Sustainability Pulse #132
Sustainability Trends & News Worth Exploring - June 2nd, 2026
Start here: Shein just bought Everlane. The king of disposable ultra-fast fashion has acquired the self-proclaimed gold standard of “radical transparency.” That’s not irony, that’s a confession. It confirms what skeptics have argued for years: in fashion, “sustainability” was never a value. It was a marketing asset, available to whoever could afford it.
The rest of the industry is no less contradictory.
Reformation can’t reconcile its climate pledges with private-equity growth targets. Nike’s recycled World Cup jerseys prove that circular fashion hits a hard ceiling when you’re still fundamentally spinning oil into plastic.
Textiles are now the EU’s fourth-largest source of microplastic pollution; a single gram of synthetic fabric sheds 3.7 million toxic fibers.
But the consumer rebellion is real. Americans are sewing again. Audiences are abandoning TikTok’s algorithm for long-form YouTube. Startups are reinventing raw materials from the molecular level up.
Shein Finally Confirms Everlane Sale
Shein is officially on the path to acquiring Everlane, both companies have just confirmed, after much industry speculation. The ultra-fast fashion giant will buy the majority stake in Everlane from LVMH-backed private equity firm L Catterton for an undisclosed amount, pending regulatory approval.
Reformation Wanted to Become Climate Positive. Did It Work?
When Reformation dreamt up its “climate positive” goal in 2019, the company was in a period of transition. It had recently sold a majority stake to private equity group Permira, and the company’s sustainability team was also grappling with existential dread. Despite publicly positioning itself as a sustainable fashion brand and releasing climate reports every year, two landmark publications from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2019 threw the company’s entire climate strategy into doubt.
Who is Max Alexander? Meet the 10-year-old designer redefining sustainable fashion
A fourth grader just became the youngest fashion designer to present a collection at Paris Fashion Week - and nearly his entire lineup was built from repurposed materials.
More Sustainable Linen Dresses That Deliver On Style and Comfort
Heatwave? Look no further than linen if you’re seeking an outfit to keep cool in. Linen is not only a lower-impact material, it also makes for excellent summer and holiday clothing. Today, we’re sharing our round-up of the best, more sustainable linen dresses from brands rated highly by Good On You for their impact and transparency.
Bezos Earth Fund Bets $34M on Lab-Grown Cotton, Silk & Fibres to Greenify Fashion Sector
The grants focus on “reinventing the fabrics” our clothes are made of, since the materials and manufacturing behind them are responsible for 80% of the industry’s climate footprint, spanning greenhouse gas emissions, water use and pollution, and landfilled waste. Thats what they say...
Selfridges weighs job cuts as part of head office restructure
A spokesperson for Selfridges told TheIndustry.fashion: “We are proposing changes to some of our head office teams in line with our strategic and financial objectives.”
The Interview: Rise & Fall founders Jed Coleman and Will Coulton on creating a new model for fashion
Jed Coleman and Will Coulton are both New Zealanders and both former lawyers, who were introduced by Coleman’s brother-in-law. When they met, Coleman had long since walked away from his high-flying corporate career and had already made a name from himself in the world of entrepreneurialism, while Coulton was ready to do the same.
eBay names Trosort as Global Winner of Circular Fashion Fund 2026
The company was selected from eight international finalists, all of whom operate in the circular fashion space. As the winner, Trosort will have the opportunity to receive a US $300,000 investment from eBay Ventures.
Shoppers want sustainable retail, and they’re watching closely
New data from SE Advisory Services shows consumers increasingly expect brands to clean up their supply chains.
Sewing Is Making a Comeback — And the Economy Has Something to Do With It
Once associated with home economics classes or passed down through family traditions, sewing is reemerging as both a functional skill and a form of personal expression. More Americans are learning to sew, not just to repair clothing, but to rethink how they shop, what they wear, and how they manage spending. Economic pressure is a clear factor, but it is not the only one.
The Return to Long-Form: Why YouTube Is Winning Back Brands
Since the short-form video boom of the early 2020s, brands and consumers have been stuck in an endless scroll. With fast trends, faster edits, and even faster algorithms, for years, brands chased virality across TikTok and Instagram, while creators were pushed toward increasingly relentless production cycles. Now, the industry is shifting once again.
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Fast fashion fuels modern slavery
This story of justifying evil due to soaring profits because of an innocuous innovation is one of shame — one hopes we would learn from it. Yet, slavery is on the rise in the modern world. One of the more egregious examples is the China-based e-commerce and fast fashion brand Shein, which employs the practice. Stunningly, Shein has recently acquired the ethical fashion label Everlane to serve as a $100 million moral fig leaf. The deal isn’t just bad for our wardrobes. It’s bad for our souls.
Textile Recyclers Are Back From the Brink. Now They JustNeed Customers.
Europe’s textile-to-textile recycling sector is rebounding from a crisis and regaining momentum as new regulations drive investment. But to succeed in the long run, it needs more brands to buy in.
