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  • Big Brands Joining NFTs- The New black

    Big Brands Joining NFTs- The New black

    The fashion industry has put in a lot of work in recent years to digitally convert and adapt fashion to the digital world. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and blockchain technology are being used by brands to attract, authenticate, and engage with customers all around the world. But what precisely is NFT? Recently, a new trend of using NFTs to combine blockchain technology with creative intellectual property has emerged. The concept has grown across all market sectors, and today premium fashion merchants are now participating in the NFT business. Because changes are so important and complicated, the luxury fashion and beauty sectors have created extensive documentation to better comprehend the competitive environment. Without a doubt, the blazing fires of NFTs have ignited a burning desire for blockchain technology in the fashion industry.

    WHAT ARE NFTs?

    NFTs

    NFTs are cryptographic assets created with the use of blockchain technology. It allows for the transfer of value across a non-replicable medium. It can be a one-of-a-kind, non-recurring token that cannot be partitioned but can be used to depict real or virtual world items, including the token’s own attributes and ownership, all while staying inside a blockchain representation. This equips NFTs with the distinct characteristics that make them so appealing. Smart contracts, which are software programmes that regulate actions such as authenticating ownership and restricting their transferability, are used to generate NFTs.

    When a person creates an NFT, they write the smart software code that governs the NFT’s properties and contributes those qualities to the NFT’s blockchain. NFTs are digital files made as jpg, png,.mov, or 3D fashion files prior to getting minted (connected) to a blockchain. They are more than simply a chase to cryptocurrency. NFTs are controlled and authenticated as digital assets via digital accounting records or blockchains, and they are kept in digital wallets in the same way as cryptocurrencies and other assets are, and they serve as valuable objects sold in the digital environment.

    In simple language, NFTs cannot be copied or hacked and are not mutually interchangeable, which means, no two NFTs are the same. They are non-fungible, which signifies that instead of obtaining an actual object that you may wear (and which almost certainly has many replicas in the real world), you will instead receive a one-of-a-kind JPG file that cannot be replicated.

    ROLE OF NFT IN FASHION INDUSTRY

    Fashion

    The fashion and beauty industries have made a determined effort in recent years to enhance a true and precise knowledge of business developments in order to encourage new terms that are consistent with current corporate practices. Fashion’s the only chance of re-entering the fast-paced digital train was to build NFTs, as it had entirely missed the boat with E-commerce. When e-commerce first emerged, a huge number of businesses were completely disinterested in exploring the new channel. The fashion business has become significantly more cautious since then. Sustainable fashion and beauty is a big incentive for younger millennials and Gen Z market groups. Prestige companies may use NFTs to create unique experiences for their customers, increasing brand awareness, engagement, and revenue. Despite the apparent advantages, however, fashion has yet to find out the ideal way to utilize NFTs.

    NFT fever had gripped the year 2021. With the growth in Google searches for NFTs, the NFT business saw $2.5 billion in revenue during the first half of 2021, up from $13.7 million the year before. With the fashion business seeking to unlock the technology’s capabilities, it’s no surprise that Karl Lagerfeld has already stated that another release is in the works after their premiere in the virtual world.

    As popular as the Karl Lagerfeld NFTs have been, it’s critical for companies to grasp how NFTs vary from other sectors that are more acclimated to selling digital items. This is mostly due to the fact that conventional fashion firms, who are known for their reluctance to digitalization, are finding it difficult to let go of their physicality. As a result, individuals who follow this business are often left wondering what NFTs are, why everyone is eager to cash in, and what they imply for a market that has stayed steadfastly physical for so long.

    PLUSES AND MINUSES OF NFTs IN FASHION INDUSTRY

    As a designer, an NFT may produce virtual fashion goods that are separate from real-life products, addressing the problem of digital apparel reproduction. NFT broadens the selection of one-of-a-kind things. A fashion company may utilize it to offer its own show video or customized backstage photos. When it comes to digital copies, the NFT makes it simple for collectors to find the original copy they desire. NFT might have an influence on the resale market not only by keeping track of changes in ownership of a given item but also by paying corporations a premium whenever their goods are sold in the second-hand high-end market, for example.

    Regardless of their individual advantages, however, NFTs are still a pretty modern investment strategy that may provide buyers with unexpected challenges. Some issues to be aware of and investigate more before purchasing NFTs, such as the fact that anybody can take a picture of the artwork, upload it to a blockchain, and sell it, therefore purchasers must ensure that they are purchasing NFTs from the artist or that the seller has the authorization to sell the NFT. By themselves, NFTs are unable to link the production or ownership of an NFT to a real person in the physical world or to verify that the NFT’s creator has the fundamental entitlements to connect that NFT with a certain creative work.

    BIG FASHION BRANDS JOINING NFT MARKET

    Below is a breakdown of the many brand tactics for handling the NFT area in the fashion industry, including specific adjustments, how bitcoin carbon emissions are being mitigated, and what’s next in the space.

    • RTFKT’s Virtual Sneakers
    NFT

    The RTFKT brand was founded in 2019 and quickly established itself as a leader in the virtual sneaker market. Early in 2021, the company worked on a project with “Fewocious,” a well-known crypto artist who was only 18 at the time. He created three virtual sneakers that buyers could “try on” via Snapchat before entering an auction to buy them. The top bidder was also given the opportunity to receive a tangible pair of sneakers to try in person. The partnership lived up to the expectations, selling 600 pairs of sneakers in just 7 minutes for a total of 3.1 million dollars.

    Since then, RTKFT has expanded its portfolio by collaborating with “The Fabricant” to produce a new collection of seven virtual products, which received $8 million in their most recent financing round.

    • GUCCI Selling NFTs
    NFTs

    Gucci was the first luxury house to venture into the world of non-traditional textiles. The NFT of the legendary Italian fashion business was inspired by a movie by their “Aria” collection in cooperation with Alessandro Michele, rather than being patterned after fashion products. Christie’s auctioned this four-minute clip for a whopping 25,000 million dollars.

    • Louis Vuitton- NFTs collecting Game
    nfts

    On the occasion of its founder’s 200th birthday on August 4th, Louis Vuitton merged fashion and technology by releasing “Louis the Game,” an adventure-style game in which players must navigate around Vivienne’s dollhouse.

    Aside from that, gamers flocked to various locations to acquire 200 candles to commemorate the 200th anniversary of their birth. The trip included 30 hidden NFTs and 10 NFTs created in partnership with prominent NFT artist “Beeple.” This game’s NFTs are free to gather and not for sale to the general public.

    • Prada’s Partnership With Adidas
    nft

    In the latest incarnation of luxury in the metaverse, Prada is presenting its first NFT in collaboration with Adidas: an audience digital work in a Beeple-style collage.

    Anyone may register to upload an image using a specifically developed filter that will be modified, jumbled up, and 40% of the image erased to make the image anonymous starting on January 24. Three thousand of the individual images will be chosen at random and minted as one-of-a-kind NFTs by Adidas for free. The owner of the artwork will be the person who submitted it, and they will be able to sell their NFT on the secondary market. Zach Lieberman, a digital artist, and creative coder will subsequently merge the selected photographs into tiles into one massive patchwork NFT.

    • Burberry With Blankos Block Party
    burberry

    Burberry collaborated with a video game company to create its own NFTs. After the triumph of its own game, B Bounce debuted in 2019, the brand went into the digital world by collaborating with Mythical Games’ Blankos Block Party on a charming shark Blanko that can be acquired, updated, and sold in-game. The Burberry NFT, unlike Ethereum, does not function on the energy-intensive Proof of Work crypto paradigm, but rather on a proprietary EOSIO blockchain protocol that uses a significantly less energy-intensive Proof of Authority methodology.

    • Overpriced- Scannable Hoodies
    overpriced

    Overpriced, the world’s first NFT-driven fashion business, has created a real-life sweatshirt with a scannable code that allows the hoodie’s owner to show it around. This sweatshirt is being auctioned for $26,000 USD on the NFT site “BlockParty.”

    overpriced

    Because most fashion labels, such as Balenciaga and Fortnite, place their NFTs inside closed systems, the concept of a virtual wardrobe that moves across multiple gaming platforms and digital worlds is still a work in progress. Polygon, for example, is attempting to alter this. Dolce & Gabbana, a luxury fashion business, has launched NFTs on the platform, emphasizing the ease with which their clothing may be moved between many digital “worlds.” “There’s going to be a lot of money in the NFT fashion industry,” said Joseph Pallant, the creator of the Blockchain for Climate Foundation and an NFT specialist.

    FUTURE WITH FASHION & METAVERSE- UNLOCKING LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES WITH NFT MARKET

    fashion

    The co-founder of stablecoin Tether, William Quigley said, “I’m betting that the revenue model for the metaverse is going to be NFTs.” The Bitcoin pioneer, Quigley, sees the Metaverse as “a massive economic force that will profoundly affect people’s lives in the years ahead.” The fashion industry must grasp that NFTs are all about digital item ownership, and the Metaverse is merely extending that notion into one or more virtual worlds in order to prepare for the metaverse’s future. Despite the fact that the Metaverse as a business model is still in its infancy, NFTs are turning this creative playground to life.

    Neuno, created by Natalie Johnson, sees the promise of NFTs as well. Neuno is urging the fashion industry to reach a digital utopia where one may possess a unique piece of “fashion history” by bridging the gap between the actual world and NFTs.

    You can’t discuss NFTs and the Metaverse without mentioning the recent emergence of NFT markets, which provide users with a location to purchase and trade NFTs. Investors such as billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban, music tycoon Jay-Z, and Google Ventures, which give seed, venture, and growth-stage capital to digital firms, have taken notice of some of these sites. The vocabulary of the future will revolve around NFTs, cryptocurrency, blockchain, skins, and metaverse.

  • Ditching Skinny Jeans For The Love Of Baggy Jeans?

    Ditching Skinny Jeans For The Love Of Baggy Jeans?

    baggy jeans

    Are skinny jeans really out? The trend of those body-fitting denim, long and cropped both, is it dead already? Well, what do you have in your wardrobe right now? The all-time comfortable and new trendy baggy and loose fit denim or skinny jeans or bootcuts or maybe straight fit?

    Before getting into the numbers of baggy jeans lovers, what exactly is Baggy Jeans or how is it different from straight or loose-fitting denim? When the cut is ‘barrel leg, straight leg, or asymmetric,’ according to Elle UK, jeans are deemed baggy. Mom jeans, like the other designs listed, fall under the baggy denim group and have grown in popularity.

