A yearly round up of all sustainable initiatives in the Fashion Industry
The Covid-19 pandemic has made it clear that sustainability is a must when it comes to fashion as the industry needs to renew and innovate, and real change and goals are essential in the long run. Although there is still room for much improvement, in the past year we’ve seen a number of collaborations, initiatives and commitments that we hope will continue in 2022 and beyond. More and more brands are making the transition to sustainable fashion, and we have put together a list of companies that are currently making a difference.
Luxury brand Stella McCartney is devoted to protecting the planet by sourcing as many sustainable materials as possible such as cashmere, organic cotton or fibres from the forest. The brand promotes cruelty free methods and treats animals and their habitats with respect, and follows the principles of circular fashion by using regenerative and restorative production methods. Despite proving that one can build a successful business while taking a more responsible approach to production, McCartney admits that her label is far from 100 percent sustainable in its practices. In this case, transparency is key when a business communicates its mission and values to such a wide audience.
One of the biggest investments the company has made so far has been the investment into a clothing and accessories collection made from Mylo, the “leather” alternative grown from mushrooms.
Hungarian brand Nanushka is continually searching and experimenting with new eco-friendly fabrics and upcycled materials, such as vegan leather made from mushrooms while treating and paying its employees fairly, and 85% of the production happens in its home country to maintain a low carbon footprint and transparent supply chain. The brand aims at fulfilling their environment and social commitments by 2030.
Eileen Fisher is committed to the reaching vision of a 100% sustainable business model, 100% organic cotton and linen, and being carbon positive by 2030.
UK-based knitwear Katie Jones is based on a “Waste Not” approach, using unclaimed materials from apparel manufacturers. The brand turns them into wearable artisanal collections that embrace color, texture, and fun.
New York-based brand Mara Hoffman uses a variety of sustainable fabrics including repreve and econyl, as well as fibrous plant-based materials such as organic linen and cotton. The brand also uses compostable packaging, and uses digital printing technology to reduce water use.
New Zealand’s brand Maggie Marilyn’s 2022 Sustainability Strategy plans to address issues of circularity and regeneration. The company is actively promoting a circular lifecycle for clothes, allowing fashion items to last forever. From the supply chain to the final product, every step of the process is monitored to make sure that it is ethical and sustainable. After their first life, the brand recycles those pieces into something new.
These are just a few examples of some brands leading the way towards a fully sustainable industry, and there’s many more committed to an ethical strategy or working towards it already. With the industry awakening to this reality, we should start seeing more and more companies recognizing that all of the challenges are interconnected and solving them can be part of the creative process.
(information sourced on voguebusiness.com and fashionunited.uk)
(Featured Image: Photo by Rebecca Orlov on Unsplash)
(Image 1: Photo by Ethan Bodnar on Unsplash)
(Image 2: Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash)