Sustainability Pulse #42
Sustainability Trends & News Worth Exploring — July 10th, 2022
'The Golden Age of Thrifting Is Over'
A glut of fast fashion has made its way into local thrift stores, making it hard for women who have been purchasing secondhand for decades to find quality garments they can wear.
How Eileen Fisher is Helping Fashion Nip Its Waste Problem In the Bud
Behind Hey Fashion! (heyfashion.org) is the conviction that the industry cannot achieve its net-zero carbon ambition without dealing with its waste first. Fisher said that Eileen Fisher doesn't have the resources to solve the problem alone, but it can engage others so their collective action can have a bigger impact.
The Problem with Sustainability? It Doesn't Really Mean Anything
The fashion industry is obsessed with going "green." From fast fashion companies like Zara – which recently revealed "an ambitious plan" to transition to entirely sustainable fabrics and recycling – to the biggest luxury brands and indie fashion labels, alike that are taking turns proclaiming their "ethical fashion" initiatives, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a brand that is not incorporating some kind of sustainability efforts into its operations.
Metaverse Commerce: Understanding The New Virtual To Physical And Physical To Virtual Commerce Models
With online shopping being an undeniable trend, some brands have failed to understand the power of owning an online experience and being able to apply it everywhere — like in a virtual reality setting or through social media influencers. Brands want their customers' experiences to stay within their ecosystem instead of sharing them or forcing customers into someone else's game plan.
For example, if you go into Walmart, you'll see people trying to navigate crowded aisles while holding onto their phones or looking down at their computer screen. They're either looking up the wrong aisle for what they need or are unsure if what they're holding is actually what they want — hence why we have robots walking around Walmart.
Even Top Creators Find That Star Power Is Fleeting
At the marquee stage for digital creators, VidCon, creators grapple with "burnout" and the shifting whims of platforms.
How brands can avoid the greenwashing trap
Some companies are showing a genuine desire to make an impact, even if it means being painfully honest about the hurdles.
Opinion: Startup Led By Indian-Origin Ankiti Bose Turns Into Dumpster Fire
"A man believed to be Shailendra Singh, Sequoia Capital's senior-most partner for India and Southeast Asia, is heard telling a woman - presumably Bose - that "the single best thing you can do is to take a cooperative approach..." and "step away."
How Christian Dior Pioneered 75 Years of Feminist Fashion
Creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri and other brand leaders take stock of the house's influence and its future.
Digital IDs: A game-changer for fashion?
New York startup Eon says its digital IDs can keep brands connected to their products post-sale, keeping them in circulation for longer. Can it catch on?
Swedish startup Goatlane picks up €500k to redesign golf sneakers
Using tech to optimize sports performance and look good while doing it, Swedish startup Goatlane has picked up €500k of fresh funding.
What the future of fashion tech looks like in the fashion capital of the world
Is the traditional Parisian fashion landscape ready to make space for disruptive fashion tech startups?
Everything is interconnected; dress accordingly
In a new jointly authored book that Prof. Kate Fletcher made with award-winning writer Helen Mort, they explore how clothes can "redress the situation." And the situation that all of us who make and wear clothes need urgently to redress is how we as humans conceive of ourselves to the natural world. Fashion is a vital place to do this from, not only because of its highly publicized negative impacts on the health of planetary systems but because it is through clothes that we experience and connect with the world.
Roe v Wade: NZ company Allbirds to cover cost of US staff abortions after Supreme Court ruling
New Zealand-American company Allbirds says it will cover the costs of any US-based staff who need to travel for an abortion after a Supreme Court ruling led to bans in many states.
And their generous deed won't end there.
Storytellers For Sustainability Needed
Sustainability needs better storytelling! The creative, film and TV industry's power to shape lifestyles really can shape the planet's future. Its 'brainprint' – the environmental impact of its messages – is vastly bigger than its footprint. How will storytellers help write a better ending to the epic story of sustainability?
Thrifting takes over TikTok with 4.2 billion views as young Americans look for sustainable alternatives to fast fashion
Shopping less — and with intention — is the best way to go sustainable without blowing your budget.
TikTok Troubles Put Focus on Livestream Shopping's Environmental, Data Impact
Though it's early in the "what happened" analysis phase, the collapse of livestream shopping on TikTok in Western markets says a lot about how consumers want to shop on their devices and feelings on a fast-fashion trend some see as out of touch with environmental concerns.
Unilever's Magnum explores sustainable fashion, digital realm with cocoa dress
Unilever's premium brand Magnum ice cream has partnered with luxury Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen to create a wearable, vegan cocoa bean dress coined the first of its kind in the haute couture space, according to a press release.
HOW TO GET A JOB IN FASHION TECH
The pandemic has accelerated fashion's digital revolution, creating an abundance of new job opportunities. Here's how to find and take advantage of them.
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.
That very first headline hit hard! I recently went to a consignment store with "top brands". Ended up sifting through Amazon Basic and Old Navy tees. Major eye rolls over here!