Sustainable Brand Futures
It is predicted that by 2020 Generation Z will make up 33% of the Global population and their attitudes and behaviours will significantly shape the future of branding and retail.
The ‘Pivotal Generation’ are said to be turning away from the common attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of older generations and becoming increasingly aware of global issues and taking landmark preventative steps to help shape the ecological landscape.
With sustainability becoming the buzzword of 2019 we find ourselves living more consciously and collectively making an effort to adopt a more eco-friendly attitude.
From the high-street retailers to high end designer brands and online e-commerce we are seeing an increasing number of brands immersing themselves into a more sustainably driven way of trading. With the fashion industry using 1.5 trillion litres of water every years and contributing 10 percent of global carbon emissions, it’s the largest polluter after the oil industry. Fortunately, eco-friendly clothing brands and those changing their attitudes have come a long way in terms of sustainability and style. Here are three brands making an impact and spearheading the market:
ASOS | The Responsible Edit
Online retailer ASOS have recently announced a new ‘Responsible Edit’ feature which allows customers to filter their search for more environmentally conscious goods. The filter, which can be applied to your search will reveal items that have been sustainably manufactured from either recycled products, 100% organic cotton, paraben-free or have been made by hand to reduce water usage and exert less waste along the way. The edit promises sustainable products without compromising on style.
H&M | Better Cotton
Well know high-street retailer H&M have recently topped the sustainable cotton sourcing ranking. The brand impressively sources over 75 per cent of its cotton as Better Cotton, a cotton produced by licensed Better Cotton Incentive (BCI) farmers. BCI, a Global organisation, produces cotton by licensed farmers in line with an ethos that aims to promote measurable and continuing improvements for the environment, farming communities and the economies of cotton-producing areas. Much like the ASOS Responsible Edit, H&M have adopted a ‘Conscious’ Collection containing products with at least 50% recycled materials, organic materials or TENCEL TM Lyocell material. In addition, they offer a garment recycling service launched in 2013 which aims to prevent unwanted clothes going to landfill. They accept unwanted clothes by any brand, in any condition, and in exchange they offer a ￡5 /€5 voucher to use towards your next purchase.
Prada | The Devil Wears ECONYL
It’s not just mainstream brands reacting to the sustainable shift in the market, fashion house Prada have launched their Re-Nylon project. They have partnered with textile producer Aquafil, who manufacture ECONYL, a material that can be numerously recycled without losing quality, from plastic waste from oceans and fishing nets as well as textile fibre waste. The designer brand plans to make all of its nylon products from ECONYL but the end of 2021 and recently announced they will stop using fur in its design and products from 2020.
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Imagery is copyright of the brands in this article.