Vogue Business
BY RACHEL CERNANSKY DECEMBER 17, 2020
Vogue Business
From Circularity to Climate Change: Sustainable Fashion in 2020
A tumultuous year in retail saw both gains and losses for sustainability, but analysts say progress is lacking in key areas like climate change. Regenerative agriculture, which can serve as a climate solution, also has significant implications for ecosystems and biodiversity. Already a focus on the food sector for several years, regenerative agriculture has recently picked up steam in fashion. A Climate Beneficial™ wool zero waste garment created by Italia Hannaway, for Italia A Collection.
A Climate Beneficial wool zero-waste garment created by Italia Hannaway for Italia A Collection- Paige Green photo for Fibershed
Regenerative agriculture, which can serve as a climate solution, also has significant implications for ecosystems and biodiversity.
Already a focus of the food sector for several years, regenerative agriculture has recently picked up steam in fashion. California nonprofit Fibershed has worked with multiple brands to source Climate Beneficial wool, Patagonia helped to launch a certification for regenerative organic agriculture and Kering launched its Kering Fund for Nature, which will fund the expansion of agriculture as part of its biodiversity strategy.
Fibershed founder and director Rebecca Burgess is excited about the explosion of interest in the concept. But the sheer number of companies and organisations coming up with their own way of implementing and verifying regenerative practices is a concern. “ It’s becoming part of a the general good idea-mill, where everyone takes their version and runs with it,” she says. She’d rather see pre-competitive collaboration - where companies work together, putting proprietary interests aside for a time, to solve a shared problem - that stays focused on the root issue. “{ A willingness} to work pre-competitively, to me, is going to be part of the magic trick here, if we are going to do anything of substance.”
She says to stay tuned for early next year when Fibershed will announce an effort along those lines in conjunction with fashion brands from luxury to activewear.