Materials

The fashion industry continues to advance voluntary and unlikely solutions to its plastic problem. Only higher prices will flip the script, writes Kenneth P. Pucker.

Companies like Hermès, Kering and LVMH say they have spent millions to ensure they are sourcing crocodile and snakeskin leathers responsibly. But critics say incidents like the recent smuggling conviction of designer Nancy Gonzalez show loopholes persist despite tightening controls.

The industry needs to ditch its reliance on fossil-fuel-based materials like polyester in order to meet climate targets, according to a new report from Textile Exchange.

Cotton linked to environmental and human rights abuses in Brazil is leaking into the supply chains of major fashion brands, a new investigation has found, prompting Zara-owner Inditex to send a scathing rebuke to the industry’s biggest sustainable cotton certifier.

In the weeks since one of the industry’s most promising recycling start-ups filed for bankruptcy, big brands have put more money and more commitment into bringing innovations to market.

Thirty years of providing the world’s finest wool to the fashion house Loro Piana has done almost nothing for the Indigenous people of the Peruvian Andes.

The Swedish company was at the forefront of efforts to scale up supply of more sustainable materials. It filed for bankruptcy on Sunday.

The Swedish textile recycler said it was unable to secure sufficient long-term funds to continue operations.

To address the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout brands’ and retailers’ supply chains, the US Cotton Trust Protocol is providing technical assistance with environmental and financial benefits for cotton growers, to innovate the agricultural practices of the world’s third largest cotton-producing region.

A wave of high-profile failures has dampened the hype around biofabricated materials and ingredients, making this year a critical one for start-ups in the space to execute on scale-up plans.

The Varese-based fashion brand is moving into lifestyle and doubling down on its sustainability efforts, innovative materials and international expansion while seeking to retain its Italian, family-oriented heritage. BoF sits down with CEO Andrea Dini to understand how the brand is future-proofing for success.

Weaker-than-expected demand for Swedish textile recycler Renewcell’s first commercial volumes of recycled cellulose pulp has sent the company’s stock price plummeting and highlighted broader hurdles challenging efforts to lessen fashion’s environmental footprint.