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

In the fourth week of 2021, Luxe.CO's Top Ones to Watch List contained a total of ten luxury, fashion and lifestyle brands and the latest developments from corporate groups. French luxury group Kering, French skincare brand L’OCCITANE, and NIO Inc. were selected as the top ones to watch.

Top Ones to Watch in Sustainable Fashion (in no particular order)

1. Announced virtually during the World Economic Forum, Kering, a French luxury group, placed 7th out of 8,080 companies around the world in the Corporate Knights’ 2021 annual Global 100 ranking. The Corporate Knights’ Global 100 Index is considered a benchmark for corporate sustainability every year. Competing with 143 companies in its industry, Kering ranked highest for ‘Environmental Performance’, ‘Clean Revenue’ and ‘Clean Investment’.

2. L’OCCITANE, the French skincare brand, has launched the world’s first #MakeEarthGreenAgain sustainability concept store in Hong Kong. It invites the local community to join forces in reducing plastic waste and support the local sustainable plastic economy, NGOs and projects. The #MEGA Sustainability Concept Store engages the public in environmental protection in a fun way with the #MEGA Sustainability Reward Program. Shoppers can earn rewards by completing various ‘green tasks’ – from dropping their beauty empties in recycling bins in-store and making a green commitment with the Tree of Wishes, to completing a three-minute personal carbon footprint evaluation. Collaborating with different environmental NGOs, the store will regularly host pop-up eco-themed workshops in order to inspire public participation in recycling.

3. NIO Inc. has announced the launch of its Blue Point plan, making NIO the first automobile company in the world to help users complete carbon emission reduction certification transactions. The brand founder, Li Bin, said that NIO has entered into a strategic partnership with China Classification Society Certification (CCSC) and the Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange, and that NIO's efforts will focus on user care, industry community, social welfare and environmental protection. NIO’s car owners can authorize their carbon emission reduction certification and trading through the app, and NIO will perform certification and trading on behalf of the owner. The revenue will be returned to the user in the form of points. Additionally, NIO Life will join hands with over 100 designers worldwide to reuse scraps from vehicle manufacturing and transform them into fashion products.

Other sustainable fashion trends (in no particular order)

4. Italian luxury brand Gucci has unveiled its latest climate strategy, the Natural Climate Solutions Portfolio, which continues to focus on reducing emissions while driving a supply chain transformation that positively impacts biodiversity and the climate. The new Natural Climate Solutions Portfolio aims to protect and restore key forests and mangroves, investing in regenerative agriculture within the supply chain to give back to nature. Gucci will also enhance its use of green energy, using 83% renewable energy in its stores, offices, warehouses and factories, and reaching 100% renewable energy by 2022. It is also advancing toward the goal of 100% sustainable sourcing by 2025.

5. The first session of the 2021 Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) Global Cotton Sustainability Digital Series kicks off with a focus on climate action, innovation and social sustainability. Each year, the BCI has hosted an offline Global Cotton Conference to bring together various cotton industry stakeholders linking the cotton industry and to drive collaboration across the industry and create a more sustainable future for cotton. This year, due to the pandemic, the BCI Global Cotton Conference, originally scheduled for June 2020 in Lisbon, Portugal, has been postponed, and rescheduled as an online conference. This year's online series will run for a full year, and users can register to watch online at any time during the year.

6. Shokay, a sustainable yak down brand, focuses on sustainable fashion for the public good and endeavors to achieve the shared value of enterprises through creativity. The brand has launched its "Yushu Impression" series, which is inspired by yaks, horse racing, lotuses, goldfish and Tibetan antelopes. The fabrics are made from yak down sourced directly from local herders to ensure the traceability of each product. The series also incorporates Yushu's intangible cultural heritage, hand weaving skills, to create original, sustainable and high-quality lifestyle products. As early as 2018, the brand visited the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai and worked with local herders' cooperatives to create the "Yushu Impression" series, aiming to help local herders build new income streams with a sustainable public welfare model.

7. Chinese artistic cashmere brand Sandriver has released a 2020 Sustainable Development Report, elaborating on the measures taken in its sustainable supply chain, sustainable product development, cultural heritage and artistic support and human welfare. In order to better control its supply chain and reduce waste and pollution in the supply chain, Sandriver has set strict standards with regard to supplier selection and training and assessment, so that suppliers fully understand the brand's needs and values, and improve the quality and efficiency of supply.

8. Dow Chemicals, the American chemical company, has debuted its multifunctional biodegradable dispersion, ACUSOL™ Prime 1 Polymer, at the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) Virtual Summit. It sets a new standard for home care by providing higher performance, superior convenience and safety for people and the environment. As an important ingredient in personal care products such as those for dishwashing and laundry, ACUSOL™ Prime 1 polymer contains more than 30% biodegradable carbon, which not only protects dishes and fabrics from waterborne deposits, but is also friendlier to soil and water resources.

9. Recently, the 2020 China Textile Industry Federation Social Responsibility Office and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) launched a research project on the sustainable forest management of regenerated cellulose fibers. Together they hope to identify the connection between sustainable forest management in the fashion industry and combating climate change and protecting biodiversity through a forward-looking study. They are also hoping to propose goals and make recommendations for the sustainable forest management of regenerated cellulose fibers through research on the typical regenerated cellulose fiber industry chain and multi-stakeholder communication, empowering the industry and enterprises in sustainable development.

10. OEKO-TEX®, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, supports industry and society in changing the world through action and is working toward a healthier future by enabling consumers and companies to make responsible decisions that protect our planet. OEKO-TEX® has been committed to improving transparency and working toward a sustainable future over the past 29 years. Every year, the company updates its existing test standards and limit values according to the latest scientific discoveries and regulatory requirements, constantly responding to the needs of the times with a more rigorous certification system and actively cooperating with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

About Top Ones to Watch in Sustainable Fashion

From 2021, Luxe.CO started to publish Top Ones to Watch in Sustainable Fashion on a weekly basis. The list selects initiatives in sustainability from fashion and lifestyle brands, companies and corporate groups. Our committee will select the best initiatives based on the criteria of “power to innovate” and “power to implement strategy”. It is our hope that this list will inspire every brand, retailer, and manufacturer that focuses on sustainable fashion.

| Photo Credit: Brand Website

| By Lingli Shu & Mireya