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How online retailing is allowing fast fashion to thrive
In the first of a two-part feature, edie's senior reporter Sarah George explores how booming profits for online retailers are driving a fast fashion mindset in the UK that could undermine efforts to champion sustainability in the fashion sector, unless business and consumers find their voice.
Burberry introduces carbon 'insetting' fund
Luxury fashion firm Burberry will create a "regeneration fund" to support a new portfolio of "carbon insetting projects" that aim to deliver regenerative agriculture practices across its supply chain - a move that will see its Autumn/Winter 2020 runway show at London Fashion Week become carbon-neutral.
Fresh funding for initiative to help investors support sustainable fashion
Laudes Foundation, Brenninkmeijer family's recently-launched philanthropic organisation, has backed a project working to engage investors with sustainable fashion, in a bid to scale up low-carbon, resource-efficient materials and business models across the global sector.
H&M appoints former sustainability manager as chief executive
Fashion giant H&M has named Helena Helmersson, who spent five years as sustainability manager, as its first female chief executive.
Meet edie's 30 Under 30 Class of 2019: Tom Byrne, Asos
This series profiles the members of edie's 30 Under 30 - a nomination-based community of 30 hugely talented young sustainability and energy professionals who have already achieved great things or are showing fantastic promise. Next up: Tom Byrne, senior sustainability manager at Asos.
Debenhams sets sweeping new fashion sustainability targets
Department store retailer Debenhams has set a string of new green targets for its fashion and homeware departments, in a bid to set new sustainability benchmarks for the sub-sector following a difficult financial year.
ASOS to trial reusable packaging in drive to cut plastics waste
Online fashion retailer ASOS is set to trial reusable packaging in early 2020, after months of work to develop an alternative to single-use plastic mailing bags.
Meet edie's 30 Under 30 Class of 2019: Benedict Orchard, Superdry
This series profiles the members of edie's 30 Under 30 - a nomination-based community of 30 hugely talented young sustainability and energy professionals who have already achieved great things or are showing fantastic promise. Next up: Benedict Orchard, energy and environment manager at Superdry.
VF Corporation sets 1.5C science-based targets
VF Corporation - the fashion giant behind brands including Vans, The North Face and Timberland - has set new science-based emissions targets in line with the Paris Agreement's 1.5C trajectory.
M&S launches digital viscose map to boost fashion supply chain transparency
Retail giant Marks & Spencer (M&S) has launched a digital map highlighting all textile suppliers through which it sources man-man cellulosic fibres (MMCF) including viscose.
Black Friday isn’t dead (yet) – but it is evolving rapidly
As climate change and resource efficiency climb the public agenda, declarations that Black Friday is "dead" are abound. But with shoppers saying they want to spend more than last year and circular business models emerging at a pace, it's probably time for a rebrand rather than a post-mortem, edie's senior reporter Sarah George argues.
Green Friday: The retailers championing sustainability over spending for Black Friday 2019
Today (29 November) is Black Friday, the biggest sales event of the year. But with consumers increasingly prioritising purpose over profit and climate change climbing the ranking of public priorities, some retailers are taking note and using the occasion to champion resource efficiency, social sustainability and environmental conservation.
Tesla's 'Cybertruck' and Timberland's London eco-store: The sustainability success stories of the week
As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.
Vogue publisher vows to phase-out plastics and align with Paris Agreement
Condé Nast, the publishing house behind titles such as Vogue, Glamour and GQ, has committed to removing non-recyclable plastics from its products and reducing emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.
Fashion retailers delivering mixed progress on 'damaging' viscose supply chains
High-street retailers New Look and Morrisons have joined the likes of Inditex, ASOS, H&M and Tesco in signing up to a new sustainability roadmap to ensure they are sourcing sustainable viscose that doesn't contribute to environmental pollution, but luxury fashion brands have been named as laggards.
'Pre-cycling': Closed-loop scheme for surplus fashion stock grows
The number of high-street fashion giants to have entered an agreement to sell their end-of-line surplus stock through a third party at a discount, in order to benefit charity, has reportedly grown this year.
