{"id":6224,"date":"2019-11-20T03:50:59","date_gmt":"2019-11-19T22:20:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vue.ai\/blog\/?p=6224"},"modified":"2024-05-02T11:25:51","modified_gmt":"2024-05-02T05:55:51","slug":"on-fashion-and-carbon-neutrality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vue.ai\/blog\/retail-trends\/on-fashion-and-carbon-neutrality\/","title":{"rendered":"Greta Thunberg to Gucci – Everyone’s talking about carbon neutrality"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 6<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

2019 would be remembered as the year we changed the way we talked about the climate crisis and what we did to lessen the impact. From <\/span>Greta Thunberg\u2019s powerful speech<\/span><\/a> to \u2018Science Guy\u2019 Bill Nye\u2019s <\/span>video<\/span><\/a>, whispers about <\/span>carbon emissions<\/span><\/a> were replaced by strong assertive voices. And debates were replaced by bold corrective actions across industries, including the fashion industry.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: Her Story<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Italian luxury brand Gucci\u2019s announcement, \u2018We are now entirely carbon neutral\u2019, was one such impactful action.\u00a0The fashion industry has acknowledged the <\/span>carbon impact<\/span><\/a> of harmful emissions fuelled by the consumption patterns and is responding to climate change in a productive manner. Be it industry bigwigs, niche designers, luxury fashion houses or <\/span>fabric companies<\/span><\/a>, all are collectively working towards making carbon neutrality the next big fashion statement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Heavy-weights And Carbon Offsets<\/b><\/h2>\n

Gucci\u2019s decision to become carbon neutral is groundbreaking on many levels. With a brand value of <\/span>$12.9 billion<\/span><\/a>, it is one of the biggest luxury labels. Any shift in their business practices would have a ripple effect (remember the <\/span>anti-fur movement<\/span><\/a> that Gucci started) on the global fashion industry.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Italian luxury house has set a standard by becoming accountable for the total Greenhouse Gas emissions generated by their activities and committing to preserving important forests around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marco Bizzarri, President and CEO of Gucci <\/span>asserted<\/span><\/a>, \u201cTo address the need for urgent solutions, Gucci is setting an ambitious new precedent through our carbon neutral commitment. This is based on a clear strategy to ensure we account for all of our GHG emissions across our supply chain, act to first avoid, reduce and restore, and then offset the unavoidable emissions through important REDD+ projects.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The brand plans to increase its use of renewable energy from 70% to 100% by 2020, swap traditional processing techniques with sustainable ones, improve recycling technologies, promote circularity and execute their global offsetting portfolio.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: The Business of Fashion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2018, the luxury retailer <\/span>offset<\/span><\/a> 1.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. And they intend to spend a substantial portion of their $3.9 billion earnings to implement emission reduction projects and lay down carbon traps.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Gucci is in the esteemed company of game-changers like its parent company Kering, jeans giant Levi\u2019s, a lifestyle clothing brand called American Eagle, designer Stella McCartney and many others that are doing their bit to fight climate change.<\/span><\/p>\n

While Gucci is focussing on carbon offsetting owing to the sheer size of its fashion house, English fashion designer Stella McCartney is focusing on reducing carbon emission right from the production stage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her brand uses the\u00a0Environmental Profit and Loss (<\/span>EP&L<\/span>)\u00a0methodology to measure the impact of their business on the environment. After realizing that raw material contributes the most to their carbon footprint, the fashion brand decided to reduce it by switching to sustainable options.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cOur 2014 EP&L revealed that, even though cashmere represented just 0.1% of all the materials we used, it accounted for 42% of our total environmental impact at the raw material stage. This insight led to our decision to stop using virgin cashmere and instead use reengineered cashmere yarn. This change in our cashmere sourcing has reduced our environmental impact\u2026. Recycled polyester has a 75% lower carbon footprint than virgin polyester and uses up to 90% less water. In 2016, we increased the amount of recycled polyester we use by 38% and introduced recycled nylon into our collections,\u201d the company <\/span>stated<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The common thread between Gucci and Stella McCartney is Kering, the French luxury group. McCartney was able to implement \u2018Clean by Design\u2019 \u2013 a program designed to reduce textile production\u2019s contribution to environmental problems \u2013 with the help of Kering and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Kering also released EP&L methodology, which was developed by athletic brand Puma\u2019s Chairman Jochen Zeitz, in an open-source model. The conglomerate is also <\/span>committed<\/span><\/a> to carbon neutrality across the group.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Other big brands such as <\/span>Burberry, American Eagle and Levi\u2019s<\/span><\/a> also reached a similar conclusion as McCartney after internal assessments, which is – raw material and carbon footprint are deeply connected. As a result, they too have partnered with companies to develop sustainable raw materials and reduce emissions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Leading The Charge<\/b><\/h2>\n

The direct impact of big fashion brands becoming conscious of their carbon footprint is visible on the <\/span>runways<\/span><\/a>. On one hand, we have global<\/span> fashion shows<\/span><\/a> like the New York Fashion Week that are evolving to accommodate this change. On the other hand, we have a new breed of designers who have infused carbon neutrality in their brand DNA.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Take, for instance, Atlein.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: Vogue<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Paris-based label founded by Antonin Tron represents green brands of today. Tron juggles between his passionate activism for the environment and his fashion aspirations. He uses his opinions while working with <\/span>Extinction Rebellion\u00a0<\/span>and uses his designer skills to develop a collection made from dead-stock materials minus fur and leather.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people have a very negative idea about fashion when it comes to the environment. I want to say with Atlein that you can respectfully create things,\u201d <\/span>averred<\/span><\/a> Tron.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ethical fashion brand Reformation is not only conscious about the nature of fibers and fabrics they use to make their clothes, but it is also a rare brand that encourages people to not buy clothes that they don\u2019t need. The fashion label that has been carbon neutral since 2015 has discovered <\/span>innovative way<\/span><\/a>s<\/a> to promote carbon offsetting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The company has partnered with companies like Arcadia Power and Native Energy that work towards reducing CO2 emissions and encourage the use of energy from renewable sources.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Besides Reformation and Atlein, young fashion labels such as Ganni, People Tree, Allbirds and Everlane symbolize Gen Y and Z. These brands believed in being mindful of their CO2 emissions and footprint since inception or very early on in their brand lifecycle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not trying to be polarizing, but there are certain issues like the climate where we feel comfortable speaking out. Because we as a company have been thinking about supply chain and manufacturing for years. But how do you magnify that? We don\u2019t have direct control anymore, we just have influence. How do you get others to bear the same mentality,\u201d <\/span>shared<\/span><\/a> Reformation\u2019s VP of Operations & Sustainability, Kathleen Talbot. <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Her words illustrate the thought-process of the new generation of designers succinctly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Making Pre-loved Fashionable<\/b><\/h2>\n

Companies like Reformation that fall under the \u2018sustainable fast fashion\u2019 category and Stella McCartney & Gucci with a legacy to live up to need the support of the resale and rental industry to fulfill their commitment to the environment. Carbon offsetting and emission-proofing the production process doesn\u2019t address the issue of waste. The <\/span>resale and rental industry<\/span><\/a> does.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf every single second there’s a truckload of fast fashion being incinerated or landfilled, then I’m a big, big believer in reusing that and [participating in] the circular economy. It’s the biggest compliment for your product to have an afterlife — to me, that’s luxury,\u201d <\/span>shared<\/span><\/a> McCartney who has <\/span>collaborated<\/span> with online luxury consignment platform The RealReal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n