Fashion & Retail News
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Monday, 20 January 2020Debenhams sets 2020s 'sustainability' targets
LONDON - Retailer Debenhams has unveiled its new sustainability programme which it says highlights new benchmarks for UK department store retailing in the 2020s. New commitments include sustainably sourcing 100 per cent of its cotton by 2022,… -
Monday, 20 January 2020Fast Retailing signs UN Fashion Charter
YAMAGUCHI – Japanese fashion company Fast Retailing - owners of Uniqlo - has signed up to the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, sponsored by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which aims to achieve net-zero emissions… -
Monday, 20 January 2020Rent the Runway moves into production
NEW YORK - Clothing rental service Rent the Runway (RTR) is moving into garment production with the launch of its own 'sustainable' lines of clothing. RTR chief operating officer Anushka Salinas said the company's 'Designer Collective' lines would… -
Tuesday, 14 January 2020VF Corp among new Global Fashion Agenda partners
BERLIN – Global Fashion Agenda has welcomed three new Associate Partners: VF Corporation, Zalando and TAL Apparel. The trio will work closely with the GFA, providing feedback and input on its mission to accelerate the fashion industry’s transition… -
Thursday, 09 January 2020Kering donates to support Australian fire fight
PARIS – Luxury fashion group Kering, which owns the brands Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, to name but a few, says it will contribute AU$1 million in support of efforts to combat Australia’s ongoing fires. Since… -
Tuesday, 07 January 2020Houdini collection dominated by recycled material
STOCKHOLM – Outdoor apparel brand Houdini will soon launch its new fall/winter 2020 collection, which is made up largely of garments that utilise at least 50 per cent recycled fibre. “To create a waste-free world, we need to make sure products are… -
Monday, 06 January 2020Amazon workers warned after speaking out on climate
SEATTLE – Workers at retail giant Amazon have been told they will face dismissal if they continue to discuss the firm’s climate impact with the media without its authorisation. The company has opened investigations into a group of employees who… -
Friday, 03 January 2020PVH partners for new educational programme
NEW YORK – Fashion powerhouse PVH Corp, which owns the brands Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, has announced a five-year partnership with Fordham University's Gabelli School of Business, based in New York, which will establish an educational hub… -
Friday, 03 January 2020American football team upcycles merchandise
MASSACHUSETTS – American football team the New England Patriots has partnered with sustainable apparel brand Refried in an effort to divert surplus team merchandise away from landfill. Overstocked items or perhaps jerseys donning the names of… -
Monday, 23 December 2019Season’s Greetings to all our readers
As we close down for the Christmas period we’d like to extend ‘Season’s Greetings’ to all of our readers and wish everyone all the very best for 2020. In December next year we will publish a special issue of Ecotextile News to mark its 100th edition… -
Monday, 23 December 2019Everlane caught up in worker controversy
SAN FRANCISCO – Customer service representatives working remotely for US apparel brand Everlane have accused the company of not providing the wages, healthcare and other benefits afforded to office staff. The San Francisco-based firm, which has… -
Monday, 23 December 2019Funding announced for 'sustainability' projects
OSLO - The Norwegian Research Council (NRC) has agreed to fund two projects exploring ways to reduce the environmental impact of the fashion and textile industry. The NRC is to provide €1 million (US$1.1 million) to both the LASTING project of the… -
Friday, 20 December 20192019 on Ecotextile News
WAKEFIELD – As has become customary at Ecotextile News as each year comes to a close, we’ve compiled just a few of the standout articles from the past 12 months that will serve to remind you of the most popular stories that have shaped 2019. If you… -
Thursday, 19 December 2019Karl Lagerfield brand finally bans fur
LONDON - Fashion brand Karl Lagerfeld, whose founder famously defended the killing of animals for their skin, has banned fur from its collections after decades of pressure from animal rights campaigners. People for the Ethical Treatment (PETA) which… -
Thursday, 19 December 2019Rebecca Taylor brand offers circularity service
NEW YORK - Womenswear brand Rebecca Taylor has introduced a new circularity service in which customers can trade in lightly worn garments which can then be repaired, cleaned, and resold. The company's 'ReCollect' programme aims to repurpose… -
Thursday, 19 December 2019SCAP results marred by clothing consumption surge
BANBURY – New data published by WRAP’s Sustainable Clothing Action Plan 2020 (SCAP 2020) reflects on the progress its signatories have made to date, finding that whilst targets to reduce water and cut carbon emissions are on track, clothing… -
Tuesday, 17 December 2019Fashion Nova denies LA sweatshops claim
LOS ANGELES - Online fast fashion retailer Fashion Nova has denied claims that some of the workers who make its clothes are paid less than a quarter of the minimum wage to work in cockroach and rat-infested 'sweatshop' factories in Los Angeles. An… -