Zalando: Net-zero targets the first step to net-positive businesses
EXCLUSIVE: Zalando's director of corporate responsibility and sustainability Kate Heiny believes that operating at net-zero emissions both operationally and across the value chain can act as a catalyst for businesses to truly move beyond mitigation and "less bad" to help regenerate the planet.
Online retailer Zalando commits to net-zero emissions and plastic-free packaging
Online fashion platform Zalando has confirmed it will operate as a net-zero carbon emissions business from today (30 October), as well as committing to eliminating single-use plastics from its packaging by 2023.
Timberland takes first steps towards 'regenerative' leather supply chain
Outdoor clothing brand Timberland has forged a partnership Other Half Processing - an organisation advocating for 'regenerative' animal supply chains - in a bid to bring products incorporating 'net-positive' leather to market during 2020.
Dozens of fashion giants sign pact to eliminate emissions and single-use plastics
Mango, Farfetch and Decathlon are among a coalition of 24 big-name fashion brands to have signed Kering's Fashion Pact this week, committing them to net-zero emissions globally by mid-century.
UK retailers to generate 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste from Halloween costumes
Halloween costumes sold by UK retailers are set to generate more than 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste, equivalent by weight to 83 million bottles, according to new research from environmental charity Hubbub.
Infinite Play: Adidas launches buy-back platform to combat fashion waste
Sportswear giant Adidas has launched a new circular economy service, whereby consumers can trade-in used or unwanted sportswear for rewards.
Finisterre to switch from plastic bags to 'water-soluble' biodegradable alternative
Outdoor clothing brand Finisterre is set to achieve its ambition of eliminating all plastics packaging which is neither reusable nor biodegradable, after investing in bags which naturally break down in soil and in water.
Farfetch launches 'on-demand' donation service in circular fashion drive
Digital fashion platform Farfetch has unveiled a new service whereby customers can donate clothes and accessories they no longer use for free.
Burberry forges resale partnership in bid to 'make fashion circular'
Luxury brand Burberry has signed a partnership to sell its second-hand products through consignment marketplace The RealReal in the US.
Social media advertising fuelling teenagers' unused 'trainer mountain'
Charity Global Action Plan (GAP) has found that UK teenagers own 58 million trainers, almost 30% of which remain unused, with a new study claiming that purchasing habits are a symptom of targeted digital and social media advertising.
Refashioned approach: Kering goes carbon-neutral
The luxury fashion group behind brands such as Cartier, Balenciaga and Saint Laurent has confirmed plans to offset its entire 2018 greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint, including its supply chain emissions.
Context, community and collaboration: Inside Levi Strauss' updated water action strategy
EXCLUSIVE: In revamping the water strategy for its global supply chain, Levi Strauss hopes to further embed a science-based and community-focused approach to its sustainability work, the firm's vice president for sustainability Michael Kobori has revealed.
UK suppliers among recipients of 'world's worst' fashion purchasing practices
UK suppliers experience some of the "worse" purchasing practices of brands and retailers sourcing apparel, footwear and household textiles compared to suppliers from other nations in the world.
Why fashion needs to slow down to avoid ‘shutdown’
As Extinction Rebellion (XR) protestors call for events like London Fashion Week (LFW) to be shut down, fashion brands remain worryingly silent about slowing product turnover before resource scarcity leaves them with no alternative, edie's reporter Sarah George argues.
Second-hand September: Selfridges hosts clothing resale pop-up
Luxury department store Selfridges is showcasing second-hand clothing at its flagship store as part of a collaboration with resale platform Depop.
Gucci goes carbon neutral in attempt to tackle climate crisis
As the fashion industry continues to address its role in the climate crisis, Italy's most valuable luxury brand has said it has become an entirely carbon-neutral company.
Meet the Sustainability Leader: Circular Economy Innovation - Yellow Octopus Fashion
With entries now open for edie's Sustainability Leaders Awards 2020, this new feature series showcases the achievements of the 2019 winners and reveals their secrets to success. Up next: The winner of our Circular Economy Innovation Award, Yellow Octopus Fashion.
