Fashion & Retail News
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Friday, 14 August 2020UK government aligns industry in supply chain support
LONDON – The UK government has today launched a new initiative in collaboration with high-street retailers including Marks & Spencer, Primark and Tesco, through which capital will be made available to those in clothing and food supply chains across… -
Friday, 14 August 2020Salvatore Ferragamo obtains sustainable SI Rating
FLORENCE - Italian brand Salvatore Ferragamo has become the first fashion company to receive the expansive SI Rating Silver certification for its progress towards sustainability. The SI Rating, created by Italian start-up ARBalzan, claims to be the… -
Thursday, 13 August 2020Ralph Lauren invests in fibre recycling startup
NEW YORK – The Ralph Lauren Corporation has announced a minority investment in sustainable startup Natural Fiber Welding (NFW) which aims to recycle natural fibres – such as cotton waste – into high-performance new materials. As a part of the… -
Thursday, 13 August 2020Selfridges latest to launch rental collection
LONDON – Fashion retailer Selfridges has partnered with clothing rental platform Hurr Collective to launch its own retail service which will host more than 100 items from more than 40 brands. Available to take away for 4, 8, 10 or 20 days, shoppers… -
Wednesday, 12 August 2020Future Fashion Now design contest launched
LONDON - Future Fashion Now - a global, sustainable design competition to rethink how the fashion industry works - has been launched by the WeDesign agency in collaboration with the United Nations (UN) and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The… -
Tuesday, 11 August 2020Nike releases sustainable takes on classic trainers
BEAVERTON - Sportswear brand Nike has released more sustainable versions of some of its most popular trainers featuring at least 20 per cent recycled materials. The Nike Sportswear Recycled Canvas pack includes new takes on shoes including the Nike… -
Tuesday, 11 August 2020Levi’s, Ganni launch upcycled fashion rental service
SAN FRANCISCO – Apparel brands Levi’s and Ganni have teamed up to launch a new rental service for an upcycled capsule collection of Levi’s vintage denim pieces. Called ‘Love Letter’, the collaboration focuses solely on three items: a button-down… -
Monday, 10 August 2020Consumers want sustainability post lockdown
LONDON - Half of all UK consumers think the fashion industry should do whatever it takes to become more environmentally sustainable after COVID-19 and just 19 per cent want it to go back to normal, according to a recent survey carried out for the… -
Friday, 07 August 2020John Lewis rolls out Better Jobs scheme
LONDON - Department store chain John Lewis is rolling out a new progressive supplier engagement programme, called Better Jobs, to all of its 120 UK manufacturing suppliers following a successful trial. The Better Jobs programme, which replaces… -
Friday, 07 August 2020Outland Denim opens up factories to other brands
TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN - Sustainable brand Outland Denim has revealed plans to open up its Cambodian manufacturing facilities to other brands in its first sustainability report. The Australian company also aims to establish an in-house standard for… -
Friday, 07 August 2020ASOS gatekeeps with brand transparency expectations
LONDON – Fast fashion e-commerce retailer ASOS has announced four commitments which partnering brands who source from within the UK will have to meet if they’re to continue to leverage the ASOS platform. Brands must drastically improve supply chain… -
Thursday, 06 August 2020Bestseller secures organic cotton direct from farms
RANDE - Danish fashion brand Bestseller has signed agreements with two groups in India – representing about 2,000 organic cotton farmers – to secure a transparent and direct supply for the 2020/2021 season. The company, which last year joined the… -
Wednesday, 05 August 2020Fast food chain launches sustainable clothing
NEWPORT BEACH - The Chipotle fast food chain is launching a sustainable clothing line made with organic cotton dyed with upcycled avocado pits from its restaurants. The company already claims to be one of the US's largest buyers of Global Organic… -
Wednesday, 05 August 2020Boohoo supplier review in call for evidence
MANCHESTER - A leading barrister carrying out an independent review for fast fashion retailer Boohoo into pay and conditions at its supply factories has issued a public call for evidence. Alison Levitt QC, who specialises in business crime, is… -
Tuesday, 04 August 2020Primark in new COVID-19 pledge to suppliers
DUBLIN - Fast fashion retailer Primark has agreed to pay its suppliers in full for all outstanding finished garments and to utilise or pay for any finished fabric liabilities. The company previously agreed to pay for orders that were in production,… -
Monday, 03 August 2020Lost Stock partnerships support circular economy
EDINBURGH – Lost Stock, the UK-based initiative which was launched in May to support garment workers impacted by Covid-19 in Bangladesh and other underdeveloped countries, has announced new national charity and clothes swap partnerships in a bid to… -
Monday, 03 August 2020Zalando: "We can influence our industry to do more"
