’s lifecycle to the producer, including design, take-back, recycling, and final disposal. While variations of EPR now have a worldwide presence, the European Union (EU) was the first to introduce and implement the legislative tool for EPR in Europe.   

And “the EU requires producers to undergo a compliance process. This process includes registering as a producer, following product or packaging design and labeling requirements, reporting on the amount of product or packaging placed on the market, achieving recycling targets, and funding the recycling and/or recovery at end of life.   

Here’s how it looks:

 

So part of your cost as a manufacturer will include a process for collecting and processing goods you already sold. Clearly, these costs will be reflected in the initial pricing of the item, and will go up further if costs increase. 

Once this law goes into effect (as with most laws, it is confusing, but it has been approved and will require compliance: “In September 2025, the European Parliament approved new rules under which EU countries should set up schemes that would make sure producers of clothing, accessories, hats, footwear, blankets, linens, curtains, and optionally mattresses, cover the costs for collecting, sorting, and recycling their products” ) , there probably will be a huge increase in the amount of goods that are turned in. And then what? Then what is not-- bingo! They are recycled.

What is the truth about recycled garments? 

Here’s some real news:

“Textiles collected via clothing containers consist of 55% reusable textiles and an average of 37% suitable for recycling (Boer Group figures). But how much of this is actually recycled? In reality, only 1% of all post-consumer textiles are recycled into new clothing. 12% is downcycled into something of lesser value and 87% of textile waste is pure loss. The amount of clothes that is recycled is thus much lower than the marketing campaigns of the big fast fashion chains would suggest.” 

And, what is never mentioned in all the hoopla about recycling and circularity, salvaging that small percentage that will actually become clothing takes a lot of energy and water; this is never reported.

Also, the fact that gets quietly ignored is that recycling synthetics that will take 200 years to decompose is what? A stay of execution? Recycled polyester is still—polyester. I know there are efforts to “sustainableize” synthetic fibers but we can agree, especially given the huge percentage and tonnage of production that these fibers comprise, it is not something we can depend on, or even consider, in the near future.

But the problem remains the problem.

I had a nightmare about this: I dreamt a person (or a million people) in Europe bought a polyester blouse from some cheap web site. A month later, the seams rip and she dutifully returns it for recycling following the instructions. Then, it goes through the recycling process and out comes the same blouse. Same thing happens again; it is recycled again by the next consumer. And on and on and on a thousand (million) times just like in the movie Groundhog Day; energy is used to make and recycle the blouse, microparticles are leached into the water, and the price, if we calculate all the factors, is in the tens of millions. 

Scared me—does it scare you? 

What are Lotus & Michael’s vision of the textile and clothing world we want? For us, the vision of a world where nature is worshipped in all our pursuits—manufacturing, gardening, cooking, and we don’t create schmutz .

 Natural fibers like cotton and linen as our materials, mother of pearl or stone in our buttons, no plastic in our packaging or shipping. Most important, plant-dyed fabrics that represent real sustainability in that even the dyestuffs are not chemical imitations.

And the garments are built to be multifunctional. One style can be worn on multiple occasions—to work, to garden, to dine out, to hang out at the beach, etc. Classic styling prevents “I’m tired of this,” beautiful, natural colorways are always in style. Last but not least, our embroidery makes for an individual experience. Built to last. And wear—everywhere.

Here's our Snake on a Lake dress at the beach in Sanya, Hainan Island;

 

What does all this have to do with the world of recycling as forced on makers with legislation such as the EPR? Here’s my logic:

Brands, knowing that they will have to pay coming and going for each style they produce, will produce less. What they DON’T produce will be profitable in that it will save them from the reckoning of what goes out must come back.

What will their thought process be (or what should it be)? “We need to produce less, and produce stuff that won’t come back fast, or at all.”

Sound familiar? It should. Sounds like us.

So, in conclusion, the best possible consequence of the EPR will not be its legislated compliance (if it works because it is mandatory, at what cost?), as most think, but in the reimagining of the clothing effort from produce more so customers buy more and sell more, to producing what won’t be back in the company’s hands next month—or even next year.

Just like Lotus & Michael.

Links to see product for yourself: www.lotusandmichael.com  and our lifestyle story on Youtube: www.youtube.com@lotusandmichael 

 

 Sourceintelligence.com, 4/7/2025, “What are the EPR regulations in the EU?” https://blog.sourceintelligence.com/what-are-the-epr-directives-in-the-eu

  Ibid.

