Choosing a sustainable material for a collection does not in itself make the collection or a brand sustainable; however, it is a good place to start. With the fashion industry being one of the top polluting industries in the world, contributing significantly to global carbon emissions, water consumption, and waste production, choosing to use a material that does not rely on huge amounts of water, or too many chemicals, and which is not linked to deforestation is a good starting point!
The Future Fabrics Expo
A great place to begin researching what is new and innovative in the material world is the Future Fabrics Expo. It is the largest fair dedicated to sourcing certified, sustainable textiles and materials for fashion, home, and interiors. Its focus is on the latest innovations in sustainable materials. This year, the Expo expanded into home interiors, which is positive as sometimes the minimums for new materials can be quite high. This means that if a material is chosen by a furniture brand, it has more possibilities to go into full scale production and able to cater to smaller quantities required by the fashion industry.
Industry Challenges and Transparency
Top brands have been caught out. In January 2024, Valentino was investigated for producing products in factories with poor working conditions and underpaid labour. More recently, Dior has been embroiled in a scandal concerning the production of their handbags in sweatshops in Italy. Recent reports have found that some of Dior’s “Made in Italy” accessories were being manufactured under poor working conditions in Naples. Dior were found to be paying a supplier just $57 to produce handbags that were then sold for $2,780 at their retail outlets.
This emphasizes the importance for brands to invest in modern technologies like blockchain, RFID, and IoT to help enhance supply chain visibility. These technologies track the journey of products from raw material sourcing to retail, providing consumers with information on a products environmental and labour practices. We know the complexity of global supply chains, resistance from suppliers, and the high cost of implementing certain technologies are major hurdles. However, brands that successfully navigate these challenges and prioritize material and product transparency enhance their reputation and build consumer trust.