14 Sustainability efforts announced in November 2019

With the year 2019 rapidly drawing to a close, it is heartening to see that sustainability efforts by brands and retailers are not slowing down; on the contrary. The emphasis on innovative ideas for sustainable output in the fashion industry continues as brands, designers and raw material producers are increasingly adopting a responsible outlook. FashionUnited has put together 14 such efforts that were announced in the month of November alone.

Brands & Retailers

Monsoon places spotlight on sustainability for SS20

British fashion and accessories brand Monsoon has announced “significant sustainability improvements” on all of its spring/summer 2020 collections, stating that more than 50 percent of its clothing range will be sustainable. The admission coincides with the launch of its sustainability report, which reveals that 30 percent of all Monsoon cotton currently uses is organic, this will increase to over 70 percent for spring/summer 2020, while viscose use will also increase from 60 to 65 percent.

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Isabella Oliver launches maternity clothing donation scheme

UK-based premium maternity brand Isabella Oliver has launched a ‘Pre-Loved’ programme, aimed at encouraging former customers to donate their pre-owned maternity wear to either be repurposed, re-loved or recycled, in a bid to make maternity fashion circular. Maternity wear is often considered ‘fast fashion’, as pieces have a short life span, as they are worn on average from 16 weeks into the pregnancy, until five weeks after women give birth, and Isabella Oliver is looking to address the fashion waste with a new “buy less, care more” ethos and initiative.

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Zappos announces eco-conscious Goods for Good platform

American online shoe and clothing retailer Zappos is introducing a sustainability platform to its site to help customers more easily discover products made with an eco-conscious mission. The page called Goods for Good will highlight brands with a sustainable mission.

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Timberland opens first “purpose-led” flagship store in Europe

American manufacturer and retailer of outdoors wear Timberland has opened the brand’s first “purpose-led” flagship store in Europe, on London’s Carnaby Street, designed to connect the brand with the community, while creating an immersive experience for the consumer and empowering its sustainability message.

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Thredup introduces "Thrift Card" gift cards for holiday shopping

The world’s largest online secondhand shopping destination Thredup has launched a gift card service to encourage shoppers to consider secondhand shopping this holiday season. The online thrift store hopes to motivate shoppers with its new “Thrift Cards” against buying new items as gifts. Thrift Cards, which Thredup launched on its website today, are e-gift cards shoppers can buy online and give to others. This way, Thredup believes it can help cut holiday waste and serve conscious consumers who want to gift sustainably.

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Samsøe Samsøe launches conscious denim line

Danish fashion company Samsøe Samsøe has launched its Blue Belief denim programme, a complete collection of jeans made not only entirely from sustainable fabrics and trims, but also using cutting edge technology that minimises water usage during the laundering process. The sustainable ‘Blue Belief’ collection redefines the components used to make jeans, using only conscious cotton, either organic or entirely recycled, trim from naturally oxidised studs, nickel-free zips, recycled polyester threads and jacron paper patches from sustainable sources.

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Swiss brand Qwstion launches first fully vegan product range

Swiss sustainable fashion brand Qwstion has launched its first fully vegan product range: The Vegan Driftwood Edition. The Swiss backpack specialist has redesigned four of its most popular styles to create the range.

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Collaborations & Projects

Schuh teams with Recyclatex for shoe recycling initiative

British footwear company Schuh has teamed up with reuse and recycling group Recyclatex as part of their on-going commitment to operate sustainably, by launching a new initiative to incentivize its customers to recycle their unwanted, wearable shoes.

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World's first biodegradable stretch denim unveiled

Dutch jeanmakers Denham has partnered with Candiani, leaders in responsible denim production, to launch the world’s first biodegradable stretch denim created using plant-based yarns as consumers demand blue jeans to be greener.

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Weekday uses circular IFC fabric in new collaboration

Swedish denim and fashion brand Weekday has become the first brand globally to create a garment using a new sustainable fabric by Infinited Fiber Company (IFC). The H&M Group-owned fashion brand has created a new two-piece outfit, designed in collaboration with "Game of Thrones" actress Maisie Williams and made entirely from IFC fabric.

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Spanish Inditex group daughter Bershka is highlighting its sustainable credentials with a capsule collection with National Geographic featuring its nature photography across a range of outdoor apparel, T-shirts and accessories. The collection is part of the fashion brand’s Join Life sustainability label, which promotes designs created from recycled polyester or ecologically grown cotton.

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Companies & Education

ArtEZ University offers a free online course in circular fashion

ArtEZ University of the Arts is offering a free online course in circular fashion. Participants will unravel the fundamentals of circular fashion, learn about circularity in all steps of the fashion value chain-from new textile materials and circular design to business modelling. Registration for the online course is from October 22, 2019 until February 20, 2020 and it will take place from January 21 until March 12, 2020.

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Photo: Bershka