  European Parliament, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20201208STO93327/fast-fashion-eu-laws-for-sustainable-textile-consumption#:~:text=In%20September%202025%2C%20the%20European,sorting%2C%20and%20recycling%20their%20products.

  Cosh.eco, 8/27/2021, “How does textile recycling work?” https://cosh.eco/en/articles/how-to-recycle-second-hand-clothing#:~:text=But%20how%20much%20of%20this%20is%20actually,87%25%20of%20textile%20waste%20is%20pure%20loss.

  Oxford Languages Dictionary, “Schmutz,” https://www.google.com/search?q=schmutz+definition&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS1032US1032&oq=schmutz+definition&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCDU5MjFqMGo3qAIIsAIB&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Target vs. Walmart (and everybody else): Is mass market retailing a zero-sum game?

 

Target vs. Walmart (and everybody else): Is mass market retailing a zero-sum game?

There have been more than enough experts who have analyzed the reason for Target’s fall from consumer grace, so let’s let that be. What do I have to add to the conversation?

 It is this: The most important issue for Target now is quo vadis—where are you going?

Why is this question more critical than the specifics of the turnaround the board and shareholders are expecting? 

The numbers show that there has been a gaping hole created between Target and Walmart; in addition, its performance has gone in the opposite direction of mass market retailers Costco and Amazon. Let’s take a quick look at the numbers:

First, Target sales growth:

 

Next, Walmart sales growth:

 

Let’s add a look at Amazon:

 

And Costco:

 

So you can see that all performance and projections are positive, except for Target. 

The percentages also belie the magnitude of the gap because Target is smaller than the other three, especially Walmart. Comparable sales outlooks for 2025 are Walmart's revenue around $681 billion compared to Target's approximately $106.38 billion (based on projections from early 2025. ) Since the customer is spending 6x the money at Walmart, every dollar of lost sales for Target is potentially six times as devastating.

There’s more bad news for Target. What is the customer mainly purchasing at Walmart vs. at Target? Here’s some category segment charts to show us:

 

Note above that the number one category for sales at Walmart is Grocery at 59.7% of total. Which means that the customer is spending $406 billion on Grocery at Walmart, which is 4 times Target’s total volume, and much more than the $24 billion spent at Target. So, since we know that consumers make purchase decisions to solve problems, and that the biggest problem is eating, Walmart is attracting many more customers on essential shopping trips. To what degree are those Target customers freely switching?

The mix of categories looks like Target is offering much more variety than Walmart. Maybe. But is that reason enough to make a separate visit to Target? And Walmart’s “General Merchandise” category is worth $168 billion, again more than Target’s entire revenue. And the apparel business , much of which is private brands, that earned Target the nickname “Tarzhay” generate only $16.7 billion. Worth a trip to Target?

Which brings us to the main question: To what degree is the consumer’s choice of mass merchants a zero-sum game? 

This question is even more relevant considering the fact that Walmart has paid maximum attention to its online D2C business and introduced Walmart+ to compete with Prime? The numbers show that the consumer has responded to Walmart’s online presence in a big way: “Walmart's global e-commerce grew by 25% in Q2 2025, while Target's digital sales grew by 4.3%.”  So the consumer is telling us that they have even less reason to go to a Target, which has been much less aggressive developing its online business.

Speaking of online, there is Amazon. Oops. Amazon knows that their Achilles Heel now is physical shopping, which they are working to solve to an extent more than we know. Nonetheless, what will that do to visits to Target?

And let us not forget Costco. 36 week 2025 revenues were $185.48 billion, up 8.2% YOY. Online sales were 17.2% of that total, or $32 billion. 

Speaking of private label, Costco has made its Kirkland brand, available since 2009, annual sales 30% of their total, which in 2024 amounted to $74.6 billion . As a separate brand, Kirkland is bigger than most retailers and many brands. This signifies a serious vote of confidence and trust on the part of consumers. Now, try to remember a Target private brand that rings a bell. Find any?

Back to my original question—to what degree is mass retail a zero-sum game? IF the customer is satisfied with the quality and price of what she purchases at Walmart-or Amazon-or Costco, what will attract her to spend extra time shopping at Target? If she is happy with her purchases, and with the selection she finds when she shops, why spend the time to go anywhere else? With the three mega-retailers cited here to compete with, how much chance does Target have to get her to spend time at their store instead of the others?

