Sustainability Pulse #79
Sustainability Trends & News Worth Exploring — March 17th , 2023
Hey there, eco-enthusiasts!
Welcome back to our weekly rendezvous, where we uncover the latest in sustainability and fashion. Grab your favorite snack, and dive into this week's edition!
It feels like just yesterday when sustainability was the hottest thing in the world. But has it fallen out of fashion? We're taking a closer look at this question and more as we navigate trends in the ever-evolving landscape of eco-consciousness.
From the impact of social media trends on our shopping habits to the rise of eczema-friendly clothing lines, there's a lot to unpack. And let's not forget about the innovative strides being made in fashion manufacturing, like 3D woven apparel!
But it's not all sunshine and rainbows in the world of sustainability. We'll also be delving into the challenges of the second-hand clothing market and discussing legislative efforts to hold the fashion industry accountable for its environmental footprint.
So, as you savor your favorite cup of fair-trade coffee, join us in exploring thought-provoking topics. Remember, we're not just discussing sustainability—we're actively living it, and you're a vital part of this journey.
Stay tuned for a conversation that's sure to spark inspiration and action!
Has Sustainability Fallen Out Of Fashion?
In September 2019, the fashion industry was all about sustainability. Burberry and Gabriela Hearst hosted their first carbon-neutral shows, Gucci achieved carbon neutrality across its supply chain, and Dior, Marni, Miu Miu, and Louis Vuitton incorporated eco-friendly elements in their shows.
You’re not a “mob wife” or a “clean girl” — you’re a victim of capitalism
Another day, another TikTok trend. Yesterday it was the “clean girl” aesthetic, and today it’s “mob wife.” What do these things have in common? They’re both ploys to get impressionable young girls to buy into a new trend. This makes these girls a cog in the capitalist machine — it makes rich influencers richer rather than giving girls the space to carve out their own lifestyle and sense of fashion.
21 Eczema-Friendly Clothing and Home Brands
Eczema cases are becoming more common, and clothing might be a part of it. According to a recent international study, about 6% of children and adolescents have eczema symptoms, marking a small but significant 1% and 1.2% increase in these age groups, respectively.
Your Next Pair of Walmart Pants Could Be 3D Woven
San Francisco Bay area startup Unspun is the new face of the movement to cut down on emissions and waste in fashion. Its newest assignment: making work chinos for Walmart on its 3D weaving machines.
The trendy second-hand clothing market is huge and still growing – yet nobody is turning a profit
According to a 2023 study, one large Swedish charity has to pay to have 70% of donated clothing incinerated because it is too low quality to sell in-store or export. Of the clothing that is exported to Ghana, 40% is trashed almost immediately.
India Lifts Shein Ban And Becomes Fashion’s Best Hope For Circularity
While recently discussing the subject of rampant fashion consumption, an industry expert and friend mused: “Think about it; Shein generated £1.1 billion [$1.5 billion] in U.K. sales in 16 months–how many garments is that?”
Shocking (but Accurate!) Statistics About Fashion’s Environmental Impact
There’s a lot of misinformation out there, in NGO and government reports (ugh, UN, stop breaking my heart), poor quality news sites (looking at you, Forbes), brand marketing, and blogs.
France Mulls Penalties to Rein In Ultra-Fast Fashion Brands
The MPs say that ultra-fast fashion brands, rather than renewing their collections four times per year like traditional clothing brands, offer thousands of new products per day, inciting excessive spending and unnecessary pollution.
Kering launches Kering Generation Award, first time in Japan, identifying innovation in sustainable fashion and beauty
Kering, together with the global innovation platform, CIC Tokyo, is launching the Kering Generation Award in Japan, aiming to fast-track sustainable innovation within the luxury sector. The top three winners will receive a prize that includes comprehensive mentorship and networking, travel to Europe to meet with innovation leaders of sustainable fashion and beauty, and a 10 million yen grant to the first-place winner.
An update on the proposed Washington State Fashion Sustainability Accountability Act
Fashion retailers and manufacturers need to monitor industry-focused corporate responsibility bills on both sides of the United States.
Fast Fashion Is The Industry’s Sustainability Scapegoat. Here’s Why That’s Wrong, And What Should Happen.
Fast fashion is under fire. Members of the European Parliament have called on EU countries to “ban” and therefore “end fast fashion” due to the impacts of high volumes of production and consumption. But how is fast fashion defined, and what form would the ban take?
Is the 2000s retro? How social media is killing the trend cycle
The 20-year trend cycle no longer exists as micro trends take over TikTok
Pop culture trend cycles can now last just weeks before fizzling out
Sustainability expert: “Microtrends encourage overconsumption"
THE COST OF FITTING IN: THE PHENOMENON OF FAST FASHION AND OVERCONSUMPTION IN COLLEGE
With fashion this cheap, the end of the world doesn't seem so bad
OPINION: Overconsumption of sustainable products must stop
Buying an excess of a reusable product is not being eco-friendly or sustainable: it’s actually the opposite. We are stuck in this endless cycle of trend-driven consumerism and status quos. The more people promote the over-purchasing of reusable items, the more they turn into fast fashion items that will be cast aside for the next big thing, similar to how Stanley effectively killed the Hydro Flask hype.
PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz- the color of the year 2024
PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz captures our desire to nurture ourselves and others. It's a velvety gentle peach tone whose all-embracing spirit enriches mind, body, and soul.
Everything to Know About the 2024 Met Gala: Theme, Hosts, and More
The remaking of the American jean
Here’s what the jeans of the future look like
Plastic Found Inside More Than 50% of Plaques From Clogged Arteries
Plastics are now everywhere, with tiny fragments found in several major organs of the human body, including the placenta.
Actress Hilary Swank Talks Red Carpet, Sustainability and Teaming Up With Ecofashion
The two-time Oscar winner discussed the give-and-take of red carpet dressing, sustainability and teaming up with Ecofashion.
SBTi axes net zero commitments of 200+ companies
Sustainability heavyweights are among those to have their climate pledges 'removed' by initiative
Fashionphile acquires pre-owned luxury wholesaler Two Authenticators
It’s a strategic move as the luxury resale platform eyes secondhand wholesale market expansion.
Asian garment makers push new boundaries amid ‘wake-up call’ towards sustainable fashion
They are embracing sustainable fashion to phase out fast-changing fashion trends that are choking landfills and accelerating climate change
Despite higher cost, manufacturers are turning to regenerative farming practices that aim to leave the land in a better condition than the previous cycle
LORO PIANA WOOL TIED TO UNPAID INDIGENOUS FARMERS, WHO IS THE TIKTOK SHOP CONSUMER?
Loro Piana sells a vicuña sweater for about $9,000, but the Indigenous community of Lucanas receives about $280 for an equivalent amount of fiber, meaning some farmers are unpaid for their labor. Vicuñas are camelids found in the southern Andes that produce the most expensive wool, and although Loro Piana has been the Lucanas' sole customer since 1994, the village of 2,700 people still largely experiences poverty.
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.