Sustainability Pulse #114
Sustainability Trends & News Worth Exploring — June 15, 2025
In a world rattled by tariffs, backtracking ESG policies, and fast fashion’s mounting PR problems, something surprising is happening: sustainability is becoming a survival strategy.
This week’s issue dives into how brands like Chanel, Circ, and even Walmart are rewriting the future, not as a marketing play, but as a plan for resilience. Meanwhile, France moves to curb ultra-fast fashion, deconsumption picks up momentum, and students are turning thrift store scraps into couture.
The headlines say it clearly: fashion’s next era won’t be faster, it’ll be smarter.
Let’s get into it.
Fashion brands are tackling sustainability to build ‘stronger, more resilient’ businesses
In an economic moment defined by geopolitical volatility, rising tariffs and legislative uncertainty, sustainable fashion brands are pressing forward — not in spite of these forces, but because of them. Armed with deeper data, stronger coalitions and clearer direction, these brands are building businesses that anticipate regulation, rather than react to it.
Chanel unveils new recycling platform
Bruno Pavlovsky, president of fashion at Chanel and Chanel SAS, explains why the French house is determined to develop recycled materials at scale.
French Senate backs law to curb ultra fast-fashion
France's Senate approved a revised version of a law regulating fast fashion on Tuesday, which if implemented would ban advertising by fast-growing Chinese e-commerce platforms like Shein and Temu.
Can Italian fashion end exploitation with a voluntary agreement?
Following probes into factories linked to luxury brands, Italian authorities have rallied the fashion industry around a new voluntary agreement. Here, experts weigh in on whether it will likely work.
Fast-fashion retailer Shein's transport emissions jump in 2024
Shein's carbon emissions from transporting products climbed 13.7% in 2024, the online fast-fashion retailer'ssustainability report showed on Friday, and its 2023 transport emissions were 18% higher than previously reported after a recalculation.
Between courage and cowardice: Global Fashion Summit grapples with a mixed mood
In the face of Trump’s crackdown on ESG, stripped-back EU regulations and a renewed fight against greenwashing, several big brands swapped onstage presence for closed-door roundtables this year, changing the atmosphere.
Goodwill collaborates with CCAD students to create sustainable fashion
CCAD students partnered with Goodwill Columbus to create sustainable avant-garde fashion designs.
Students upcycled materials like rugs, stuffed animals and table mats sourced from Goodwill.
Sustainable Style: Weed Auntie’s Hemp Jumpsuit Celebrates Community and Cannabis
Dreams sometimes take years to blossom — and for Weed Auntie founder Solonje Burnett, the moment has finally arrived. After years of working across the intersections of cannabis, sustainability, well-being, and community empowerment, Burnett is proudly stepping into a new role: eco-fashion designer. Her latest creation, the limited-edition Weed Auntie Hemp Jumpsuit, is now available for pre-order — an earth-friendly one-piece crafted with intention, heart, and a serious commitment to community care.
Temu’s ‘import surcharges’ fuel outrage, leaving it more susceptible to tariff backlash than Shein
The days of $2 gadgets and $5 dresses are ending at Temu and Shein, and early signs suggest not all customers are willing to stick around.
Exclusive: Live-shopping platform Whatnot has added a wholesale function
The category, which quietly went live in May, allows sellers to quickly move hundreds and thousands of products at once. Before, if a seller had multiple units of an item on Whatnot, they had to list them individually. Now, with the new wholesale function, they can group units together. Most buyers end up being sellers themselves; they then flip the merchandise to sell on other livestreams, on resale sites or at brick-and-mortar stores. So far, fashion and electronics are proving popular areas for wholesale.
Circ to build $500 million cotton, polyester recycling plant in France
U.S. textile recycling firm Circ has received backing from the French government and European Union to build a $500 million plant in France that will be the first to recover cotton and polyester on an industrial scale, its chief executive told Reuters.
Why is SHEIN Facing Scepticism Despite SBTi Approval?
Global fast fashion giant SHEIN has announced the validation of its net zero emissions targets by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), marking what it calls a “milestone” in its climate journey.
Shein pushes consumers toward overconsumption, report says
An EU consumer group said the fast fashion giant uses “dark patterns” to trigger unwilling spending.
CPSC Warns Consumers to Immediately Stop Using CowKid Clothing Company Children’s Sleepwear Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Burn Hazard; Violations of the Federal Flammability Regulations for Children’s Sleepwear
The pajamas were sold online at cowkidclothingcompany.com for between $38 and $52. On the front of the label attached to the pajamas are the size and “Cowkid Clothing Co,” and on the back are washing instructions and “95% Cotton + 5% Spandex.”
Adidas Campus 00s, Samba among most faked at resale: report
StockX found that counterfeiting has spread from rare items to general release sneakers.
Consumers rate quality over politics: report
Shoppers care about a brand’s values but also look for consistent messaging, durability and affordability, according to Kearney Consumer Institute.
Clothing prioritized in European Commission’s 5-year plan
Beginning in 2025, the commission will implement new requirements as part of its Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation legislation.
Deconsumption: why slow fashion is perfectly positioned to lead the next big consumer shift.
WGSN recently named 'deconsumption' as one of 2025’s defining consumer shifts but this isn’t just a trend to track—it’sa cultural reset. After decades of fashion cycles driven by overproduction, aggressive marketing, and low-cost, high-volume turnover, we’re seeing a new story unfold: one that values less, but better.
Inside Walmart’s ambitious plan to make your clothes in America again
The world’s biggest retailer is spending millions to revive domestic farms and factories with the help of startup American Giant.
Pathways Alliance pulled climate content as greenwashing rules tightened
The Competition Bureau’s final anti-greenwashing guidelines confirm that businesses may continue making environmental claims, including those related to sustainability and emissions.
David Nieper wins King’s Award for Sustainable Development
British womenswear brand David Nieper has been awarded the 2025 King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development.
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.