A Father embraces his child in a cozy indoor setting with a quote overlay, “We borrow the Earth from our children,” highlighting love, legacy and sustainability.

Talking About The Next Generation

Words matter. We believe a single quote can catalyse change. So much so, if you glance up at the wall above the sink while washing your hands at Petit Pli’s Mission Control HQ in London, you’ll find yourself reading the quote below.

"We don't inherit the Earth from our ancestors: We borrow it from our children."

This quote has increased relevance as we approach Father’s Day. Despite being a brand spearheading sustainable childrenswear, you may find it humorous to learn that only one person on Team Petit Pli, to date, has their very own LittleHuman.

However, we are collectively aunts and uncles to 20 LittleHumans. For most of the team, we have yet to carry the full weight of awareness and responsibility that comes when you become a parent. However, we are aware enough to recognise that every single one of our choices affects the type of future the next generation will endure. With this in mind, every human has the capacity to parent change.

The origin of this quote

In the spirit of Father’s Day and exploring how we can leverage the wisdom of our proverbial forefathers, we wanted to delve into the origin of this quote. Is it a Native American proverb? An Amish saying? Or something dreamed up in a Mad Men style office on Madison Avenue?

Fortunately, Quote Investigator did the heavy lifting for us. Their research showed that the quote surfaces time and time again over the centuries. From this, we learn that our duty to the environment and future LittleHumans, has transcended time, cultures and continental borders.

Today, the phase is even imbued into the manifesto of the much quoted 'SDGS'. This qualifies the hotly debated concept of 'sustainable development' as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

This quote serves as a critical reminder that we humans are very needy tourists on Planet Earth with a time-bound departure date, directly linked to our collective (ab)use of the natural environment.

With the lives and livelihoods of future LittleHumans in mind, we can all endeavour for the better. For this reason, we believe this quote serves as a useful mantra to keep top of mind for daily reflections, and in our case, to top our sink.