Ganni acknowledges progress and outstanding goals in its 2025 responsibility report
One major milestone? Phasing out virgin leather. That move helped Ganni achieve a 24% absolute reduction in carbon emissions, bringing them almost halfway to their 2027 goal of cutting emissions by 50%, using 2021 as their baseline.
Video: Denim professionals discuss industry dynamics and future vision
This piece revisits the FRESH BLOOD series by highlighting a conversation with two young denim professionals, Lucille Ix (22) and Lucas Van de Woestyne (27). Both grew up in the industry, and their families have known each other for generations.
Manomama goes viral with ‘FCKAFD’ jeans
Manomama was founded in 2010 by Sina Trinkwalder, the mother of Magnus Trinkwalder. The idea was to show that textile production is economically viable in Germany. Since then, the company has stood for sustainable fashion, regional manufacturing and social responsibility. It specifically employs people who have difficulty finding opportunities in the regular job market, including refugees who are targeted by right-wing groups. Around 60 employees currently work for Manomama in Augsburg.
Designing a Better Future for the Textile Industry With New EU Regulation
A series of new regulatory moves from the EU is taking effect these days. Multiple directives will go into effect soon or end their implementation period in early 2025, while additional ones are currently being considered. Together, they paint a clear picture for brands and vendors in the textile industry.
Why Gen X may actually be more sustainable than Gen Z
A study by Deloitte found that those born between 1997 and 2012 are more likely to adopt sustainable habits than older demographics, from avoiding traveling by plane to embracing vegan or vegetarian diets and steering clear of fast fashion. Similarly, research from First Insight found that nearly three-quarters of Gen Z consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products, budget permitting, of course.
Nike’s recycled World Cup uniforms reveal the limits of ‘circular’ fashion
Will chemical recycling revolutionize the fashion industry, or is it just “an excuse to keep producing plastic clothes”?
Anti-Plastic TikToker Discusses the Toxicity of Polyester Fiber Fill Found in Pillows Certified organic materials like cotton and kapok are safer.
Little do many people know, lurking inside their stuffed animals and pillows are dangerous polyester fibers, posing a toxic risk to families everywhere. As TikTok user Beatrice the Anti-Plastic Lady discovered, the ubiquity of polyester fiber fill and its astounding toxicity is something that more people should know.
Textile ETP launches digital transformation roadmap for EU textiles
A strategic roadmap aimed at transforming the European textile and apparel industry through digital technologies was unveiled by the DigitX Innovation Hub, an initiative co-led by Textile ETP, on 26 May 2026.
Nearly 70 fashion and textile orgs ask governments to support resale and repair
While circular business models are better for the environment, voluntary business action won’t be enough to drive the industry in this direction, said nonprofit the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Greenwashing and overconsumption: the fashion industry is still a problem
The Nordic Council has unanimously adopted a recommendation to make the fashion industry greener. It calls on the national governments to ensure consumers receive better information; to combat misleading marketing and greenwashing in the fashion industry, and to guarantee good working conditions in the textile industry. The Nordic Youth Council drew up the original proposal, which the Nordic Council Committee for a Sustainable Nordic Region then worked on.
How ‘everyday AI’ encourages overconsumption
As part of our research into big tech, we prompted Microsoft’s prominent chatbot Copilot with the simple term “children’s clothes”. This generated a list of links to online shops and department stores. Our prompt did not say we wanted to buy new children’s clothes.
To understand how the chatbot had turned our prompt into a web search, we asked it to describe its decisions. Copilot provided three phrases, all referring to consumption: children’s clothing stores, best places to buy kids’ clothes, and popular children’s clothing brands.
Beauty & fashion tech tools: AI-driven hyper-personalization and rising data privacy litigation exposure
Taken together, the latest developments reflect an accelerating trend: virtual try-on, skin diagnostics, and data-sharing practices are attracting legal challenges. The highly active plaintiffs’ bar and well-established class action mechanism make data privacy violations a frequent and costly litigation target. Thus, Beauty & Fashion brands must treat U.S. data privacy compliance as a front-line priority.
Fashion designers are experimenting with AI, but not everyone is a fan
Footwear designer Vince Lebon, from Australian label Rollie Nation, says he is “a big fan of AI”.
Lebon, who who used to work for Asics and Nike and has a background in coding, has developed his own AI tool which allows him to upload his own sketches. The technology can then create an entire footwear range.
Milan Fashion Week to Discourage Fur Under New Industry Guidelines
Italy’s fashion chamber stopped short of a formal ban, with a best practices framework asking brands not to show fur beginning in September.
Patagonia sues drag queen Pattie Gonia for trademark infringement
Outdoor clothing company is suing US environmentalist drag performer for $1 plus legal fees, claiming ‘we wish we didn’t have to do this’
7 Things to Know About Microplastics From Textiles
A comprehensive new environmental assessment reveals that textiles are now the fourth-largest source of microplastic pollution across the EU, trailing only paint, tires, and plastic pellets. Driven by the sheer volume of global polyester production, the report notes that a single gram of synthetic fabric can contain up to 3.7 million shedding fibers, creating an unstoppable stream of non-biodegradable pollution during manufacturing, washing, and disposal.
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.