The environmental and ethical challenges surrounding fast fashion are well known, and they have only gotten worse in recent years. According to McKinsey’s research, the globe now uses more than 100 billion clothing items per year.
The fashion industry is famous for its power to make trends, and it is currently working on its most crucial trend yet: sustainability. And, unlike some difficult fashion choices, this is a trend that all shoppers can support. According to research, 88% want firms to assist them in being more ecologically responsible.
Here are some fashion businesses that are pushing ahead in sustainability.
1 Inditex (parent company of Bershka and Pull&Bear) claims that all cotton will be organic, recycled, or grown following the Better Cotton Initiative. This non-profit works with farmers to embrace more socially and environmentally sustainable practices. In addition, the retailer has stated that all of their polyesters would be recycled.
2 Uniqlo will transition from plastic to paper bags in 12 countries beginning in September and eliminate plastic packaging on some items. This will assist in eliminating around 7,800 tons of plastic every year. Plastic bag bans have previously proven to be beneficial nationally in nations such as Kenya and Rwanda.
3 Asos has collaborated with the Centre for Sustainable Fashion at London College of Fashion to develop a bespoke course for its designers.
Asos’s commitments suggest that it aims for a more circular – and thus more sustainable – business model. The retailer intends to minimize its carbon footprint in four significant areas: buildings, business travel, packaging, and goods transportation – the latter accounting for more than 90% of its carbon footprint when it comes to business operations.
4 Patagonia
Patagonia not only uses environmentally friendly materials in its outerwear, but it also assists consumers in repairing old clothes rather than purchasing new products. Patagonia adheres to fair-trade principles and regularly oversees its supply chain to ensure the safety of the environment, employees, and customers. Its mission is to develop answers to environmental problems without inflicting unnecessary ecological harm. Customers are urged to recycle old Patagonia gear and buy used things because the products are so durable.
5 Levi’s
Denim is known for taking massive amounts of water to produce a single pair of jeans, but Levi’s new WaterLess range utilizes up to 96 percent less water. In addition, Levi’s is committed to sustainability throughout the whole design and production process for this and all of its goods, including working toward 100 percent sustainably sourced cotton and recycling old jeans into home insulation.
6 H&M Conscious
H&M is moving away from its fast-fashion origins with the Conscious line, composed of organic cotton and recycled polyester. The company intends to lessen its environmental footprint by employing eco-friendly textiles and more sustainable production practices. Customers can also recycle unwanted clothing at H&M stores in exchange for a discount on future purchases. H&M’s overall goal is to utilize exclusively environmentally produced materials by 2030.
7 Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney’s Fall 2021 Ready-To-Wear collection is inspired by the idea of a “new beginning.” Aside from her regular commitments to sustainability, this collection leaned into fashion’s transformational, escapism-inducing potential.
Stella McCartney’s sustainable fashion strategy is founded on four fundamental pillars:
- Respect for nature: The designer safeguards the environment by selecting as many sustainable materials as possible, such as cashmere, organic cotton, or forest fibers, such as viscose, which is traceable and sourced from renewable sources.
- Respect for people: Stella McCartney assures a good influence on all persons engaged in the supply chain, from the farmers who raise the products to the client.
- Respect for animals: As a vegetarian brand, Stella McCartney encourages cruelty-free procedures and respects animals and their environments with dignity.
- Circular Solutions: The firm adheres to circular fashion concepts by employing regenerative and restorative production methods.
8 Eileen Fisher
She creates elegant and sustainable apparel by using organic fabrics and natural colors and recycling old textiles and outfits.
Fisher has gone above and beyond by establishing a specialized social conscience section within her company, which targets issues such as human rights, sustainability, and others.
Its current vision, “Horizon 2030,” seeks to achieve the following goals:
- Extend its circular fashion objectives
- Increase the use of natural fibers, which boosts biodiversity and the use of recyclable fibers.
- Take business strategies to achieve fair salaries, gender parity, and caring culture in our supplier chain communities.
- Invest in climate-change mitigation activities, such as lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
9 Katie Jones
Katie Jones is an eco-friendly knitwear designer in the United Kingdom who combines whimsical designs with profound principles. She practices sustainability by adopting her grandmother’s concept of creating something beautiful from nothing.
Jones employs unclaimed fabrics from clothes manufacturers per her “Waste Not” philosophy. The environmentally conscious designer and her crew transform them into wearable artisanal ensembles that embrace color, texture, and fun.
10 Mara Hoffman
Mara Hoffman creates women’s clothes and swimwear based in New York out of pre and post-consumer garbage. The brand’s goal is to persuade people to reconsider their connection with their clothing.
The collection for Pre-Fall 2021 was made from 100 percent organic cotton. The swimsuits are made of recycled polyester and have UPF 50+ protection built-in. To save water, the brand uses compostable packaging and digital printing technologies. On the human side, the brand maintains open lines of communication with its suppliers and manufacturers, ensuring safe working conditions and fair remuneration. It tracks most of its supply chain and pays regular visits to its vendors.
11 Maggie Marilyn
Maggie Marilyn, from New Zealand, is one of the most spectacular instances of the fashion industry’s efforts to safeguard the environment. All of her creations are made from environmentally friendly, ethically sourced materials. To limit their carbon footprint, the pieces are created locally. The brand visits its suppliers regularly, tracks the majority of its supply chain, and ensures that a decent wage is paid. Furthermore, the brand went above and beyond by wrapping orders in cassava root sacks.
The brand’s 2022 Sustainability Strategy intends to solve circularity and regeneration issues while aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
12 Rag & Bone
Rag & Bone, founded by Marcus Wainwright, is a sustainable luxury company that redefines urban style by emphasizing local manufacture and sustainability. Later that year, the brand collaborated with Cotton Inc’s Blue Jeans Go Green to launch a denim recycling initiative. Customers participated in the campaign by bringing their old jeans to the brand stores for recycling for a 20% discount on full-priced jeans from the brand. Following the gift, the denim is recycled and converted into insulation for homes and civic-minded structures across the United States. Furthermore, this novel insulation material is safe for the environment, free of chemicals and carcinogenic warnings, and has active mold and mildew inhibitors.