With sustainability coming up in many forms this year, fashion’s names – both big and small – are reaching out to the planet with their eco-friendly and ethical clothing. Curated with love and concern for the depleting environment, take a look at what fashion brands are bringing for your wardrobe this World Environment Day.
UNIQLO
UNIQLO’s sustainable Jeans innovation center developed an original washing method that incorporates new technologies into high performance washing machines which, in principle, do not consume water. Following two years of research and development, the facility succeeded in reducing water use in the jeans washing process by as much as 99%* and more than 90% on average. Masaaki Matsubara, Chief Operating Officer confirmed that from 2020, all jeans by Fast Retailing brands will be produced using the new process, a production scale that will ensure sustainable denim is easy for every Fast Retailing customer to access, at prices that are within the normal range for each brand.
RITU KUMAR
This summer, Ritu Kumar presents sarees crafted with fabric derived from Soya in stylish laid-out prints and fresh colors. Environmentally friendly and close to nature, the sarees reflect modern minimalism interlaced with bohemian culture. Managing Director of Ritu Kumar, Amrish Kumar says, “Sustainability is woven into the DNA of Ritu Kumar and has always been at the forefront of everything the brand undertakes. We have endeavoured to continuously expand the horizons for innovative and sustainable solutions be it techniques or fabrics.” This collection is more than just the product itself, it is also about the sustainability of livelihood and crafts with which Ritu Kumar has always been closely connected.
LITTLEENS
When it comes to making sustainable additions to your child’s wardrobe, Littleens offers the perfect solution. A children’s fashion brand that’s deeply rooted in sustainability, Littleens is where one can find all kinds of contemporary clothing crafted from natural fibres such as orange peel, rose, aloevera and more. Designed to be lived in, its timeless outfits range from smart jackets and tops to chic trousers and skirts.
BIRKENSTOCK
BIRKENSTOCK brings together design and comfort with their vegan collection as an ode to World Environment Day, to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Choosing vegan fashion makes sense for animal welfare and environmental reasons. With BIRKENSTOCK, the vegan footwear is curated using skin-friendly materials that boast fine textures and colours, so much so that it can be mistaken for real leather. Their collection is entirely free of animal products, as verified by independent testing laboratories.
ASICS
Sport and exercise fans wanting to keep their activity levels high, but their environmental impact low need look no further than a new collection of environmentally sustainable footwear and apparel launched by ASICS on 16th April 2021 for Earth day. The new Earth Day Pack is the ASICS brand’s most planet-friendly cross-category collection to date having been created using a circular manufacturing approach that saw around 5 tons of textile waste, the equivalent of 25,000 t-shirts, recycled into new shoes. The sock lining of the shoes are developed using a resource-saving technology called solution dyeing that reduces CO2 emissions by around 45% and cuts water use by around 33% compared to conventional dyeing processes.
Emporio Armani
Giorgio Armani, ever attentive to the issue of environmental responsibility, continues to pursue the brand’s responsible approach with Emporio Armani Eyewear, presenting in 2021 a selection of eyewear made in eco-friendly materials. The focus on sustainability takes shape through a series of coordinated responsible actions: from product design and construction to the use of recycled materials, and continued communications aligned to initiatives planned throughout the upcoming year. The ADV campaign, shot in Milan, attained EMA Gold Seal Green certification from the Environment Media Association. The collection’s display materials and connected packaging are equally designed with minimal impact in mind. In fact, they are produced with 100% recyclable FSC paper and cardboard. The glasses will be completed with lenses made from partially bio-based materials or pure crystal. The product packaging has also been addressed and is made from materials such as recycled polyester. No part of the process has been left untouched.
