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H&M Group issues €500m sustainability bond
Fashion giant H&M Group has launched a bond that will finance initiatives to reduce emissions and improve resource efficiency, priced at €500m.
Fashion giants collaborate on Bangladesh textile reuse scheme
A group of 30 fashion brands, manufacturers and waste management firms have launched a new collaborative scheme to capture and reuse textile waste in Bangladesh.
Fast fashion: Polyester production has doubled since 2000, with huge climate implications
The production of fossil-based synthetic textiles has doubled globally within 20 years, as fast fashion production and consumption has increased. According to a new report, this will have sizeable implications for climate change.
Kering's fund for nature and a new green hydrogen plant: 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.
Sustainable fashion: Depop targets climate neutrality by the end of the year
Marketplace app Depop, best known for second-hand and custom fashion, has pledged to compensate for its entire climate footprint by the end of 2021 and to do more to prevent waste.
Kate Wylie to step down as Mars' global sustainability lead for new role at Chanel
Kate Wylie has confirmed plans to step down as Mars' global vice-president for sustainability after more than 10 years at the food and beverage giant. She has been named as luxury fashion house Chanel's next global chief sustainability officer.
Zalando completes brand assessments as part of environmental disclosure drive
Online fashion retailer Zalando has disclosed its Tier 1 private fashion label suppliers in an efforts to drive transparency across the value chain, and is expecting brand partners to gain a full understanding of their key suppliers also.
Looking to 2050: How the Northern Powerhouse can drive the transition to net-zero
It's fair to say that 2020 has been a dispiriting start to the new decade. The chaos and uncertainty around the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, as well as the cliff edge of a Brexit deadline, has made it a challenge to extract any positive messages from today's headlines.
Gap targets 100% sustainably sourced cotton by 2025
Fashion giant Gap Inc has pledged to only source cotton which is certified as sustainable within five years, through the US Cotton Trust Protocol.
The Great Reinvention: Cracking the code for circular economy business model innovation
After participating in edie's 'Business Model Innovation' open roundtable at Net-Zero Live earlier this month, sustainable business expert and commentator Mike Townsend explores four key shifts in search of the 'holy grail' - how we can transition to circular business models that are sustainable and profitable, yet also attractive for customers and suppliers.
WRAP: Lockdown has made Brits more aware of fashion's environmental impact
Almost two-thirds of adults in the UK say that lockdown has brought home the importance of their clothing lasting longer, and been a time in which they've learned more about the environmental impact of the fashion industry.
Primark commits to deliver net-zero value chain by 2050
Fashion giant Primark has signed the UN's Fashion Charter, committing it to reducing emissions by 30% by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050.
Moncler commits to carbon neutrality and 100% renewable electricity
Luxury fashion brand Moncler has pledged to ensure that its direct operations are carbon-neutral within a year and to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2023.
Report: 6 in 10 fashion giants see sustainability as 'key priority' amid Covid-19
In a survey of 150 executives from some of the world's biggest fashion firms, including H&M Group, Puma and Adidas, 60% named implementing sustainability measures as their top strategic priority in the wake of Covid-19.
It's a shoe-in: Adidas unveils recyclable trainers as UGG reveals new climate and materials commitments
Adidas has started fresh pilots for a recyclable mono-material shoe made using recycled plastic, in the same week that UGG launched new social and environmental sustainability commitments.
Burberry and IBM collaborate on blockchain initiative to boost fashion supply chain traceability
Burberry has revealed that it has supported IBM interns to develop a prototype cloud and blockchain tool aimed at tracing materials and products across the fashion supply chain, including information about their environmental and human impact.
H&M brings 'garment-to-garment' recycling machines in-store
H&M has installed a machine which disassembles old clothing and re-assembles the material into new textiles in one of its stores, in what it claims is a first for the fashion industry.
Chanel links €600m sustainability bond to science-based targets
Luxury fashion and fragrance giant Chanel has issued a €600m transaction for bonds linked to the company's progress against its 1.5C science-based targets.
#SustyTalk: Timberland's Zach Angelini on regenerative agriculture and the circular economy
edie's SustyTalk series continues with Timberland's environmental manager Zach Angelini discussing how the fashion brand plans to scale up regenerative agriculture practices in supply chains and align with circular economy principles.
Patagonia: Regenerative agriculture is the next sustainability frontier for fashion and food
EXCLUSIVE: Patagonia's vice president for social & environmental responsibility has told of how she witnessed a "groundswell" in regenerative farming in recent months, of a scale that has been unprecedented during her 10+ years working across supply chains.
Tommy Hilfiger vows to become 'fully circular' by 2030
PVH-Corp-owned Tommy Hilfiger has launched a new environmental and social sustainability strategy, headlined by ambitions to make products "fully circular" and to operate "with sensitivity to planetary boundaries".
Timberland targets net-positive nature impact by 2030
Fashion giant Timberland has pledged to ensure that it has a net-positive impact on nature within a decade - a vision underpinned by commitments to regenerative agriculture and the circular economy.
Report: Global fashion sector will emit double its Paris Agreement limit by 2030
The global fashion sector is currently generating more emissions each year than the UK, Germany and France combined, and will fail to align with the Paris Agreement without transformational change over the next decade.
Resale, repair and environmental labelling: Selfridges accelerates efforts to sustainably 'reinvent retail'
Selfridges has outlined a string of new commitments and pilot projects around sustainable materials sourcing, environmental communications and resource-efficient business models like repair, resale and rental.
After ditching Boohoo, ASOS sets new sustainability and ethics requirements for brands
ASOS will require third-party fashion brands to comply with new ethical manufacturing and supply chain sustainability standards if they wish to be listed on its website, after it dropped Boohoo over allegations of human rights abuses at a supplier factory.
