SUPPLY CHAIN -
The fashion industry is in the midst of a revolution, with more and more companies ramping up efforts to clean up their supply chains, eliminate polluting practices from manufacturing and imbed circular principles into their business models. Just last week, luxury goods holding company Kering released the next phase of its sustainability strategy and H&M launched its “Bring It” campaign and film, which draws attention to its Garment Collecting Initiative and closed-loop commitment.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
The textile industry isn’t exactly the poster child for sustainability or ethical business practices, but Walmart and the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) are working to change all that by funding projects geared towards revolutionizing textile manufacturing.
PRESS RELEASE -
HUGO BOSS and Quantis work closely to measure the environmental impacts of the global fashion brands’ operations. This work has been put into a white paper that explains the collaborative work on the procedure and results of measuring these environmental impacts.
PRESS RELEASE -
Today, REI announced a major milestone in its continued work to lead on sustainable operations.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
We’ve seen a rash of textile-recycling schemes emerge of late — in which the textiles in question may become new garments, but for the most part they remain, well, fabrics.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Ambitions to reduce environmental impact by slashing water use are driving brands in industries of all kinds to rethink their manufacturing processes. This week, both Wrangler and Toyota announced they have risen to the challenge and have plenty to show for their efforts.
Having recently reached a milestone of three billion liters of water saved since 2007, denim and casual apparel brand Wrangler announced on Wednesday that it plans to reduce water usage at its facilities by 20 percent by 2020.
PRESS RELEASE -
Outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland recently celebrated the close of the ninth consecutive harvest season of its Victory Garden, a plot of fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers outside the company’s Stratham, New Hampshire headquarters. Each year, a dedicated group of Timberland employee volunteers manage and cultivate the 1,000 square foot area of raised garden beds. The fresh flowers and produce are then made available to employees for purchase, with proceeds going to the New Hampshire Food Bank (NHFB). Funds raised from this year’s harvest will provide close to 2,000 meals to feed local adults and children who struggle with hunger this holiday season.
LEADERSHIP -
Bangladesh is no longer one of the world’s poorest nations. Today, this emerging nation is steadily growing as one of the world’s leading apparel manufacturers. However, the country’s economic structure remains fragile due to its heavy dependence on textile exports and overseas remittances from emigrant workers, and the country’s manufacturing base and infrastructure require urgent improvement.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
According to a recent survey of 287 sustainability professionals, working conditions are the most important sustainability issue in supply chains. That’s not too surprising; in the short time it’s taken to read this far, 153 people around the world have had a work-related accident.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Purpose-driven US outdoor clothing giant Patagonia is calling for business leaders to back regenerative organic agriculture, claiming that certain textile standards are “not going far enough.”
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Growing concerns over the environmental and social impacts of the footwear and apparel industry have kickstarted efforts to create more transparent and ethical supply chains and practices, but there is still a significant amount of work to be done, according to a new benchmarking system launched today by KnowTheChain (KTC), a resource for businesses and investors who need to understand and address forced labor abuse
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Columbia Sportswear says its new OutDry Extreme ECO Jacket, which hit shelves last week, marks a milestone in sustainability - as the first high-performance, environmentally friendly, breathable, waterproof jacket made without the use of a common synthetic additive known as perfluorinated compounds (PFCs).
As part of the launch, Columbia has partnered with hip-hop artist and environmental advocate Macklemore to help raise awareness on the impact that PFCs can have on the environment. Macklemore (aka Ben Haggerty), who finds inspiration and solace in the forests in the Pacific Northwest and other natural places around the world, shares his thoughts on environmentally responsible rainwear in a new video:
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Gifts for our loved ones that also help repurpose waste, benefit people in need, expand the next generation's horizons, and overall provide alternative to "products as usual" ... How is that not a win-win? Here are just a few of our favorite socially and environmentally beneficial gift ideas that will help you celebrate this season of giving (and spending) with a clear conscience.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) today launches the Higg Index Design and Development Module (DDM). Along with the release last month of its updated Higg Materials Sustainability Index (MSI) - a cradle-to-gate scoring tool that measures and communicates the environmental performance of thousands of materials used in creating apparel, footwear and home textile products - the DDM is the latest tool in the Higg arsenal aimed at empowering product designers and developers to make sustainable choices at the earliest stage of apparel, footwear and textile prototype design.
WASTE NOT -
On Friday, the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Programme - a collaboration of 22 leading brands, including Kering, Marks & Spencer, Primark, Coop Switzerland and New Balance, along with 13 value chain affiliates and 7 associates - released its Wastewater Guidelines, a unified expectation on wastewater quality for t
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
This week, ethical shoe brand Po-Zu will unveil its Star Wars-themed footwear at the FFANY trade show in New York as part of a major collaboration with the movie franchise. It’s a highly significant launch for Po-Zu, as it will enable the UK-based manufacturer to bring its products to a wider market and raise public awareness over the ‘dark side’ of the shoe trade.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Hot on the heels of its release earlier this month of the world’s first football and running performance products made from upcycled marine plastic waste, adidas continues its journey toward revolutionizing materials with the unveiling of the world’s first performance shoe made using Biosteel® fiber – a synthetic version of spider silk.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Ramblers Way, an ethically sourced, American-made sustainable clothing company announced today an extensive rebrand across the company along with the new tagline ‘Clothing for a Good Life.’ The new brand look and feel embodies Ramblers Way’s commitment to protect the planet, support local economies and build its business based on lifelong values.
CLEANTECH -
Tom Singh, founder of UK fashion brand New Look, has backed a London-based fashion technology company to help apparel retailers and manufacturers manage their supply chains.
PRESS RELEASE -
The Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Purdue University
have diverted almost six tons of waste from landfills through an innovative recycling program that turns used lab gloves and garments into shelving, flowerpots and lawn and garden furniture.