9th February The latest in the fashion and sustainability space.
The news has been a place of innovation, shock and intrigue over the past few weeks relating to sustainability and the fashion space. Here are the top stories that we have found the most informative.
I am sure many of you have seen the news about BP and Shell and how their profits were at a record high last year. Given the cost of living crisis, this is heartbreaking to see. BP profited around £23 billion, which should be amazing for BP, giving them the flexibility to increase their sustainable orientated projects. Instead, they have decided to reduce their climate targets due to their profit records in order to meet the current demands. There has been a 20-30% cut in these sustainability goals to allow for BP to continuously invest in oil and gas.
With Copenhagen Fashion Week (CFW) dominating the fashion headlines recently, it has brought a bit of positive light to some of the climate news we are currently seeing. CFW has introduced 18 minimum sustainability standards for all the brands to follow. These standards were put in place for the first time this year, after years of preparation for their implementation. The six areas involved in these standards were chosen to ensure all aspects of these fashion shows and designs were as environmentally friendly as possible. These six areas are strategic direction, design, smart material choices, working conditions, consumer engagement, and show production. This was a huge success, with only one brand who attended CFW not fully complying with the standards. Let’s hope future Fashion Weeks will start to introduce this, making it a worldwide standard and expectation.
There is a greenwashing crackdown going on, led by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority. They are investigating environmental claims to generic household items, and making sure that they are what they say they are. This investigation is building on CMAs existing inquiry into fashion and textiles within the UK. a great thing about this is that they are looking into various areas of concern which cause consumers to be greenwashed, including the vague statements brands put out saying that they are sustainable, misleading claims on recycling, ensuring there is the correct communication about recycled and natural materials, and finally, tackling entire ranges in shops that claim they are sustainable, when instead they are just bending the truth to seem more attractive.
These three pieces of news are just some of what is going on. Ralph Lauren has started a recycling cashmere scheme, but is it all that? The fashion industry has been given a price on what it will take to reach its global climate goals, but is it feasible? If you want to hear more about what is going on in the world, keep an eye on our blog and social media pages.