Sustainable Fashion

The Durability Myth: How Fast Fashion Is Rebranding As High-Quality.

UTOPIA-The-Edit — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 17:02:50 +0000

The Durability Myth: How Fast Fashion Is Rebranding As High-Quality.

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Fast Fashion

Sustainable fashion

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Sustainable Fashion

Story from: UTOPIA-The-Edit

It seems simple to separate the fast from the fashion: SHEIN is the devil incarnate, and your local earth-toned boutique that stocks small designers is the only way forward.

However, there exists a foggy middle ground, littered with brands attempting to convince consumers of their high quality.

Polished merchandising, sleek mannequins and vague marketing copy are all employed in an attempt to point towards the direction of our favourite buzzword: sustainability.

Fast fashion brands like Zara, H&M, and Abercrombie & Fitch have re-marketed themselves in recent years as higher-quality alternatives to the demonised brands that first spring to mind when we hear the words ‘fast fashion.’

Consumers should not be so easily convinced, since the perception of these garments as durable is antithetical to the push for sustainability in fashion.

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Sarah Moran ⬤ Author

Sustainable Fashion Runways: An Interview with Louise Boughton

UTOPIA-The-Edit — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 16:32:55 +0000

Sustainable Fashion Runways: An Interview with Louise Boughton

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Story from: UTOPIA-The-Edit

Behind The Scenes

I was eager to delve into the world of sustainability within the fashion runways and gain an insider’s perspective on the happenings behind the scenes at fashion shows.

In my interview with Louise Boughton @louiseboughton_, an accomplished Irish fashion illustrator and live event artist, she offered compelling insights into the intersection of sustainability and fashion.

Louise’s hands-on approach involves creating freehand sketches and mixed media pieces during live fashion runways, skilfully capturing the ambience, and reflecting the broader political, cultural, and environmental context.

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Aoife Rooney ⬤ Author

Using tech for transparency in fashion

Bronagh Loughlin — Thu, 18 May 2023 13:26:02 +0000

Using tech for transparency in fashion

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Clothing and textiles are a fundamental part of our everyday lives and a vital sector within the global economy.

However, our current means of making, consuming, wearing, and discarding clothing is evidently no longer working. According to Business Wire, sustainability is rated as a vital purchase criterion for 60 per cent of consumers across the globe while they are demanding transparency from brands and looking for green credentials.

However, according to the Fashion Revolution 2022 Fashion Transparency Index, 50 per cent of the world’s biggest fashion companies disclose little or no information about their supply chain.

Only 12 per cent of fashion brands across the globe offer information concerning their raw material suppliers.

Without transparency, shoppers struggle to assess a brand’s environmental and social footprints and determine whether its statements are genuine or greenwashing.

What could bridge the transparency gap between eco-conscious consumers and fashion brands?

Can it be as simple as a QR code?

An Irish start-up, Ecode, thought so when they came up with the idea to empower consumers through their app to scan, learn, get rewards, connect, repair, recycle, and ultimately, change fashion.

Ecode was founded by three students, Elise Vens, Emmet Lowry and Nathan Gaborieau.

The three met during their Master’s in Sustainability at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), where they extensively studied the fashion supply chain's detrimental social and environmental effects.

Ecode founders Elise Vens, Emmet Lowry and Nathan Gaborieau.

They make an international team as Elise is from The Netherlands, Nathan is from France, and Emmet is Irish.

Elise Vens, Co-Founder of Ecode, explains how their initial idea took off: “We immediately pinpointed circularity as the driver of change and started working on a tool that would give shoppers more insight into what they're buying while empowering the consumer to be an actor of the change.

We realised this greatly benefits fashion brands in determining the lifespan of their items and increasing their products’ durability.

By gaining insight into these life cycles, Ecode has the power to help brands monitor their CSR improvements. Hence, our slogan became ‘enabling circularity in fashion’.”

In November 2021, the Ecode team participated in Trinity’s Provost Challenge, a three-day hackathon whereby students were challenged to ideate and develop a business idea where they came second.