Nature Needs Heroes: How Timberland is developing 'net-positive' fashion supply chains
EXCLUSIVE: Against a backdrop of fires in the Amazon, Timberland's sustainability director Colleen Vien has told edie that fashion brands are not only beginning to face up to their historic role in environmental degradation - but to begin working towards a "net-positive" vision.
H&M Group pauses Brazilian leather sourcing as forest fires continue
H&M Group has today (6 September) announced that it will suspend the purchase of all leather originating in Brazil, amid a huge increase in the number of forest fires in Amazonia.
VF Corp suspends sourcing of Brazilian leather due to Amazon fires concerns
VF Corporation, the owner of brands such as The North Face, Timberland and Vans, has announced that it will stop sourcing leather from Brazil, highlighting concerns over the environmental impact of cattle ranchers that have caused the vast majority of fires plaguing the Amazon rainforest.
Asda forays into second-hand clothing market
Asda is trialling its first second-hand clothing offering in the hopes of gauging consumer attitudes to a more circular fashion economy.
Meet edie's 30 Under 30 class of 2019: Olivia Murphy, Whitbread
This new series profiles the members of edie's 30 Under 30 - a nomination-based community of 30 hugely talented young sustainability and energy professionals who have already achieved great things or are showing fantastic promise. Next up: Olivia Murphy, sustainability manager at hospitality giant Whitbread.
Fashion giants vow to end contributions to global warming and ocean plastic pollution
A coalition of 32 big-name fashion firms including H&M Group, Inditex and Nike have signed a new industry commitment targeting zero climate change impact by mid-century.
Levi Strauss takes fresh steps to eliminate gender-based violence, water misuse, in supply chains
Fashion giant Levi Strauss Co. has launched two new supply chain initiatives - one focused on protecting female supply chain workers, and the other centred around water stewardship - after an investigation uncovered systemic gender-based harassment at supplier facilities.
Gap targets 100% renewable energy by 2030
Fashion giant Gap Inc has made a new commitment to meet 100% of the energy consumption of its owned and operated facilities globally with renewable energy by 2030.
Burberry debuts closed-loop clothing made using 'ghost nets'
Luxury fashion house Burberry has revealed designs for a new capsule collection made using recycled nylon, woven from plastic fibres recovered from discarded fishing nets.
Napapijri showcases fully recyclable jacket made from discarded fishing nets
Fashion brand Napapijri has unveiled a fully recyclable jacket made from discarded fishing nets and fabric scraps from mills and carpets.
H&M, Primark and Arcadia back new Parliamentary group on sustainable fashion
A coalition of big-name fashion retailers, as well as charities and academics, have voiced their support for a new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) working to make the UK's fashion sector more sustainable.
Meet edie's 30 Under 30 Class of 2019: Stuart Gascoigne, Clarks
This new series profiles the members of edie's 30 Under 30 - a nomination-based community of 30 hugely talented young sustainability and energy professionals who have already achieved great things or are showing fantastic promise. Next up: Stuart Gascoigne, global energy & waste manager at shoe giant Clarks.
Zara pledges 100% 'sustainable' fabrics by 2025
Fashion chain Zara is set to switch all collections to 100% "sustainable" fabrics by the start of 2025.
Fashion giants to 'transform' their jeans in circular economy drive
A coalition of big-name global fashion brands including H&M Group, Gap and Tommy Hilfiger have pledged to align their denim designs and manufacturing with a new circular economy framework.
How Burberry joined the business elite in setting a 1.5C science-based target
EXCLUSIVE: As Burberry became the latest corporate to set a science-based target aligned to the Paris Agreement's most ambitious pathway, the company's vice president of corporate responsibility outlined how the goal was set, and what happens next.
Uniqlo to phase out plastic bags
Fashion retailer Uniqlo's parent company Fast Retailing is set to remove single-use plastic bags from its brands, replacing them with reusable and paper alternatives.
Fashion giants 'must 'urgently accelerate circular economy action'
Of the 213 circular economy targets for 2020 set by 90 big-name fashion companies taking part in a collaborative circular economy campaign, just one-fifth (21%) have been met.