    Since the inception of skinny jeans more than a decade ago, they have been written off time and time again, yet the narrow-legged garment has endured. It’s come back in new colors, styles, and levels of stretch to stay in vogue and on stores from Bloomingdale’s to Old Navy, clutching a nation’s ankles and legs. However, as customers gravitate to high-waisted, loose-fitting jeans in droves, rumors of its demise may be true. Levi Strauss & Co. officials claimed on a recent earnings call that sales patterns suggested that loose, even baggy, jeans for women and men were growing and that they were destined to become a trademark of our post-pandemic society.

    Is this trend of baggy jeans because of the pandemic? Maybe, maybe not. Well, in my opinion, the pandemic made people work from home in their comfortable robes, where the majority did not even touch the denim for the whole 2020-2021 period of lockdown. And suddenly comes the fashion of loose baggy jeans. If you take it from me, I would say, the pandemic made people comfortable in loose clothing so much, that they do not want to go back to tight denim and trousers. And when the problem is at large of comfort clothing post-pandemic, with the majority facing it, why not have a change of trend itself rather finding a small solution to it. Smart, isn’t it?

    The Denim Cycle

    baggy jeans

    Skinny vs. baggy jeans have been a hot topic among Gen Zs and Millennials. Skinny jeans are out and baggy jeans are in, according to Generation Z, but Millennials are having a difficult time parting with their beloved skinnies.

    Baggy jeans aren’t only for Generation Z anymore. “The globe could finally be entering the early phases of a new denim cycle,” Levi’s CEO Chip Bergh remarked in a recent CNBC article, “One where tight-fitting pants are suddenly out of style, and instead shoppers young and old are flocking to loose-hanging, wide-leg and flared jeans.” Endorsers, celebrities, and fashion icons would all have to agree. On the streets, we’re seeing less narrow jeans and more comfortable denim. Vogue highlighted a few celebs who have embraced the trend, noting that we’ve been gravitating into clothing for comfort in the past year, so it’s only natural that we’re opting for more cozy denim.

    “The last denim cycle has been longer than 10 years, and it was the skinny jeans cycle,” said, the CEO of Levi’s. He also added “We’re definitely seeing a lot of uptake on these looser fits, and our competitors have all followed it and they’re all seeing the same thing. If we see it sustain for another season or two, it’s very possible that we’re into a new denim cycle.”

    The Present-Day Trend of Jeans

    baggy

    The style at hand, (or leg, practically speaking) is usually alluded to as “mom jeans,” even on Levi’s website, where they are featured heavily. In the last year, they’ve been increasingly apparent on Instagram fashionistas and adolescents in Netflix series, as well as being promoted by youths on TikTok. Younger clients, according to Bergh, were frequently wearing tighter shirts with denim. “That seems to be the look with the Gen Z and young millennials right now,” said Mr. Bergh.

    Whether it’s bell-bottoms, flares, or skinny jeans, the style of jeans worn by Americans is frequently connected with certain eras, and merchants are eager to see how powerful the loose denim fashion will go into the long-awaited Future Days. The potential of a new denim design is excellent news for apparel retailers, who have been one of the most battered due to pandemic , as they struggle to boost sales and rekindle customer interest in clothes.

    baggy jeans

    Skinny jeans, mom jeans, and straight-leg jeans are the top denim sales from January 2020 to March 2021, according to Fit Intelligence. You read it correctly: skinny jeans are the most popular denim style. However, the discussion over slim vs. easygoing jeans has only been going around for a few months. It’s also worth noting that Millennials account for 27.8% of all Fit Finder users, while Gen Z accounts for 27% – so it’s essentially a tie. As per statistics from the NPD Group, skinny jeans continue to account for the highest percentage of women’s jeans sales in the United States, accounting for 34% of sales. However, in the year ending in February, the style dropped seven percentage points.

    Levi’s debuted a modest line of women’s high-waist, loose-fit jeans, and wide-leg trousers called balloon pants early last year, which sold “really, really well,” according to Bergh, leading the brand to double down on similar cuts. According to the company’s results call, sales of relaxed-fit men’s models like the Levi’s 550 and 559 increased by 50% year over year in the last quarter. Levi’s had pondered retiring the styles a few years prior due to their poor performance. The trend isn’t limited to Levi’s, which claims to be the first to introduce blue jeans in 1873. Even among narrow jean devotees, Madewell, the prominent retail business owned by J. Crew Group, has shown interest in fuller-fit jeans and balloon trousers, which is seen as a turning point for the fit.

    The Future Of Jeans

    future of jeans

    “As people think about going back out, they’re thinking about what’s the look now, and they’re going to our website, they’re going to other websites, looking at fashion magazines and seeing looser, baggier fits be the new trend”, said Bergh. “The fact that people are liberated and can finally go out to dinner with their family or girlfriend or boyfriend — it gives them an occasion to kind of upgrade their wardrobe, update the look, and splurge a little bit on themselves, and I think that’s what we’re seeing”

    Skinny jeans aren’t as trendy as they once were, but that doesn’t mean they’re not still being bought. Consumers may need some time to adopt and acclimatize to the new baggy style. Until then, we expect that shops will continue to sell skinny jeans and that consumers will continue to buy them. We predict that the purchase of skinny jeans will drop even further in the next months, but we can’t declare with certainty that this more fitting denim design will ever go out of vogue. “I don’t think skinny jeans are ever going to go away completely,” Bergh said. “People are mixing it up, and women, in particular, are having multiple choices.”

  • 6 Circular Brands In Ellen MacArthur’s New Book

    6 Circular Brands In Ellen MacArthur’s New Book

    Ellen MacArthur

    Circularity has been discussed by Dame Ellen MacArthur since 2010, although the concept has only lately gained popularity. After retiring from sailing 12 years ago- MacArthur being the first woman to solo around the globe- she founded the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to bring together the worlds of business, education, fashion, agriculture, and beyond to conceive a dramatic transformation to a “circular economy.” A circular economy, in contrast to our existing linear concept of creation, consumption, and disposal, entails reducing waste, keeping items in circulation, and renewing nature.

    MacArthur launched the book on the 2nd of December, 2021, at Business of Fashion VOICES. Circular Design for Fashion was created in honor of fashion’s enormous potential to change to a circular economy, as well as its creatives – enthusiastic disruptors who are always looking for new ways to innovate. The book introduces a new design approach and inspires designers to think about how they might help shape a more resilient and successful fashion sector that addresses climate change and biodiversity loss. Investigate the challenges of creating with three concepts in mind: reducing waste and pollution, cycling products and resources, and renewing nature. The book presents an assorted mix of voices, well-known names like Stella McCartney, Gabriela Hearst, and Eileen Fisher, as well as upcoming designers like Bethany Williams and Duran Lantink, upcycling professionals like ADIFF’s Angela Luna and Loulwa Al Saad, regenerative agriculture assets like Fibershed and FarFarm, Gucci and its parent company Kering, and some of the industry’s most successful corporations like Inditex, Fast Retailing, and H&M.

    SUBSISTENCE BY CIRCULAR DESIGN

    Circular design

    Many firms and designers in the fashion field have begun to take initiatives to remove waste and pollution from their product lifecycles in recent years. Elodie Rousselot, the strategic design manager at Ellen MacArthur Foundation says, “I think we’re witnessing a beautiful moment in the industry, where many are actively looking at how they can change their businesses and the way they design products to be fit for the circular economy.” The goal of circular design is to create goods and services that don’t have a linear life cycle with a beginning, middle, and conclusion. The goal is to create goods that can “be produced to be made again,” as ex- CEO of IDEO, Tim Brown phrased it.

    The move to a circular economy (CE) presents designers with a variety of new issues and necessitates particular knowledge, tactics, and methodologies. The CE idea broadens the scope of the design process and encourages the incorporation of new knowledge domains and abilities. Throughout all phases of the design process, substantial engagement with stakeholders and specialists is required for the CE to be implemented successfully in reality. Design firms have responded to the CE by forming dedicated CE research and design workgroups, facilitating information flow, constructing their own circular strategies and techniques, and pursuing long-term client relationships that encourage designers to become involved in the lifecycles of crafted artifacts rather than viewing design projects as one-time events. Many designers have taken the initiative too. Amongst such designers are the six contributors, highlighted by Rousselot in MacArthur’s book, who are at the forefront of the movement towards the circular fashion industry.

    ORANGE CUTURE BY ADEBAYO OKE-LAWAL

    Orange culture

    Adebayo Oke-Lawal creates gender-neutral clothing with a 90 percent indigenous Nigerian supply chain that includes everything from material procurement to dyeing and printing. The designer tries to guarantee that money stays in the community through his Lagos-based label Orange Culture, while also training his suppliers and staff about sustainable manufacturing processes so that they may apply what they’ve learned to other initiatives.

    “They’ve also begun encouraging shoppers to return undesired clothing so that it may be turned into new outfits and sold again. It’s more than just a repair service. It’s almost as though the clothing had a new narrative to tell.” Rousselot said, “Orange Culture uses the offcuts from its manufacturing process to form new products or elements such as lining.”

    RAEBURN BY CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN

    Raeburn

    Whilst pursuing fashion design in London in the early 2000s, Christopher Raeburn began working with excess fabrics and clothes, purchasing unworn military coats from the 1950s for £1 apiece and reworking them into new outfits. Since then, he’s pushed to expand the use of reused materials in mass production with his own British Fashion Award-winning label Raeburn, along with switching ‘Timberland’ to regeneratively cultivated leather as creative director for the footwear company.

    “He was one of the first to bring this practice to a commercial scale, in a way that is attractive and different from what you would expect from an ‘eco brand,” Rousselot said.

    ICICLE BY YE SHOUZENG AND TAO XIAOMA

    Icicle

    Icicle, a Chinese company founded in 1997 by husband-and-wife team Ye Shouzeng and Tao Xiaoma, uses five primary materials – cashmere, linen, wool, silk, and cotton – that is sustainably sourced and lightly treated to preserve the attention on the fibers’ inherent beauty. To maintain transparency and protect the welfare of garment workers, the company does all of its design and manufacture in-house at its own facilities.

    Rousselot quotes about the innovative couple- “They are bringing this different perspective to a circular design, which is based on traditional Chinese philosophy and runs counter to the Western idea that we’re born, we die and then that’s it”

    MARINE SERRE

    Marine Serre

    Aside from her signature crescent moon motif, French designer Marine Serre is recognized for using repurposed materials such as household linens, carpets, and towels in 50% of her designs. Serre’s work, which was awarded the esteemed LVMH prize in 2017 and is distributed by big shops like Selfridges and Browns, demonstrates that waste materials, notwithstanding their nasty reputation, may have a place in the premium fashion industry.