Speaking on why they chose to focus on fashion specifically, Elise says: “For one of our courses, we had the opportunity to research the social and environmental impact of the fashion industry.

We were shocked to find out that this industry is the second-largest polluter on earth after the oil industry. A few weeks later, Trinity’s Provost Challenge was announced with the theme ‘How do you combat fast fashion?’.

We immediately realised this was our cue and submitted our idea for Ecode. Ecode can fundamentally change the fashion industry for the better, from a linear consumption towards a circular model of doing business.

We’ve recognised that the barrier to transformation is frequently not a lack of will but rather a lack of accessibility and connections between actors.”

Ecode`s solution is based on using QR codes in fashion items to increase transparency and circularity. Image: unsplash

Elis adds: “Ecode aims to integrate the entire landscape of actors in circularity. We connect stakeholders such as brands, consumers, recyclers, repairers, and resellers.

Ecode is not only offering a QR code, but an entire ecosystem that can collectively create change by interacting with one another, bringing the option of circularity to everyone’s doorstep.”

Afterwards, they decided to apply for Trinity’s LaunchBox Student Accelerator 2022 and were awarded the first prize, which provided immense validation for their project. In January of 2023, they received the Acting for the Environment Prize from Enactus France, an international social entrepreneurship project presentation competition for university students.

Currently, their biggest challenge is developing a BETA version of their application that can be replicated and quickly implemented in different companies to kickstart their revolution towards circularity in fashion. However, the team plans to overcome this hurdle and has big hopes for the project’s application.

Elise explains their plans further:

“Our goal is for Ecode to become the first thing that pops into the mind of consumers when they have to purchase, recycle, and repair clothing.

By making these processes easier for the consumer, we aim to drastically change consumer behaviour. In the next three years, we hope that everyone in Ireland and the rest of Europe will have heard of Ecode and that we will have a growing number of users.”

The amount of textile waste in the EU has doubled over the past 20 years.

With Ecode, the team hope to increase the number of clothes put back into circulation by up to 60 per cent in stores.

They also wish that by informing consumers about the impact of products, they can indirectly reduce the pressure on the planet by placing more environmentally sound products in the spotlight.

Headline image: unsplash

This article is an extract from content originally published in the Circular Economy in Action special edition of the Profit with Purpose Magazine - you can read the full article and other features in the magazine.

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Profit with Purpose Magazine

Szilvia Szabó ⬤ Author

Journalist, Editor

Improved sustainability impact measurement tool is available for fashion industry players

Bronagh Loughlin — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 14:54:16 +0000

Improved sustainability impact measurement tool is available for fashion industry players

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The user-friendly material assessment tool to make the fashion industry more sustainable

Material assessment is key in combating the harmful effects of the fashion industry on the environment and transitioning into a more sustainable operational model.

The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) and Higg Co released a new version of the Higg Materials Sustainability Index (Higg MSI) in August 2020. The Higg MSI is a leading online tool to assess the environmental impact of materials in the apparel, footwear and textile industry and was first released in 2011 by the SAC and regularly upgraded ever since.

This unique tool can calculate the environmental impact of millions of possible material manufacturing variations and available on the Higg Index platform.

Information provided by the platform allows brands, retailers, manufacturers to compare material life-cycle assessment (LCA) data in a user-friendly way and to create a more sustainable design based on better material choices.

“There is a growing conversation about ‘sustainable materials,’ but it’s difficult to know what it actually means for people and the planet and whether it’s really trustworthy information,” said Julie Brown, SAC Director, Higg Index – Higg Product Tools. “Our goal is to pull together the most robust and tested data sources available and translate complex metrics into digestible and actionable guidance to have a positive impact at scale.”

This newest version of the Higg Materials Sustainability Index offers an enhanced user experience, updated database and scoring. The release of this tool is a true milestone for the industry because it provides more accurate and detailed information which enables users to dive further into material assessment.

Better material choices allow the fashion industry to become more sustainable (image: Pexels)

The Higg MSI measures five specific environmental impact areas: chemistry, global warming potential, nutrient pollution in water, water scarcity and fossil fuel depletion.

