April has been the busiest and most promising month of the year so far in terms of the fashion industry’s sustainability efforts. It was marked by Earth Day on April 20, Fashion Revolution Week, which commemorated the tenth anniversary of the Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh on April 24, 2013, and the World Retail Congress on April 25-27 April in Barcelona, which dealt with sustainability, transparency, traceability and responsibility, among other things.
Arguably the best news, however, came from MEPs on the European Parliament’s Environment Committee: they are drafting tougher regulations and calling for an end to fast fashion, which encourages overproduction and overconsumption. Instead, MEPs want to encourage European Union countries to produce circular, sustainable and socially responsible textiles that are more durable, more easily reused, repairable and recyclable.
Europe
In addition, products should largely consist of recycled fibers and be free of hazardous substances. The well-being of people and animals must also be respected throughout the supply chain. Experience has shown that legally binding requirements such as the Supply Chain Law, the International Accord and the proposed EU strategy are the only powerful tools that can bring about real change in the industry. Only in January was an EU directive on sustainability reporting (CSRD) passed by companies.
In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)’s Green Claims Code, launched ten months ago, aims to show brands and retailers how to avoid greenwashing by communicating their sustainability claims honestly and accurately so as not to mislead people to lead.
In an interview with FashionUnited, Cecilia Parker Aranha, Director of Consumer Protection at the CMA, spoke about the regulator’s ongoing investigation and findings on the Green Claims Code. She also gave advice on how to avoid greenwashing as a brand and what the future of sustainability communication in fashion might look like.
A good example of this was provided by the Armedangels brand from Cologne, which changed its sustainability strategy: Every newly produced product leaves an ecological footprint and pollutes the environment – no matter how conscious and resource-saving the production is. “People shouldn’t fall for promises that buying a product will do good for our planet, but listen carefully,” says Katya Kruk, Impact & Innovation Director at Armedangels. “Consuming less and going for higher quality is the best thing that can be done for the environment.”
In Paris, a panel discussion on the presentation of a study initiated by ‘Paris Good Fashion X Climate Chance’ provided a topic of conversation. The strategy of the French fashion industry in the field of sustainable development was discussed. For the first time, 24 French players in the textile industry came together to share their data on climate, biodiversity, circularity, production and social governance issues.
In the Netherlands, extended producer responsibility for textiles will come into force on July 1st. The new law makes the clothing and textile sector responsible for the collection and recycling of all clothing and linen that they sell in the Netherlands. This means that the textile manufacturers and importers have to organize and finance a suitable collection system. You also have to monitor how many textiles are sold on the Dutch market and how much textile waste is collected.
technology
April also brought a technological breakthrough: The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textile and Apparel (HKRITA) presented Acousweep, a new technology that uses sound waves to separate microplastic particles from wastewater. This captures and separates particles smaller than 5 millimeters. The particles are collected in a separate container and can be recycled, for example. According to the European Environment Agency, synthetic textiles are responsible for about eight percent of the European microplastics that end up in the oceans.
Sara Kovic from Belgian start-up company Okret described the idea behind the company in an interview with FashionUnited: Okret offers turnkey recommerce systems for fashion companies, including software tools and consulting, based on an extensive knowledge of the value and supply chain in based on the fashion industry. With its combination of knowledge and tools, the start-up helps brands set up their own recommerce system to facilitate the take-back and resale of second-hand items.
Brands
Discounter Primark launched its first circular collection, while Zara teamed up with Circ to launch a collection made from recycled polycotton. Adidas meanwhile announced that 96 percent of the polyester used for its products is recycled and Bonprix is also relying on a more circular collection. The US bag and fashion label Coach launched the Coachtopia sub-brand in April, which focuses on a circular design philosophy and Gen Z.
The Faex pop-up tour 2023, which presents 25 slow fashion labels, also started.
Retail
Two retail concepts are intended to make sustainability more tangible: the planned “Re:Think Store” by outdoor outfitter Globetrotter in Bonn and the Mountain Store by French sporting goods retailer Decathlon. FashionUnited looked around Passy on site.