    “She’s extremely cutting edge in the way she designs with these textiles,” Rousselot said. “In fashion design, usually what students are taught to do is to define a color palette that will guide their collection and then find the fabrics to match.”

    FIBERSHED

    fibershed

    Fibershed is a non-profit organization that assists businesses in gaining access to hyper-local textile supply chains by employing regenerative agricultural techniques that retain carbon in the soil rather than releasing it. Designer Phoebe English recently produced a line of outfits for the COP26 climate conference in conjunction with its regional arm in South East England, for which all fabrics were farmed, dyed, spun, and processed within a 250-kilometer radius of her London studio.

    Rousselot quotes- “This approach means you are not growing hectares of cotton, you’re growing different types of crops that naturally thrive in the area such as nettle or hemp.”

    NKWO BY NKWO ONWUKA

    fashion

    Nkwo Onwuka, a British-Nigerian designer, created Dakala, a new African textile that looks like hand-loomed fabric but is manufactured by stripping and putting together discarded denim pieces. She currently instructs indigenous women in Abuja to use their traditional textile crafts abilities to manufacture new garments from the heaps of garment trash transported to Nigeria from western nations, with the goal of “weaving waste into prosperity.”

    “She’s also started looking at sourcing cotton locally,” Rousselot explained. “Nigeria doesn’t grow a lot of cottons but unlike in Kyrgyzstan, where it’s a cause of desertification, in Nigeria, it can grow rain-fed so it doesn’t require extra irrigation.”

    CIRCULAR FASHION: THE CURRENT SCENARIO

    The circular fashion industry is being embraced by more than just independent or eco-friendly apparel manufacturers. 64 of the world’s largest fashion brands, including Adidas and Inditex, inked a pledge in January 2018 to speed the transition to a circular business model. Adidas, for example, decided to address the issue of materials by gradually implementing a 3-Step Loop Strategy, in which Step 1 is to use recycled materials, Step 2 is to make those recycled materials part of a loop that can be reused, and Step 3 is to bio-fabricate the materials of the future so that when they come out of the loop, they are biodegradable and can be returned to nature without endangering it.

    Denim is a wardrobe must for millions of individuals all over the world. The manufacture of a single pair of jeans in traditional way consumes 3,781 liters of water, which is a fact that the majority are unaware of. However, of late, we have seen that Ellen MacArthur foundation and other initiatives in the industry have ensured that the industry moves firmly in the direction of circularity and we hope to see huge changes very soon.

    The Ellen MacArthur Foundation had created The Jeans Redesign, a set of recommendations aimed at encouraging the denim industry to embrace the circular economy more effectively. Hundreds of companies have already signed on and committed their support. Among them are Gap, H&M, Wrangler, and a many other well-known brands. In June 2021, the first redesigned jeans utilizing the criteria was finished, proving that circular jeans may be made now.

    IMPORTANCE OF CIRCULAR FASHION ON PLANET

    “Cradle to Cradle is like good gardening; it is not about “saving” the planet but about learning to thrive on it,” a quote by Michael Braungart says it all. The contemporary industrial infrastructure’s design goal is to provide an appealing product that is inexpensive, complies with rules, performs well enough, and lasts long enough to fulfil market expectations. With a projected worldwide population of nine billion people by 2030, nature will face unprecedented challenges in meeting human demands. The purpose of circular fashion is to guarantee that clothing is manufactured from safe and renewable materials, that innovative business models increase its usage, and that old clothing is reused. We want to see the garment industry progress to a future where every material is securely used and reused, ecosystems are protected, and people have meaningful jobs. This is the circular fashion philosophy, as well as why it is so vital.

    Clothes are an outward manifestation of our personality, and while variety is important, we should be more careful of how much we really need.

  • Denmark Strives Against Greenwashing With New Guidelines

    Denmark Strives Against Greenwashing With New Guidelines

    Greenwashing

    Greenwashing and the abuse of terminology like “sustainable” have resulted in negative headlines for numerous businesses. In Denmark, such situations also result in hefty fines. Danish Crown (Europe’s largest pig producer) was summoned to court on June 4th, 2021, by a group of green climate activists. Since the fall, the Danish Crown has been waging a campaign to promote “climate-controlled” and “more climate-friendly than you believe” branding on pig products. According to climate activist organizations, the ad is accused of greenwashing a product that should not be called environment-friendly.

    The Danish Consumer Ombudsman presented a series of court cases just before the new year as part of a new ‘short guide’ for businesses on how to deal with environmental marketing. He has advised corporations that any promises about sustainability must be backed up by facts from a lifecycle study.

    Given the current controversy about the usage and use of life-cycle assessment (s) in the fashion industry, this throws up a potentially big bag of worms, especially for apparel businesses. When making sustainability claims, the Danish Ombudsman believes that health, social, and ethical aspects must be taken into account, and admits that it is “extremely difficult to name a product, etc. sustainable without being deceptive.”

    According to the new criteria, organizations must be able to prove their marketing assertions. ‘As a result,  the Consumer Ombudsman advises firms to be as precise as possible when stating how a product shines,’ they write. “It is deceptive marketing if a product does not conform to the marketing.” The recommendations give several examples of when “writing favorably about a product’s environmental impact without having necessary proof” may be a breach of Denmark’s Marketing Act.

    KEY PRINCIPLES

    There are a few overarching elements that the Consumer Ombudsman emphasizes in the new guidance:

    • As with other marketing statements, environmentally focused ones must be correct as well as both clearly phrased (so as to avoid consumers getting the wrong picture) and not omitting any important information.
    • When speaking about actual circumstances you must be able to evidence what you say, and your statements must be supported by independent experts.
    • You must apply the methodology of a full life-cycle analysis as support of general statements about being environmentally friendly.

    THE NEED FOR REGULATION: SUSTAINABLE & ECO-FRIENDLY

    sustainable

    The environmental and societal effect of the things that customers buy nowadays has a big impact on their shopping decisions. The proliferation of certification labels, some of which are backed by official standards and laws and others that are not, complicates this product purchase choice. Because of this variation in labeling dependability, labeling is no longer straightforward or obvious for customers. Furthermore, many labels are not just misleading, but often purposely dishonest in order to conceal the negative environmental characteristics of a product. Something is fundamentally wrong, and we need to talk about how certification labeling might assist push sustainable purchasing to the next level while also addressing (some of) the reasons for greenwashing.

    The Consumer Ombudsman’s starting premise is that when consumers read a generic “eco-friendly” remark about a product, they are likely to think that it has no negative environmental consequences. This, however, is not always the case. Such comments will be deceptive if they are not verified, and the other side of the coin is that the requirements for demonstrating that you are genuinely eco-friendly are rigorous.

    It must be in the form of a “real” cradle to grave life-cycle study validated by impartial specialists, not just any proof. It helps if you have permission to use an official label for the product since this allows you to utilize words like “less harmful to the environment,” “more eco-friendly,” and so on.

    The Consumer Ombudsman further adds the following four conditions for phrasing the positive impact:

    1. It cannot be marginal in nature.
    2. It cannot be created through a process that harms the environment.
    3. It cannot be weighed down by climate-damaging features, preventing, for example, products from polluting sectors from being marketed as eco-friendly.
    4. It cannot be a common feature of similar products.

    There are a few things to keep in mind for firms. First, if a product just meets climate or environmental criteria, this cannot be promoted as a unique characteristic. Second, statements must be updated on a regular basis if, for example, technical advancements or changes in legislation render the statement no longer factual and fair. Special rules may also apply to the marketing of specific items or to certain consumer groups.

    SUSTAINIIBILITY AND THE FUTURE

    sustainibility

    Because it is simple to claim that you are acting sustainably, sustainability is one of the most regularly utilized concepts in greenwashing activities. The Danish Consumer Ombudsman defines sustainability as “growth that meets the requirements of the present without jeopardizing future generations’ ability to satisfy their own needs,” based on the Brundtland study “Our Common Future” from 1987.

    But what about green and ethical clothing? Apparel is after all one of the biggest industries which face eco-friendly production issues. Many brands, in fact, have stepped into sustainable and green clothing, but are they truly doing it as well? Citing an example here. At least some organic cotton, recycled polyester, or Tencel is used in each garment in H&M’s Conscious collection. H&M may appear to be environmentally friendly when combined with the brand’s in-store clothes recycling programmes, but these initiatives aren’t representative of the company as a whole. In 2016, Henrik Lampa, H&M’s Development Sustainability Manager, stated that only 0.1 percent of donations to its in-store recycling boxes get recycled into new textiles.

    Pact Apparel and Patagonia, both of which have a good track record with organic and recycled materials, choose Fairtrade certification instead of a stronger one like Fairtrade America or Fairtrade International. Unfortunately, in US supermarkets, the labels are more likely to be found on chocolate bars or bananas than on garments. So, when it comes to fashion, GOTS Certified is a wonderful certification to look for because it covers organic content, additional chemicals, and labor throughout the garment’s creation.

    It’s not as simple as switching to organic cotton or promising to use less water to make environmentally friendly jeans. “There can never be 100% sustainable apparel,” says Michelle Marsh, creative director at Ã‰tica. “However, by approaching denim holistically, we can substantially cut both our consumption and our effect.” Switching to organic cotton, utilizing non-chlorine-based bleaches and bio-based natural indigo, recycling fibers, and applying all of these processes in the production of labels, hangtags, and packaging, in addition to the denim itself, are all examples of this.

    “GREEN” EVERYWHERE

    Because pictures speak louder than words, the Consumer Ombudsman has also looked at symbolic green communication, such as when one uses pictures, symbols, drawings, colors, or otherwise green slogans, mottos, visions, or the like to demonstrate that you are not a threat to the environment. Using such images gives buyers the sense that they are dealing with a sustainable source, which is false unless you can provide proof to back up that notion. In general, you cannot portray yourself as being greener than you are- this is known as greenwashing.

    Because the Consumer Ombudsman investigates cases based on complaints, consumer advocacy from impact organizations may help to increase the number of instances where firms are accused of and probed for greenwashing in the future. The Danish Marketing Practices Act serves as the legal basis for the anti-greenwashing guidelines, with the Consumer Ombudsman interpreting some of the basic provisions in the legislation in a green context. Fines are imposed for violations of the Danish Marketing Practices Act, and the Consumer Ombudsman’s rulings are made public.