United Colors of Benetton
The Benetton Group this April launched GREEN B, a project that brings together all the sustainability initiatives of the company’s brands. From the idea and manufacture of a product to the supply chain, from energy efficiency to attention to the needs of communities, this well-rounded vision formalises the commitment to the environment and people that constitute one of the company’s constant values. Social responsibility is intrinsic to the Benetton Group and has always been expressed through a way of “doing business” that is based on principles of respect for the environment and people – at all levels – and on communication campaigns defending human rights. Over the coming years, the Group will distribute more sustainable products, create a supply chain that is ever more respectful of the environment and workers’ rights, and increase the efficiency of its headquarters and stores in terms of energy use and waste management, following the example set by the new shop inaugurated in Florence at the beginning of March.
Ralph Lauren
At Ralph Lauren, they recognize their products have an impact on the environment and that they have a responsibility to minimize their footprint by making sustainability a core part of how they do business. As a reimagination of the classic Polo Shirt, the Earth Polo is crafted from thread derived entirely from recycled plastic bottles and dyed in an innovative process that uses zero water. Each Earth Polo is made from an average of 12 plastic bottles and marks the start of their commitment to diverting 170 million plastic bottles from landfills and oceans by 2025 – bottles that will be converted into high-quality thread. With high quality craftsmanship and a soft touch feel, The Earth Polo is available in colors of the Earth.
Coco Leni
Founded by Arjun Sagar, Coco Leni uses eco-friendly materials like wood, buffalo horn, bamboo and cellulose acetate over plastic, to create bespoke frames using simple, sustainable machines. The pinned hinges and German craftsmanship techniques promise contemporary, durable designs, while the effective virtual measurement system takes 20 different measurements to create quality eyewear on demand, all without creating a negative impact on the environment.
Numero Uno
Numero Uno, one of India’s first indigenously manufactured denim labels forayed into sustainability with the launch of ‘One glass water denims’ collection. Traditionally a pair of jeans requires 70 liters of water to complete the washing and finishing process but at Numero Uno through its new sustainable process and improvised technology, they have managed to reduce the water & chemical consumption drastically by using ‘1 glass of water to create 1 pair of jeans’. Further they have employed G2 / Ozone process, ECO wash / Nano bubble tech in order to reduce the consumption of water, & of harmful chemicals. The laundry has ETP plant as well as zero discharge technology. The brand is further consciously switching to using more and more blended fabrics (instead of 100% cotton), using fabrics made from recycled & post-consumer waste yarns, & Tencel & hemp blends etc as a step towards conserving the environment.
Greensole
Greensole, a Peta-approved vegan shoe brand in India aims to contribute to the betterment of social and environmental aspects by manufacturing sustainable vegan shoes to consumers. This first-of-its-kind eco-friendly footwear brand also upcycles discarded shoes into comfortable footwear to underprivileged kids along with building a self-sustainable social venture. Each pair is handcrafted to perfection using sustainable material. All the footwear uppers are made from rewashed canvas, dye print, and comfortable and breathable padding.
House of Badnore
House of Badnore has brought out a collection of eco-friendly, weather resistant Aravalli Rugs that are woven with jute and recycled PET bottles and printed with vintage inspired patterns. In a conscious drive to nurture nature, we would be partnering with various organisations that are initiating the planting of trees and donate part proceeds towards the same under our ‘Buy one breathe more’ initiative’. Archana Kumari Singh, Founder, House of Badnore adds, “The last many months of the pandemic have highlighted the acute fragility of human lives that can snap despite the availability of advanced medical assistance. Breath, the vital life force, is the prana and is all we need to live. In pursuit of so much else, we forget that we breathe not because of man-made devices but because nature allows us to do so. We live only because nature lives.”
American Eagle
As part of American Eagle’s broader sustainability goals, the brand has introduced ‘Real Good’ products. With an aim to be carbon neutral by 2030, the brand is making a commitment to move towards more sustainable raw materials and reducing water and energy usage. Customers can now identify the sustainable items in the collection with the ‘Real Good’ badge. Real Good styles include materials that have been sustainably produced and/or sourced, such as recycled polyester and nylon, as well as cotton that’s recycled, organic, and/or sustainably sourced through the Better Cotton Initiative. So far, American Eagle has managed to save 1 billion gallons of water per year and reduce the amount of water used per pair of jeans by 14% (with a goal of 30%).
