On April 22nd, Earth Day was celebrated again, which is intended to encourage an appreciation of nature and a rethinking of our consumer behavior. The fashion industry had also set some initiatives accordingly, such as the publication of sustainability reports at H&M, Lenzing, Victoria’s Secret, Canada Goose and others. But there was also a lot going on in April with studies, recycling efforts and events. For example, one study found that sustainability is the new status symbol, while the MaterialDistrict trade show in the first week of April explored the potential of human waste in textile production. Otherwise, recyclable products and new resale platforms were also presented this month.
Resale & Rent
More and more brands and retailers recognize the value of resale and either launch their own resale initiatives or join resale platforms. This month, the Metzingen-based fashion group Hugo Boss announced its own resale platform “Hugo Boss Pre-Loved” for the third quarter of 2022.
The Danish women’s fashion brand Ganni has already set up a resale platform in the UK, Denmark, Norway and Sweden markets where customers can buy and sell used fashion items. In an interview with FashionUnited, Louise Weiss, co-founder of the resale platform for children’s clothing, Dotte, spoke about this largely untapped market in the second-hand sector.
French second-hand veteran Vestiaire Collective provided evidence and in a new impact report explores how resale platforms can reduce the environmental damage of the fashion industry. Meanwhile, second-hand fashion website ThredUp explored the extent to which festival fashion is an environmental nightmare.
You can now also rent clothes in the Dutch luxury department store De Bijenkorf, as well as at fashion retailer Clothes Friends, where the borrowed clothes can also be bought later. With Marks & Spencer, the British rental platform Hirestreet has launched its largest cooperation with a retail company to date.
Brands and Greenwashing
Natural fashion supplier Hessnatur brought out a sustainable collection together with online retailer AboutYou, while Hamburg mail order company Otto presented a recyclable collection for which recyclable textiles were used. Fashion retailer H&M has had a special collection made from recycled materials since the end of April, and the Finnish athleisure brand Rens is offering its first vegan hoodie, which, like the sneakers, is also made from coffee grounds in a climate-neutral manner and contains recycled plastic and bamboo viscose. Coffee grounds are also used by Dutch innovation company Caffe Inc. for recyclable products. Puma tested its first biodegradable sneaker among shoe retailers, while US lifestyle brand Timberland launched a take-back program for used shoes and clothing.
The industry was also concerned with the topic of greenwashing in April: A report by the Changing Markets Foundation (CMF) came to the conclusion that voluntary certification programs can contribute to greenwashing in the fashion industry. The Rhineland-Palatinate consumer advice center even filed a lawsuit against the Dutch lingerie supplier Hunkemöller and warned Popken Fashion and Fashion ID. Another report showed how the environmental impact of fashion is not correctly assessed due to the incorrect use of indicators. New regulations against greenwashing are also affecting the denim world, and the Kingpins denim trade fair dedicated a panel discussion to this topic.
The aid organization Fairtrade Germany calls on the EU to give greater consideration to social and economic aspects in addition to environmental problems in its sustainability strategy in the textile sector. “Circular economy is good and right, but jeans that are made by workers and cotton farmers are not sustainable just because they are recyclable,” commented board member Claudia Brück.
textile recycling
China wants to accelerate the transition to a circular economy in the textile industry: According to the National Development and Reform Commission, the recycling rate for used textiles should be 25 percent by 2025. In neighboring India, the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), textile manufacturer Concordia Textiles and the sustainability-oriented project developer Enviu want to create a commercial value chain for textile waste management over the next three years and thus set up India’s first commercial sorting center for textile waste.
Meanwhile, a Greenpeace investigation uncovered how used clothing exports serve as camouflage for the disposal of textile waste in the countries of the Global South.
events
The European Association of Specialty Printers (ESMA) has launched a new conference for “Textile Printing and Sustainability” (TPS), which will take place on September 8th and 9th, 2022 at the Dorint Kongresshotel Düsseldorf-Neuss. This is aimed at anyone who wants to engage with automation, new business models and best environmental practices for various textile applications.
In just a few days, the third edition of the Sustainable Apparel Forum (SAF) organized by the Bangladesh Apparel Exchange will also begin. It will be held on May 10, 2022 at the International Convention City in Bashundhara, Dhaka. Participants and exhibitors from more than 20 countries are expected. The aim of this year’s event is to establish Bangladesh as the world’s most responsible apparel sourcing destination.