Fashion & Retail News
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Tuesday, 17 September 2019Uniqlo unveils new recycling strategies
LONDON – At Uniqlo’s third annual LifeWear Day exhibition in London yesterday, the Japanese fashion firm announced two new initiatives in collaboration with long-standing partner Toray that will look to recycle and re-use both down and PET plastic.… -
Monday, 16 September 2019New Nike facility is powered by renewable energy
HAM - Nike has opened a new distribution centre powered entirely by renewable energy as part of its ambition to reduce its carbon footprint to zero. The company says the 1.5 million square feet centre, called the Court, in the Belgian town of Ham,… -
Friday, 13 September 2019Zalando to trial use of reusable packaging for orders
BERLIN - Online retailer Zalando is launching a four-week pilot project to test reusable packaging for the delivery of customer orders. Orders will be shipped in reusable shipping bags to 10,000 customers in Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark.… -
Thursday, 12 September 2019Activists urged to spam Uniqlo over jobless factory workers
MILAN - An NGO is urging activists to spam fashion brand Uniqlo with social media messages - urging the company to pay severance money to garment workers who lost their jobs in Indonesia - on the day it opens a key new store in Milan. The Labour… -
Thursday, 12 September 2019Gucci claims carbon neutral status for entire supply chain
FLORENCE - Gucci has announced plans to make its own operations and its entire supply chain carbon neutral by offsetting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through supporting forest conservation projects. The Italian fashion brand, which is owned by… -
Wednesday, 11 September 2019Consumers say sustainable fast fashion is down to brands
LONDON - Consumers in the UK are concerned about making fast fashion more sustainable - but think the responsibility rests with brands rather than changing their own behaviour, according to a new survey. Streetbees, the global intelligence platform,… -
Tuesday, 10 September 2019Kathmandu a certified B Corporation
CHRISTCHURCH – Outdoor apparel brand Kathmandu has been certified a B Corporation, an achievement through which it becomes Australasia’s largest company recognised for its commitment to both its environmental and social performance, public… -
Tuesday, 10 September 2019Timberland to plant 50 million trees by 2025
STRATHAM – VF Corporation brand Timberland has announced its ambition to plant 50 million trees around the world by 2025, as it looks to offset the effects of climate change the world over and inspire others to take similar restorative action. The… -
Tuesday, 10 September 2019Fashion for Good selects new group of innovators
AMSTERDAM – A new batch of 12 innovators in sustainable fashion has been selected to join the Fashion for Good - Plug and Play Accelerator Programme. They will participate in a robust curriculum over the next 12 weeks, including mentoring and… -
Monday, 09 September 2019New platform helps brands find ethical suppliers
NEW YORK - A new platform has been launched to help fashion brands ensure the manufacturers in their global supply chains work in an ethical and sustainable way. The THR3EFOLD Ethical Manufacturing Platform was launched in beta after nine months of… -
Friday, 06 September 2019Asda trials Re-Loved second-hand concept
LEEDS – British supermarket retailer Asda is this month trialling a second-hand clothing pop-up shop in its Milton Keynes store in the UK to raise awareness of the mounting levels of overconsumption across the fashion industry and to encourage… -
Friday, 06 September 2019Kohl's aims for 100% 'sustainable' cotton by 2025
WISCONSIN - US retail department store chain Kohl’s has announced plans to achieve 100% sustainably-sourced cotton in its proprietary brands by 2025. The company, the world's third largest department store chain, is also aiming to ensure that 50 per… -
Friday, 06 September 2019Brands make progress on meeting UN charter targets
HONG KONG - Leading brands are making progress to meeting the targets of the UN's Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, which aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, but still have a long way to go, according to a new report. The report,… -
Thursday, 05 September 2019H&M bids to make online shopping more sustainable
STOCKHOLM - The H&M Group has teamed up with Finnish packing firm RePack to make its online shopping experience more sustainable. By using RePack's reusable delivery pouches, the retail giant says it will be able to use the same packaging over and… -
Thursday, 05 September 2019Brands probe illegal underpaying of migrant garment workers
MAE SOT - Global brands Starbucks and Bauer Hockey are investigating claims that their garment suppliers in Thailand are illegally underpaying migrant workers from neighbouring Myanmar. An investigation by the Thomson Reuters Foundation found… -
Thursday, 05 September 2019Consumers unaware of fashion’s environmental cost
OXFORD – A new study from charitable organisation Oxfam has found that more than half of a sample of 1,000 adults in Britain aren’t aware of the environmental effects of fast fashion. Oxfam – which last week launched its Second-hand September… -
Thursday, 05 September 2019Survey finds three quarters of consumers prefer ‘sustainable’ brands