  • A Step Towards Saving Earth: New York’s Fashion Sustainability Act

    A Step Towards Saving Earth: New York’s Fashion Sustainability Act

    new york
    Stella McCartney is the first designer to endorse New York’s Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act. 

    With the new year 2022, comes fresh focus on sustainability from authorities in USA. Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act was proposed on January 7 and which , if passed, would make NY to become the first state in the US to pass a bill, holding the largest fashion labels accountable for their involvement in climate change.

    The Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act, sponsored by State Senator Alessandra Biaggi and Assemblywoman Anna R. Kelles, was also backed by a number of sustainable fashion nonprofits including the New Standard Institute, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, as well as designer Stella McCartney. The law applies to global apparel and footwear companies with revenues of more than $100 million.

    WHAT EXACTLY DOES THE BILL SAY?

    Prada, Nike, Armani, Gucci, Chanel, and all other global high-end fashion brands with more than $100 million revenues are liable to map out at least half of their supply chain from raw material farming ,through transportation, and to reveal the social and environmental implications along the way. Fair labour pay, greenhouse gas emissions, and water waste and management are all examples of topics that must be made public. Under the Act, fashion firms must set goals in line with the Paris Agreement, which is limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels – and present a strategy to achieve them.

    FASHION SUSTAINIBILITY ACT INTO EXISTENCE

    fashion sustainibility act

    “As a global fashion and business capital of the world, New York State has a moral responsibility to serve as a leader in mitigating the environmental and social impact of the fashion industry” quoted by Senator Biaggi in a press release. She also added, “a groundbreaking piece of legislation that will make New York the global leader” in holding the fashion industry “accountable” ensuring, “labour, human rights, and environmental protections are prioritized.”

    Companies would have 12 months to comply with the mapping rule (18 months for impact declarations), and if found in violation, they might face fines of up to 2% of their annual revenues. The fines would be directed to a new Community Fund run by the Department of Environmental Conservation, which would be used for environmental justice programmes. A list of companies determined to be non-compliant would be published annually by the New York attorney general.

    THE CURRENT SCENARIO

    sustainbility act

    Though many brands have become more vocal in admitting their role in climate change and human rights violations, efforts to correct the situation have been left to the companies and a variety of nongovernmental watchdog organizations such as the Fair Labor Association, which focuses on wage issues, and Higg, which focuses on supply chain reporting. They can be rather diverse.

    According to the UN Environment Programme, the worldwide fashion industry today accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions, which is more than the aviation and shipping sectors combined, as well as roughly 20% of global wastewater. Every year, the textiles sector produces an estimated 92 million tonnes of trash, which is expected to increase to 134 million tonnes by 2030. This deteriorating trend may mostly be linked to the rise of fast fashion, in which firms make and distribute low-cost, low-quality apparel that buyers discard after only a few wears.

    The head of New Standard Institute, Ms. Maxine Bédat said in a news release, “The Fashion Act is an effort to meet industry where they are, acknowledge the good faith efforts they are currently doing, and come up with a single standard that has some teeth.” The measure will now travel through Senate and Assembly committees, with the authors hoping to put it up for a vote in late spring when the state budget discussions are through.

    Though a step in right direction, it remains to be seen if the Act can bring some very objective standards to be complied with – rather than giving subjective directions leaving scope for misinterpretations and hence non-compliance. The fashion industry needs the governments large consuming regions of US / Europe and later even China and India. Till the time we have thoughtful intervention by the governments, sustainability and circularity is likely to remain dependent on subjective interpretations preventing its universal application.

  • Denim News Snippets – Week 51

    Denim News Snippets – Week 51

    Continuing our weekly news snippets, here are some interesting ones for Week 51.

    AEO COMPLETES QUITE LOGISTICS ACQUISITION

    American Eagle

    Quiet Logistics has been bought by American Eagle Outfitters for a total of 360 million dollars. The deal was initially revealed in November, and it would give the fashion giant more control over its supply chain. In Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, St. Louis, and Jacksonville, the logistics company maintains a network of fulfillment facilities that use cutting-edge technologies, including robotics. Quiet Logistics, which will be an American Eagle wholly-owned subsidiary, will continue to operate independently. According to AEO, the network will support the retailer’s future expansion while also creating economies of scale as it expands its customers to include more brands and retailers looking for advanced logistical capabilities.

    “I am thrilled to officially welcome Quiet Logistics into the American Eagle Outfitters Inc. portfolio, cementing a collaborative partnership that has meaningfully contributed to our financial results over the past 18 months.” said Jay Schottenstein, executive chairman and CEO, American Eagle Outfitters. 

    INDITEX MAKES A €238 MILLION INVESTMENT IN THE NEW ZARA HEADQUARTERS

    Zara

    Zara has invested 238 million euros on a new headquarters within Inditex’s Arteixo complex, which will house the Zara sales and design teams. Construction on the new headquarters will begin in January, assuming all necessary approvals, and will take around two years. The new facilities are intended to reinforce the horizontal work dynamics among designers, patternmakers, and sales professionals, which are backed by creativity and articulated around open collaboration and communication. They are being designed with a focus on their lines, broad open spaces, energy efficiency, and sustainability credentials. The new five-story building (with two additional basement parking levels) will match the visual character of the nearby offices, which hold the zara.com operations.

    The new headquarter will be equipped with a next-generation facility management system that will ensure that all of its components work together in perfect harmony at all times, responding to changes in interior and outdoor temperatures and air quality. In the spirit of sustainability, the impact of the construction process will be reduced by employing technology during the design phase.

     M&S EXPANDS ITS SPORTSWEAR BRAND GOODMOVE AS ACTIVEWEAR SALES BOOST

    Goodmove

    With a new January campaign, Marks & Spencer has unveiled the SS22 range of its athletic brand Goodmove. New developments in the Goodmove line, which is endorsed by guest brand Speedo, include front-adjustable sports bras. The campaign will run throughout the whole month of January, with the goal of capturing customers’ health and wellness mindsets. M&S Family Matters data supports this, indicating that customers are contemplating significant lifestyle adjustments in early 2022. According to the survey, 64 percent of respondents want to take their health more seriously than previously, and 63 percent want to exercise more. Goodmove has evolved to be the company’s largest in-house brand, with 275 items in womenswear, menswear, and kidswear. Every year, the shop sells 1.6 million Goodmove goods, with activewear becoming a major focus.

    “Shaping the future of M&S clothing means continuing to maximise the strength of our own brand product: consistently focusing on everyday style & value, heroing product categories that matter most to our customers and developing our unique in-house brands. Goodmove is our biggest own brand, a credible competitor in the growing activewear market and a truly relevant offer for our customers. With health and wellness more important than ever for our customers, we’re starting 2022 with a bold campaign for Goodmove that highlights both the trusted value of the product and the important innovations within the range.” said Richard Price, MD M&S.

    H&M AND FOTOGRAFISKA JOINED FORCES TO PROMOTE TEXTILE SUSTAINABILITY

    H&M

    Sweden’s non-profit H&M Foundation and famed photography gallery Fotografiska have teamed together to inspire action in support of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals through the power of visual communication. It will look at what a planet-friendly fashion sector may look like, as well as how to speed up the development of inclusive communities. The two-year project begins with Tobias Gremmler, a visual artist and multimedia pioneer, and his show The Changing Room at Fotografiska Stockholm. The artist leads Fotografiska’s guests on a trip to imagine a world where clothing may grow directly on human skin through a variety of imaginative notions in a scenographic media exhibition.

    In the 3D inspiration room ‘The Future is Here’, seven examples of planet-friendly solutions that may revolutionise the fashion industry are shown to further raise awareness about how innovation can drive transformation. According to a press release from H&M, this online tour allows anybody to learn more about these concepts from the comfort of their own home.

    PATAGONIA SHUTS THEIR STORES AND OFFICES FROM CHRISTMAS TILL NEW YEAR

    Patagonia

    Leading US outdoor apparel and gear company Patagonia has announced the shutdown of its shops, offices, and warehouses in the United States and Canada for the whole week of Christmas and New Year. While the goal is to give all of the company’s employees a much-needed vacation, the decision is remarkable since staff will apparently be paid time off during this time. While the website will remain online, shipments will be delayed until after the holiday week, according to the brand.

    Though it is uncertain how many funds Patagonia would lose by closing its shops, offices, and warehouses, the company earned 60% more sales in a December week in 2020 than it did in any of the previous 11 months. It was significantly greater for clothes businesses, at 85 percent and higher. At a time when Patagonia’s workers are struggling on a social and economic level, the action reaffirms the company’s concept that it doesn’t simply talk the talk when it comes to people and the environment; it always does the walk.

    EUROPEAN E-RETAILER ZALANDO ANNOUNCES A NEW MANAGEMENT BOARD

    Zalando

    Zalando has announced a new management board setup, which will take effect on March 1, 2022. David Schröder, the company’s chief financial officer, will take on the newly established job of chief operating officer (COO), which will be responsible for establishing and growing Zalando’s distinctive skills in order to support the company’s development. Dr Sandra Dembeck has been named new chief financial officer (CFO) by the Zalando supervisory board, and she will be in charge of the finance and group governance teams. According to a press release, the changes align the setup with Zalando’s future needs in furthering its strategic agenda of being the Starting Point for Fashion and growing the business to more than €30 billion in Gross Merchandise Volume by 2025, as laid out at its Capital Market Days in 2019 and 2021.

    Zalando is continuing to focus on three strategic dimensions: expanding its active customer base and enhancing customer connections, accelerating the shift to a platform business, and developing a sustainable platform with a net-positive impact on people and the environment.

  • Denim News Snippets – Week 50

    Denim News Snippets – Week 50

    Continuing our weekly news snippets, here are some interesting ones for Week 50.

    COTTON PRODUCTION LIKELY TO GROW OVER 350 LAKH BALES, AS PER INDIAN COTTON FEDERATION

    cotton

    The Indian Cotton Federation (ICF) predicts that India’s cotton production would exceed 350 lakh bales during the cotton season 2021-22 (October to September). According to J.Thulasidharan, President, ICF , the rise in the minimum support price (MSP) has encouraged farmers and helped preserve the area under cotton. It has also encouraged farmers to implement improved crop management methods. Simultaneously, demand for exports was strong as well. At the Federation’s annual meeting, the office-bearers elected new officers, including  J. Thulasidharan (President), P. Natraj and Adhitya Krishna Pathy (Vice-Presidents), and Nishant Asher (Secretary).

