#sustainability

Nov 16, 2021
1 min

Edition by John Boyega for H&M Channels Style and Sustainability

A new clothing capsule from actor John Boyega and retailer H&M taps into the spirit of change makers with innovative materials and a focus on sustainability. Edition by John Boyega for H&M ranges from effortless workwear silhouettes and patchwork denim pieces to floral prints and tie-dye patterns, taking a thoughtful approach to autumnal dressing. Inspired by Boyega’s reputation as both an actor and a voice for change, the collaboration with H&M places sustainability at the f

Nov 16, 2021
3 min

Frame Just Unveiled Its First Biodegradable Jeans

These days, it can be difficult to discern which brands are just paying lip service to sustainability and which are making real commitments to lowering their carbon footprint—and with its new biodegradable jeans, Framepositions itself firmly in the latter category. The launch is an important new step for the brand. After all, the story of Frame, which now bills itself as an “American fashion brand,” began with denim. Its signature “Le Skinny de Jeanne” debuted in 2012, and se

Nov 16, 2021
1 min

Rachel, the Female-Led Hosiery and Sustainable Fashion Brand, Gives Back to Women’s Organizati

Rachel announced today that 1% of sales earned on November 26 (Black Friday), will be donated to their recently launched Horizon program. The program supports charities that give back to the community through a variety of women’s causes. “Through the Horizon program, we reiterate our commitment to women’s causes by establishing concrete actions to help improve the well-being of women in need and their living conditions,” says Rachel Co-founder Mélanie Heyberger.”The program w

Nov 13, 2021
5 min

What Fashion Needs to Know About COP26

On Sunday, world leaders and policymakers descended on the Scottish city of Glasgow to kick off the 26th edition of the Conference of Parties (COP), a two-week convention of talks and negotiations on critical climate targets. These global gatherings have a mixed track record of driving change, but some have culminated in historic commitments. For instance, the Paris Agreement in 2015 established a legally binding international treaty that committed world leaders to limit glob

Nov 13, 2021
3 min

Industry Players Come Together for Circular Fashion Road Map

While some fashion players bank on high-tech and futuristic innovations to advance their sustainable and circular commitments, the recent output of the Monitor for Circular Fashion Report 2021, spearheaded by leading Italian school of business SDA Bocconi and energy company Enel X, signals that simple is better. “We don’t have to think about sci-fi projects but rely on innovations and technologies that are already available,” said Nicola Tagliafierro, head of global sustainab

Nov 13, 2021
4 min

A Polyester Alternative Launches to Market – Can It Transform the Textile Industry?

Even as climate change conversations reach the mainstream, there are 111 million metric tons of fabrics being produced on a yearly basis — an alarming 18 million of which is made up of oil-based nylon and polyester, which take over 1,000 years to biodegrade. “Actually we don’t know how these fibers will break down, our ancestors will tell us,” said Carlo Centoze, cofounder and chief executive officer of HeiQ, a textile innovation company. Since “no one wants to start walking

Nov 13, 2021
1 min

PUMA Debuts Re:Suede Sneaker as Part of Sustainable Experiment

PUMA has launched a sustainability-focused iteration of its classic Suede silhouette, which is due to launch as part of a pilot scheme early next year. Dubbed the Re:Suede, the sneaker will incorporate a range of innovative materials, including Zeology tanned suede, biodegradable TPE and hemp fibres. The Re:Suede sneaker will make its debut as part of PUMA’s upcoming pilot scheme looking at circularity in this space and aiming to produce a biodegradable shoe. 500 participants

Nov 13, 2021
3 min

How Chanel-Backed Evolved by Nature Aims to Reduce Fashion’s Reliance on Petrochemicals

Petrochemicals, or the group of materials created from oil, don’t just refer to the plastics used to make fibers like polyester, nylon or acrylic for clothing. They’re also used to coat garments, dye them, give them a specific texture, make them waterproof and offer other properties. Used widely within the fashion industry, they are particularly used within the activewear segment that demands flexibility and breathability from its materials. However, according to the Federal

Nov 13, 2021
3 min

Why Garment Labels Will Unlock a More Sustainable Fashion Industry

Clothing identification is not just for the consumer — it also informs the end of life of a garment, making recycling easier. Thus, emerging technologies are set to create global change around the standardization of garment identification. Garment labels are an essential component of clothing; the symbols used in the care labeling system were first introduced in 1963 and standardized labels came in at around the same time, as clothing started to be commercially made out of sy

Jan 6, 2021
5 min

The Race to Make a Truly Circular Running Shoe

Fitness experts recommend that runners replace their shoes every 300 to 500 miles or so. That means your average jogger will buy — and discard — between two and four pairs of running shoes a year. Estimates suggest that adds up to more than 200 million pairs of running shoes every year. That amounts to a lot of impact on the environment. An estimated 80 percent of all sneakers end up in landfills. And this is partially because they are so hard to recycle. “A typical pair of r