SAN FRANCISCO – A survey conducted by product decision engine MakerSights has found that 73 per cent of American consumers prefer to purchase from environmentally friendly brands. The survey – made up of 1,457 respondents – also revealed that the… -
Wednesday, 04 September 2019
Fashion brands undermine work to end exploitation
BATH - Leading fashion brands are undermining efforts to end worker exploitation in their own global supply chains by continuing to demand fast fashion at cheap prices, according to a new study. Major global brands and retail chains, such as Adidas,… -
Wednesday, 04 September 2019Good Fashion Fund launched
AMSTERDAM – A new funding platform initiated by Fashion for Good (FFG) has launched today that will focus on mobilising budding innovations within the textiles industry by providing the crucial capital needed to scale up such solutions. Set to… -
Tuesday, 03 September 2019Clothing retailers continue squeeze on low-cost suppliers
NEWARK – In a new report released today, the Better Buying initiative finds that despite long-standing relationships between apparel retailers and manufacturers across South-East Asia and Bangladesh, suppliers continue to be squeezed by cost… -
Tuesday, 03 September 2019H&M Group re-markets damaged garments
STOCKHOLM – The H&M Group has partnered with The Renewal Workshop to debut a new test collection made from unsold clothes that have been repaired and brought back to market through its COS (Collection of Style) branded stores. H&M says this ‘first… -
Monday, 02 September 2019Oxfam launches Second-hand September campaign
OXFORD – Charitable confederation Oxfam has launched Second-hand September, a campaign encouraging consumers to not purchase new clothing over the next month, instead re-using old clothing and buying upcycled garments. It wants people to take a 30… -
Monday, 02 September 2019G7 Pact should encompass social issues, CCC suggests
AMSTERDAM – Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) has reacted to the news of more than 30 fashion brands committing to a Fashion Pact at the recent G7 Summit, noting that whilst it welcomes the intentions of the pledge, it could have been used as a real… -
Thursday, 29 August 2019Converse adopts upcycled denim in new collection
BOSTON – Footwear brand Converse has partnered with UK-based second-hand retailer Beyond Retro to develop its new Converse Renew Denim collection, which upcycles jeans – otherwise at their end-of-life – into the fabric upper of Converse shoes.… -
Wednesday, 28 August 2019
PVH chief appointed to UN Global Compact Board
NEW YORK – PVH Chairman and CEO Emanuel 'Manny' Chirico has been appointed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to the United Nations Global Compact Board. The UN Global Compact’s mission is to mobilise a global movement of companies and… -
Wednesday, 28 August 2019Plant and algae t-shirt biodegrades in 12 weeks
LONDON – Clothing tech company Vollebak has created a t-shirt made from pulped wood and algae which it claims is completely biodegradable inside 12 weeks. The company's Plant and Algae t-shirt is made from algae grown in bioreactors and pulped… -
Wednesday, 28 August 2019Primark to train 160,000 cotton farmers in natural methods
LONDON – Primark has announced plans to train 160,000 cotton farmers in China, India and Pakistan in more environmentally-friendly production methods by the end of 2022. The project represents a five-fold expansion of its Sustainable Cotton… -
Tuesday, 27 August 2019Fashion brands commit to sustainability in India
MUMBAI – A new project has been launched by 16 leading brands to reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry in India. Project SU.RE (Sustainable Resolution) was launched at the Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai by Indian Textiles Minister… -
Tuesday, 27 August 2019‘Sustainable’ homeware retailer receives US$100M investment
NEW JERSEY – Retailer of ‘sustainable’ home goods Boll & Branch has received a US$100 million investment from private equity firm L Catterton’s flagship buyout fund, with the aim of accelerating expansion of the company’s retail and wholesale… -
Tuesday, 27 August 2019Puma announces circular economy project in India
INDIA - Sportswear giant Puma has teamed up with Indian NGO Goonj in a new circular economy initiative in which consumers are encouraged to return their old apparel and footwear in return for discount vouchers on new goods. Collection boxes have… -
Friday, 23 August 2019Environmental ‘Fashion Pact’ launches ahead of G7
BIARRITZ – More than 30 of the world’s biggest fashion and textile companies have signed up to a Fashion Pact, ahead of this weekend’s G7 Summit in a bid to achieve new practical objectives in the key areas of climate, biodiversity and oceans.… -
Thursday, 22 August 2019ThredUp receives US$175M in funding
SAN FRANCISCO – Online second-hand clothing retailer ThredUp has received US$175 million in new funding from Park West Asset Management and Irving Investors, with existing investors Goldman Sachs Investment Partners, Upfront Ventures, Highland… -
Thursday, 22 August 2019Levi’s new global strategy focuses on water-stressed areas
SAN FRANCISCO – Levi Strauss has announced a new global strategy to reduce the amount of water used in denim production by 50 per cent at its suppliers located in regions most affected by shortages of clean and safe water by 2025. It aims to replace… -
Wednesday, 21 August 2019Abercrombie joins UN Global Compact, reveals 2025 targets