Puma sets science-based target while Nike envisions carbon neutrality
Sportswear giant Puma has set a new science-based target to reduce emissions by 35% by 2030, while fellow sports brand Nike has joined the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
Burberry to reduce emissions by 95% through approved 1.5C science-based target
Luxury fashion giant Burberry has joined just a handful of companies in setting a science-based target aligned to the 1.5C trajectory of the Paris Agreement, after committing to reducing its operational emissions by 95% by 2022.
Government rejects mandatory environmental targets for big-name fashion brands
Recommendations for mandatory carbon, waste and water targets to be applied to all large fashion businesses in the UK have been thrown out by the Government, despite continued calls to action from MPs.
Ralph Lauren pledges to set approved science-based targets by 2020
Ralph Lauren has vowed to pledge to source 100% renewable electricity for its operations by the end of 2019, before setting approved science-based emissions targets in 2020.
Talking ethical and sustainable fashion with Sarah Ditty and Neliana Fuenmayor
edie's Mission Possible sofa chat show returns for 2019. In this episode, edie discusses how transparency can help create a more ethical and sustainable fashion industry with Fashion Revolution's policy director Sarah Ditty and A Transparent Company's founder Neliana Fuenmayor.
H&M's orange peel dresses and Waitrose's 'invisible' door: The best green innovations of the week
Every week, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up six of the best.
Fashion retailers team up to trial new closed-loop business models
A coalition of fashion retailers including Ted Baker are set to pilot more resource-efficient business models, such garment repair, resale and rental, to determine whether they are economically viable solutions to the sector's waste challenges.
Achieving a circular economy: New business guide launched by edie
Organisations looking to accelerate the transition to a circular economy now have access to a comprehensive 'edie explains' guide which breaks down everything there is to know about achieving a zero-waste world.
Coca-Cola's rooftop solar and Urban Outfitters' rental boxes: The sustainability success stories of the week
Published every week, the new series charts how businesses and sustainability professionals are working to achieve their 'Mission Possible' across the campaign's five key pillars - energy, resources, infrastructure, mobility and business leadership.
LIVE Sustainable Business Covered podcast: Unlocking innovation in sustainability and energy
Day Two of edie Live saw the second LIVE broadcast of the Sustainable Business Covered podcast, this time focusing on unleashing the power of innovation with industry experts from Heathrow, AB Sugar, Yellow Octopus Fashion and Mitie Energy.
Teemill's closed-loop T-shirts and carbon-neutral cement: The sustainability success stories of the week
As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.
Google and Stella McCartney to launch cloud-based analytics tool for fashion supply chains
Google has partnered with fashion brand Stella McCartney on the first phase of a new machine learning data analytics tool to improve the transparency of the supply chains for the fashion industry.
How Farfetch is uniting designers, retailers and shoppers to create a circular fashion economy
EXCLUSIVE: Digital fashion platform Farfetch has been serious about the circular economy since its foundation. But amid growing demands for more ambitious action on waste, its chief sustainability officer has told edie that the firm now views resale and repair as an "amazing commercial opportunity".
Report: Fashion sector stalling on sustainability progress, with high street giants holding industry back
The global fashion industry's overall efforts to operate more sustainability have slowed by one-third on a year-on-year basis, with actions failing to decouple emissions from the sector's rapid growth in a way that would align with the Paris Agreement's aims.
edie Explains: The circular economy
This new and updated edie Explains guide breaks down everything there is to know about achieving a circular economy for your business.
Fashion Revolution Week: Adidas, Reebok and Patagonia top sector transparency rankings
Sportswear giants Adidas and Reebok and outdoor clothing brand Patagonia have been named as the corporates leading the fashion sector's drive for greater transparency around supply chain activity, in a new ranking of 200 of the industry's largest companies.
Sustainable Business Covered Podcast: Who Made My Clothes? A Fashion Revolution Week special
To mark Fashion Revolution Week 2019, episode 61 of the Sustainable Business Covered podcast sees reporter Sarah George quiz some of the key figures helping to make the fashion sector a more planet-friendly and ethical industry.