    J. Thulasidharan also emphasised the need of addressing concerns such as fibre quality, correct grading, improved seed, and measures to achieve higher output. He went on to say that the next revolution will only come through increased yield. With the appropriate measures, Indian farmers may achieve a 1,000 kg output, which should be a priority for all stakeholders.

    LEE JEANS LAUNCHES THEIR NEW VIRTUAL STORE

    Lee

    Lee Jeans has unveiled its first virtual store, allowing buyers to visit its Europe flagship in Antwerp and learn more about the brand’s ‘For A World That Works’ (FWTW) sustainability initiative. Consumers may browse an interactive three-dimensional retail area, exploring things in a store setting before effortlessly adding purchases to their purchasing basket, in the virtual store. The goal of digital shopping is to offer a real-world experience without the stress that often comes with in-person purchasing. The immersive experience also allows Lee to highlight its FWTW sustainability platform through a series of interactive buttons and movies that highlight innovations and activities geared to lessen the effect on people and the environment.

    The virtual store’s navigation has been developed to allow consumers to come in from the street, enter the store, and browse products such as men’s and women’s clothing, as well as the exclusive Lee 101 collection. The virtual store is accessible via the Lee Jeans’ website and social media platforms.

    PVH AND ECOVATIVE COLLABORATE ON A SUSTAINABLE FASHION COOPERATIVE

    Ecovative

    Ecovative has formed an international sustainable fashion cooperative with Bestseller and PVH Corp.  Both Bestseller and PVH Corp. will get first access to Ecovative’s mycelium technologies and will collaborate with the company on the development of mycelium materials for goods and consumer applications. Ecovative has been generating mycelium for a variety of partners across the world, and will offer ForagerT Hides, an alternative leather material, in 2021.

    Ecovative’s mycelium produces a ready-to-finish product that is free of plastic scrims and petroleum-based coatings. It is totally comprised of bio-based materials. Designers from Bestseller and PVH Corp., as well as Ecovative’s engineers, will collaborate with Fashion for Good Cooperative members to create, build, and test a research and development plan. Together, the cooperative will develop mycelium materials for the consumer market. “Working directly with fashion brands and tanneries, we make beautiful, high-performing and sustainable materials without harming animals or the planet,” said Gavin McIntyre, Ecovative co-founder and chief business officer.

    PATAGONIA TO DONATE PROCEEDS FROM BLACK FRIDAY SALES FOR THE PLANET

    Patagonia

    US-based clothing brand, Patagonia, received an amazing $10 million in Black Friday sales, five above its own expectations, and will donate every penny to help save the environment as pledged. The high-end outdoor apparel and gear retailer revealed the record-breaking haul, stating that its customers’ “enormous passion” for the environment will benefit hundreds of grassroots environmental organizations worldwide. According to corporate spokeswoman Corley Kenna, the idea for the “fundraiser for the world” originated during an internal brainstorming gathering following the U.S. presidential election. Patagonia was looking for a means to raise awareness about the importance of the environment and climate change.

    According to a press release, the funds earned via Patagonia’s Black Friday campaign will benefit grassroots environmental groups, many of which are small, underfunded, and off the radar, who are “working on the front lines to safeguard our air, water, and land for future generations.”

    FOREVER 21 ENTERS METAVERSE WITH ROBLOX TO CREATE VIRTUAL FASHION STORES

    Forever 21

    Forever 21 collaborated with Roblox to create a digital experience. Users will be able to develop, own, and operate their own own business within the game, dubbed the Forever 21 Shop City. Clothing and accessories from Forever 21 will be available for purchase. As players strive to become the top store in the experience, they may hire non-player characters as employees. The experience is a community-focused game that will be accompanied by a number of partnerships. Roblox users @Builder Boy, @Beeism, @OceanOrbsRBX, and @JazzyX3 have collaborated to design an unique apparel collection for Forever 21 Shop City.

    The shop will also have stores developed specifically by influencers such as KrystinPlays, Shaylo, and the Sopo Squad. Builders can choose and swap their locations anywhere in the game, perform tasks like stocking inventory and assisting customers, customise the interior, obtain merchandise that Forever 21 has released in its physical stores, and use architectural themes like cottage core and cyber punk for their stores. Obstacle courses, entertainment, a food court, and a yellow carpet will be available in Forever 21 Shop City’s four themed districts.

    MARKS & SPENCER APPOINTS DIGITAL PRODUCT CHIEF TO BOOST ITS OMNICHANNEL OPERATIONS

    Marks & Spencers

    Krista Nordlund, Marks & Spencer’s first chief digital product officer, has been appointed to strengthen the company’s digital capabilities. Nordlund is presently the chief product officer of RentPath, a digital rental marketplace in the United States that she joined in 2016. Her CV also includes posts at consumer-facing companies such as USA Today, Expedia, and US Airways. She will join M&S in January and will be responsible for developing improvements to the company’s app and website in order to improve the consumer experience across all digital touchpoints.

    M&S has been undergoing a digital transition in recent years, with the goal of putting digital first rather than just seeing it as an extension of its physical operations. According to the company, this concentration has resulted in tremendous digital growth, as indicated by a 50% rise in app users by 2021. It currently has 14 million members in its redesigned Sparks loyalty programme.

    “It’s a great time to be joining M&S as increasing numbers turn to online shopping and the business builds its omnichannel offering. I see a huge opportunity to support the next phase of our transformation by taking the digital experiences we offer customers to the next level.” said Nordlund on her appointment.

  • Sustainable Progress Of Denim Brands 2021: Part II

    Sustainable Progress Of Denim Brands 2021: Part II

    Continuing with the sustainable progress of denim brands, we provide you with some more brands that design jeans with eco-wise and sustainable efforts to aid you with the best possible buy this year.

    1. BOYISH

    Boyish

    LA brand Boyish is a member of The Jeans Redesign project from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which outlines circular economy guidelines including making durable products. It also uses an ozone wash instead of chlorine bleach, a natural enzyme instead of polluting potassium permanganate, and REFIBRA, a fabric made using upcycled clothing and fabric scraps with Tencel. The brand also uses organic cotton certified by the Organic Content Standard (OCS Certified) and recycled cotton, which is the most sustainable cotton fiber source according to the Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Higg Index. Its denim is cruelty-free and PETA approved. By 2023, 100% of the brand’s products will be made from plant-based fibers. It also plans to expand brand’s core collection to be more size inclusive and exceed living wage by 2023.

    2. OUTERKNOWN

    Sustainable brand

    A brand established from an understated approach to design and an overstated approach to quality, material and consciousness, Outerknown launched its New Denim Project with Madewell on a capsule collection that featured coats, skirts and tops. Brought in WellThread X Outerknown collection made with single fiber polyester and cotton is fully recyclable down to the labels and snaps. The brand also launched Women’s stretch jeans with Coreva Stretch Technology from Milan’s Candiani mill. Ninety percent of the fibers the brand sources are organic, recycled or regenerated, and 100% of its trunks are made with recycled or renewable fibers. It also opened FutureShop, a planet-friendly online marketplace. Its goals comprise of: Making 75% of fabrics and 50% of products circular by 2030. To serve as a key catalyst and leader for circular innovation industry initiatives by 2025 and advocate to protect worker rights, safety, and livelihoods.

    3. UNSPUN

    Unspun

    Unspun won Marie Claire UK Sustainability Award for Best Sustainable Jeans 2021. It used AI and 3D modelling to create custom and on-demand jeans that are unique to every customer. This first-of-its-kind custom-fit denim collection was a big leap in the fashion industry as each pair of jeans is made-to-measure, cutting out excess waste. The brand is reducing the industry’s emissions by 30%. It also launched PanHemp, a new denim fabric in collaboration with Pangaia.

    It also launched its Genesis Jeans which comprises of the fabric made with 99 percent GOTS certified organic cotton denim and 1 percent Lycra, and is washed using 100 percent recycled water and Greenscreen-approved chemicals. Unspun also ensures transparency element to its Genesis Jeans collection by including fashion tech firm Eon Group’s scannable CircularIDs to the jeans. Unspun’s 2021 sustainability goals include phasing out all cotton that is not recycled, organic or BCI and to eliminate all virgin poly from its fabrics. Other goals are   reduce Co2 impact by 53% in near future and reduce global carbon emissions by 1%. The brand aims to 100 percent biodegradable and compostable packaging and use low-impact transportation to ship fabrics.

    4. CLOSED

    Sustainibility

    Closed’s sustainable gains include the launch of the world’s first 100 percent degradable stretch denim made with the biodegradable stretch yarn Coreva. The innovative jeans are part of Closed’s “A Better Blue” denim line, which is manufactured with sustainable materials, low-impact dyeing processes and environmentally friendly washing techniques in Italy to save resources. Closed also introduced Jacron back patches for its jeans as a sustainable vegan-alternative to leather.

    Half of the men’s jeans, and 41 percent of the women’s denim in Closed’s Winter ’21 collection are a part of the A Better Blue line. The company followed the addition of organic cashmere in the F/W 21-22 range. It claims that it has saved 6,882,870 litres of water, 649,455 kWh of electricity, and 77,262 kg of solid waste of chemicals. Its future plans include: to provide PETA-approved vegan labeling, focus on making carbon-neutral supply chain and increasing the volume of A BETTER BLUE products to limit water, electricity and chemical consumption.

    5. WARP+WEFT

    Warp+weft

    The brand is on a mission to create the best sustainable denim in the world. Since the brand’s launch in 2017, they’ve sold more than 477,000 pairs of jeans and saved more than 572.4 million gallons of water. 98% of the water that goes into its denim is treated and recycled for additional use. To be completely transparent about its manufacturing process, Warp + Weft highlights elements like responsibly sourced cotton, eco-friendly dye from Dystar, water-saving techniques, and solar power. The brand also employs Ultra-absorbent Tencel fibers and waterless Dry Ozone technology, replacing bleach. It aims to launch a partnership with NGOs to provide clean drinking water in developing countries. For this it partnered with Charity: Water to provide a lifetime supply of water for 3,300 people for each pair of jeans sold.

    6. PRIMARK

    Primark

    Leading retailer Primark has pledged to make clothes that can be “recyclable by design” by 2027. In addition, it plans to work with suppliers to halve carbon emissions throughout its supply chain while eliminating single-use plastics from its operations by 2027. Primark has also committed to pursuing a living wage for workers in its global supply chain by 2030 and has partnered with material innovators Unifi, Inc to bring their REPREVE Our Ocean fibre to its newest denim style.

