Sustainability: 5 names to watch out for
Livia Firth
The wife of Colin Firth, she is the Founder and Creative Director of Eco-Age Ltd., which develops channels of communication such as the Green Carpet Challenge®, the GCC Brandmark, Eco-Age Futures and the GCC Global Leaders of Change, as well as providing tailor-made sustainable solutions for companies’ commercial needs. What is the basic principle of Eco-Age Ltd.?
Environmental justice can’t be separated from social justice. Actually, the former is almost more important. Once you’ve looked after the workers in your production chain, you’ve automatically taken care of the environment. Think of the fast-fashion phenomenon. As a business model, these fashion chains couldn’t work without exploiting workers who are almost literally slaves. If they gave them a fair wage and paid attention to their working conditions, they wouldn’t be able produce so much junk at such an incessant pace, with the devastating environmental consequences this entails. So let’s choose products with a verified production chain. At the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, on 24 September, the first Green Carpet Fashion Awards are being held in collaboration with Eco-Age. Why
did you choose Italy for this event? Being Italian helped me to grow up with a special awareness of fashion. What really distinguishes “Brand Italy” is the design quality and the skills of its craftspeople. These are the sustainability-oriented values that should be inspiring us. The Green Carpet Fashion Awards aim to celebrate and safeguard this heritage, which is founded on environmental preservation and social justice throughout the production chain. I’m pleased that with Carlo Capasa as its president, Italy’s Camera della Moda has finally put sustainability at the top of its list of values.
Daniella Vega
Director of Sustainability at Selfridges, the most active department store on the sustainability front with its awareness initiatives, as well as proposing the best sustainable talents from around the world. As of September 2017, what will Selfridges be doing in terms of its commitment to sustainability and responsibility in buying
better? We know that our customers are increasingly mindful and concerned about where their clothes come from, and we assume our responsibilities to make a positive change. “Buying Better, Inspiring Change” is our ongoing sustainability strategy. We’ve pledged that, by 2021, 50% of our products will be better for people and the planet. With this in mind, this summer we launched a new labelling scheme in three main categories: Denim, Cotton and British Makers. These labels highlight products that champion positive practices in these areas, from water-reduction techniques in denim production, the use of organic or BCI cotton, and products that support the British textile and fashion industries. Next year we’ll be launching a fourth label: Buying Better Leather. We also have a 15% carbon reduction target. Which brands will be involved in your initiatives? We’re working closely with our top 30 brands, ensuring that we’re having relevant, live conversations about sustainability, our commitments and their role in this area. Sustainability is a journey, with many brands at different stages, and we’re keen to support them wherever possible.
Miroslava Duma
Founder and CEO of Fashion Tech Labs Venture Inc., a venture capital fund and accelerator that helps projects aiming to transform the fashion ecosystem with environmentally friendly and socially responsible new technologies. What innovations
is FTL currently investing in? We have more than 1,000 technologies and start-ups in our pipeline. In the next couple of years we’ll be concentrating on fabric production. One of our first investments was the USbased Diamond Foundry. They’re growing diamonds no different to those found naturally, using a technology that replicates the conditions in which nature forms them. The world’s rough diamond supply is dwindling and will be at an all-time low by 2030, not to mention the many ethical issues surrounding the sourcing and supply chain. We’re also very excited about a San Francisco-based laboratory that is using stem cells to create cruelty-free leather and fur. Can you mention an
existing example of the circular economy in fashion? The Nike Grind initiative is about recycling old footwear and using it to create flooring for gyms and playgrounds. Adidas first partnered with Parley for the Oceans to create ocean-plastic shoes, and now to create a collection of swimwear that’s also made from recycled fishing nets and debris. LA-based clothing brand Reformation, in which I personally invested a long time ago, is only using sustainable and vintage materials. Who is playing a key role in turning fashion into a greener industry? Big luxury, streetwear brands and scientists working together. Orange Fiber’s collaboration with Salvatore Ferragamo is an excellent example. The future is in technologies.
Dilys Williams
Professor of Fashion Design for Sustainability, she is Director of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, a University of the Arts Research Centre, and the only one of its kind in the world, which she established in 2008, supported by London College of Fashion.
What is the core of your teaching? I use a model that I’ve formulated called the Double Helix. It develops knowledge of technical and practical elements involved in fashion’s creation, as well as the abilities to communicate these ideas. Alongside this, it develops critical thinking and critical practice skills to question, explore and articulate our values and perspectives. The model’s premise is to live well with each other and with nature – the context being planetary boundaries and social equity. Where do your students go on to work after graduating? Stella McCartney, Nike, Levi’s, Brioni, Swarovski, own business, teaching, PhD study, NGOs. Who are the best partners when it comes to sustainable
fashion education? Working with the Danish Fashion Council and KEA University in Copenhagen, we bring together tutors and students from over 100 different universities. In its top 10 sustainable fashion courses from leading schools across the globe, the Ethical Fashion Forum named MA Fashion Futures at London College of Fashion, MA Textile Futures at Central Saint Martins, and the BA (Hons) and MA Textile Design at Chelsea College of Art & Design.
Diana Verde Nieto
Co-founder and CEO of Positive Luxury, the company behind the Butterfly Mark: an interactive trust mark awarded to luxury lifestyle brands committed to having a positive impact on people and the planet. What led you to the idea of the Butterfly Mark? Positive Luxury began in 2011 with the aim of closing the trust-gap between brands and consumers. Having previously worked with global businesses on their sustainability strategies and marketing, I realised that a big problem in this area concerns how companies can convey to their consumers what they’re doing. I wanted to make it easier for people to find and buy from brands that share their values. The result was the Butterfly Mark. It makes the sustainability efforts and achievements of brands easy to understand, and it communicates them directly to consumers in a positive way. When you see the Butterfly Mark on a brand or retail website, you can simply click or tap to uncover the positive actions that make them a brand to trust. How do you find and choose the fash
ion brands to award? To earn this coveted trust mark, brands must pass a stringent assessment that examines sustainability from a holistic viewpoint, encompassing governance, social and environmental frameworks, philanthropy and innovation. Brands must respond positively to a minimum of 80% of the questions to join the Positive Luxury community, along with providing supporting documents. The assessment is updated annually in line with the changing nature of the discussion, and brands must reapply for approval each year.