Sustainability Pulse #112
Sustainability Trends & News Worth Exploring — May 9, 2025
From London studios to Chinese factory floors, the fashion industry is revealing its seams this week, sometimes literally. At the quiet heart of it all is Phoebe English, whose work speaks silently but carries the weight of a movement. Meanwhile, Good On You exposes the ever-widening gap between corporate green claims and measurable impact, and TikTok becomes a whistleblower in real-time, as factory workers document the truth behind your tags.
This weekly Pulse brings together a tapestry of stories: bold collaborations, regulatory shifts, AI-powered shopping assistants, and grassroots changemakers like Kimberly Lau of Project ReWear.
Let’s dig into the threads shaping the future of fashion, together.
Phoebe English, Britain’s quiet fashion warrior
The designer is working to detoxify the fashion industry. Museums and eco-conscious shoppers are taking note
Good On You reveals ‘green gap’ in Fashion Industry
A new report has laid bare a significant chasm between the sustainability rhetoric and the actual environmental performance of the fashion industry’s major players.
TikTok Exposes Fashion’s Supply Chain Secrets & Consumers Are Watching
On TikTok, a growing number of Chinese suppliers are sharing behind-the-scenes footage of products they’re producing for global brands. Largely in response to Trump’s tariffs, these posts are part of what’s come to be known as “FactoryTok” and expose just how little some products cost before they’re marked up to eye-watering retail prices.
How the US-China trade war took to TikTok and put Europe's luxury fashion houses in the middle
So, what's really going on and are luxury fashion houses actively concealing the truth?
Meet 13 Small Brands the Good On You Team is Supporting This April
‘Brands are paralyzed’: TikTok whiplash is putting fashion and beauty brands’ plans on hold
Lauren Petrullo, the founder of online Asian beauty marketplace Asian Beauty Essentials, told Glossy that the uncertainty has put some of the company’s plans on hold.
Topshop’s second act: Experts reveal how it can win over the high street
Last month, Topshop took to the social media platform with a series of three posts that spelled out "We've missed you too". This was the confirmation that fans of Topshop had all been waiting for: it's back.
Nobody's Child teams up with Poppy Delevingne for new collaboration collection
Womenswear brand Nobody’s Child has partnered with English model and actress Poppy Delevingne for a new collection, described as "a love letter to modern versatility".
The future of sustainable fashion: Transforming supply Chains for a greener industry
From Digital Product Passports (DPPs) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws to the fight against greenwashing and textile waste, the industry is facing a fundamental shift. But while challenges exist, innovative brands are leading the way with scalable sustainability solutions.
How Big is the Fashion Industry’s Ecological Footprint, Really?
For many parts of the world, 2025 began in flames. An apocalyptic onslaught of fiery images—from the bushfires in Victoria and New South Wales, Australia, to the burning forests and wetlands in Argentina—filled our feeds.
CLOSET FINDS: HOW KIMBERLY LAU’S PROJECT REWEAR IS TAKING CHARGE OF SUSTAINABLE FASHION
Picture this: You’re cleaning out your kids’ closets and realize a quarter of their clothes still have tags on them. Most people would just shrug, donate the items and move on with their day. But Kimberly Lau? She turned that moment into a full-blown sustainable fashion business, Project ReWear, that’s now making waves across Southern California.
Fashion Is the Next Frontier for Clean Tech as Textile Waste Mounts
Clothes manufacturing relies on fibers like polyester derived from fossil fuels and consumes energy and water. The churn of fast fashion means that many items are discarded soon after they’re purchased, contributing to eye-popping amounts of textile waste.
Unsustainable fashion and textiles in focus for International Day of Zero Waste 2025
Ahead of the International Day of Zero Waste 2025, events in Nairobi, New York and across the world have shone a spotlight on waste in the fashion and textiles industry, highlighting the environmental and social challenges of overproduction and overconsumption caused by the sector’s linear business model.
PolyU opens global textile, fashion tech innovator competition
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is inviting global technology innovators, project collectives, and emerging start-ups from various industries, including textile and fashion to participate in its International Future Challenge (IFC).
Vinted users reveal top tips as company's profits triple amid second-hand clothing boom
Many high street fashion retailers have suffered greatly in recent years as shoppers head online and turn their backs on traditional brick-and-mortar shops.
Vinted launches Vinted Ventures to accelerate the next generation of re-commerce start ups
New venture fund will act as an investor with an operator mindset to fuel future growth opportunities in European re-commerce
Vinted Ventures will target Series A to Series C stage companies, with ticket sizes ranging from €0.5M to €10M
Global fashion industry expects 20% price hike on US tariffs
Digital wholesale platform Joor has found global fashion brands and retailers expect to raise prices by an average of 20% in response to new US trade tariffs.
Skechers brings AI-powered assistant Luna for personalised shopping
Skechers is trialling the use of an AI clothing assistant, Luna, in Singapore.
Vinted FY profits surge as preloved bug spreads globally
Lithuanian secondhand marketplace Vinted Group has reported a substantial increase in revenue and profitability for the fiscal year 2024 as it continues its strategy to reinvest in operations that elevate secondhand goods as the primary consumer choice globally.
Reju Improves Its Supply Chain with Rematrix
Reju’s recent partnership with Italy’s Rematrix marks a significant step toward establishing a sustainable and compliant supply chain for end-of-life textiles. The move is designed to reinforce the fashion industry’s shift toward circularity.
Why brands like Blueland and Faherty are turning to sustainability activists for collaborations
“I think activists are the new influencers, people who are really putting the stake in the ground on some of the most relevant issues of our time,” Docherty said.
This is the Fiber Gen Z Prioritizes While Embracing Authenticity & Sustainability
Like a fine wine, Gen Z shoppers are rather complex. They are predicted to be the wealthiest generation, yet they grapple with economic concerns. They have anxiety about the environment, but are all in on fast-fashion hauls.
The Fashion ReModel: Decathlon, eBay, John Lewis join circular mission
Decathlon, eBay, and John Lewis are among the latest cohort of retailers to join Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s ‘The Fashion ReModel’ and start to explore how to become more circular and make money without making new clothes.
How A Local Boutique Is Redefining Fashion, Promoting Sustainability
Community is a boutique located in Athens that uses existing materials to redesign clothing and support sustainable fashion. It also addresses local textile waste produced by the fast-fashion industry and is trying to promote their business model to younger generations.
The North Face shoes recalled due to fall risk
More than 15,000 customers that bought the brand’s Shellista V Mid Waterproof boots are eligible for a refund.
Zero Waste Daniel in Brooklyn sells sustainable fashion without sacrificing style
He soon recognized just how much was being wasted every day.
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.