Evian unveils refillable device in bid to slash plastic waste
French bottled water company Evian is set to begin trials of a new refillable in-home water appliance next month, in a bid to gauge consumer appetite for lower-plastic alternatives to single-use bottles.
Fashion firms urged to log global supply chains on new digital open-source map
Fashion giant C&A's charitable arm, the C&A Foundation, has teamed up with geospatial technology firm Azavea to develop a new open-source digital map aimed at helping fashion retailers, suppliers and designers to boost their transparency efforts.
The North Face recycles old tents into new designer bag range
Outdoor clothing brand The North Face has partnered with British eco-fashion designer RÆBURN to create a second life for old tents by recycling them into a new accessory range.
ASOS urges fashion sector to take tougher action on modern slavery
Online fashion retailer ASOS is calling on other firms in the sector to take stronger action to eliminate modern slavery from their supply chains, after teaming up with several of its third-party brands to develop a five-point "roadmap".
George at Asda to use recycled plastic bottles in clothing and homeware ranges
Asda's fashion and homeware brand, George, will incorporate recycled plastic bottles in its products, as part of a commitment to only use polyester made from recycled materials by 2025.
UN launches global alliance to combat fast fashion's biggest sustainability challenges
The United Nations (UN) has launched a new alliance aimed at uniting businesses to combat the fashion sector's biggest environmental and social challenges, including waste, carbon emissions and modern slavery.
Fashion industry sourced record amount of sustainable cotton in 2018
Fashion brands and retailers collectively sourced more than one million metric tonnes of sustainably certified cotton through the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) last year, breaking the industry standard operator's record.
Primark launches jeans made with 100% sustainably sourced cotton
Fashion retailer Primark has launched its first range of jeans made with 100% sustainably certified cotton, after expanding its sustainable cotton farming and sourcing scheme.
Landsec launches textile take-back scheme to combat fast-fashion
Property developer Landsec is launching a fashion take-back scheme at one of the UK's largest shopping centres in a bid to encourage consumers to divert used textiles from landfill.
The Sustainability Oscars 2019: Celebrating the best of climate activism
The film awards season reaches its grand finale for 2019 on Sunday in the form of the Oscars. But for those wanting an alternative to "Black Panther," and "A Star Is Born", edie has created a - by no means official - round-up of the best climate-related films and documentaries.
Tax fashion brands to fund circular economy for garments, MPs urge
A group of MPs is calling on the UK Government to introduce policies which would see fashion brands pay a producer responsibility charge of 1p for every garment they produce, in addition to lower rates of tax for companies minimising the environmental footprint of their products.
Asics to host fashion recycling schemes at large-scale sporting events
Asics is set to run a garment recycling scheme across eight of the largest European running events that it sponsors, in a bid to slash its carbon footprint and encourage consumer behaviour change.
Adidas to double production of ocean plastic trainers in 2019
Sportswear giant Adidas has confirmed that it will produce more than twice as many pairs of trainers made using ocean plastic this year than it did in 2018, as consumer demand for products and packaging free from virgin plastic grows.
Business models for UK fashion industry unsustainable, MPs warn
The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has today (31 January) criticised major fashion retailers, including Sports Direct, Amazon and Missguided, for "failing to take action" to protect workers and promote environmental sustainability.
Tommy Hilfiger unveils 'world's first' 100% recycled luxury jeans
Global fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger has unveiled plans to launch a range of 100% recycled jeans this spring, in what it claims is a first for the luxury fashion sector.
In numbers: The UK public's attitudes to supply chain practices in the fashion industry
A new survey which examines the UK public's attitudes towards supply chain responsibility within the fashion industry has today (10 January) been published. Here, edie rounds up the key facts and figures.
Adidas and Gap top sustainable fashion supply chain rankings
Companies including Adidas, Gap and Primark have been named as the corporates leading the fashion sector's drive for better human rights practices in supply chains, in a new ranking of 43 of the sector's largest brands.
Meat and dairy, plastics and fashion: edie readers outline key sustainability trends of 2019
With widespread and ferocious opposition to plastics dominating the headlines in 2018, edie asked readers for their views on which sustainability issue would be the next to pique public, policy and corporate attention. Here, we round up your thoughts.