The tool will be able to inform users by capturing how the five environmental impacts will change based on different raw materials or production process options, for example, opting for continuous dyeing over batch dyeing.

In addition, it features more than 80 example materials that are commonly used in the industry such as leather, cotton, polyester, nylon, silk, jute and metals.

Companies are now able to assess the impact of different materials as they select which ones they wish to use for a product.

Besides, users can also customise how their companies uniquely produce materials using the insights from the MSI, which help them to create more sustainable options.

Some of the main updates to the 2020 Higg MSI are: new interface offering an enhanced user experience, migration from a standalone website to the Higg platform, other Higg tools, packaging library, comparisons and customisation.

There is also an updated chemistry scoring methodology and new chemistry data analysis. The ability to align chemistry certifications at the process level, new background LCA database (GaBi) and new water scarcity assessment methodology (AWARE) also new features. That includes biogenic carbon and water consumption in the metadata.

Besides, users can also customise how their companies uniquely produce materials using the insights from the MSI, which help them to create more sustainable options. Finally, there are new process level loss rates which help the consideration for process efficiencies.

The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), which is a global industry alliance working on standardising social and environmental sustainability performance measurement, is frequently enhancing and expanding the Higg Materials Sustainability Index.

Through multi-stakeholder engagement, the SAC seeks to lead the industry toward a shared vision of sustainability built upon a common approach for measuring and evaluating apparel, footwear and textile sustainability performance.

Image credit: Pexels

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August 2020

European Social Innovation Competition with €150,000 funding

Szilvia Szabó — Mon, 20 Jan 2020 18:29:05 +0000

European Social Innovation Competition with €150,000 funding

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Social Innovation

EU Commission

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Sustainable Fashion

Reimagine Fashion: Changing behaviours for sustainable fashion - European Social Innovation Competition 2020

The European Commission launched the European Social Innovation Competition 2020 which is in its 8th year and acts as a beacon for social innovators in Europe, supporting early-stage ideas and facilitating a network of radical innovators shaping society for the better.

Each year the competition addresses a different issue facing Europe, this it is focusing on the theme: Reimagine Fashion: Changing behaviours for sustainable fashion.

EU citizens, on average, buy more than 12kgs of clothing yearly, the production of which contributes 195 million tonnes of CO2 to the atmosphere and uses 46 billion cubic meters of water. Clothing accounts for between 2% and 10% of the environmental impact of overall EU consumption.

At the same time, more than 30% of clothes in Europeans' wardrobes have not been used for at least a year. Once discarded, over half the garments are not recycled, but end up in mixed household waste and are subsequently sent to incinerators or landfill.

"European consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental impacts of their consumer habits. Building on Europe's position at the forefront of global fashion, this year's social innovation competition is looking for innovations that change the ways we produce, use and wear fashion and encourage more sustainability across the fashion industry," says Slawomir Tokarski, Director of Innovation and Advanced Manufacturing, DG GROW

Innovative ideas to make fashion sustainable

This year's competition is looking for ideas that contribute to improving the sustainable production, use and consumption of fashion as well as the end of life stage of fashion products.

The Commission is looking for early-stage projects that will change the ways we produce, buy, use and recycle fashion and encourage a more sustainable change in consumer behaviour.

Solutions presented at the competition should also be scalable at the local, national or European levels.

Ideas should aim to reduce the overall environmental footprint of fashion, improve its societal impact, and help change behaviours in a sustainable way by helping to develop new products, services, processes and innovative business models.

The competition is open to all with innovative and creative ideas on making the fashion industry more sustainable, including social innovators, entrepreneurs, students, designers, businesses and other doers, makers and change creators.

Application process

Thirty semi-finalists will be invited to the European Social Innovation Academy in July, where they will receive mentoring and training to structure their development plans.

The second round of judging will identify ten finalists, then a jury will select three winning ideas in November 2020, each of which will receive an award of €50,000.

Applications are open until Wednesday 4th March 2020 noon CET. For full details on the application process, visit the Social Innovation Competition website.