NEW ALBANY – Apparel retailer Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) has announced new sustainability targets through to 2025 and has concurrently announced itself as the latest signatory of the United Nations Global Compact; an initiative through which it will… -
Wednesday, 21 August 2019Survey finds animal welfare influences buyers
SYDNEY – A survey conducted by YouGov has found that one in three Australians prefer fashion brands which prioritise animal welfare. Commissioned by animal charity Four Paws, the research revealed that 75 per cent of respondents are concerned about… -
Tuesday, 20 August 2019Rock band recycles t-shirts to cut waste
MANCHESTER – UK pop rock band The 1975 is doing its bit to address the disposable nature of music fashion by printing new logos on old t-shirts in a bid to cut down on overproduction and to divert textiles from landfill. The re-branded promotional… -
Tuesday, 20 August 2019Gap to go 100 per cent renewable by 2030
SAN FRANCISCO – Apparel retailer Gap Inc., has signed a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) for the Aurora Wind Project with Enel Green Power North America, representing what is said to be one of the largest offsite renewable energy contracts by… -
Monday, 19 August 2019Banana Republic swings into apparel rental
SAN FRANCISCO – US clothing retailer Banana Republic is set to launch ‘Style Passport’, an online women’s apparel subscription service, which gives customers the option to rent three different branded items for a monthly fee of US$85. Launching… -
Friday, 16 August 2019Levi’s and Wrangler suppliers 'sexually harassed employees'
LESOTHO – Female workers at garment factories producing jeans for American brands such Levi Strauss and Wrangler have been forced into having sex with managers to keep their jobs or gain promotion, according to a two-year investigation by the… -
Friday, 16 August 2019J.C. Penney partners with ThredUp
PLANO – American department store chain J.C. Penney (JCP) is set to offer second-hand clothing at 30 of its stores, after partnering with online used clothing retailer ThredUp. The stores will sell women’s clothing and handbags, with JCP saying that… -
Tuesday, 13 August 2019Canadian retailer avoids Rana Plaza lawsuit
OTTAWA – Canadian supermarket chain Loblaws has avoided being sued by a group of Bangladeshi Rana Plaza victims and their relatives, after the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear their case. The key issue the lawsuit faced was whether a Canadian… -
Friday, 09 August 2019VF Foundation funds student sustainability work
GREENSBORO – The VF Foundation has awarded UNC Greensboro’s Bryan School of Business and Economics US$100,000 to create a new Virtual Collaboratory – defined a research venture not confined to one location – that will be used to educate students on… -
Tuesday, 06 August 2019Fashion tax ‘stupid’, says Katharine Hamnett
LONDON – Fashion designer and environmental activist Katharine Hamnett has branded the Environmental Audit Committee’s recommendation to impose a penny-per-garment tax on fashion firms as ‘stupid’, insisting these companies will find a loophole in… -
Tuesday, 06 August 2019BCI welcomes first Chinese sportswear brand
GENEVA – Chinese sportswear brand Anta Sports Products Ltd., has become a member of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI); and is the first from the country’s growing sportswear sector to commit. The company, based in Xiamen, says this decision has… -
Monday, 05 August 2019VF sales hike triggers FutureLight investment
DENVER – Global apparel behemoth VF Corporation says it will invest an additional US$20 million into The North Face brand’s soon-to-be-launched PFC-free FutureLight waterproof membrane after reporting better than expected results in its first… -
Friday, 02 August 2019XR activists front new Stella McCartney range
LONDON – Members of the socio-political movement Extinction Rebellion (XR) are at the forefront of Stella McCartney’s new ‘sustainable’ collection, having been street cast at its International Rebellion in April. XR activists Deya Ward, Ruby Munslow… -
Friday, 02 August 2019Burberry introduces Econyl nylon collection
LONDON – British fashion brand Burberry has announced the launch of a collection made with Econyl; a ‘sustainable’ nylon yarn made from regenerated fishing nets, fabric scraps and industrial plastic. This marks the latest brand to incorporate the… -
Thursday, 01 August 2019Retailers predict three years until ‘true sustainability’
LONDON – A study conducted by the organisers of retail industry events Pure London and the Spring & Autumn Fair have found that of 1,896 national and independent retailers, 73 per cent said they had increased reuse and recycling efforts in a bid to… -
Thursday, 01 August 2019Candiani partners for ‘sustainable’ denim collection
HAMBURG – German apparel brand Closed has partnered with denim manufacturer Candiani to launch its new ‘A Better Blue’ jeans collection that integrates 50 per cent Tencel x Refibra Lyocell fibres and 50 per cent post-industrial recycled Candiani… -
Wednesday, 31 July 2019EAC chair: “Government is not listening”
LONDON – Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) Mary Creagh MP has hit out at the UK Government following the rejection of proposals in its report, saying: “the Government isn’t listening and appears increasingly out of step with the…
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