The Hare and the Tortoise: The Fashion Metaphor of 2023

In 2022 there were close to 53 million online mentions relating to sustainability and fashion.?

Few industries tout their sustainability credentials more forcefully than the fashion industry. Products ranging from?swimsuits?to?wedding dresses?are marketed as carbon positive, organic, or vegan while?yoga mats made from mushrooms?and?sneakers from sugar cane?dot retail shelves. New business models including recycling, resale, rental, reuse, and repair are sold as environmental life savers, wrote Kenneth P. Pucker, a senior?lecturer at the Fletcher School, an advisory director at Berkshire Partners and formerly the chief operating officer of Timberland, in Harvard Business Review last year.

But much of this posturing may be just that.

“The sad truth is that all this experimentation and supposed ‘innovation’ in the fashion industry over the past 25 years have failed to lessen its planetary impact — a loud wake up call for those who hope that voluntary efforts can successfully address climate change and other major challenges facing society,” Kenneth noted.

The unyielding pursuit of growth, of “more,” drives strategies that are specific to the fashion industry. Because it is hard to make a better performing or more efficient blouse, handbag, or pair of socks, to motivate consumption, the industry pushes change. Not better — just different, cheaper, or faster, he wrote.

Pointing out that fashion is often said to both reflect and lead culture, Kenneth finally emphasizes that the industry has a once-in-history opportunity to demonstrate that creativity and respect for boundaries can lead to authentic sustainability.

And that is some of India’s most authentically committed green fashion companies will demonstrate at the Customer Centric Sustainability (CCS) during India Fashion Forum (IFF) 2023 this year. On 28th Feb and 1st March, India’s largest fashion intelligence event will present a a purpose driven platform, showcasing global value chain partners and innovations that help improve sustainability of the current offering at retail. From sourcing responsibly to sustainable production techniques, be a part of a range of multifaceted conversations at the intersection of fashion, ethics, climate change and culture. Get a front-row seat today to the future of fashion at IFF 2023!

It’s the proverbial hare-and-tortoise of fashion. And it’s time to pitch resilience over growth.