Featuring: Fashion & Sustainability

Article
By Harry Robson
15/04/19

Subtitle

The brands paving the way for sustainability in fashion.

Contents

1. The People vs Pollution

2. Buy Less Dress Up

3. Adidas x Parley

4. Nike Earth Day Collection

5. Sustainability Gang

6. Zero to Hero?

Adidas x Parley by Ana María Guerra

It is well known that the fashion industry is one of the world biggest polluters, but a number of brands are bucking this trend and exploring the ways in which fashion can become more sustainable. It is most likely that the fashion industry will never be fully sustainable, but brands must do more to work in harmony with the natural world before it’s too late.

Subtitle

The brands paving the way for sustainability in fashion.

Contents

1. The People vs Pollution

2. Buy Less Dress Up

3. Adidas x Parley

4. Nike Earth Day Collection

5. Sustainability Gang

6. Zero to Hero?

It is well known that the fashion industry is one of the world biggest polluters, but a number of brands are bucking this trend and exploring the ways in which fashion can become more sustainable. It is most likely that the fashion industry will never be fully sustainable, but brands must do more to work in harmony with the natural world before it’s too late.
1. The People vs Pollution

Our planet’s future remains uncertain, and with an ever-growing concern for the environment, last month 1.4 million people took to the streets to protest in unison against the current treatment of the Earth. Activists from all over the world participated: Australia, the UK, the US, India, Sweden; the latter being where the protests began. One Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old girl from Sweden, sparked the movement with her solo protest last year.

In even more recent news, a young 15 foot, 500 kg Cuvier’s beaked whale was found regurgitating blood and close-to-death after consuming 40 kg of plastic on a beach in the Philippines. This comes with little surprise seeing as recent studies show 100% of marine turtles, 59% of whales, and 36% of seals studied, were found to have been exposed to plastic pollution (Surfers Against Sewage). Another shocking statistic states that nearly half of plastic ever manufactured has been made since 2000, with 40% of that being used once and then discarded (National Geographic).

These two recent news stories further emphasise the actions that need to be taken to help combat the pollution and mistreatment of our planet. The latter highlights the worsening repercussions for our wildlife and eventually us, if action isn’t taken now.

One sector that is showing a growing involvement in combating pollution and promoting a more prosperous environment, is fashion. The fashion industry is beginning to take this issue by the horns, which is hugely encouraging as the sector is one of the biggest contributors to pollution, with 92 million tons of solid waste being discarded in landfills each year from fashion alone (Copenhagen Fashion Summit).

School protests again climate change by Jeff J Mitchell

2. Buy Less Dress Up

One pioneer in sustainable fashion is Vivienne Westwood. The foundation of her Spring/Summer 2019 collection is “Buy Less Dress Up”, in which Vivienne encourages buyers to “get a look together from clothes you already have and you can just add one thing and make all the difference”. Vivienne has also been an avid protester against fracking, an immense contributor to both air and water pollution. In 2018, to commence London Fashion Week, she staged a protest as a mimic runway show where herself and models held signs reading slogans such as, “FRACK OFF INEOS”, Ineos being a shale gas company operating in the UK.

3. Adidas Parley

Adidas have made efforts to be more sustainable by working in collaboration with Parley, utilising their A.I.R Strategy. This collaboration is a monumental step towards ending plastic pollution. The A.I.R acronym stands for “Avoid, Intercept, Redesign”; avoid plastic bags and virgin polyester by 2024, intercept plastic getting into the ocean, and redesigning products with eco-innovative materials. Adidas achieve this by recycling waste intercepted from beaches and coastal communities before it reaches the ocean, and turning it into thread for their Parley collection. They also encourage other companies to adopt similar strategies in the hope of seeing more initiatives appear that can contribute towards a greener future.

Parley for the Oceans founder Cyrill Gutsch believes that designers and brands need to wean themselves off the plastic “drug”, but recognises that this will not happen overnight. Gutsch is confident that all synthetic materials can be replaced with recycled plastic, whether that be high-performance sportswear and equipment or everyday fashion. While recycling exists as the key strategy for dealing with plastic pollution, Parley's ultimate aim is to invent an environmentally friendly replacement for plastic.

