LONDON – Source4Style has launched an updated version of their sustainable sourcing website which includes a special discount membership code for Ecotextile News members.
Described as the first trends-driven global sourcing marketplace for the fashion and design industry, Source4Style version 2.0 has brought together independent designers and apparel brands with the world’s leading suppliers of sustainable fabrics to connect and do business through an e-commerce platform.
“Despite the rise of online solutions to fashion commerce, the US$400 billion market for materials sourcing remains offline and fragmented,” says Summer Rayne Oakes, co-founder of Source4Style.
“Suppliers can spend up to 43% of their marketing budgets just on tradeshows,” adds fellow co-founder Benita Singh. “It’s a huge up-front time and financial commitment with no guarantee of a return.”
As a supplier-generated site, pricing and inventories are all updated twice a day, along with the most comprehensive material specs online. In addition to providing designers with extensive data at the click of a button – from lead times to availability – Source4Style offers all designers the option to purchase swatches and samples at a nominal cost of US$4 per swatch, including shipping.
Sustainability is also an integral feature of Source4Style’s offerings. Though not a certification body, Source4Style says it does carefully vet suppliers based on a number of criteria and opens up the “transparency of the supply chain,” according to Oakes. “Sustainability is inevitability,” she says. “The industry is under increasing pressure to ensure social and environmental compliance along the supply chain. Organizations like the American Apparel & Footwear Association, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, and OIA’s Eco Index send a clear signal that change is imminent. It’s too great a liability for any brand not to know where their stuff is coming from.”