Primark launches UK-wide fashion recycling scheme
Primark has installed take-back boxes for clothing, textiles, footwear and bags in all 190 of its UK stores, in a bid to reduce the amount of these items sent to landfill.
The 'Sustainability Innovators' mindset
What is the right mindset for sustainability innovation? This blog introduces four characteristics to help innovators adopt the right mentality and approach for a sustainable future.
Hugo Boss to halve operational emissions within a decade
Hugo Boss has had its new emissions targets green-lit by the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), including an ambition to reduce operational emissions by 51% by 2030.
Vivobarefoot launches resale platform for repaired shoes
Shoe brand VivoBarefoot has launched an online resale platform for repaired and returned shoes, in what it claims is a world first.
Fast fashion giants face mounting pressure to protect supply chain workers through Covid-19
Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists are gathering on London's Oxford Street this week to urge fast fashion brands to financially support suppliers overseas throughout the pandemic, as media exposés drawing links between Leicester's Covid-19 spike and its garment manufacturing industry emerge.
World Rainforest Day: Dozens of retailers commit to deforestation-free fashion supply chains
Ralph Lauren, Ted Baker, Sainsbury's and Asda are among a coalition of 45 major businesses jointly pledging to eliminate deforestation from their fashion supply chains, as part of a collaborative initiative coordinated by non-profit Canopy.
#SustyTalk: Farfetch's Tom Berry on spurring circular economy models for fashion
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with Farfetch's global director of sustainable business Tom Berry, who discusses circular economy engagement and innovation in the fashion sector.
Fashion footprint: Farfetch's new tool to highlight the environmental impact of clothing
Luxury fashion platform Farfetch has launched a new tool helping online customers to choose products with lower environmental impacts, including secondhand goods and those made using innovative renewable materials.
Google partners with WWF on digital data platform for sustainable fashion sourcing
Google has joined forces with WWF to develop an environmental data platform for sourcing professionals in the fashion industry, providing them information on the pollution and emissions impact of their business decisions.
Gucci cuts negative environmental impacts by two-fifths
Luxury fashion house Gucci has reduced its overall negative impact on the environment by 39% since 2015, putting it on track to exceed its 2025 target of a 40% reduction.
Zalando unveils science-based targets, commits suppliers to set carbon goals
Online fashion retail platform Zalando has built on its commitment to carbon neutrality across its own operations by having targets to reduce operational carbon emissions by 80% and emissions from the production of private label products by 40% approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Zalando and Sustainable Apparel Coalition issue sustainable metrics for brands and retailers
German online fashion retailer Zalando has confirmed it will be the first retailer signed up to the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) to use a new module that will make sustainability assessments mandatory for its private labels and partner brands sold on its platform.
Adidas and Allbirds to develop sports shoes with 'lowest recorded' carbon footprint
Sporting giant Adidas has teamed up with shoe brand Allbirds to develop solutions that would create one of the lowest carbon footprints ever recorded for a sports shoe.
Net-Zero Week Podcast (Two-part special): Green recoveries and net-zero strategy deep dives
For Net-Zero Week, the edie podcast is split into two parts, first to discuss green recoveries with Christiana Figueres, Jonathon Porritt and Paul Polman, before embarking on a deep dive of what makes a net-zero target with engineering firm Jacobs, online retailer Zalando and episode sponsors Centrica Business Solutions.
Allbirds running shoe made from renewable materials to feature 'carbon count' label
B Corp Allbirds has debuted a new running shoe made from renewable and natural materials and is the first product from the company to feature a physical "carbon count" label, detailing the lifecycle emissions of the product to consumers.
Google's green software and New York's innovation drive: 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.
John Lewis unveils sustainable womenswear collection
John Lewis & Partners has teamed up with luxury sustainable womenswear brand Mother of Pearl to launch a new sustainable clothing collection made from organic cotton and certified renewable wood fibre sources.
H&M reaches clothing take-back target early, collecting 29,000 tonnes of used garments
The H&M Group collected more than 29,000 tonnes of used clothing though its in-store network of take-back points last year, surpassing its 2020 goal to collect at least 25,000 tonnes a year ahead of schedule.
Sustainable Business Covered podcast: A circular economy road trip
For episode 83 of the Sustainable Business Covered podcast, the edie team brings you four exclusive interviews with businesses innovating to bring about truly circular models - Elvis & Kresse, Teemill, Mulberry and Young Planet.
Patagonia and Surfdome trial removal of plastic polybags for clothes
Online sports retailer Surfdome has partnered with outdoor clothing firm Patagonia to trial the removal of plastic polybags from clothes orders in a way that doesn't impact product quality or generate an increase in lifecycle carbon emissions.
Collaboration can transform how businesses look at sustainability
Businesses are increasingly aware of the role they need to play in sustainability, but often find it daunting. This article looks at key learnings for how businesses can effectively collaborate together to be more sustainable.
Chanel sets 1.5C science-based targets, pledges 100% renewable energy
Luxury fashion and fragrance giant Chanel has committed to halve its carbon emissions by 2030, under a new 1.5C-aligned set of sustainability targets.
Fashion industry must cut resource use by 75%, experts warn
A group of academics, businesses and thought leaders have penned a plan to help fashion firms align with planetary boundaries and address the climate and nature emergencies, headlined by a call to dramatically cut virgin resource use.
Zero-waste is the new black: How SMEs are disrupting fashion's waste crisis
In the second of a two-part feature, edie's senior reporter Sarah George spotlights the businesses working to combat fashion's growing waste problem by pioneering truly circular systems in what is widely regarded as one of the world's most linear sectors.
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.