In an exclusive Q&A with Ecotextile News (ETN), Kate Heiny (KH), director, sustainability, at Zalando SE reveals why the Berlin-based ecommerce giant wants its partners to align with its own environmental and social objectives – before they can sell… -
Friday, 31 July 2020Nike outlines net zero ambition with new initiative
WASHINGTON – Sportswear brand Nike is joined by the likes of Microsoft, Starbucks and Mercedes-Benz as a founding member of a new initiative that’s set out to accelerate to transition to a net zero global economy. Called the Transform to Net Zero… -
Friday, 31 July 2020
Boohoo to “act decisively” on investigation findings
MANCHESTER – Fast fashion retailer Boohoo has vowed to “act decisively” when the results of its third-party supply chain investigation are published, having had its reputation tarnished by links to unscrupulous supplier factories in Leicester that… -
Friday, 31 July 2020Textile suppliers count cost of ongoing price pressures
ARLINGTON – High-pressure cost negotiations by apparel buyers have the greatest impact on textile suppliers’ business profitability, which then overflows onto workers and the environment, putting all forms of sustainability at risk, says a new… -
Thursday, 30 July 2020Ralph Lauren urged to ban alpaca wool, exotic skins
NEW YORK – Animal rights organisation PETA has urged luxury fashion brand Ralph Lauren to ban both exotic skins and alpaca fleece from its clothing, ahead of its virtual annual meeting today. Ralph Lauren has banned fur, angora wool and mohair in… -
Wednesday, 29 July 2020BFC opens new round of COVID relief funding
LONDON – The British Fashion Council has opened a second round of funding through its BFC Foundation Fashion Fund, affording native businesses struggling amidst the coronavirus pandemic the opportunity to earn a portion of the £500,000 it’s raised.… -
Wednesday, 29 July 2020Primark launches nationwide recycling scheme in UK
LONDON – Fast fashion retailer Primark has launched a new nationwide recycling scheme in the UK, which will allow shoppers to return unwanted apparel regardless of the brand or outlet it was bought from. Research by the Waste and Resources Action… -
Tuesday, 28 July 2020
Boohoo to manufacture via new “model factory”
LEICESTER – Fast fashion brand Boohoo has confirmed that it will begin producing its own clothes at a “model factory” it’s purchased in Leicester in the coming months, as the brand looks to take control of its stock and distance itself from… -
Tuesday, 28 July 2020Vaude introduces product ‘repair index’
TETTNANG – Outdoor apparel brand Vaude says it's systematically ‘embedding reparability’ into its product development so that textiles, clothing and other goods can be fixed by consumers much more easily. To make this happen, the German brand, which… -
Tuesday, 28 July 2020Report: Crystal Group turns to Industry 4.0 solutions
HONG KONG – Crystal International Group has published its 2019 Sustainability Report, which reflects not just on the year gone by but on half a century of progress both on the social and environmental sustainability front, as the firm celebrates its… -
Tuesday, 28 July 2020Prana launches its “most sustainable” fabric yet
CARLSBAD – Premium apparel brand Prana has developed what it’s describing as the firm’s “most advanced, sustainable fabric to date”, called ReZion. A spin on the company’s existing Zion line, ReZion is a bluesign-approved stretch performance fabric… -
Monday, 27 July 2020Boyish Jeans adopts Retraced transparency plug-in
LOS ANGELES – US denim brand Boyish Jeans has partnered with blockchain transparency platform Retraced to map the production of its apparel. Now, customers can gain assurance of Boyish’s sustainability credentials by clicking on products via the… -
Monday, 27 July 2020Australian fashion platform champions sustainability
SYDNEY – Australian retailer David Jones has launched a new platform which champions brands that adhere to its social and environmental sustainability criteria. The Mindfully Made initiative will only enlist companies which comply with one or more… -
Friday, 24 July 2020Brands distance themselves from Xinjiang cotton
LONDON - Brands and retailers have been distancing themselves from cotton grown in the Xinjiang region of China amidst growing concern over the use of forced labour by Uyghur Muslim prisoners. The End Uyghur Forced Labour coalition of nearly 200… -
Thursday, 23 July 2020Summer Podcast Tips
WAKEFIELD – Have you been unable to find time to listen to the Big Closets Small Planet podcast series that we’ve been working on with Michael Schragger from the Sustainable Fashion Academy? If not, no worries, because the summer break (for those of… -
Thursday, 23 July 2020Brands urged to exit Xinjiang over forced labour
LONDON - A new coalition of more than 190 organisations from 36 countries is urging brands and retailers to cut all ties with suppliers implicated in forced labour involving Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region of China within 12 months. The End… -
Wednesday, 22 July 2020Consumers 'want sustainability' post COVID-19
NEW YORK - European consumers want fashion players to act responsibly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and consider their social and environmental impacts, according to a new survey carried out by management consultants McKinsey and Company. The… -
Tuesday, 21 July 2020Nordstrom publishes 2025 sustainability goals
