Sustainability Becomes More Than a Buzzword

In 2015 major manufacturers from H&M to Kering, the conglomerate behind luxury brands such as Brioni and Bottega Veneta, responded to charges that their businesses were taking a toll on the environment. They streamlined supply chains and marketed “conscious” collections. But when it comes to sustainability, there’s real passion among smaller brands—and there are new companies worth knowing about as much for how they make it as what they make. Shirting-inspired dresses and trousers from New Zealand’s Kowtow (kowtowclothing.com) come from fair-trade organic cotton. Amour Vert’s (amourvert.com) soft tees and blouses use sustainable synthetics like Tencel and recycled polyester—gwyneth Paltrow is a fan. And Melissa Joy Manning (melissajoymanning.com) crafts her jewelry from recycled sterling silver, even designing some pieces around gemstones from a Michigan ore refinery.