    The brand also partnered with Yellow Octopus, for a textile takeback service to divert garments from landfills in reusable pieces. It uses Sustainable Cotton Programme to trace the source of its sustainable cotton and is committed to training and educating 160,000 cotton farmers on more environmentally friendly farming practices by 2022. The brand launched its C2C Certified Gold Jeans which comes in a mom-fit and is made using a minimum of 50% renewable energy and 100% organic cotton. It has become a participant in the Circular Fashion Partnership, led by the Global Fashion Agenda that supports the development of the textile recycling industry in Bangladesh. The brand plans to provide living wage for its global supply chain workers by 2030.

    7. KINGS OF INDIGO

    Indigo

    Since 2012, Kings of Indigo has curated sustainable denim collections, making itself known as a leader in sustainable fashion. Fully PETA (vegan) approved since 2020, the brand uses 100% certified organic cotton; GOTS or OCS and EIM scored denim washes.  It launched 100% Recycled jeans 40 pieces collection that contain 100% recycled fibres and uses TENCEL Lyocel fibres for denim production. The brand uses fully recycled and sustainable trims – metals, pocketing, paper. It launched Re-Gen: a capsule denim collection made from NO new cotton (50% recycled fibers and 50% Refibra Lyocell). 6. Ensures elimination of PP spray on denims.

    KOI also uses ‘Retraced’, a new technology that maps out a brand’s full supply-chain, ruling out any and all greenwashing. The brand incorporates 100% carbon neutral Transport. Its plans to only use recycled natural or man-made fibers by 2025. KOI aims to use sustainable washing techniques for their denims by 2025 and also become carbon positive. It also strives to have full transparency through total supply chain by 2022.

    8. KUYICHI

    Kuyichi

    All denim produced by Kuyichi is made with one hundred percent organic cotton which reduces carbon emissions by up to sixty percent and some pairs incorporate post-consumer recycled denim. The boldest commitment Kuyichi made is its limit on the jeans it makes. To curb overconsumption and focus on jeans a customer will always wear, Kuyichi only sells a few timeless styles. All of their pure goods are produced in a conscious and innovative way, with a focus on quality denim with a perfect fit.

    Kuyichi stopped making seasonal collections and doing sales to make a statement against fast fashion. It is a member of The Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments & Textiles (AGT).  The brand is vegan and has a responsible business conduct (RBC) code. Some of its goals include: Make all denim with low impact washes and dye all denim fabrics with improved techniques by 2025; All denim will be sewn with ecoverde recycled Polyester sewing threads; Launching a new circular Business model pilot by 2021.

    9. PATAGONIA

    patagonia

    American clothing brand Patagonia has partnered with Finnish circular fashion and textile technology group Infinited Fiber Company for its regenerated textile fibre Infinna created out of textile waste. Additionally, Patagonia has collaborated with Natural Fiber Welding (NFW), a US-based material science company in a joint commitment to develop and scale circular solutions in textiles. Through its collaboration with NFW,  it reaffirms its commitment to its customers to never compromise – on performance, on aesthetic, on responsibility for the planet.

    The brand works hard to keep their products out of landfills. They collect and refurbish their old gear as part of five waste combating principles: Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle and Reimagine. A program called “Worn Wear” allows consumers to buy used, as well as trade-in and fix their gear. The brand aims to be 100% carbon-neutral across entire supply chain by 2025 and source 100% of their energy from renewable projects. By 2025,  the brand’s packaging will be 100% reusable, home compostable.

    10. ÉTICA

    etica

    ÉTICA is a sustainable lifestyle brand focused on premium denim and knits. It claims to have reduced water use by 90%, energy consumption by 63% and chemical use by 70% compared to industry standards. The company is a member of the Better Cotton Initiative, and some of its mills are also certified to OEKO-TEX Standard 100, Cradle to Cradle and GOTS. It also uses recycled cotton, REFIBRA, and Tencel in its denim lines and seasonal collections are made with deadstock and upcycled fabrics too.

    As of 2021, the company’s fabrics are all free of microplastics, and all products are vegan-friendly as they are 100% free of animal materials (including fur and hide, with no trims, softeners, dyes, or other additives used that are derived from animals). ÉTICA’s Hang tags are made with soy-based inks and 100% recycled paper. The company aims to be plastic free at its headquarters and factories by 2022,  become 100% potassium free and develop sustainable botanical dyes.. The brand owns Re/Make Seal of Approval for Environment, Transparency, Labor Rights certification.

    11. GAP

    Global retailer Gap has launched ” Generation Good” capsule made of 100% natural fibres and recycled fabrics. It has also launched five exclusive sustainable denim styles as part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Jeans Redesign Project. Currently, 91 percent of Gap denim is part of its water-saving Washwell programme, which it notes is better than its original 2021 goal of 75 percent. The brand also announced its first-ever brand of home essentials – Gap Home which features sustainable items that are made from organic cotton and recycled materials.

    Gap collaborated with Kanye West for its Yeezy Jacket that is made up of recycled nylon and also acquired Drapr, an ecommerce startup and online application based on technology that enables customers to create 3D avatars and virtually try on clothing. The brand has committed to source 100 percent more sustainable cotton and is committed to converting 60 percent of its traditional polyester into recycled polyester by 2025.  It also aims to eliminate plastic shopping bags by 2023.

    12. WRANGLER & LEE (KONTOOR BRANDS)

    Kontoor-brand Wrangler has been working on making jeans from regeneratively grown cotton. It also launched the Retro Green Jean collection made from sustainably produced cotton, hemp, or recycled fabric. Wrangler opened its new platform WeCare Wrangler to inform consumers of its sustainability goals, current measures, and partnerships centered around three core themes: planet, product, and people. The brand collaborated with Infinited Fibre Company, to use regenerated, recyclable fibre Infinna in its Autumn2021 denim collection.

    Kontoor Brands also expanded its Indigood program in which its denim uses a foam dyeing process with no water, 89 percent fewer chemicals and 65 percent less energy with no discharge water. Lee teamed up with AppHarvest to be the exclusive denim provider for the company’s employees at its greenhouse. Kontoor brands sustainability goals include: save 10 billion litres of water by 2025, use 100 percent sustainably sourced cotton by 2025, increase Indigood-dyed products every year through 2025.

  • Sustainable Progress Of Denim Brands In 2021: Part I

    Sustainable Progress Of Denim Brands In 2021: Part I

    It’s always difficult to find the right jeans whose measures meet their branding. Consumers, designers, and suppliers have all been working together to re-imagine denim from the rivets up, owing to the growing awareness of the need for sustainable fashion. Below, we have enumerated some denim brands that design jeans with eco-wise and sustainable efforts to aid you with the best possible buy this year.

    1. LEVI’S

    Levi's

    Levi Strauss & Co. is a global leader in jeanswear and one of the world’s top brand-name apparel companies. This year, the brand launched its “Buy Better, Wear Longer,” Spring 2021 campaign, which raises awareness about shared responsibility and the environmental implications of apparel production and consumption. The introduction of 55% hemp blended fabrics, new natural-dye techniques, the expanded use of organically grown cotton, and the recyclability of every Wellthread garment was inculcated by the brand. Levi’s Wellthread used a technique by which ultrasonic waves are used to apply the dye to the fibre. The brand also used Water< Less techniques which have saved more than 3.5 billion litres of water since they were introduced nearly a decade ago. A few of the company’s central goals for the future are to use 100 per cent of sustainably produced cotton by 2025, its supply chain will have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 40% and by 2030, water usage in the industry in water-stressed areas will be reduced by half. 

    2. NUDIE JEANS

    Nudie Jeans

    This Swedish denim company delivers and preserves a tradition true to the fabric’s history and attributes by thinking in terms of wear, tear, and repair rather than fast fashion. Teaming up with London-based retailer Browns Fashion, Nudie Jeans has created a collection of 16 denim pieces, all reworked from pre-existing denim. The brand has already repaired 45900 jeans for free and has produced 98.6% Sustainable products. 2021 was the third full year in which it used only certified organic cotton for all the cotton products.

    Moreover, according to its Sustainable Material Tool the brand defines a garment or accessory as sustainable when it contains at least 70% sustainable fibres. The brand aims to increase number GOTS-certified denim fabrics to reach 50% of all denim fabrics by 2022 and reach 100% renewable energy sources for electricity used in all Nudie Jeans operated facilities by changing energy subscription or investing in Renewable Energy Certificates by 2023. Nudie Jeans also plans to open 50 new permanent Repair spots, including Repair Shops, Partner stores and Repair partners in the coming years.

    3. PANGAIA

    Pangaia

     Pangaia is a direct-to-consumer materials science company bringing breakthrough textile innovations and patents into the world through everyday lifestyle products. This year, the brand introduced its sustainable denim PANettle, a mix of naturally regenerating wild Himalayan nettle, organic cotton, and PPRMINT for longer-lasting freshness. To diversify its material sources and lessen reliance on traditional cotton, the company employs wild Himalayan nettle. The denim produced is coloured with state-of-the-art water and dye-saving technologies, and the thread is made entirely of biobased cellulose. Non-galvanized, recyclable stainless-steel buttons are also used in denim. The brand created FRUT FIBER and PLNT FIBER to replace cotton in their product line. The two cellulose fibre blends were successfully produced and supplied by Pangaia from fruit and plant raw material sources.

    4. RE/DONE

    Re/Done

     Redone is known for reconstructing Levi’s vintage jeans into modern fits, giving a sense of uniqueness and rareness to each consumer. The brand debuted its first collection designed in line with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Jeans Redesign project guidelines. All jeans are made of responsibly sourced 100 per cent organic cotton, recycled hardware, and bio-based patches, and include a hangtag with a QR code that provides consumers with a full traceability report documenting the lifecycle of each product. Items are shipped using recycled, oxo-biodegradable poly bags. The manufacturer also uses laser and e-flow technologies for energy- and water-saving washes and uses a three-stage purification system to reduce water waste. Since its launch, Re/Done reports that it has diverted more than 231,000 garments from landfills.