Jul 22, 2020
2 min

Consumers Think the Brands They Like Are the Most Sustainable

What makes a brand sustainable in the eyes of a consumer? Evidence from the Vogue Business Index survey of 8,400 luxury shoppers worldwide shows part of it comes down to how much they like the brand. The panel was asked to rank the extent to which each brand behaved in a responsible way towards society. No brand scored particularly highly on this measure, nor did the consumers show much recognition for any specific policies that brands were taking. One strong correlation did

Jul 16, 2020
2 min

Converse Just Unveiled Its Most Sustainable Sneaker to Date

One of the most iconic sneakers in the world just got a super sustainable makeover. Launching next week, the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Crater uses recycled polyester and post-industrial textile waste scraps to reinvent the 100-year-old classic style in a modern and sustainable way.As part of Converse’s Renew initiative signalling the brand’s commitment to a waste-less future, the All Star Crater draws from parent company Nike’sSpace Hippiecollection of shoes created from

Jul 4, 2020
3 min

Can Nike’s Space Hippie Line Make Sustainability Cool to Sneakerheads?

Sustainability and sneaker culture have never meshed all that well. That’s not to say there haven’t been plenty of successful “eco-friendly” kicks. Veja, the low-key trainer brand beloved by Meghan Markle and [checks notes] Rick Owens, makes no secret of its ethically-sourced, organically-grown materials. Adidas, meanwhile, has been crafting shoes using recycled ocean waste through its Parley program for half a decade now. And if you’ve ever listened to any podcast ever, then

Jul 1, 2020
2 min

American Eagle Outfitters Launches New Slow Fashion Business ‘Unsubscribed’

American Eagle Outfitters is shifting from its typical fast fashion model with the launch of ‘Unsubscribed’, a new women’s apparel and accessories business focused on what the company has called “consciously-made, slow fashion.” Based in East Hampton, New York, Unsubscribed launched its Instagram account on June 20, showing images of a flowing ecru dress and blousy white button-down, alongside black-and-white photos of the ocean. According to multiple reports, Unsubscribed wi

May 20, 2020
5 min

COVID-19 Could Usher in a New Normal, Sustainability, Social Purpose

In times of crisis, it is tempting to lose focus on initiatives that support longer-term business goals such as creating a more sustainable industry and contributing to the social good. And with the uncertainty COVID-19 has brought, it’s understandable that cash-strapped companies would view any programs that are not critical to their immediate survival as unnecessary right now. But we can’t afford to lose the momentum we’ve built in terms of raising awareness and taking acti

May 12, 2020
3 min

This Hazmat-Inspired Suit Lets You Dance, Drink, And Even Vape While Staying Safe From The Coronavir

Partying might look different in a post-coronavirus world. Designers at Production Club created Micrashell, a full body suit that “allows you to safely socialize in times of a pandemic.” In introducing the Micrashell, Production Club references the value of social distancing for slowing the spread of COVID-19, but notes the potential economic and mental tolls of prolonged isolation. The studio calls it a “socially responsible solution” to letting people be together without di

May 12, 2020
6 min

In a Pandemic, Is ‘Wellness’ Just Being Well-off?

Maybe there isn’t really a difference anymore. In 2017, I wrote a story titled The Wellness Epidemic. It was a tour of the various expensive, spiritually assertive, and scientifically questionable strategies that many people were engaging in to stave off the perceptions that “people are finding more and more that everyone they know is kind of sick,” as Elise Loehnen, the head of content at Goop, told me at the time. (Yes, this seems ironic now.) I later was offered a book con

May 12, 2020
3 min

Poll: In A Quarantine-driven Surge, “new essentials” Are Gaining Traction Through E-commerce

The ongoing global pandemic has created an air of uncertainty for e-commerce businesses, not to mention for non-essential retailers who have been forced to shut their doors. Yet some businesses are still booming according to Klaviyo’s COVID-19 Insights. The underlying data of these insights come from 32,500 brands, billions of e-commerce transactions and survey data from over 6,000 respondents. Through a combination of daily consumer and brand polls, in-depth conversations wi

May 12, 2020
2 min

"Sustainability: A Starting Point" Guide to What Sustainability Means for 2020

Even before the impact of Covid-19, the fashion industry was in the process of adjusting to a new reality, where old ways of manufacturing and selling weren’t able to keep up with new global standards and rising consumer expectations around sustainability and transparency. MADE Trends’ deck “Sustainability: A Starting Point” is an overview of key trends and changing consumer attitudes, illustrated with best-in-class examples from leading environmentally conscious brands to re

May 11, 2020
2 min

Greta Gang VS Hyper Kid

Gen Z is the generation most willing to pay a premium for sustainable products (73%) compared to millennials (68%), Gen X (55%), Silent Generation (50%) and baby boomers (42%). Some of Gen Z are more inspired by figures like Greta Thunberg and no-waste queen Lauren Singer. Activism comes naturally to this cohort, who vote with their wallet and will abandon a brand they feel disagrees with their views. They feel a deep association between their behaviors as a consumer and a ci