Fashion goes by just as fast as fashion. We try to pace up with some of the fashion trends, and there are some that people couldn't catch the ropes with. And as thousands of brands enter into the fashion domain, people's wardrobe is filled with impulse and discount purchases, with some still having the tags on. However, knowing that the cloth you are selling can create an impact on our environment is gaining huge traction among various fashion brands. Leading and emerging fashion houses are leaving no stone unturned to ensure they revamp their traditional business model and change it to more sustainable and ethical for the planet and its people. Likewise, the product configurator software offers brands customization solutions that help them to produce clothes as per the demands put forth by customers. These measures enable fashion companies to keep track of their produces and reduce landfills.
Product Configuration Tool Allows Brands to Adopt More Radical Measures
According to a report published by Ellen McArthur Foundation, the global textile industry produces more greenhouse emissions than international aviation and shipping combined. It is well-recorded that the fashion industry comes second only to the petroleum industry for polluting the environment. It is reported that over 150 million tonnes of clothing waste are anticipated to clog landfills by 2050. And currently, there is no concrete mainstream technology or measures that will change the landscape for the industry. These human-made issues have misguided global natural resources, and certain fashion trends continue to thrive by overconsuming the depletable resources.
Nonetheless, one fashion trend that can keep the fashion business running and also ensure that the planet remains unharmed is sustainability. Sustainable fashion fosters eco-friendly textiles and fashion products and addresses the environment, human, and animal welfare exploitation. It has garnered enough attention to be a cool fashion revolution.
Let us explore more factors that help brands become more sustainable and keep a check on nature and business:
Brands Becoming More Transparent and Honest with their Buyers
When brands realized that their production was depleting our planet, the fashion industry observed a sea of these fashion houses quickly shifting gears and adopting novel business models to support nature. For some, the transformation was so swift that they couldn't understand the sustainable measures they have embarked upon are causing damage to nature. After realizing the harmful impacts, they all have caused on the environment, many brands have come up and taken the onus of not thoroughly thinking about the measure they are initiating. Therefore, a leading name in the eyewear sector, Ace & Tate, recently came clean to its buyers and said that while trying to become more sustainable as part of its recent B Corp certification failed to offer basic sustainable products. Like Ace & Tate, much other fashion and luxury brands have overlooked their social impact and neglected to implement a code of conduct. These measures could have helped brands in protecting their workers in the supply chain. The main focus of brands should be on making good changes rather than changes that just look good. For attaining this target, brands should become radically transparent, take a hint from digitally-native retailers, such as Reformation and Everlane, who are open about the sustainable changes brought in the brand have their limitations and challenges.
Being radically transparent is the new way to battle all the wrongdoings that brands have undertaken in the name of sustainability. Some brands, such as Ganni, have highlighted in their tagline that honest not perfect, which means that they are sustainable and doing every bit in their capacity, but some shortcomings can't be overlooked. In fact, today's buyers prefer honest brands over bogus promises by fashion houses. According to it, 66 per cent of millennials and 79 per cent of Gen Z think brands are not honest enough about environmental sustainability. This rises to 69 and 84 per cent respectively when related to how factory workers are treated. These statistics indicate the significance of being radically transparent, and with each passing year, these notions are becoming not so radical. Buyers are expecting more discretion on brands' part, and the brands that aren't used to this type of open communication and honesty will find it challenging. Besides, they will have to pay off the consumer trust and suffocate in a lower-pressure environment. Though these measures may theoretically accelerate sustainable practices, but they will surely succumb brands to experiment and make inevitable mistakes.
Fashion Houses Adopting Global Sustainable Strategy
For a long time, the term "sustainability" has been doing rounds, and every fashion brand is working towards capitalizing on this trend. Being eco-friendly means more than adhering to the code of conduct established by the institutions, such as B Corp and others. They now have to think about the ethical means and practices they follow in their factories. The mantra brands should sell no shame in wearing an outfit that has already been worn. In other words, customers should know that wardrobes stacked with impulsive shopping are doing no good to the planet. They should be made aware of "conscious consumerism" and the impact it has on the environment. For instance, just by wearing already-purchased clothes for an extra nine months, you will reduce your carbon, energy, and waste footprint by as much as 20-30 per cent. Since everything is at our fingertips, people think that filling carts is a convenient way to shop. Production and consumption of sustainable clothing are rooted in being eco-friendly and for long term use. Let us take an example of Mango, a Spanish clothing brand that is all set to introduce a new sustainable brand Alter Made, an online platform in the selected European countries, as an independent addition to the company.
