10 Sustainability efforts announced in May 2019

Sustainability has become not just a buzzword but brands, retailers and innovative companies are also following through, coming up with original and sustainable products, production processes and recycling or resale options. FashionUnited has put together ten such efforts that were announced in the month of May alone.

The organizers of denim trade fair Kingpins have introduced the Most Sustainable Products (MSP) initiative to help buyers and brands identify the most sustainable products at the shows, choosing ten of the most sustainable products at each of its Amsterdam shows as decided by two denim industry experts.
Kingpins to name top 10 most sustainable products at shows

The world’s leading manufacturer of sewing thread and needlecraft brands Coats has launched two new 100 percent cotton products, Tre Cerchi Vero and Tre Cerchi Vero+, which can be used for garments from leather jackets to jeans, and have been certified by the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) as being made from sustainable raw materials. Coats launches Better Cotton Initiative certified thread

Dutch tech and fashion start-up Project Cece has come to the UK after previously only being available in Germany and the Netherlands. The search engine for finding fair and sustainable fashion uses in-house developed web tools to collect information from over 100 different webshops in order to make it easier for shoppers to compare levels of sustainability between brands. Project Cece: Search engine for sustainable fashion launches in the UK

Global barefoot shoe brand Vivobarefoot has launched its most innovative sustainable shoe to date with its plant-based Primus Lite II Bio, made of more than 30 percent renewable plant-based materials, including Bio TPU made from yellow dent field corn and natural rubber and harvested algae. Vivobarefoot launches plant-based shoe

Spanish fashion company Mango has introduced new techniques in the production of its SS19 season jeans that have cut down water consumption by up to 10 litres per garment. Mango reduces water consumption in jeans production by nearly 4 million litres

Another jeans maker, Levi’s, has launched a new feature on its website that will allow shoppers to customise their own pair of "greener" jeans using laser finishing technology. Levi's to allow shoppers to customise their own 'greener' jeans

French luxury conglomerate LVMH has announced a partnership with Unesco’s “Man and Biosphere” (MAB) intergovernmental scientific program, which aims to preserve biodiversity around the world by supporting innovative approaches towards economic development. As part of the deal, LVMH’s fashion houses will benefit from Unesco’s expert advice to advance their sustainable sourcing programs. LVMH partners up with Unesco in biodiversity program

New Zealand-based apparel company Icebreaker challenges consumers to think about what their clothing is made of and the effect it has on the environment. By asking customers ‘What impact does your T-shirt have?,’ the brand creates a starting point for people to be conscious consumers and make a change for good, offering the company’s high-performing outdoor clothing using natural merino fibers as an alternative to plastic-based synthetic apparel. Icebreaker: More Wear, Less Impact With Tees For Good

H&M announced the “Re-Made” collection, co-created with its Laboratory, a new upcycled capsule collection for its Weekday brand made of denim from its old collections. Weekday launches capsule collection from upcycled denim

Luxury online retailer Farfetch has launched its new pilot platform “Second Life” that allows customers to exchange their pre-loved designer bags for store credits. Farfetch launches resale platform for designer bags

In a similar vein, online fashion retailer Femme Luxe has partnered with recycling app ReGain to encourage its customers to recycle their unwanted clothing in return for exclusive discounts.
Femme Luxe partners with recycling app

Stay tuned for our update on new sustainable initiatives in the fashion world next month.

Photo: Vivobarefoot