    5. EVERLANE

    Everlane

    A millennial-favourite DTC clothing brand, Everlane announced a very ambitious sustainability goal: to eliminate virgin plastic from its supply chain, packaging, offices and stores by 2021.  By now, it has successfully removed 90% of all virgin plastics from its supply chain. Following through on its commitment to exclusively using certified-organic cotton by 2023,  the denim brand debuted what it calls its cleanest denim to date.  All items in the Clean range feature 98.5 per cent GOTS-certified organic cotton and 1.5 per cent Roica. Each piece is produced with microplastic-free dyes and recycled trim. It also debuted its Fall/Winter 2021 ad campaign entitled “Get into Denim” to adorn the brand’s collection of organic denim. Everlane is now looking for early-stage entrepreneurs to join the Next Collective, a fellowship program that will provide participants with $20,000 and access to industry leaders in sustainability, fashion, design, business and innovation.

    6. MADEWELL

    Madewell

    Madewell, which is known for its denim, is an apparel retailer that promotes creativity, diversity, and self-expression. This year, the brand introduced a new part of its website called “Madewell Forever,” which helps customers find a new home for their well-loved jeans, whether they’re clearing out their wardrobe and seeking a new home for them or they’re in the market for a new pair of denim.

    Madewell Forever had around 3,000 pairs of secondhand Madewell jeans in a wide range of fits and styles, most of which ranged from $35 to $50. Furthermore, its spring 2021 collection called Summerweight Denim was designed to replace linen as one’s go-to choice for summer bottoms. The fabric is made from a blend of hemp and cotton which is wrinkle-free, moisture-wicking, breathable, and lightweight. The brand aims to source 100% sustainable and virgin-plastic-free fibres for all materials by 2025. It also aims to make more than 90% of its denim fair trade certified. By 2025, the brand strives to do carbon neutral operations entirely.

    7. REFORMATION

    Reformation

    The cult favourite label, Reformation has been dabbling in denim, through vintage capsules and designer collaborations. Reformation launched their denim collection in collaboration with FibreTrace, which labels fabrics with a unique pigment that can be tracked and validated throughout the garment supply chain. This effort is in line with Reformation’s goal of complete supply chain transparency by 2025.  This year, the brand also signed the 2020 Circularity Fashion System Commitment Letter, with the goal of recirculating 500,000 garments in the next five years and have already been able to reuse or recycle 417,811 garments in 2021 itself.  Reformation also teamed up with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Jeans Redesign program to achieve its commitment to transforming the way jeans are produced.

    8. OUTLAND DENIM

    Outland Denim

    This Australian denim company gained popularity after Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wore a pair on her royal tour in Australia in 2018. Measured through third-party Environmental Impact Measurement criteria, 97 per cent of Outland Denim’s washes are categorized as “low impact.” This year, Outland Denim expanded its rigid jeans options, collaborated with fellow Aussie brand Spell on a line of vintage-inspired denim staples, introduced ready-to-wear and celebrated a milestone in its traceability journey, marking 100 per cent traceability of its organic cotton denim. It also updated all-black denim to denim dyed using Saveblack, a process that uses 85 per cent less water compared to conventional dyeing. The company stated that it is targeting net-zero emissions by 2030 through practices, policies and by offsetting those emissions that cannot be reduced. It also commits to make 100% of the Outland Denim range leather-free and prioritise use of Bluesign certified chemicals.

    9. MUD JEANS

    Mud Jeans

    A sustainable and fair trade certified denim brand based in the Netherlands, Mud Jeans has a business model to sell or rent jeans, at the end of their life and then make old jeans into new ones. It has a design process based on circular production, with the use of materials that are easy to repurpose and recycle.  36 of Mud Jeans’ 40 plus styles are made up of 40% post-consumer recycled cotton which is twice the industry average.

    Out of 4000 certified B Corporations worldwide, MUD Jeans is among the 5% B Corps with the highest score in environmental performance. The Dutch fashion brand has also collaborated with Swedish home decor brand Ikea to give textiles a second lease of life, specifically, denim. Its sustainability goals include making 5% of its collection from 100% post-consumer recycled cotton by 2022, implementing traceability QR Code and launching new chemical policies for waste management.

    10. FRAME

    Frame

    American fashion brand Frame launched Bio-Degradable jeans in partnership with Candiani made from 100 percent cotton that is 100 percent biodegradable. For its fall/winter 2021, Frame revamped its menswear line with trendy cuts for timeless pairs of washed black and indigo jeans. This year it also launched its circular denim collection under EMF Jeans Redesign Project that included denim pieces made of 100% cotton and post-consumer material.

    For FRAME Winter 2021, 63% of the FRAME denim line is projected to be responsibly produced according to its Responsible Wash and Responsible Fabric Initiatives.  40% of the fibers in its Spring and Summer 2021 Collections are made with either recycled or water-saving cellulose fibers. Its future goals include: 75% of FRAME Denim is set to be sustainable by the end of 2022, 90% of FRAME denim is set to be sustainable by the end of 2025. The brand will launch ReFrame in the coming years.

  • Denim News Snippets – Week 49

    Denim News Snippets – Week 49

    Continuing our weekly news snippets, here are some interesting ones for Week 49

    BETTER COTTON ALL SET TO REDUCE GHG EMISSIONS 50% BY 2030

    Better Cotton

    World’s largest cotton certifier, Better Cotton has established a target of cutting its cotton’s overall greenhouse gas emissions per ton by half. Better Cotton has sought to make cotton production more sustainable across the world since its foundation in 2009. It has taught over 2.5 million farmers worldwide and raised 99 million euros since 2010, with that figure expected to rise to 125 million euros by the 2021-22 season.

    According to recent research, Better Cotton manufacturing has a 19% lower GHG emissions intensity per ton of lint than production in China, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Turkey. Better Cotton expects to release four further objectives in 2022, with the target’s deadline set for 2030, based on a 2017 baseline. Soil health, pesticide usage, smallholder livelihoods, and women’s empowerment are all addressed. “This is a pledge for Better Cotton farmers and a stake in the ground for the global cotton sector. Nearly a quarter of the world’s cotton is currently produced under the Better Cotton Standard. We aim to at least double that by 2030.” said CEO of Better Cotton, Alan McClay.

    KONTOOR BRANDS ANNOUNCES ITS 2020 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

    Kontoor

    Kontoor Brands has presented its sustainability report for 2020. The business, which owns the brands’ Wrangler and Lee, has been devoted to improving its sustainability goal, with this being its second report in the two years since it went public. According to the report, Kontoor has cut its water use by more than 8 billion liters since 2008, and it is on track to save 10 billion liters by 2025.

    Kontoor has also obtained 50% of its cotton responsibly, with the goal of utilizing 100% sustainably sourced cotton by 2025. The report also stated that Kontoor is on pace to employ 100 percent preferred chemistry by 2025 and plans to establish a climate target for carbon emissions in 2022. The business emphasized the social aspect of sustainability by establishing community development projects in Bangladeshi factories. The brand has also worked with the Herproject of Business for Social Responsibility, which aims to enhance access to healthcare for Bangladeshi textile workers.

    TENCEL COLLABORATES WITH MORE THAN 40 BRANDS TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS

    Tencel

     Sustainable textile manufacturer Tencel has teamed up with over 40 brands, celebrities, and NGOs to launch the #MakeItFeelRight effort to decrease carbon emissions. The movement’s goal is to contribute to the worldwide reforestation effort in order to help rescue the earth, and it has already received over 7,500 pledges. Each commitment results in the planting of a tree.

    Sustainable campaigners including Xenia Adonts, Lily Cole, and Chen Ai Ling, as well as businesses like Boyish, Reformation, and Lavender Hill, have endorsed Tencel. The brand also collaborated with artist Bodil Jane to produce promotional artwork, which was subsequently featured on the campaign’s website. “Carbon emissions are a global problem and as such must have global solutions. As a partner of the #MakeItFeelRight campaign we strongly believe that Tencel’s sustainability initiatives, which are enabled by brands and driven by consumers, are a great way to make a positive impact through reforestation,” said Diana Chaplin of One Tree Planted.

    INDITEX, ZARA’S OWNER, REVEALS RECORD Q3 SALES AND PROFITS

    zara

    Zara’s parent company stated record sales and earnings in the 3rd quarter of the year as it recovers from the pandemic. Inditex’s sales in the three months to October 31 were 21% higher than a year ago at constant currency and 10% higher than in 2019. According to the Spanish company, retail and online sales climbed by 33% between November 1 and December 10, 2020, and 10% between November 1 and December 10, 2019. The growth in sales aided the group’s 273 percent gain in net profit to 1.23 billion euros in the third quarter. Meanwhile, online sales increased by 124% in constant currency compared to 2019. According to the group, internet sales would make for more than 25% of total sales in FY2021. “Sales are returning to normal levels, and online sales continue to expand,” the business said of its present finances.

    J.C. PENNEY WELCOMES THE EXPANSION OF FOREVER 21 TO 100 STORES

    Forever 21

    The addition of Forever 21 to JCPenney’s brand portfolio has been announced. The brand will be sold at 100 JCPenney shops around the United States, as well as on the retailer’s website. JCPenney’s reputation as a retailer for teenagers and adults will be strengthened by this action. The introduction of Forever 21 at JCPenney is being supported with a 360-degree marketing effort that includes in-store, e-commerce, social media, and direct mail advertising. The style of Forever 21 is inspired by the West Coast, with neutral and trendy aesthetics interwoven into its design. “Forever 21 and JCPenney share a mission to make the latest trends accessible to all while inspiring unique style and confidence. The addition of this brand to our portfolio rounds out our Young Minded assortment and brings an exciting new element of in-the-moment fashion,” said Michelle Wlazlo, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer at JCPenney.

    H&M’S SALES UP BY 11% IN Q4 AS DEMAND SURGES

    H&M

    In local currencies, net sales at H&M Group climbed by 11% in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared to the same period the previous year. In local currency, the company’s net revenues climbed by 12% for the fiscal year 2021, according to a statement. Net sales climbed by 8% to 56,813 million Swedish krona in the fourth quarter, and by 6% to 198,967 million Swedish krona for the entire year when converted to SEK. Despite persistent limitations and the pandemic’s negative impacts, the H&M group’s earnings in local currencies were up to the same level as in the fourth quarter of 2019. Around 100 stores were temporarily shut at the start of the quarter, mostly in Southeast Asia. Around 115 stores were mostly closed at the end of the quarter, predominantly in Austria and Slovakia.