SEATTLE - US department store chain Nordstrom has published its 2025 Corporate Social Responsibility goals in which it oulines its plans to become more sustainable, drive positive labour practices and support the communities it serves. Nordstrom… -
Monday, 20 July 2020UK government urged to address factory exploitation
LONDON – A letter from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) addressed to the UK’s Secretary of the State for the Home Department Priti Patel calls for government action in tackling worker exploitation claims. Backed by fashion brands and retailers… -
Friday, 17 July 2020Sustainable brand 'fails sustainability test'
SAN FRANCISCO - Footwear brand Allbirds, which prides itself on its sustainability, has failed the sustainability test of the Eco-Stylist online marketplace for ethically-made men’s clothing. Eco-Stylist notes Allbirds is a B Corporation which was… -
Friday, 17 July 2020Patagonia and Surfdome trial removal of polybags
VENTURA - US outdoor apparel brand Patagonia has linked up with online sports specialist Surfdome to trial the removal of plastic polybags from clothes orders. The two companies recently completed a three month trial, called Plastic Cutback, to… -
Friday, 17 July 2020Gap agrees to pay for cancelled orders
SAN FRANCISCO - Fashion brand Gap Inc has become the latest to commit to paying its suppliers in full for orders it cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic that were already completed or in production. "Gap Inc will work collaboratively with… -
Thursday, 16 July 2020
ETI pours cold water on Boohoo claims
LEICESTER - The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) has contacted the UK government's Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) to distance itself from Boohoo claims that it was "taking steps to gain membership". Boohoo, which has been at the centre of the… -
Wednesday, 15 July 2020Amazon and Aquafil join Ellen MacArthur Foundation
COWES - The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has announced that online retail giant Amazon and sustainable textile producer Aquafil have joined its circular economy network. Swiss technology company ABB has also joined the network of companies which have… -
Wednesday, 15 July 2020London Fashion Week to go ahead in September
LONDON - The British Fashion Council (BFC) has announced that London Fashion Week will go ahead this September in a revised format that will include both physical and digital shows. The event will be held from 17-22 September and will feature… -
Wednesday, 15 July 2020Levi’s appoints C&A’s Jeffrey Hogue to chief sustainability role
SAN FRANCISCO – US apparel brand Levi Strauss has appointed Jeffrey Hogue as its new chief sustainability officer, who joins having served in the same role at C&A for over six years. “I am thrilled to be joining a company with such a rich history as… -
Tuesday, 14 July 2020
Boohoo urged to engage with trade unions
ENGLAND – A trade union leader in the UK says “it comes as no surprise” that fast fashion retailer Boohoo is at the centre of controversy surrounding supply chain factory conditions, having rejected its attempts to collaborate and address worker… -
Monday, 13 July 2020Second brand dragged into Leicester claims
LEICESTER - Fashion brand Quiz has suspended all activity with one of its suppliers in Leicester following allegations that garment workers were being paid just £3 an hour to make its clothes. It follows a series of allegations about garment… -
Friday, 10 July 2020Tessuto links up with Parley for the Oceans
NEW YORK - Textile producer Clerici Tessuto has joins forces with environmental group Parley for the Oceans to produce luxury fabrics using recycled polyester yarn made from marine plastic. The agreement aims to combine high-end fabric production… -
Thursday, 09 July 2020PVH aims to help shape 'new normal'
NEW YORK - PVH Corp, which owns brands including Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, outlined its ambition to help shape the 'new normal' post-pandemic as it published its annual Corporate Responsibility (CR) report. The company's 2019 report, the… -
Wednesday, 08 July 2020
Levi’s the latest to #PayUp
SAN FRANCISCO – Levi’s is the latest apparel brand to agree to pay its suppliers for goods they produced amidst the pandemic, joining the likes of H&M, Adidas, Inditex and many more who’ve promised to support those in their supply chains. Since the… -
Wednesday, 08 July 2020Boohoo appoints QC to investigate UK factories
MANCHESTER - Embattled British fast fashion brand Boohoo has appointed a leading barrister who specialises in business crime to head an independent investigation into pay and conditions at its supply factories in Leicester. Alison Levitt QC will… -
Wednesday, 08 July 2020Fast Retailing among Make Fashion Circular inductees
NEW YORK – The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Make Fashion Circular initiative has welcomed six new recruits: Fast Retailing, Guess, Lee, Nordstrom, Wrangler and Vestiaire Collective. The initiative was launched back in 2017 and has set out to… -
Tuesday, 07 July 2020Boohoo dropped by Next, Asos and Zalando
LEICESTER - Fast fashion brand Boohoo has been dropped by major retailers Asos, Next and Zalando over concerns for the pay and conditions of garment workers in its UK supply chain factories. The company this week had more than £1.5 billion wiped off…
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