So the big question for me, and for new CEO Michael Fiddelke, comes to more than store appearance and stocking or DEI policy. Of course, those are prerequisites for successful retailing, but they will not be enough to get the customer to spend their time at Target instead of Walmart, Costco or Amazon.

I agree with Steve Dennis’ statement in a recent article, “Can Target Regain Its Mojo?” that “In this situation, better execution and fixing the leaky bucket of customer defection is absolutely necessary, but far from sufficient. Target needs big change--a fairly radical rethink--not what I refer to in Leaders Leap as ‘infinite incrementalism.’” 

Target has lost the customer’s attention to a significant degree. If you agree with me that mega-mass market retailing is to a great degree a zero-sum game, then Target needs to, after it has solved its internal problems, bid for the attention of the millions of customers it clearly has lost—that means the goal should be stopping at Target instead of the others. The competition is tough and getting tougher every day. What efforts do you think Target has to make to take customers away from the three retailers mentioned here as well as up-and-comers like Aldi and its Trader Joe’s?

What should be the plan, Target? Do you keep what’s best, your brand equity, and reinvent yourself, so consumers have a reason to shop? Straightening the tables and filling shelves won’t be enough. Check your ego at the door and do some real critical reflection on quo vadis.

A logical afterthought- could there be an upcoming marriage between Amazon and Target?

Papillon and the Meaning of Life (Maybe)

 

Papillon and the Meaning of Life (Maybe)

“Maybe.” The word Papillon said to Louis Degas in response to Degas’ statement, “ You know you will die.” before jumping off a cliff and riding a raft of coconuts to Venezuela. 

 One word. A simple answer. So why am I making so much of it?

Because to me, the answer to Degas’ assertion captures the meaning of life.

Maybe. Dying is not a maybe. We all will. The burning question that “maybe” inspires is how will we live? 

Maybe implies an unsure conclusion. RISK. RISK involves some courage to move forward where the result in not guaranteed or assured.

Maybe implies a mindset I call “Why not?” as opposed to “Why?”

Maybe is not something you always think consciously and carefully about. It is part of you and marks the agreement between your unconscious and conscious brain that maybe is enough to move forward.

Maybe has been the theme and logo of my life only I never understood it until recently. So much so that I will be authoring an autobiography “Papillon of Sheepshead Bay.”

Maybe I lost you. So now I will give you a few examples from the movie, the world and my life (To read more, you will have to wait for the book)

First, the next best quote from the movie: “Hey, you bastards, I’m still here.” Papillon has withstood all the blows and pain of living a “why not” life and not given up or compromised his principle under the incredible, inhumane pressure from the establishment.

The world is full of challenges, more now than ever before. While we are blessed with technology, we are cursed with its casting us off into anonymity. What the hell does that mean? Think about it: In the 1950’s our world of interaction was limited to who we could reach geographically. And the interaction was personal. Easy to deal with. Yes, no or maybe were easy to understand and negotiate.

Today, person to person activity is limited; most of our world and our information comes from our devices. So, then we were mano a mano with our competitor, foe or customer. Now we are an image on a screen, maybe as small as 6 inches. How do you get your point across on a 6-inch screen as opposed to the complete you?

Today, most people live according to what is provided and don’t have the courage to take their lives in another direction. Therefore, “maybe” and “why not?” are a much more difficult choice.

It is well documented that microplastics are posing a huge hazard for humanity and may be responsible for consequences way beyond biodegradability; they have even been associated with colon cancer and may be unavoidably present in what you eat. If I asked you to eliminate all plastic from your home and refuse it outside, would you do it? Could you do it? Why not?

Maybe you would risk some disapproval or disdain from others or some inconvenience. Why not do it for you? Understanding the importance, but that you are a tiny speck in a big sea, would that discourage or stop you from doing what is right?

Some examples of why not and maybe from my own life. 

Growing up in Sheepshead Bay/Coney Island areas of Brooklyn, I had lots of opportunities to test the Why Not philosophy with full understanding of the Maybe consequences:

When I was around thirteen, I had a burning desire to eat Calamari pasta with spicy tomato sauce. My parents were not interested. So, I convinced them to give me the money and set off to a local Italian joint named Carolinas by myself. Maybe I would get strange looks from the staff and other customers—I did—but the calamari pasta was memorable. I can still see and taste it many decades later. Why not?

Around the same time, my friends Stanley, Bruce and I chipped in some small money to buy a 25 hp outboard motor. After running it in a steel drum, I decide to give it a road test. I put it on the back of a rowboat and set off from Sheepshead Bay. Soon I found myself under the Verrazzano Bridge with huge vessels as companions. And, of course, the water was way too rough for a little boat with a little motor. 

