Ones to Watch in Sustainable Fashion | Weekly Report by Luxe.CO

The 17 fashion and lifestyle companies and other related institutions selected for review this week are: Shiseido, Prana, Net-A-Porter, Save the Duck, Sephora, Sun Chemical, Selfridges, the University of Edinburgh, Sateri, Outland Denim, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Fashion for Good, Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Converse China & Youtopia, Act Asia and Fur Free Alliance.

Our two favorite initiatives

• Japanese beauty and personal care giant Shiseido Group has launched color cosmetic products packaged with 100% plant-based biodegradable materials. The packaging is made of biodegradable polymer PHBH, which decomposes naturally in the sea, soil and other environments.

Shiseido said that on November 1 this year, the core brand’s flagship store in Tokyo (SHISEIDO GLOBAL FLAGSHIP STORE) will sell a limited number of lip palettes in eco-friendly packaging, using the biodegradable polymer PHBH developed by the Japanese company Kanaka. Shiseido is the first beauty group in the world to use this patented material.

• American clothing brand Prana has launched the Responsible Packing Movement, promising to reduce the environmental impact of its product packaging. Prana stated that it will no longer use plastic packaging by 2021, stop using endangered forestry material packaging before 2022, and completely stop purchasing primary forest fiber before 2025.

Prana has indicated that so far, American apparel brands Mara Hoffman and Toad&Co. Oternowhave expressed interest in joining the Responsible Packaging Movement. The brands involved will be able to participate in webinars, roundtables and other events to obtain guidance on responsible packaging provided by Prana.

Prana Sustainability Director Rachel Lincoln said, "We have been committed to plastic-free packaging for more than ten years. Now is the best time to cooperate with other brands. We will share our experience and grow together with everyone."

Other Updates on Sustainable Fashion

1) British luxury e-commerce company Net-A-Porter has announced the launch of 15 exclusive capsule series. All profits will be donated to the environmental charity Space for Giants, which provides essential support for the protection of African elephants and their natural habitat.

2) Italy's 100% animal-free down jacket brand Save the Duck has launched an eco-friendly footwear series for the first time, using 50% recyclable materials. The shoes’ uppers are made of eco-friendly leather.

3) French beauty retail giant Sephora has launched new clean beauty products, including liquid foundations and eyeshadow palettes. The new products use natural cruelty-free formulas such as rose oil, and the packaging is made of sustainable materials and uses plant-based inks.

4) The American packaging manufacturer Sun Chemical has established a Sustainability Committee. The goal is to provide recyclable packaging by 2025 to reduce the negative impact on the environment.

5) Selfridges, the renowned high-end department store in the UK, has launched Project Earth to reshape the retail industry. It has introduced a variety of sustainable shopping methods including resale, leasing and maintenance.

6) Researchers from the University of Edinburgh have found that Escherichia coli can be modified to produce Adipic acid, an important raw material for recyclable nylon, without generating harmful greenhouse gases.

7) Two factories operated by Sateri, a Chinese viscose manufacturer, have passed the EU-BAT (the European Union's Best Available Techniques) compliance inspection, meaning thatts energy efficiency and air emissions conform to EU-BAT standards.

8) Australian sustainable brand Outland Denim has released a sustainability report, announcing the company's achievements in the social, environmental and economic fields in the past 12 months, and outlining future goals.

9) The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has launched the Circular Design Toolkit. Users can participate in online courses and dialogues with experts and seminars to learn and apply circular design. This can educate textile manufacturers, thus reducing the negative environmental impact of the fashion industry.

10) The Dutch sustainable fashion platform Fashion for Good has announced the resumption of its plastic bag collection plan in London, which was previously interrupted by the pandemic. Through this plan, the commercial recycling company First Mile will significantly improve London's clothing recycling infrastructure.

11) In the United States, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition has released a new version of the Higg Index, which is used to assess the environmental impact of clothing, footwear and textiles.

12) Converse China and Youtopia, an incubation platform for young designers, have organized their "Created for You" student assistance program. The program seeks remodeling objects or creative ideas that conform to the principle of recyclability, and helps students transform their creative concepts into products.

13) Act Asia, the International Zero Fur Alliance (Fur Free Alliance) and the Chinese fashion exchange platform FASHION ZOO have teamed up to create a "Sustainable Fur Free Day". The British designer brand Stella McCartney presented the opening show on September 3^rd .

About "Ones to Watch in Sustainable Fashion"

More and more customers are beginning to express their environmental awareness through daily fashion consumption choices. This trend is enlarging the market space for sustainable fashion, but it also challenges the whole fashion supply chain. For the fashion industry, practicing the concept of sustainability is not only a noble act to protect the environment and reduce waste, but also an important business strategy to foster innovation in the industry, create value and impress a new generation of consumers.

In August 2020, Luxe.CO started to publish the Ones to Watch in Sustainable Fashion on a weekly basis. The List selects fashion and lifestyle brands/companies/corporate groups’ new initatives in sustainability. The committee will select leading initiatives based on the criteria of “power to innovate” and “power to implement strategy”. It is our wish that this list can inspire every brand/retailer/manufacturer that focuses on sustainable fashion.