The European Commission organises the European Social Innovation Competition 2020 with supports from Nesta Challenges, Kennisland, Ashoka Spain, the European Network of Living Labs, and Scholz & Friends.

The competition will complement several measures the Commission has already implemented to address the problem of sustainability in fashion.

The circular economy package, adopted in 2018, will for the first time, require Member States to ensure that textiles are collected separately.
The new Waste Directive requires Member States to set up such schemes at the latest by 2025.
The Packaging Waste Directive introduces targets for the recycling 60% of all packaging by 2025 and 70% by 2030.

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Building an ethical business brick by brick

kiss.tamas — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 21:31:21 +0000

Building an ethical business brick by brick

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It only takes passion and dedication to challenge 'business as usual'.

Report with Eva Power, founder of The Ethical Silk Company

The textile industry has a significant impact on the environment and, in many cases, inhumane treatment of its employees. I believe that it is possible to offer consumers an alternative and educate them to consider all aspects of their purchases.

We want our customers to enjoy beautiful, timeless pieces, with the knowledge that they were made to the highest standards, both in quality and throughout the production process.

I found a particular mulberry silk production that extracts the silk from the cocoon after the moth has left it. The result is beautifully rich mulberry silk which, because of the particular way it is produced, is more like fine linen with a lovely matt lustre rather than the shiny finish of traditional silk.

Entrepreneurial journey

My journey has been a bit of a rollercoaster… I’m running my business for a while now, and I’ve done it very slowly, it’s growing organically, no investors are involved, and I try to keep it that way. I’m proud of it that it started in 2009 and it’s still going, evolving and changing.

What I’ve learned so far is to trust myself and have faith in what I do and don’t be afraid to show what I’m doing. At each level, we try to be as responsible as possible. We’re constantly researching how to improve ways of creating our products and managing the business.

The support I received is countless, really. I’m always surprised how people relate with our story, how they try to help both professionally and personally.

Without my husband I’m not sure I’d be here, he kept me going many times I would have given up.

Starting and running a small business it’s hard enough, but I'd say: Go for it, trust yourself but watch your cash flow like a hawk! Finance is so tricky to handle, and every cent needs to be accounted for! You’ll need money to carry out your plans. I think it helps if you consider yourself as an investor looking for returns.

I received many supports from the Local Enterprise Office – Dublin City, which helped me financially and in learning how to run my own business.

For me, it’s important to make a positive impact on my business.

I just wanted to create something that I can personally stand over and be proud of.

We want to keep up with organic growth and improve our presence and sales online. We’re bringing in a new collection and continue to grow in the US to make a more significant impact there.

Respect and hard work

Tailoring silk is hard and challenging work! We are collaborating local NGOs and suppliers who train and promote local people, offering job security, fair wages and carrier options for woman and man in the area.

Our products are printed by hand at Mehera Shaw's unit in Bagru, Jaipur.

Block printing is a centuries-old tradition, and heritage craft of India passed down from generation to generation. Using simple tools, age-old techniques and years of experience, the designs are traced onto teak wood blocks and carved by hand. The blocks are then dipped in dye, and the pattern is stamped onto the silk, by hand, one at a time. Colours used are low impact, AZO-free dyes and all water used is treated and recycled.

One of the most challenging part for me is the public appearance, to put myself out there and be the face of the company, broadcasting the message. Naturally, I’d rather be working behind the scenes, but that’s part of the learning which is necessary to run a successful company.

To overcome my fear of public speaking and share our story, I applied to the Business SPIRIT Award in 2018. I made it to the final, where I received a professional presentation training.

First, it felt like I'm going to die on stage, speaking in front of a real live audience of about 200 people was my worst nightmare. But eventually, I have won, and it felt amazing, which encourages me to push myself, no matter how hard it is.

I commit to give back as I witnessed all the hard work of charities.

Having visited the Jeevan Jyothi AIDS Centre in Theni, and witnessed first-hand the tireless work carried out by the staff, I decided to pledge 5% of company profits to the centre.

Focus Ireland, a charity that works to prevent people from becoming, remaining or returning to homelessness, also receive 5% company profits.

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