Sustainability Pulse #102
Sustainability Trends & News Worth Exploring — December 3, 2024
This week’s newsletter is packed with some of the most thought-provoking stories in fashion and sustainability.
The industry is at a crossroads, from the environmental toll of overproduction and fast fashion to groundbreaking innovations like lab-grown leather and upcycled collections.
Whether it’s the paradox of sustainable fashion or the economic dynamics of Black Friday, we’re diving into the forces shaping the future of what we wear.
Let’s explore how we can move from "shop till we drop" to a more thoughtful approach to fashion.
Why we need to stop buying clothes
As fashion campaigners demand ‘degrowth’ for an industry responsible for 10 per cent of global pollution, Helen Coffey talks to pioneering designers, activists and academics about whether we’ve officially shopped till we drop
Reimagining Growth Landscape Analysis
The Reimagining Growth Landscape Analysis is a comprehensive report examining the prevailing linear “take-make-waste” business model of the fashion, apparel, and textile industry, aiming to drive a shift away from unchecked resource consumption.
The Hidden Truth Linking the Broken Border to Your Online Shopping Cart
The incoming Trump administration promises an immigration crackdown. But for years, the on-demand economy has been fueled by unscrupulous staffing agencies exploiting migrant workers.
Decathlon Pulse, Unspun announce partnership
The partnership, which centers around the investment and a multiyear offtake agreement through 2030, aims to scale Unspun’s 3D weaving technology throughout the region.
Temu and Shein’s Black Friday Marketing Heft Pressures Other Retailers
The marketing might of two online retailers might mean a bleak Black Friday for rivals.
Shein facility receives certification for zero-waste, landfill management
The accreditation helps the fast fashion company’s strategy to show it is implementing new recycling initiatives.
How can marketing support the circular economy?
Decoupling growth from resources is critical for the planet’s future, but circular business models require new marketing support to change what and how we consume.
What Will Happen to Fashion If the World Misses Its Climate Targets?
This year, the world breached 1.5℃ of warming above pre-industrial levels for the first time. As fractious climate talks draw to a close this week at COP 29 fashion is facing risks from overheated factories to consumer volatility.
Rolex Lands Win in Counterfeiting Case Over Customized Watches
Rolex has landed a win in the case over the sale of modified watches. In a recently-issued decision, a federal court in Georgia sided with the Swiss watch giant in its bid for summary judgment on the trademark infringement, counterfeiting, and false designation of origin claims that it waged against Jewelry Unlimited and its CEO and owner, Wafi Amin Lalani.
The reuse revolution: Your guide to upcycled and sustainable fashion brands
This story is part of Image’s November Lost & Found issue, exploring the many lives our clothes and objects have, the many stories that are still waiting to be unearthed.
When Swedish brand Hodakova won the LVMH prize this year, it felt extra significant. The finalists for the most sought-after prize in fashion — awarded annually — are meant to foreshadow the future of the industry
The fast fashion mountain of shame is real
Last year you may have seen headlines about an extraordinary photo captured by satellite — a mountain of clothes in the Chilean desert. If you didn’t stay with the story, you may not have learned that this heap owes its origins to secondhand clothes — the stuff we abandon, sometimes after only a few outings.
Switzerland to build its first mechanical textile recycling plant
BERN – Switzerland has announced the construction of its first industrial mechanical textile recycling centre. Tell-Tex, a Swiss clothing collector, is partnering with Säntis Textiles to establish the facility in St. Margrethen (SG), aiming to transform how used clothing is processed. The move marks a departure from the country’s reliance on exporting second-hand textiles to sorting centers abroad, a practice set to end by 2026.
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Natural Fiber Welding Switches CEOs, Furloughs ‘Significant’ Number of Employees
The Illinois-based material innovator, which traffics in plant-based, plastic-free materials such as Mirum and Clarus, is bidding goodbye to founder Luke Haverhals, who resigned as CEO at the end of October for personal reasons but will remain on the board of directors.
6 reasons not to buy in the Black Friday sales
While there are mistakes to avoid and reasons not to buy in the Black Friday sales, here's our advice to make the most of the shopping event.
Sustainable Fashion: Visible mending artfully prolongs life of clothes
Most consumers know cheap fashion isn’t sustainable—so why do they keep buying it?
Despite growing awareness of the fashion industry's negative impact, consumers continue to purchase affordable, trendy clothes from fast fashion brands and retail giants. Why is that? How can these two realities coexist?
Thom Browne prevails in Adidas stripe legal dispute
A federal judge in the U.K. rejected the activewear giant’s claims and decided that the average consumer can tell the difference between the designs.
Vuori doesn’t need money. Investors keep knocking anyway.
A recent $825 million fundraising from General Atlantic and Stripes tipped the brand into the $5 billion valuation range. Investor Jon Kossow says the company still doesn’t need the cash.
Lab-grown leather firm Faircraft raises $16M
The startup says it’s already working with major luxury brands and will use the investment to expand its science team and production capabilities.
Fast Fashion: Shop or Stop
Fast fashion has taken over the fashion industry, but is less expensive, trendy clothing really worth the purchase? Those who say to “stop” argue fast fashion harms the environment in many ways and exploits workers in countries with lax regulations. Those who say “keep shopping” argue it’s up to shoppers to choose, as fast fashion offers affordable options, supports jobs, and boosts local economies.
The paradox of fashion sustainability
The State of Fashion 2025 report summarizes the year and forecasts the coming year in terms of the industry's performance
Most household names have now realized that something needs to be changed to maintain their hard-earned position.
Plastic pollution pushing Earth past all nine planetary boundaries: Report
As final negotiations for an international plastics treaty get underway this week in Busan, South Korea, scientists warn that the global plastics crisis is far more dangerous than previously thought.
In a research article published in November, an international group of researchers found that plastics pollution is helping to destabilize and threaten all nine planetary boundaries, putting the “safe operating space for humanity” at risk.
Eco Fashion Week Africa Sets the Stage for sustainable future
Eco Fashion Week Africa shows sustainable fashion can be both stylish and environment-friendly
London Fashion Week to ban exotic skins on the runway
The British Fashion Council’s (BFC) deputy director for policy and engagement, David Leigh-Pemberton, revealed this update during a parliamentary address. The decision aligns with growing advocacy for ethical fashion practices and follows a decade-long industry shift toward fur-free collections.
Vera
I really hope you're enjoying The Sustainability Pulse, my weekly newsletter looking at sustainability in the fashion industry. If you find the tips and insights useful, please share these articles to help spread the word.