Stupid? Maybe. Dangerous? For sure. Why not?

I remember watching the movie years ago, but I didn’t get its relevance to me until I watched it recently. Beyond my agreement with Papillon’s outlook and his decision, I was taken by his resilience and willingness to endure unimaginable suffering to preserve his principles and overcome the obstacles set for him; I realized that “Maybe” and “Why Not?” were my guiding light and summarized the course of my own life.

Now, years later, in the complex and discouraging world we face, I finally understand that goals are very challenging—no, a bitch-- to achieve and stick with; despite that, I want to shout, everyday: “I’m still here, you bastards.”

But—here’s the good part—I am finally happy.

Come follow my journey and relive the highs and lows with me. 20 countries, many years, a lot of great food. IF you do, you will surely understand that I consider my life a success, regardless of the shit times, and no matter how it ends. How I lived is most important.

i. There are questions and disputes about Henri Charriere’s (the true identity of the character in the 1973 movie) escape and life after escape. Those are of no consequence here. The motivating emotion is based on the events in the 1973 movie.

ii.

LOTUS & MICHAEL X MAHA

The health risks of artificial dyes, 

the health risks of polyester and plastics in textiles, 

their common cause and solution.

Lotus & Michael’s small role in the answer

First, let’s answer your question- "who the hell do these people think they are, associating themselves with a national health campaign?" If you read on to the end, maybe you will agree. And maybe you won’t. Read on anyway, because your children’s health is at stake.

Artificial dyes in food

 

91.7 million boxes of Froot Loops sold per year 

The biggest shock of this is WHY was it allowed to happen?

Here’s the bottom line of artificial dyes:

After measuring 39,763 products, researchers found that “The researchers found that 19 percent of the products contained synthetic dyes, representing more than $46 billion in consumer purchases in 2020. Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Red No. 40 was the most common synthetic dye (14 percent of products). Per product, the number of synthetic dyes varied from zero to seven. Overall, 28 and 11 percent of products in the top five categories marketed to children and in the remaining categories contained synthetic dyes, respectively. Products containing synthetic dyes had 141 percent higher mean total sugar compared with products without synthetic dyes (33.3 versus 13.8 g per 100 g). Lower levels of sodium and saturated fat were seen in products containing synthetic dyes.” 

Why Food dyes? “Synthetic (human-made) dyes exist only to add color to products like foods, drinks and even medicines. The dyes don’t help preserve foods, and they have no nutritional benefit.” 

Looks great to the kids, eh? Makes M&Ms shiny and colorful, eh?

What are the health risks of these beautiful, useless colors?

• Allergies

• Cancer

• Inflammation of the colon and colorectal health problems

• DNA damage

• Behavioral changes 

Wait, there’s more:

Behavioral changes that food dyes may contribute to include:

• Hyperactivity

• Irritability

• Memory problems

• Restlessness

• Volatile moods 

Synthetics and plastics in clothing and textiles

 

This list is too long to reprint here. You can look at my isourcerer blog article  entitled, “Is Recycling the Answer to the Textile Clothing Catastrophe? Nice, but NO.”

An even more shocking disaster for our environment and our children. A few highlights:

• Producing textiles creates 42 million tonnes of plastic waste each year

• 10% of microplastics that enter the ocean every year are from textiles

• Synthetic textile waste takes much longer to decompose – polyester can take between 20 and 200 years to break down, nylon takes anywhere from 30 to 40 years, and rubber takes 50 to 80 years

• Polyester production volumes increased from 61 million tonnes in 2021 to 63 million tonnes in 2022. Polyester continues to be the most widely produced fiber, making up 54% of the global market in 2022.

• Clothes made using synthetic fibres such as polyester and acrylic are responsible for more than 60% of global apparel purchases

• According to a study by a team from Plymouth University, in the UK, each cycle of a washing machine could release more than 700,000 plastic fibres into the environment. 

their common cause and solution

 

What do you imagine could be the cause of these problems? Why would a company allow such harmful products to be marketed in such huge quantities and to play such a massive deleterious role in our health and the environment?

Well, either 

1. they didn’t know, or

2. Greed

I don’t know about you, but my vote goes to #2.

Most important, they had a facilitator and a partner up until now: the FDA.

How was this ever allowed?

A question before we continue—how does this make you feel. Sick? Disgusted? Stupid? Responsible for harm? If none of those, if not worse, you might as well stop reading.

The solution

We all know what the solution is for synthetic dyes. STOP using them, NOW. If the government under RFK, Jr. is not disruptive, big business will find a way around it. Main problems: not that it can’t be done, but it costs more and doesn’t look as enchanting to children.

What about textiles and clothing? Can we ban polyester and force the industry to use recyclable materials? Sure. But again, big business will find a way around it. Who has the courage to take such precipitous action and bite the profit of big business? 

I think we all know the answer is nobody, EXCEPT the consumer who can stop buying the product. Will they do it, and pay more? I believe we all know the answer to that one, too. At least right now.

So this is where Lotus & Michael comes in, and where brands like ours can follow. For us, our commitments are clearly spelled out and have been since we opened the business. 

Let’s reprint them here:

Our Dozen Commitments:

1. Original Designs-All the designs showing on our products are created, owned and copyrighted by LotusandMichael,LLC.

2. Artisanal craftmanship-We pay meticulous attention to every detail, our products are crafted by the most skilled artisans with supreme fabrics to meet our high-quality standard. We would and do wear anything we sell to you.

3. Dependable Pricing-We guarantee that each product’s price on our website will be reliable and consistent, so as to be fair to every one of you when making a purchase. You will have the security of knowing your price won’t be discounted after you buy the item.

4. Payment Security-The payment methods offered on our website are secure by Shopify and Paypal. You can shop freely without any concern.

5. Pre-shipment Inspection-Though our manufacturers have conducted multiple inspections at our workshop, we inspect every piece of our products as a double guarantee before we ship it to you.

6. Customer Service-Offering you great products and services are our goal. Whenever you have questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact us (lotus@lotusandmichael.com).

7. Social Compliance-Our factories must adhere to our Code of Conduct, which looks out for the Health, Safety and Welfare of our workers; we guarantee to adhere to the SA 8000 standards, which include ensuring:

• No Underage labor

• Right to Collective bargaining

• No Discrimination

• No Environmental harm

• Freedom of association

• No Harassment and abuse

• Compliance with Health & Safety Standards that protect workers

• No Prison or forced labor

• Wages that are fairly applied according to local and international standards and properly compensate workers for normal and extra work hours, days or task

• No Excessive work hours- Workers must have at least one day of rest per week and overtime should be limited to 12 hours/week

• No Unauthorized Subcontracting at Non-Compliant workshops

8. Fair Trade-We guarantee that we have ensured that the factories and workers in our supply chain comply with local and global Fair Trade standards. Our Suppliers will not pay less than the local and global standard, even if they can.

9. Paying Our Suppliers on Time-Once we buy something, we own it and will pay the suppliers for it in full and on time as agreed.

10. Worker Community Welfare-We take responsibility for the communities of workers in our factories and aim to build viable communities for them and their families. We pay a fair price that builds communities and sustains workers and their families.

   11: Sustainability and Minimal Environmental Impact-As home gardeners, we appreciate nature and our planet. Here we proudly announce that:

• All the materials used in our products are natural and sustainable.

• We build our products with great attention to be timeless and durable, so with a little tender loving care, they can be with you for years.

• We are extremely selective on merchandising in order to produce less, thus less textile waste and more benefit for our planet.

• We minimize our packaging to avoid wastage and avoid non-recyclable materials.

• In our small way, we are willing to contribute as much as possible to the earth’s future.

12. Privacy Policy- Your time on our site is totally voluntary. We will never sell your information to third parties or follow you with tracking cookies. Our site is open to all and the information therein will never be gated content.

Baker’s Dozen-Symmetry and harmony with nature: Nature produced the materials for our product and our blessed environment. Lotus & Michael is a tribute to nature’s best and most beautiful. It brings us great happiness, and our mission is to bring that to you through our offering.

Wait, there’s more: We also address the waste and landfill catastrophe by building our garments in Premium Fabrics, artisanal make, multifunctionality, classic styling, with a touch of embroidery to make them unique. So you can buy less and buy better. Yes, it may cost a little more, but not when gauged by wearings/garment. Like the car you paid a little more for but were able to safely drive 200K miles.

Not done yet: We have staked our future on Plant Dye Fabrics—where, in addition to using premium natural fibers like cotton and linen, we dye them with real plant substances, not synthetic (sometimes toxic) dyes. This is where we are going-real sustainability- and our individual contribution to MAHA.

We, in our small way, are out to Make America (and the world) Healthy Again. Join us!