UI know about recycled materials, product care and detailed washing instructions, repair and used collection services. These are some of the evaluation criteria based on which strategic consulting firm Kearney drafted the Circular Fashion Index 2022, which measures the efforts of brands to extend the life cycle of their products. The good news? Italy is the second sustainable country among the main producers in terms of fashion, with Ovs in fourth position in the overall ranking and the Florentine Maison Gucci in fifth but on the podium of that of luxury brands (Coach and Burberry follow). In the first three places of the general classification remain Patagonia, The North Face and Levi’s.
Circular Fashion Index 2022, the criteria for sustainable fashion
The ranking covered 150 global brands this year representing 20 countries and 6 segments: sports and outdoor, underwear and lingerie, luxury, premium / affordable luxury, mass market and fast fashion. The circularity performance of the companies was evaluated on seven dimensions, covering both the primary market, i.e. the sale of new products to customers (evaluating the share of recycled fabricsthe weight of circularity in the communication of the brand, the level of detail of the washing instructions and the availability of repair services) and the secondary one (which includes the second hand sale, rental services and collection of used clothing). Each of the dimensions was given a score for an overall value from 1 to 10.
It can be done better
The overall result on sustainable commitment is, unfortunately, still disappointing: in fact, only 7% of brands now regularly use recycled materials compared to 39% who do not use them and 54% who use them exclusively for selected details or products. Also communication on product care or “ethical” advice on use remains niche: Only 46% of brands provide approximately these details to their customers, while 44% do not at all.
Getty Images
European brands of sustainable fashion
However the brands that perform better on average are European ones: of the 150 brands monitored, 35% are made in Germany, France and Italy. Italy stands out in the global Top 10 with Gucci and OVS and a parterre of 14 brands. France remains out of the top positions but has no less than 22 brands in the standings.
Ovs and Gucci, the revenge of Italian brands
In the case of OVSthe index recognizes the importance attached to recycled fabrics: 65% of the 2020 collection, with the aim of reaching 90% by 2025. In the case of the Florentine Maison Gucciare rewarded Gucci Equilibrium (the portal dedicated to providing updates on its social and environmental best practices), the collection Off the Grid (in recycled materials) and creative recovery and reuse projects such as “Gucci-Up”.
At the top, the USA
The United States “wins” thanks to the positioning of three brands made in the USA in the first three positions of the ranking: and that is Patagoniawhich has started a new rental program with the Awayco platform and uses a good share of recycled fabrics. Levi’s, which boasts a new capsule collection exclusively for hire, made of up-cycled denim made with vintage jeans with the “Ganni” brand. And The North Face, for the use of recycled fabrics. Of the remaining 16 countries, Sweden has obtained the best score (thanks to Lindex), followed by Canada (with Lululemon) and the United Kingdom (with Burberry).
iO Donna © REPRODUCTION RESERVED