Sustainability Pulse #86
Sustainability Trends & News Worth Exploring — June 3rd , 2024
Hey everyone,
I hope you’re all doing well! This edition has some interesting updates and insights. From the ongoing challenges Delta flight attendants face with their uniforms to the innovative strides in sustainable fashion, there's a lot to unpack.
We're at a tipping point where sustainable fashion is transitioning from a trend to the norm. Whether it's Erica Vega's creative approach to circular fashion in Argentina or the latest textile innovations showcased at Intertextile Shanghai, there's plenty to be excited about.
Dive in to learn more about the future of fashion, the power of community, and some thought-provoking stories from the industry.
Enjoy reading!
'Chemical burns': Delta flight attendants say new uniforms cause rashes.
This article is more than 5 years old
Some say they have faced retaliation for complaining about purple uniforms a year after company introduced them.
We are at a tipping point, where sustainable fashion is moving from being a trend to becoming the norm.
For Argentine Erica Vega, circular fashion is an environmental solution and also an opportunity for innovation and textile creativity.
Eastman Naia(TM) Showcases Latest Sustainable Textile Innovation at Intertextile Shanghai
Eastman's display at the event featured over 400 fabric and garment types made with Naia™ Renew staple fibers, which incorporate recycled waste material via Eastman's molecular recycling. The various garments showcased the versatility of sustainable textiles made with Naia™ and Eastman's broad impact on the fashion industry.
Exeter University Secures Funds for Sustainable Fashion Projects
Future Fibres Network Plus officially launches at the Design Museum in London today (Wednesday) with an event involving designers, manufacturers, small businesses, and researchers.
Are you feeling uncomfortable enough?
Musings from the Global Fashion Summit, or why (and how) we need to push to a place of discomfort actually to effect change.
A No-Hype List of Seaweed and Algae Innovations in Fashion
Like sonar pulsing through the deep ocean, a muffled message keeps reaching my ears, each wave saying that seaweed and algae are the future of sustainable fashion. There are seaweed fibers, algae shoe soles, seaweed packaging, algae ink, and even couture outfits made from seaweed sheets.
CLOTHING BRANDS COMMIT TO ‘THE FASHION REMODEL’ TO DEVELOP CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Leading fashion brands join forces with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to transform the industry by scaling circular business models and decoupling revenue from production.
The Lingering Cost of Instant Fashion
Instant fashion, led by Shein, has seen significant growth. As Shein considers going public, the author examines the social trends and risks associated with the industry's business model. Despite consumer demand, recognizing the negative consequences, including social and environmental harm, is essential.
Legislation, AI and the Ganni playbook: 10 takeaways from the Super Bowl of sustainable fashion
The industry is not changing as quickly as it needs to, but at the Global Fashion Summit last week, there were innovative ideas as well as a few good news stories.
The Guardian view on The Vampire’s Wife: fashion that captured the zeitgeist
The sudden demise of the fashion label The Vampire’s Wife this month drove a stake through the heart of a cultural fairytale.
How Brands and Retailers Are Partnering with Tech to Improve Shopping with AI
And how the latest tech promises to change shopping with bots that are more humanlike than ever.
‘Sew long’ fast fashion, tech-supported rental is here
Rent the Runway founder and CEO Jennifer Hyman on how tech innovation has made rental an easy sell in the fashion business.
Is this the future of fashion?
Developed by the Self-Assembly Lab, the 4D Knit Dress uses several technologies to create a custom design and a custom fit, while addressing sustainability concerns.
Experts share the best fabrics to wear in hot weather, with picks starting at $19
Stressing about sweaty patches? Not in these breathable options.
Mexican artist Andres Anza is the winner of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2024
Andres Anza’s strange spikey ceramic sculpture is one of 30 fascinating artworks shortlisted in this year’s arts and craft prize, which was started by Loewe's creative director Jonathan Anderson.
How do you grow grass on Loewe sneakers?
According to designer Paula Ulargui Escalona, with extreme patience and the right doses of water
The power of a community: interview with Luca Santeramo
Story of 545 and of an 'ordinary' boy
Complaint to Hermès over Birkin sale escalates
New charges for the “holy grail” of luxury fashion
Protecting Your Biometric Data With AI Camouflage
Cap_able Founder and CEO Rachele Didero spoke at Imagination In Action's Forging the Future of Business with AI Summit on how her company has built clothing that protects the wearer's biometric data.
Fashionphile’s Ben Hemminger: ‘We don’t desire to be in every single channel’
As the co-founder and CEO of 25-year-old luxury fashion resale company Fashionphile, Ben Hemminger has seen the business from its early-stage scrappiness to clearing the $400 million in revenue mark in 2021.
Interviews with factory employees refute Shein’s promises to make improvements
Two years after our first investigation into Shein's southern Chinese manufacturing plants, a follow-up investigation reveals ongoing issues with illegal working hours and worker piecework wages. Doubts are raised about Shein's sustainability claims and concerns about the company's opaque finances and the founder's disappearance.
Free People’s Costa Rica influencer trip may look glamorous, but it hides URBN’s (their parent company)lack of commitment to sustainability, fair wages and worker safety.
Sources:
URBN’s Employees Tell All: Brand Damages Out Products & Co-Opts Waste Impact.”
Remake World, 2022.
Clean Clothes Campaign: “Which brands have signed the safety Accord?” Last updated February 2024.
Time: “You Might Want to Think Twice About Clothing Brands That Push Rental, Resale, and Recycling” 2023.
Fashion Revolution’s Fashion Transparency
Index 2023
Good on You: Free People Rating
Luxury E-Commerce: Who’s Surviving and Why
Experts say Mytheresa, Ssense, and Moda Operandi have stayed afloat in a challenging space by honing in on a particular consumer, curating their assortments, and executing on retail basics. Still, the road ahead is tough, and the bigger they get, the harder it will be to sustain these strategies.
Why Luxury Brands Can’t Shake the Controversy Around Exotic Skins
Companies like Hermès, Kering and LVMH say they have spent millions to ensure they responsibly sourcing crocodile and snakeskin leathers. However, critics say incidents like the recent smuggling conviction of designer Nancy Gonzalez show loopholes persist despite tightening controls.
Millions of Luxury Products Now Come With Unique Digital Passports. Here’s What That Means.
Brands are starting to adopt the tags in large numbers as they prepare to meet major new EU regulations coming down the pipeline. They’re using the opportunity to build in customer-facing features that can appeal to shoppers, too.
Read More (Under Paywall)
Sustainable style: How fashion can afford and accelerate decarbonization
Translating fashion’s decarbonization commitments into action has proved difficult. A new McKinsey analysis outlines what the industry can do to reach its targets.
Vera
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