Promising
News
Last year, these
companies pledged
to support the
goals of the Paris
Agreement on
climate change.
- Adidas
- Burberry
- Esprit
- Guess
- Gap
- H&M
- Hugo Boss
- Inditex (owner of
Zara and others)
- Kering (owner of
Gucci, Saint Laurent,
and others)
- Levi Strauss & Co.
- Pum a
- PVH (owner of
Tommy Hilfiger,
Calvin Klein, and
others)
- Stella M cCartney
- Target
Stylish Strategies
You don’t need a PhD to help the cause. Simply shop
smartly, and hold businesses accountable.
- THINK FEWER AND BETTER. “It’s not about never buy-
ing anything again,” Bédat says. “It’s an invitation
to purchase only things you really love.” Use Eco-
Age’s #30wears rule: Before pulling out your credit
card, “ask yourself if you are going to wear it at least
30 times,” Vocking says. “You will be surprised how
many times the answer is no.” Invest in high-quality,
long-lasting pieces. Be a clothing mender (not a tosser),
and when you need a refresh, consider vintage and
secondhand designer finds (they abound on sites
like The RealReal and ThredUp), or try a service like
Rent the Runway. It isn’t just for weddings and proms;
you can choose an Ulla Johnson dress or Loeffler
Randall handbag and rock it for a whole season.
- SEEK OUT GREEN COMPANIES. And “beware of gim-
micks,” Greer warns. (Installing LED bulbs in the
corporate offices and doing a one-off capsule col-
lection isn’t enough.) Look for ones that integrate
sustainable fabrics, like recycled polyester or organic
cotton, into all their collections; are certified free
of toxic chemicals by Bluesign; use recycled or com-
postable packaging; and invest in making their fac-
tories more energy- and water-efficient. A great
resource: the Good on You website or app, which
rates companies on a number of criteria, including
their impact on the environment (goodonyou.eco).
- LOBBY YOUR FAVORITE LABELS. If a brand you love
isn’t up to speed, tweet, DM, or email the company
asking for change. Yes, your voice can really get
results. Or make it a group effort: NSI has created a
petition that calls on businesses to be transparent
about their supply chain, set targets, and report on
their progress to the public. Join the movement at
newstandardinstitute.org/sign-up.
Companies That Care
These brands are making big strides.
Allbirds sources the greenest materials available for
its sneakers, including natural merino wool and laces
made from recycled bottles. When it couldn’t find an
eco EVA (the rubber-like material in the soles), it in-
vented the first carbon-negative version, SweetFoam,
made from sustainably sourced sugarcane. This spring,
the brand announced it has imposed a carbon tax on
itself by contributing to decarbonization projects.
Amour Vert plants a tree with every T-shirt purchase
(220,000 to date). Besides using fabrics like Modal
(from sustainably harvested beechwood); organic
cotton; Tencel (from sustainably harvested eucalyptus
trees); and certified-nontoxic mulberry silk, the San
Francisco company produces 97 percent of its chic,
feminine pieces locally in California.
Eileen Fisher is on a personal mission to tackle waste
in the industry by collecting and then recycling,
upcycling, and reselling her timeless designs, which
are made from sustainable organic cotton, linen, or
cruelty-free wool, and dyed with certified-nontoxic
dyes. Earlier this year, the brand launched Support-
ing Women in Environmental Justice, which will
award $200,000 annually to nonprofits working for
women’s rights and the planet.
Levi Strauss & Co. met its first series of climate goals
two years ahead of schedule, so it’s set even more
ambitious new ones: a 90 percent reduction in
greenhouse-gas emissions and 100 percent renew-
able energy in its own facilities by 2025. To cut those
emissions by 40 percent across its entire global supply
chain, the company is working with 42 of its factories
and the International Finance Corporation’s Part-
nership for Cleaner Textiles (PaCT) program, which
provides expert advice and low-cost financing for
sustainable equipment and upgrades.
Mara Hoffman recently switched her entire womens-
wear collection to green fabrics—organic cotton, linen,
hemp, and Tencel. Her swimsuits, which are made
from recycled water bottles and fishing nets, get mailed
to customers in bio-based, compostable packaging.
She’s also partnered with the Renewal Workshop to
repair and resell damaged or worn-out garments that
customers might otherwise toss.
Patagonia has not only donated more than $100 mil-
lion to environmental causes; it works with its in-
ternational suppliers to help them switch to and invest
in renewable energy, and funds carbon-capture
projects, like global reforestation, to offset the rest
of its footprint. By this fall, 69 percent of its materials
by weight will be from recycled fibers (such as poly-
ester and wool). You can also buy Patagonia products
secondhand, or get yours repaired as needed through
its Worn Wear program.
Stella McCartney, whose luxury fashion label has
been leather- and fur-free since launching in 2001,
has partnered with start-ups to experiment with
lab-grown “silk” and “leather,” as well as mushroom-
based “leather.” Her program Stella Cares Green
financially supports nonprofits working to protect
biodiversity, spearhead material innovation, share
their research with individuals and fashion busi-
nesses, and push government policy forward.
50 SEPTEMBER 2019