"[Plastic] was not supposed to be out there in these quantities, it's just too successful, a mistake that became a superstar,” - Cyrill Gutsch.

4. Nike x Earth Day

Another brand raising awareness of environmental issues is Nike, who have recently announced their “Earth Day” collection. The capsule consists of Air Force 1, Cortez and Blazer silhouettes all freshly illustrated by artist Steve Harrington. The artworks portray the Earth being warmed through various different acts. These shoes are 50% leather-fibre, thus making them more durable than other Nike trainers and reducing the waste produced by consumers when their kicks reach the end of their lifespan; therefore reducing overall waste for the planet to endure.

These titans of sportswear and fashion have been criticised in the past for various environmental and social violations. Neither company holds up as a model of sustainability but they are making steps in the right direction. These companies dominate the market and have the capabilities to make an enormous difference. By redeveloping their business models with a greater environmental consciousness, global companies like Nike and Adidas can massively reduce their impact on the natural world, whilst also setting an example that will influence other global brands.

Nike Earth Day Pack by Steven Harrington

Nike Earth Day Pack by Steven Harrington

5. Sustainability Gang

SZA has also joined the war on plastic with her brand Ctrl Fishing Company. The brand boasts sitcom-inspired designs that read “Puck Flastic” and “Sustainability Gang”. The main objective is to raise awareness of marine pollution from plastic, and the brand takes first-hand action by donating all proceeds towards the cause. Public figures with huge followings on social media should follow this approach, using their “influencer” status to persuade followers to do something positive. Raising awareness of climate change and educating followers on how to be more eco-friendly, is definitely one path celebrities and “social influencers” can pursue to help make a difference.

As an ever-increasing volume of brands contribute to “sustainable fashion”, it is impossible for anyone to claim 100% sustainability. Noah is very upfront about this on their website, stating in prominent lettering “WE ARE NOT A SUSTAINABLE COMPANY”, which one would assume must be a mistake on their part. However, the post resumes to explain that despite their efforts to be more ethical and sustainable, “there’s really no such thing as a sustainable clothing company”. They have an entire post on their website titled “Our Packaging Sucks”, where they openly detail complaints they have received regarding their minimal packaging, as customers sought after the rush of unboxing new garments. However they defend their “sucky” packaging with the fact that 30% of municipal waste comes from packaging material, and “no amount of packaging changes the product it’s wrapped around”.

Our Packaging Sucks by Noah

Guppyfriends washing bags reduce the micro-fibre pollution that occurs when washing clothes. Sold at the Noah New York flagship Store

6. Redefining Fashion

Fashion companies are more relevant now than ever, with e-commerce going from strength-to-strength. The incline in celebrities and brands uniting as collaborators to produce projects such as Yeezy, Gigi Hadid x Tommy Hilfiger, and Chanel Pharrell, highlights the exposure fashion is getting to followers of pop culture. If corporations within the industry take advantage of this exposure for the greater good by promoting an eco-friendly message, whilst continuing to adjust their strategies to combat pollution, this would significantly contribute to a brighter future for our planet. There is a long way to go but fashion could transform from being one of the biggest culprits of pollution to being the shining beacon of sustainability.

  • Featuring: Fashion & Sustainability

Bibliography

School Climate Strikes (www.theguardian.com)
Ocean Plastic Pollution (www.nationalgeographic.com)
Fast fashion needs to slow down (www.unenvironment.org)
Vivienne Westwood against fracking (www.independent.co.uk)
Vivienne Westwood on clothing and capitalism (www.theguardian.com)
Nike Earth Day Pack (www.hypebeast.com)
Parley for the Oceans (www.parley.tv)
Adidas Parley (www.adidas.co.uk/parley)
Noah (www.noahny.com)
Steve Harrington (www.stevenharrington.com/)
Ana Maria Guerra (www.ana-maria-guerra.com/)

Social

Harry Robson (@harry_robson)
Steve Harrington (@s_harrington)
Noah (@noahclothing)
Parley for the Oceans (@parley.tv)
Vivienne Westwood (@viviennewestwood)
SZA (@sza)
Ana Maria Guerra (@ana.maria.guerra)
DROPOUT (@dropout_mag)

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