From going carbon neutral to investing in future materials, Vogue speaks to the fashion industry’s major players to find out what commitments all brands can make to forge a more sustainable future.
Fashion needs to clean up its act – and fast. The industry is responsible for over eight per cent of the world’s overall carbon emissions; more than the aviation and shipping industries combined. And while sustainability may be the industry’s favourite buzzword of late, not enough progress is being made. A report by the Global Fashion Agenda in May found that fashion is actually slowing down when it comes to improving its environmental impact.
“What is needed are commitments – bold target setting – [from the] fashion industry; at the moment [we’re] not going fast enough,” Eva Kruse, president and CEO of the Global Fashion Agenda, tells Vogue. “Government regulations can help increase the pace; if there were a tax on carbon or on water, [that could] move big sections of the industry.”
Designer and campaigner Katharine Hamnettis among those calling for a green new deal for the fashion industry, after being inspired by the set of policies put forward by congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (above) in the US. “What I’m proposing is a green revolution,” says Hamnett. “The clothing industry could actually be a political force for good.” Like Kruse, the designer wants to see legislation implemented to enforce change across the industry.
Major industry players, including Kering (owner of Gucci, Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen) and LVMH (Louis Vuitton (below), Dior and Givenchy), have their own sustainability targets, which include cutting back on carbon emissions, improving standards throughout the supply chain and reducing water consumption and waste. “We have a responsibility,” comments Sylvie Bénard, environment director at LVMH, on the brand’s LIFE (LVMH’s Initiatives for the Environment) programme. “What we’re doing is not just good for LVMH, but the whole supply chain.”
“It’s important to set ambitious, measurable targets,” adds Marie-Claire Daveu, Kering’s chief sustainability officer. “[A] green new deal for the fashion industry [would see that] every company puts sustainability at the core of its strategy.”
Here, Vogue looks at the five key commitments all fashion brands should make in order to forge a more sustainable future, along with examples of the progress that is already being made in these areas.
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