Lizzie Perry’s Post

 As Robert Little points out, the facts about fashion waste and consumer demand are illuminating—and highlight the need for change. We’re happy to be rethinking the matter, to create solutions that empower consumers and businesses of all sizes. What changes are you hoping to see in the fashion industry? 📝⬇️

#wednesdayWonderings Australia, we have a clothing consumption crisis. Australians are the biggest purchasers of new clothing in the world per capita, with 56 pieces a year, ahead of the United States on 53 pieces. The UK is in third place with 33 pieces, ahead of China on 30. For years we’ve thought ourselves the second biggest purchaser behind the US (still nothing to celebrate) but new data reveals we are truly the worst. We discard more than 300,000 tonnes of clothing every year to landfill or textile recycling (but mostly landfill). Whilst awareness of the negative impact of fashion is at its highest ever, the volume of textiles sent to landfill is gradually increasing, while the proportion being recycled largely remains stagnant, at around five per cent. I am 100% guilty of contributing to this problem - I love fashion and crafting new outfits and looks. Heck just this weekend I bought a new skirt and two winter tops. We need government, business and consumers to come together to try and address this problem. For me, I’ve unsubscribed to all the clothing brands that I’ve bought from and unfollowed brands on Instagram - seeing cool things share online was leading to me wanting to buy more. It’s not perfect, I’m not perfect, but small steps go a long way. Read more in this wonderful article by Melissa Singer - https://lnkd.in/ghjKNufX #fastfashion #australia #clothingwaste

Do you follow the latest fashion trends, and end up have piles of old clothes that you no longer wear or know what to do with? I know that I do, which is is why I was exited to read that low-price retailers Kmart and Target have teamed up with Australian university RMIT to launch a landmark study to better understand the causes of fashion waste.   With sustainable shopping emerging as a pivotal trend and many reports revealing that consumers - especially millennials and Gen Z - are now opting to reduce their fast fashion intake, it is another example of consumers reflecting this deeper commitment sustainability. It will be great to see what insights this study bring for the Australian industry! #retail #fashion #sustainability #kmart #target #Australia #grantthornton

I've been actively trying to shift my shopping habits to embrace circular fashion. And I’ve been going two years strong 💪 Instead of shopping at fast fashion retailers, I've delved into: 🤳 online resale platforms like Vinted 👜 vintage boutiques 🛍️ charity shops & my sisters wardrobe too ha ha 👯♀️ And I'm eager to explore fashion rental too! So, why the change? Beyond the fact I like discovering unique pieces this way, it's about making a real impact in reducing fashion's environmental footprint. Now, lets consider these eye-opening statistics: 🌊 Nearly 10% of microplastics in the ocean annually come from textiles. 🗑️ The fashion industry churns out a staggering 92 million tons of textile waste each year. 📈 Textile waste is projected to surge by approximately 60% between 2015 and 2030. 💸 Approximately 30% of produced clothes remain unsold annually! And where do most of these go? You guessed it! Mostly exported to more landfills 😭 But here's a silver lining... By 2029, the second-hand market is expected to skyrocket by a whopping 185% worldwide! Reflecting a growing collective consciousness towards sustainability. 🥳 However, let's not forget that despite this positive trend, the fast fashion industry still anticipates a 20% growth. 🥲 There's clearly an ongoing need for education and support surrounding sustainable fashion practices. But, With the rise of resale apps, expectations have shifted from encouraging consumers to invest in expensive sustainable brands. This widening market helps remove the unfair blame often placed on those with lower incomes.🙌 In fact, I've found that by shopping through these platforms, I can now access brands and designers that would have otherwise been beyond my budget! 🧥 Remember, our consumption choices matter. We shouldn’t be consuming clothes like disposable goods. 🤦🏻♀️ Opting for pre-loved treasures instead of mass-produced items contributes to a more circular economy, where garments are valued, reused, and repurposed ♻️, ultimately reducing the chance of them ending up in landfills. And often, we export our textile waste to the four largest clothing landfills situated in Ghana, India, Chile, and Kenya, highlighting our global responsibility to manage our textile waste. We are sharing this planet! 🌍 Just because we send the problem away doesn’t make it solved. Let's actively support the growth of the second-hand market, not merely as a trend, but as a conscious decision towards a more sustainable future. Together, we can reshape the fashion industry's narrative and cultivate wardrobes that reflect our values. 🫶 Ps. Some of the coolest outfits I’ve seen as styled from pre-loved items and amazing vintage finds 😉 #CircularFashion #SustainableStyle #SecondHandRevolution

Frankly, focusing solely on reducing production strikes me as a misguided approach. After all, we're in the business of creating and selling desirable products. Now, I understand some might find this controversial coming from someone dedicated to the industry's environmental and social impact. However, I believe true transformation requires more. Instead of simply producing less, shouldn't we be striving for a fundamental shift in material composition? We, as creators, should be held accountable – starting with a minimum of 50% natural fibers obbligation and 30% recycled or upcycled materials. The remaining 20% if synthetic, it should have higher taxes. Moreover, couldn't we leverage trade policies to incentivize sustainable practices? Imagine lower HS Codes for natural fibers and higher ones for synthetic alternatives. Let's be honest. If we, as industry leaders, are truly serious about change, clinging to the status quo and expecting different results is simply disingenuous. It borders on disrespect for the very consumers we urge to change their habits. We can't keep offering them subpar, unsustainable products while simultaneously preaching responsible consumption. Isn't this worse than the fast-food industry? Consumers lack the transparency we, as creators, should be providing. It's time to stop the charade and enact meaningful change that demonstrates true accountability.