  • Denim News Snippets – Week 48

    Denim News Snippets – Week 48

    Continuing our weekly news snippets, here are some interesting ones for Week 48

    BETTER COTTON RELEASES ITS FIRST-EVER IMPACT REPORT

    BETTER COTTON

    Better Cotton has released its first-ever Impact Report, which shares the most recent field-level results (2019-20 cotton season) as well as assesses how licensed Better Cotton farmers in China, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Turkey performed on environmental, social, and economic criteria when compared to those who did not participate in the Better Cotton programme. Better Cotton farmers in Tajikistan used 16% less water than Comparison Farmers, Better Cotton farmers in India had 9% higher yields, and Better Cotton farmers in Pakistan used 12% less synthetic insecticide. According to Better Cotton’s study, results are displayed by nation and by sustainability indicator.

    While Better Cotton focuses largely on assisting farmers on the ground, the study also takes into account factors such as pesticide, fertilizer, and water consumption, as well as acceptable employment, yields, and earnings. With continual development as a guiding concept for Better Cotton, the paper examined how improving processes and services might have a stronger impact. This includes significant projects such as the traceability workstream and the modification of the Better Cotton principles and standards. “What we all want to see in terms of sustainability is impact. To ensure that we are making a real difference, we gather outcomes data whenever feasible,” said Alia Malik, senior director of Data and Traceability.

    BURBERRY PARTNERS WITH MY WARDROBE HQ TO OFFER ITS FIRST-EVER RENTAL AND RESALE SERVICE

    BURBERRY

    As part of the British luxury fashion house’s drive to circular fashion, Burberry has teamed with My Wardrobe HQ to launch a rental and resale platform. According to the new scheme, customers may rent coats, handbags, and accessories from My Wardrobe HQ for up to 14 days. Customers may purchase rented things for a portion of the retail price, with weekly rental costs varying from £41 to £170. Resale prices will vary from £111 for scarves to £750 for trench coats, which retail for £1,990.

    Whilst a large percentage of the inventory comes from the legacy brand, the rental catalogue also includes verified gifts from VIP clients and the My Wardrobe HQ community. The agreement will help Smart Works, a UK charity that provides high-quality interview apparel and coaching to disadvantaged jobless women, by donating 40% of the revenues from each sale. The luxury brand has donated products to the charity since 2013. Burberry’s VP of corporate responsibility, Pam Batty, stated that their collaboration with My Wardrobe HQ is complimentary to their larger goal of becoming climate positive by 2040 and supporting the ideals of a circular economy for luxury. Building new collaborations and revaluation solutions, as well as extending reuse, repair, donation, and recycling options, are all part of this.

    NIKE, PANTAGONIA AND C&A FACE XINJIANG CLAIMS FOR FORCED LABOUR

    NIKE

    A majority of internationally recognized fashion labels, including Nike, C&A and Patagonia, are being filed a lawsuit by the European Center for Constitutional Rights (ECCHR) as being directly or indirectly implicated in the forced labour of the Uyghur community in the Xinjiang province in China. The criminal case, which was filed by Dutch prosecutors with the help of Prakken d’Oliveira Human Rights Lawyers, will look into the corporations’ alleged cooperation in human rights breaches that potentially amount to crimes against humanity.

    The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, a UK and US-registered organization that works to enhance human rights in business and eliminate abuse broke the news of the filing. “Alarming stories regarding torture, re-education camps, and forced labour in China’s Xinjiang region have risen in frequency since 2017,” according to the filing. The companies have suppliers with production facilities in Xinjiang, according to research reports and publicly available supply chain information revealed by the researched brands.” The ECCHR accuses the corporations of “directly or indirectly abetting and benefiting” from Uyghur Muslims’ forced labour in the region, which produces more than a fifth of the world’s cotton. 

    ITALY BASED PEUTEREY JOINS THE BLUESIGN SYSTEM AS A PARTNER

    PEUTEREY

    Peuterey has joined the Bluesign system, pledging to achieve the most stringent sustainability standards in terms of resource efficiency, environmental impact, workplace health and safety, and consumer protection. The Bluesign Input Stream Management system avoids the usage and release of dangerous chemicals throughout the manufacturing process. The Bluesign system is the most stringent standard for the textile industry, with its comprehensive approach, and adopting it means satisfying these standards without sacrificing product functionality, quality, or design. By producing functional, inclusive, and sustainable clothes that will persist throughout time, the company hopes to contribute to a more egalitarian, fair, and successful society.

    “We are thrilled to announce that leading Italian brand Peuterey decided to become a Bluesign System partner, showing their strong commitment to the responsible use of resources, responsible production, and responsible chemistry. We look forward to supporting Peuterey on their quest towards excellence in sustainable fashion,” said Kutay Saritosun, head of marketing and communication, Bluesign. In the spirit of a #betterfuture, Peuterey also pledges to put an end to reckless natural resource use by minimising waste and adhering to the principles of the circular economy. According to a press release from Peuterey, the revolutionary Peuterey Recycle project is a limited edition that creatively rethinks the recovery of vintage materials, bringing scraps, accessories, padding, and textiles back to life ensuring 0 percent waste, 100 percent innovation.

    LULULEMON ATHLETICA’S SALES RISE BY 30% IN Q3

    LULULEMON

    Lululemon Athletica Inc. recorded a 30 percent growth in net sales to 1.5 billion dollars in the third quarter, whereas net revenue climbed 28 percent on a constant currency basis. In a statement, the firm stated that net revenue climbed by 28% in North America and 40% overseas. On a constant dollar basis, total comparable sales climbed by 27%. On a constant dollar basis, comparable store sales climbed 32 percent or 31 percent, while direct-to-consumer net revenue increased 23 percent or 21 percent to 586.5 million dollars. Gross profit grew 32% to $829.4 million in the third quarter, while gross margin improved 110 basis points to 57.2 percent.

    In the third quarter of 2020, diluted profits per share were 1.44 dollars, up from 1.10 dollars in the previous quarter, and adjusted diluted earnings per share were 1.62 dollars, up from 1.16 dollars. During the third quarter, the brand launched 18 additional company-operated stores, bringing the total number of company-operated stores to 552. “Our third-quarter results demonstrate the ongoing strength of Lululemon and the tremendous growth potential of the business in both the near- and long-term. We are pleased with our early holiday season performance,” said Calvin McDonald, CEO.

  • Denim News Snippets – Week 47

    Denim News Snippets – Week 47

    Continuing our weekly news snippets, here are some interesting ones for Week 47

    INDITEX APPOINTS MARTA ORTEGA AS CHAIRWOMAN, OSCAR GARCIA AS CEO

    INDITEX

    The Board of Directors of Inditex has confirmed Marta Ortega Pérez’s nomination as chairperson of the Group and a proprietary director, with effect from April 1, 2022. Ricardo Garca Maceiras, who formerly served as general counsel and secretary of the Board, has been named CEO of Inditex, starting immediately. Marta Ortega Pérez has spent the previous 15 years working in various areas of the Group, most notably in the building of Zara’s brand image and fashion proposition, which she will continue to supervise. As general secretary and secretary of the Board, Oscar Garca Maceiras joined the Group in March 2021. In his 20 years of professional experience, he has managed transformation programmes both in the public sector, as a Spanish State Attorney, and in the private sector, at organisations such as Banco Pastor. A Management Committee, made up of executives from several corporate and business areas with a significant track record in the Group, is part of the new organisational structure.

    FOR FY21, GAP GENERATES $3.9 BILLION REVENUE IN Q3 

    GAP

    Gap, Inc., reported net sales of $3.9 billion in the third quarter of fiscal 2021. The company’s gross profit climbed to $1.66 billion from $1.62 billion in the third quarter of FY20. The current quarter’s gross margin of 42.1% is the greatest for a third-quarter in decades. Online sales increased by 48% year on year, as the company continues to focus on digital power by making an investment in its e-commerce platform, wisely closing unprofitable stores, and partnering to strengthen in international markets. Old Navy’s net sales went up by 8% year on year compared to the same quarter in 2019, while Gap’s global comparable sales increased by 7% year on year. Similarly, Athleta’s net sales went up by 48% as compared to the third quarter of 2019. During the current quarter of the fiscal year 2021, the company also paid a dividend of $0.12 per share. Reflecting on Q3 FY21 results, the business now forecasts full-year sales growth to be around 20% higher than in FY20.

    OWING TO THE UYGHUR PROBE, ZARA REFUSED TO EXTEND ITS FRENCH STORE

    ZARA

    Zara has been denied permission to extend a French store due to sustainability concerns and allegations of exploitation of China’s Muslim Uyghur minority. Inditex, the parent company of Zara, said that Zara France will appeal the decision. The decision to deny Zara’s proposal to expand its store came from a local administrative department, according to a representative for the town hall of Bordeaux in southwest France. The decision was based on a French inquiry into Inditex and many other stores’ use of forced Uyghur labour in Xinjiang, according to the spokeswoman. The administrative department is also concerned about the environmental impact of rapid fashion. Inditex has denied using coerced Uyghur labour in their manufacturing process. Zara intends to challenge the national commission’s decision on the retailer’s planning proposal.

    PRIMARK TO INVEST €250 MILLION IN STORE EXPANSIONS

    PRIMARK

    Primark plans to invest €250 million in store renovation and the opening of a new distribution centre. The relocation is estimated to generate up to 700 new employment.The investment comprises €60 million for the renovation of its Patrick Street shop in Cork city, as well as another €75 million for the establishment of a new distribution centre in Newbridge, County Kildare. In addition, a €20 million renovation of Primark’s Eyre Square shop in Galway is planned. Notably, Primark, known as Penneys in Ireland, plans to extend its selling area in the nation by roughly 20% over the next ten years. Furthermore, the apparel retailer intends to increase its entire staff in Ireland by 12% over the next three years, including over 600 retail roles. In addition, it plans to hire 100 more employees in the next six months at its headquarters, Arthur Ryan House. The new positions will be in a variety of sectors, including technology, buying, retail, design, finance, and others.

    PACSUN IS SET TO RELEASE THE FIRST NFT

    PACSUN

    Pacsun has announced the official launch of its first NFT. Pacsun’s NFT will be an exclusive animation of its original logo, capitalising on the digital trend that appears to have infected the fashion industry as a whole. The auction has begun at 0.1087 ETH, or $515.35 USD. Pacsun will give 100% of the earnings from the purchase of the NFT to the Fashion Scholarship Fund in honour of the brand’s 40th anniversary. Every year, the foundation grants over a million dollars in scholarships to brilliant young students from varied backgrounds in order to help them flourish in the fashion business. Pacsun has entered the digital art realm with labels such as Dolce & Gabbana, Jimmy Choo, and, most recently, JW Anderson, which plans to offer its iconic Harry Styles approved knit sweater in NFT form.