The Alter Made concept centres around conscious consumption and well-being, with a number of sustainable and ethical initiatives that further the label and group's commitment to the eco-side of the industry. The rising responsible consumerism among buyers triggered the site's creation, and the items displayed on it are described as "durable, timeless, high-quality pieces along with sustainable characteristics." The retailer plans to use a short-run production strategy to minimize surplus as part of the collection properties. Local production will also be one of the main attributes of the collection, with garments to be produced in Europe and Turkey and suppliers selected according to expertise and traceability control. Fabrics and raw materials will be examined according to certifications for both sustainability and quality.
Likewise, the 3d product configurator allows brands to spread the word about sustainability. Its customization solution, along with digital features, enables your buyers to design their fashion products, including apparel, footwear, headgear, jewelry, bags, and many other items in 3d. It helps customers create their fashion sense using their creativity and ideas, which makes them emotionally attached to the customized piece, and thus they won't have to throw it away in the landfill. Besides, it allows buyers to scan their bodies and develop designs that suit their body type and color, which means it checks the box for inclusivity and ethical practices during production. Its top-notch customer experience compels buyers to come back to your site and provide a necessary boost to your online presence. It empowers your business to the next level of success with its perfect extension for your business with a diverse and creative suite of the tool offering customized product designing while letting your customers build their products as per their choices.
Labels Incorporating Technology to Implement Eco-Friendly Measures
Technology and sustainability go hand-in-hand; when one increases, it boosts the other's presence as well. Despite many people believing technologies to be a bane for humankind and nature, their recent developments have shown the world their true potential and how they can help fashion companies grapple with climate change and environmental issues. For instance, Tommy Hilfiger is using product information technology Higg Index Sustainability Profiles to its online stores as a way to strengthen its product transparency.
Sustainable insights platform Higg and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) had partnered on the Higg Index earlier this year. Together they have produced the profiles as a scorecard system for brands that strive for more transparency with their consumers. Tommy Hilfiger will implement the programme to display the positive impact its products bring to the environment. It will also roll out the six-week trial across the European markets and assort Hilfiger products on its official websites. The brands' decision to implement the technology to its platform runs alongside its ongoing Waste Nothing and Welcomes All mission, launched back in 2020. The initiative focuses on the sustainable and ethical development of the company's production and operations and its community connections. Earlier, brands including H&M have also collaborated with Higgs to utilize the profile feature throughout its European and US online stores. Initially conducted for the womenswear and kidswear summer collections, the brand stated at the time that it is looking to carry out the programme fully over the course of 2021 and 2022. The fast-fashion brand had also worked with digital artists to reveals its new short film as a part of New York City Climate Week.
On the premiere, the project intended to inspire and educate viewers about their part and how can they collaborate with the circular fashion industry. The film centred around the artistic exploration of a garment's circular lifecycle and explored the principles behind this subject matter. The new format allowed the brand and its product to be shown in planetariums so viewers could be immersed in the digital experience. Through a storyline focused on how a garment can live multiple lives through reuse, repair and remake, the project hopes to educate consumers on the value of clothing as a resource and the importance of care. It emphasizes the industry's responsibility to develop sustainable design and production processes and ways in which everyone can ensure they play a part in closing the lifecycle loop.
Additionally, on Thursday, Tapestry, Inc. (TPR) has signed Business Ambition For 1.5°C, a science-based targets initiative (SBTi) to reduce global warming to 1.5°C by setting up interim science-based emissions reduction targets. The company pledges to set a long-term science-based target to reach net-zero value chain GHGs emissions by no later than 2050. In line with commitment, the brand has also recently announced its plan to cent per cent change its electricity with renewable power in its stores, offices, and fulfilment centres by 2025. Further, the company has formed a new 50 million dollar Tapestry Foundation to advance access and equity initiatives and combat climate change.
Closing Comments-
In a nutshell, sustainability is inevitable, and brands have to adopt it irrespective of their size, business model, and customer base. However, brands must realize that they should keep their claims humble and show people that fashion is always a work in progress. They should be transparent and accepting about the mistakes and limitations they have faced while becoming more sustainable. Buyers should know the product they are buying is truly a step towards green-washing or a mere marketing gimmick. Another way to comply with eco-friendly practices is to implement the latest technology and let it take your business to the next level while balancing profits and the environment. The product configurator software by iDesigniBuy provides relevant and latest modern technological solutions that will accelerate your business growth and help you become more closer to nature and buyers. Its digital features allow customers to preview the product they have designed before they head for the final payment, thus establishing the transparency between brand and consumer. It is a powerful tool that checks all the points required to scale up your business in the ever-evolving landscape.
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