Tuesday, 17 December 2019Oxfam calls for Xmas fast fashion resistance
LONDON – Findings from a new survey conducted by charitable organisation Oxfam indicate that huge volumes of sequinned outfits and accessories will be worn once and discarded over the festive period. Of the 2,000 women surveyed, aged between 18 and… -
Monday, 16 December 2019Consumers confused by brands' mixed messages
BIRMINGHAM - Consumers wanting to shop ethically are struggling to choose between brands with some proudly flying the flag of sustainability while others seem happy for apparently excellent work to go under the radar. A host of recent consumer… -
Monday, 16 December 2019UK shoppers to spend £2.4bn on Xmas clothes
LONDON - People in Britain say they will spend £2.4 billion (US$3.2 billion) on new outfits for Christmas parties - but many of them will be worn only once, according to a new survey. Environmental charity Hubbub's poll of 3,008 UK adults found that… -
Monday, 16 December 2019ASOS pledges to New Plastics Economy
LONDON – Fashion brand ASOS has become a signatory of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, an initiative which vies to create a circular economy for plastics in circulation. The project’s focus is three-fold;… -
Friday, 13 December 2019Report reflects on ECAP’s project impacts
LONDON – The European Clothing Action Plan (ECAP) has published a report reflecting on the impacts of its various sustainable fashion projects trialled over the past four years. The Driving Circular Fashion and Textiles report details the successes… -
Friday, 13 December 2019Levi's named winner of Golden Halo Award
NEW YORK - Denim giant Levi Strauss & Co has been named one of the winners of the Engage for Good organisation's 2020 Golden Halo Awards. Kelly McGinnis, Levi's chief communications officer, will accept the award at the Engage for Good Conference in… -
Thursday, 12 December 2019
Shoppers want sustainability at the right price
LONDON – More than three-quarters of fashion customers want to shop more sustainably – but only 39 per cent would be willing to pay more for ethical brands, according to a new report. The survey of more than 2,000 people was carried out by… -
Tuesday, 10 December 2019NGO cautions Christmas jumper spending spree
LONDON – Environmental organisation Hubbub has called on British consumers to resist buying new Christmas jumpers, as it’s estimated 12 million are purchased each year despite having around 65 million stashed away from previous years. The NGO says… -
Tuesday, 10 December 2019Fashion brands assessed on transparency in Brazil
SAO PAULO - A total of 30 fashion brands and retailers in the Brazilian market have been ranked on how much information they disclose about their social and environmental policies. Only one brand - C&A - of those assessed scored more than 60 per… -
Tuesday, 10 December 2019Stand.earth rallies behind Fashion Charter communique
MADRID – Environmental NGO Stand.earth has lauded the major fashion brands which endorsed a communique yesterday calling for closer collaboration with governments around the world to combat climate change. The statement, issued at the ongoing COP25… -
Monday, 09 December 2019SBTi approves PVH climate change targets
NEW YORK - PVH Corp, one of the world’s largest apparel companies, has received approval of its absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). PVH, which owns brands including Calvin Klein,… -
Monday, 09 December 2019UNFCCC signatories call for government collaboration
MADRID – Major fashion brand signatories of the United Nations’ Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action (UNFCCC) have endorsed a communique which invites governments the world over to collaborate with industry in fast-tracking efforts to meet… -
Friday, 06 December 2019H&M to test clothing rental service in China
VASTERAS- Fashion retailer H&M has announced it is to test a subscription-based rental clothing service in China as part of its drive to find new circular business models. The test, which will run for three months, is a collaboration between H&M’s… -
Friday, 06 December 2019Ralph Lauren reveals renewable energy plans
NEW YORK - The Ralph Lauren Corporation has announced a commitment to use 100 per cent renewable energy in its offices, distribution centres and stores by the year 2025. It plans to achieve this target through a combination of virtual power purchase… -
Friday, 06 December 2019XR activists glue themselves to Zara windows
MADRID - Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists glued themselves to the glass store front of a Zara shop in a protest - against greenwashing and carbon emissions in the textile industry - timed to coincide with the United Nations COP25 global climate… -
Thursday, 05 December 2019House of Fraser urged to ban fur after horror video
LONDON – Fashion retailer House of Fraser has been criticised over its ongoing sale of garments containing fur after an an undercover investigation revealed "horrific" treatment of animals on Russian fur farms. Animal rights organisation PETA… -
Thursday, 05 December 2019VF Corp reveals plan to slash carbon emissions
DENVER – VF Corporation says that in line with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, it will cut its scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by more than half over the next decade and reduce the more challenging scope 3 gas emissions by one third… -
