On February 9th this year, you will be able to find me presenting at the UK’s largest fashion and textile trade show, Pure London, as a keynote speaker on their Nomad stage. The topic I will be covering is “How to fast track your fashion brand with sustainable credentials.”

I’d like to offer you a small insight to the important topic of discussion within this post.

Sustainability within the fashion industry is, in my opinion, a necessity. Not something to jump on the back of as a marketing tactic, but a genuine emergency that needs addressing if we are to continue creating, producing and selling to a mass market. A saturated market that is causing catastrophic effects. If you haven’t done so already, it may be worth familiarising yourself with my previous post: The Important Difference Between Sustainable, Ethical & Slow

As a quick recap, when we talk about sustainability within responsible fashion it relates to the impact our businesses have on the environment. We must seek to minimise our negative footprints on the planet and resources through constant review, analysis and improvement amongst our infrastructure and supply chains.

Without spilling into a full blown consultation over each nook and cranny of a fashion brand (by all means get in touch if you’d like me to), let’s touch upon actionable steps you can take this year to run a sustainable company with integrity.

The Easiest Starting Point

The design stage is the best starting point to build a more sustainable brand with incredibly exciting advancements in textiles and technology. The foundations of any fashion brand: the clothes, can be refined from day one. Consider zero waste pattern cutting, innovative use of fabric off-cuts, finding a solution to harmful dyeing practices and recycling/upcycling approaches.

Going Beyond the Clothes

Sustainability impacts your entire business, not just the garments you sell. Are there ways you can off-set your carbon footprint from postal orders? Perhaps your government offer a circular economy fund, much like WRAP Cymru in my local area. Of course an obvious consideration would be that of your packaging. Beyond cardboard and recyclable materials we now have access to biodegradable potato starch alternatives

Be Responsible for the Education of your Customer

Did you know dry-cleaning instructions are a rather dirty secret in the fashion industry? Guiding a customer to unnecessarily dry clean certain garments passes the buck of responsibility to them, and minimises complaints related to garment quality should a customer not care for the piece appropriately. Sustainability extends way beyond the article of clothing once passed to the customer. Consider the life-cycle and treatment it experiences followed by the afterlife.

Thinking Ahead

The afterlife of your pieces should not be overlooked. If you choose a recycled polyester in the design phase of your collection, although a particular solution to closing the loop on existing plastics, the fact remains your poly-based pieces will refuse to decompose for hundreds of years to come. If this can’t be avoided or entirely bio-degradable fabrics haven’t been incorporated into your range, then introducing certain schemes for your customers may be the answer. Revert to educating your customer, introduce repair services, rental schemes or clothing resale and fashion swaps which are steadily on the rise.

Above all, never greenwash. Responsible fashion has been treated somewhat as a trend by many brands hoping to advance their position in the market through false claims and fake news. If you feel the need to use sustainability as a USP, you better back it up. Do not insult your audience by trying to pull the wool over their eyes, today’s conscious consumer is a very switched on individual and a movement that has a powerful voice. I personally feel sustainable brands who don’t feel the need to shout about it but conduct themselves with sustainable, ethical and slow undertones throughout their company are built for longevity and a loyal customer base.

If you would like to explore changes you can incorporate into your brand or discuss how we can get your clothing line off the ground, please do get in touch or come to Pure London on Sunday the 9th of February to attend my presentation. I will be sticking around for some time following my speech to say hello and answer any questions you may have.