Sustainability Pulse #46
Sustainability Trends & News Worth Exploring — August 20th, 2022
She’s Looking for the Next Women-Led Unicorn. First Stop: A Very Chic Garage
Amy Griffin, who has invested in Bumble, Goop and Hello Sunshine, goes in search of a new generation of Whitneys, Gwyneths and Reeses with G9 Ventures.
Data snapshot: Demand for sustainable fashion & packaging drives investment in biomaterials startups
Bioenergy & Biomaterials startups raised $2.1 billion in 2021, accounting for 4% of all agrifoodtech funding according to AgFunder’s 2022 AgriFoodTech Investment Report.
15 Young Founders Rethinking Everything From Artificial Intelligence to Carbon Removal, Sustainable Fashion to...Pizza!
Wang is guided by a core principle: You have to give a shit. And pervasive though they may be, fridge infractions would not have fueled him forever. But Wang had been studying artificial intelligence, and even had been accepted to Y Combinator's prestigious accelerator program with an AI company in mind.
Sustainable Fashion is a Lie — Here Are a Few Alternatives
As a consumer, everything you buy — whether it’s clothing or otherwise — equates to more, well, consumption. And more consumption is just plain bad for the environment. Yes, this is a rather simplistic view and sustainability is obviously more nuanced than this. But generally, using up more of the planet’s resources is terrible.
Stella McCartney and VC Firm Collaborative Fund Launch $200 Million Climate Solutions-Focused Fund
The fund, Collab SOS, will invest in companies working to develop more sustainable materials, ingredients, energy and supply chains at the Series A and B level. McCartney announced the initiative on her brand’s Instagram Saturday.
The Queen of Slow Fashion on the Art of a Slow Exit
The Queen of Slow Fashion on the Art of a Slow Exit. Eileen Fisher went from industry outlier to godmother of a movement.
Nasreen Sheikh works tirelessly to speak out against barbaric conditions in the fashion industry she experienced as a child labourer. She believes that a lack of supply chain transparency allows modern slavery to thrive with impunity.
Why the environmental impact of recycled polyester is worse than you think
Plastic is not a fashionable word. So the fashion industry is happy to offer you clothes made from recycled polyester. Virgin polyester is made from fossil petroleum (and is therefore plastic), which has a major environmental impact. Recycled polyester, on the other hand, is usually made from used (post-consumer) PET bottles. Sustainable, right?
THE GREAT GREENWASHING CRACKDOWN IS COMING FOR FAST FASHION
At long last, fast fashion companies are being scrutinized for "greenwashing," the practice of employing misleading marketing claims to convince consumers that a product is sustainable or eco-friendly.
Vans Reimagines Eco-Friendly Footwear With the New UltraRange VR3
Vans new UltraRange VR3 reinforces the brand’s long-term sustainability goals and paves the way for a new generation of footwear made from regenerative, responsibly sourced renewable and recycled materials.
How Greenwashing Affects the Bottom Line
New research shows that when companies overcommit and/or do not deliver on promised socially responsible initiatives they damage their relationships with their customers. However, a company’s reputation for product quality or innovation may partially mitigate such a negative impact on customer satisfaction.
British Fashion Brands Targeted in UK Greenwashing Probe
UK competition watchdog opens probe into Asos, Boohoo, George
UK’s CMA investigates potential misleading green claims
Pangaia Has Colorful New Solution For Textile Waste
Waste not, want not. That was Pangaia’s objective when it dyed some of its signature sweatshirts and joggers using colorants derived from its own textile trash. To pull off the feat, the London-based.
Inside The ReBurberry Sustainable Initiative: Burberry Donates Surplus Fabrics To Fashion Students
Established in 2020 in partnership with the British Fashion Council, the ReBurberry Fabric initiative promotes a circular economy, whereby Burberry donates surplus fabrics to fashion students, allowing materials to be upcycled, saving them from going to waste.
What Makes a Great Fashion Office
More and more companies want to see their staff in person again. Creating a work environment that fosters collaboration, offers flexibility, and thoughtful perks could convince employees to leave the home office behind.
Are Luxury Brands Sustainable? €1k Tags Don’t Guarantee It!
Are luxury brands sustainable and ethical? You might be thinking that—with garments involving three zeros—eco-friendliness is a given.
Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
The restart of luxury fashion: from the metaverse to sustainability
Fashion, and the luxury sector in particular, was one of the sectors most affected by the impact of Covid-19. This is evidenced by an average drop in turnover of more than 30% in the first half of 2020 compared to revenues in the same period of the previous year, which was also confirmed in the second half of 2020 when turnover fell by around 40%, apart from the personal care and accessories sector.
Naver Z Chooses Payoneer to Pay Content Creators Globally
The partnership marks Payoneer’s growth within Asia’s digital content creator economy and provides Naver Z’s users a quicker payment experience.
Luxury brands are fighting counterfeits, find out how?
The supply chain has never been as far-reaching and complex as it is today. Undoubtedly, this global network allows for an unprecedented availability of international products and accessibility of goods. But it does not come without its fair share of challenges – including counterfeit, which might be a luxury brand’s worst enemy.
Are Shein Clothes Toxic? A Report Found Evidence of Lead in the Fast Fashion Brand's Clothing
While Shein would love it if the most debated aspect of the company was the pronunciation of its name (is it shine or SHE-in?!), unfortunately, the fast fashion brand has plenty of other controversies that have customers divided. Notably, people are wondering if Shein clothes have lead. Are these rumors true, and if so, are they reason enough to boycott this company?
Wiradjuri designer Denni Francisco wins top prize for second year at 2022 National Indigenous Fashion Awards.
Francisco scoops fashion designer award for elegant womenswear collection, while bark skirts and statement streetwear also celebrated at Darwin event.
Reshaping denim’s future from the factory floor
Turkish manufacturing giant Isko Denim wants to lead the industry’s sustainability efforts. Unfortunately, the list of challenges is long.
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.