PARIS – Turkish denim specialist ISKO has hosted a Responsible Denim event which the company says provided an opportunity to share ideas on the development of an integrated field-to-fabric approach along the value chain, as well as an occasion to think about what choices can be made to lead to a more sustainable future for the sector.
The event centred on a special panel discussion regarding responsibility within the denim industry. ISKO states that it is vitally important for all members of the supply chain to take a stand against ‘greenwashing’ – companies making misleading claims about the environmental benefits of their products – in order to achieve the implementation of best practices.
The panel was moderated by Maria Cristina Pavarini, Sportswear International’s senior features editor, and included former creative director at Patagonia and Levi’s Miles Johnson, denim consultant Rachel Pierce, who has worked for names such as Topshop and DKNY.
It also featured François Girbaud, founder and owner of Marithé and François, a company which has focused its research on ecologically and ethically conscious techniques such as replacing hazardous chemicals with lasers and ozone, along with ISKO senior CSR executive Ebru Ozkucuk Guler, who initiated a project to obtain Lifecycle Assessments for all 25,000+ ISKO denim products.
Elsewhere at the event, there was a presentation of ISKO’s low-impact denim collection EarthFit and an educational exhibition which the company says focused on what brands, designers and manufacturers should be aware of regarding responsibility in the industry.