Seven ways businesses are championing CSR this Christmas
With less than a week until Christmas, chances are that many of us will be doing some last-minute gift shopping - and some retailers are using the occasion to make a positive social or environmental impact. Here, edie outlines how seven companies are championing CSR for Christmas 2018.
WRAP: UK fashion industry moving quickly to improve environmental footprint of clothing
The UK's fashion industry is moving at a pace to reduce carbon emissions and water waste within its supply chains, although far slower progress is being made on research efficiency, new research from WRAP has concluded.
Stella McCartney: Policy must encourage businesses to make fashion sustainable
Designer and green activist Stella McCartney has called on policymakers to implement laws which will incentivise big-name fashion brands to shift away from cradle-to-grave models and poor supply chain practices.
H&M holds fair wage summit after criticism of supply chain pay policies
Fashion giant H&M has today (11 December) held a summit to determine how best to ensure all supply chain workers receive a "fair" living wage, following campaigner accusations that it had failed to pay some garment workers enough to keep them above the poverty line.
Kering launches first 'regenerative sourcing' standard for fashion suppliers
Luxury fashion company Kering has launched a fashion industry standard capable of verifying raw materials and finished products as 'regenerative', after partnering with environmental charity The Savory Institute to advocate for 'net-positive' sourcing solutions.
Dozens of big-name fashion brands pledge to become carbon-neutral by 2050
H&M Group, Inditex and adidas are among a group of 31 big-name fashion brands to have signed a new United Nations (UN) charter outlining steps the global fashion sector must take to limit the global temperature increase below 2C.
Palm oil bans, sustainable fashion and edie's 30 Under 30: The top sustainability stories of November 2018
As November comes to a close and we begin to think about putting up our Christmas trees and wrapping our presents, edie rounds up some of the best-read sustainability stories and standout pieces of content from the past 30 days - from Iceland's now-infamous popular palm oil advert to the launch of our exclusive new networking group for young sustainability professionals.
ASOS boss: The circular economy is the only way forward for fashion retailers
Fashion retailers that fail to adopt circular economy principles and encourage consumers to make their clothes last longer will fail to survive in a new era of consumer awareness, ASOS's chief executive Nick Beighton has argued.
Is the fashion industry about to have its 'plastics moment'?
With MPs urging clothing brands to disclose impacts, consumers increasingly protesting "fast fashion" and documentaries on the true cost of cheap garments emerging at a pace, edie explores whether the fashion industry is set to have its "plastics moment".
High-street fashion giants urge viscose suppliers to bolster sustainability
A group of big-name fashion retailers including H&M, ASOS and Inditex are urging their suppliers to take ambitious action to make their viscose processing methods more sustainable, after an investigation found that many were dumping toxic wastewater in waterways and fisheries.
Businesses on London's Bond Street collaborate to slash transport emissions
Businesses operating within one of London's most polluted streets have helped to slash the amount of CO2e and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted by freight vehicles travelling along the street by 76%.
Black Friday is the antithesis of sustainable business, but there's an alternative
It's that time again. Today is Black Friday, the biggest sales event of the year, as Britain's retailers stack high and sell low before Christmas. Sustainable Development Goal 12 (sustainable consumption and production patterns) seems all but forgotten for the time being.
Corporate action on fashion sustainability 'insufficient', MPs warned
A group of environmentally-conscious fashion designers and academics have warned MPs that the current business models used across the fashion industry are unsustainable and that corporate efforts to embed circular economy principles into operations have proved themselves to be "insufficient".
UK fashion retailers and law enforcement agencies to partner on tackling modern slavery
Some of the UK's largest fashion retailers, including John Lewis and Marks & Spencer (M&S), have committed to work with law enforcement bodies to help identify and act on cases of modern slavery in the textiles industry.
Big-name fashion retailers collaborate to fund digital deforestation map
Seven of the world's largest fashion retailers including H&M and Kering have collectively funded the development of a new online tool that allows businesses, investors and customers to track the origin of paper, wood and viscose sourced by corporates.