Wednesday, 04 December 2019Fashion Charter brands win BFC Award for Positive Change
LONDON - The signatories of the United Nations’ Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action have received the inaugural Award for Positive Change at the British Fashion Council’s 2019 Fashion Awards. The signatories include Adidas, American Eagle… -
Wednesday, 04 December 2019Reebok to launch plant-based running shoes
BOSTON - Sportswear brand Reeebok has announced plans to launch its first plant-based performance running shoes as part of its autumn 2020 collection. The Reeebok Forever Floatride Grow replaces oil-based plastics with materials made of castor bean… -
Tuesday, 03 December 2019Fashion for Good prepares for Asia expansion
AMSTERDAM – Global sustainability initiative Fashion for Good (FFG) has held an Innovation Day in South Asia ahead of the introduction of its regional innovation programme in January. At the event, ten textile technologies were presented with… -
Tuesday, 03 December 2019How 'sustainable' brands played Black Friday
Against a backdrop of hashtags like #takebackblackfriday, #buynothingday and #boycottblackfriday, popular sustainable fashion brands took their stance on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Some, pushing to break away from the consumption-centric… -
Tuesday, 03 December 2019SCMP becomes a fur-free fashion group
PARIS - All four brands owned by Chinese-owned French fashion company SMCP have now banned fur from their collections. Claudie Pierlot has decided to stop using fur from spring 2020, joining Sandro, Maje and De Fursac which were already fur-free.… -
Thursday, 28 November 2019IKEA signs up to UNFCCC initiative
MADRID – IKEA is to become the latest signatory to the United Nations’ Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action (UNFCCC) which aims to limit global warming to 1.5C. The Swedish retailer earlier this week announced plans to invest €200 million… -
Thursday, 28 November 2019'Sustainability' support for fashion start-ups
LONDON - Shared working space initiative The Trampery has launched a 'Sustainable Fashion Accelerator' to advise fashion start-ups on how to reduce the environmental impact of their fledgling businesses. The Trampery has launched the programme at… -
Thursday, 28 November 2019Second-hand fashion platform gets cash injection
VILNIUS – Vinted, said to be Europe’s largest consumer-to-consumer (C2C) marketplace for second-hand fashion, has raised €128 million in an equity funding round which it will use to expand both its team and remit across the continent. The… -
Wednesday, 27 November 2019IKEA spends €200m to be climate positive by 2030
MADRID - Swedish retailer IKEA has announced plans to invest €200 million (US$220 million) on speeding up its transformation into becoming a carbon positive business. The company made the announcement ahead of its participation at COP25 in Madrid,… -
Tuesday, 26 November 2019The RealReal accused of failing to spot fakes
SAN FRANCISCO - Circular economy retailer The RealReal - which bills itself as "the leader in authenticated luxury consignment" - has been accused of failing to spot fake and counterfeit goods. An investigation by the US TV business channel CNBC… -
Tuesday, 26 November 2019Australian Fashion Council joins UNFCCC
MELBOURNE – The Australian Fashion Council (AFC) has become the latest signatory to the United Nations’ Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action (UNFCCC) as it looks to inspire companies, communities and governments to raise their climate… -
Tuesday, 26 November 2019Oxfam names brands which exploit factory workers
MELBOURNE – Oxfam Australia has released a report listing the fashion brands which the charity says have failed to ensure workers in their global supply chains are paid a living wage. Companies named and shamed in the charity's Naughty or Nice… -
Monday, 25 November 2019Campaigners call for boycott of Black Friday
LONDON - Retailers and consumers are being urged by campaigners for greater sustainability in the fashion industry to take a stand against over consumption by boycotting Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The Fashion Revolution movement is behind one of… -
Monday, 25 November 2019Swedish outdoor brand steps into rental
NACKA – Swedish outdoor apparel brand Isbjörn will launch a new rental service on Black Friday (29th). Isbjörn creates outerwear, for children to the age of 16, with longevity at the forefront of design. The latest step in its Green Promise sees the… -
Friday, 22 November 2019Protests spark House of Fraser fur U-turn
LONDON – Fashion firm House of Fraser has once again stopped the sale of products which integrate real fur after a torrent of protests lambasted its reintroduction into the high-street retailer’s stores. #FurFreeBritain campaigners were up in arms… -
Friday, 22 November 2019The RealReal commits to going carbon neutral by 2021
SAN FRANCISCO - Circular economy retailer The RealReal has responded to Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri's 'CEO Carbon Neutral Challenge' by pledging to become carbon neutral by 2021. The company has brought in third party sustainability consultants Shift…
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