Who would’ve thought I’d find myself making a last-minute purchase at H&M for a pair of jeans? 😅 As someone who is invested both personally and professionally in understanding fashion’s environmental impact through my work on textile R&D projects focused on circularity and recycling e.g SCIRT Project and other #EU HORIZON 2020 projects, I’ve been consciously avoiding fast fashion for a few years. Which is easier than one thinks when there are so many great #vintage & #2nd hand & #upcycling options. But this time, with a bit of reluctance, and a dire need for a pair of jeans I decided to do a quick Saturday morning dash to #H&M to explore their sustainable section. 🛍️ To my surprise, I found some jeans made with 20% recycled material. While I could verify this up to a point, (an issue for us consumers which hopefully will be addressed in the upcoming #DPP, #EPR and other EU regulations to underpin a more sustainable textile and fashion industry!) But what truly impressed me was what I found at the checkout—a textile return bin! ♻️✨ #H&M is offering customers the opportunity to return reusable garments (also extra kudos because it is not limited to only their brand) and earn points in return. This is a promising 1st step from a fast fashion brand often critiqued for its practices, also they seem to be preparing ahead of upcoming EPR regulations. It’s encouraging to see initiatives like this making their way into mainstream fashion brands. We still have a long way to go, but every step counts. 👏 Are there other sustainable initiatives or practices that you’d recommend for consumers beyond the usual repair, resale, or gifting? I’d love to hear your thoughts! 💡 #SustainableFashion #CircularEconomy #ResponsibleConsumerism #TextileRecycling #ImpactfulChange

'👗🌍 Guess launches online clothing recycling programme ♻️👕 Your fashion, our future! #SustainableFashion #RecycleYourStyle 💚 Get deeper insights at Databoutique.com, your largest source for public data in retail. 📊✨ #RetailInsights #DataDriven' by FashionUnited about Guess Europe Sagl

It's worth highlighting: “Agricultural fibers are the vehicle for a just transition. Some 3% of the world’s population earns at least part of their annual income from natural fiber production.” Consuming natural fibers and giving them a long life is a way of promoting the sustainability of fashion and increasing equity in global society. Additionally, repairing a natural fiber garment can support a job near you. A luxury item is an item that deserves to be repaired.

Sustainable fashion has a problem. To cite ELLE Canada magazine: "SHEIN is a member of Textile Exchange, features a collection made from materials with low environmental impact, has a [deadstock program] uses a virtually-on-demand manufacturing model, and so on, checking all the expert-approved environmentally responsible boxes." This from Atelier Jolie: "We will use only leftover, quality vintage material and deadstock." https://lnkd.in/eQce7Y7a See what I mean? Agricultural fibers are the vehicle for a just transition. Some 3% of the world’s population earns at least part of their annual income from natural fiber production. It's disappointing that Angelina Jolie has no more interest in contributing to SDGs 1 & 2 than SHEIN. Even for the environment, the impact at the factory gate is not what matters. Simple arithmetic tells us impact per wear is the vital variable. For a brand, the most important consideration is not how you produce. It's how you sell. As the Elle article points out even "companies that claim eco-friendliness is part of their ethos, like Reformation and Everlane", source their manufacturing in China - just like SHEIN. Over lunch, last Friday, Hakan Karaosman told me that Turkish suppliers he had interviewed claimed that more than higher prices, they needed reliability - long-term contracts, promptly paid in full. As we both agreed and this second article notes: https://lnkd.in/dBtit975 Shein "puts an unusual amount of money and trust into its suppliers, providing them access to the brand’s data and IT systems and requiring very little to start doing business: just an agreement that the factory will provide stable and reliable delivery." The primary problem with SHEIN is not the way it produces. It's the way it sells. More on that from the n+1 article linked above: There are flash sales - 90% off for 24 hours only. "The more you buy, the more SHEIN points you receive, and the more you save on future purchases. It’s purposefully addictive. You can get points by just opening the app, watching live streams, or playing mini-games on the SHEIN website. Likes are a currency, convertible into SHEIN points. Posting a review earns five points, a review with pictures earns ten, and a review with size information earns an additional two. Every dollar spent on SHEIN earns a point, and every one hundred points turns back into a dollar." Your Shein package arrives with a flyer advertising SHEIN Exchange “Give your pre-loved clothing a new life while making others’ pre-loved pieces your own.” The green reverse promotes “evoluSHEIN's collection made from recycled polyester . . . and other responsibly sourced materials that reduce the impact on the planet.” If we want to fix it, let's measure brands by how they sell, not how they produce. And let's tax polyester! https://lnkd.in/eQrpucWr