NEWS REPORT / THE ECONOMIC TIMES

Indian Sustainable Farmers Go For Certification

Global certification agencies monitoring and certifying sustainable value chains are now focussing on Indian farmers, including cotton cultivators, as consumers become more conscious of the need for sourcing and supply chain integrity. A report in the Indian newspaper, The Economic Times, notes that global agencies involved in sustainable agriculture value chains such as Rainforest Alliance and Utzcertified are increasingly targetting growers in India.

Apart from a slew of textile brands, now FMCG brands such as Unilever and Nestle are looking at increasing procurement of sustainable plantation crops. Certification typically enables farmers get better prices since there is greater assurance on the integrity of the product

Mr Shatadru Chattopadhayay, MD of Utzcertified was quoted by the Economic Times stating, “The sustainable agriculture movement was earlier focussed more on customers but today we are equally concerned about the producers (farmers), notably in markets like China, India and Brazil.” Utzcertified is focussing on tea, sugarcane, cotton and textiles, besides coffee. It has certified as many as 2,000 soyabean farmers in Madhya Pradesh besides associating with sugarcane farmers who supply cane to EID Parry. Rainforest Alliance so far has certified 7,655 hectares.

PRESS RELEASE /FAIR TRADE MONTH

US Fair Trade celebrates National Fair Trade Awareness Month

Fair Trade USA, the leading third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States, celebrated National Fair Trade Awareness Month in October with a multitude of news announcements.

Themed "Every Purchase Matters," Fair Trade Month unites Fair Trade USA's diverse corporate, nonprofit and individual supporters in hundreds of events, promotions and fund-raising activities across the United States, according to a Fair Trade USA Press Release. The goal is to generate awareness of Fair Trade and to empower consumers to use their day-to-day purchases to improve the lives of farming families and protect the environment. Additionally, Fair Trade USA's Board of Directors match every contribution made to the non-profit organization during October, up to $10,000.

"Once limited to coffee, U.S. consumers can now choose from more than 6,000 Fair Trade Certified products that span cosmetics, chocolate, spices, produce, grains, flowers, wine, spirits, and even fashion," said Paul Rice, President and CEO of Fair Trade USA. "The Fair Trade Certified label empowers consumers to make every purchase matter. It gives you the confidence that the high-quality products you love were sustainably produced and can have a positive impact on your own well being, on the people who produced them, and on the environment."

In 2009 alone, consumer purchases generated more than $14 million dollars for education, health care, clean water and other vital social services to support the more than 1.2 million farming families in the Fair Trade network around the world.
Fair Trade has generated significant momentum during 2010 in the United States. According to SPINS, sales of Fair Trade Certified™ products at grocery stores have grown by 30 percent this year i.e. to $140 million.

This was further proof that even in tough economic times, consumers care. In 2009, the BBMG Conscious Consumer Report stated that three-fourths of consumers (77 percent) believe they can make a difference by buying products from socially and environmentally responsible companies. The Report also says that two-thirds agreed that even in tough economic times it's important to buy products with social and environmental benefits (4 point scale). And over half (51 percent) agreed that they are willing to pay more.

PRESS RELEASE / TEXTILE EXCHANGE

‘Organic Exchange’ Becomes ‘Textile Exchange’ at 2010 Sustainable Textiles Conference

Organic Exchange (OE) will announce its expanded role as the organization driving development of the global sustainable textile industry under the new name, ‘Textile Exchange,’ at its annual conference in New York City on October 27-29, according to a press release. The 2010 Sustainable Textiles Conference will introduce the new Textile Exchange and will be once again an opportunity for companies to understand the trends in the textile industry.

The non-profit organization has helped drive global sales of organic cotton apparel and home textile products to an estimated $4.3 billion in 2009. The broadened focus positions the organization to serve as the non-profit convener, catalyst, and market-maker for the sustainable textile industry worldwide.

Textile Exchange (TE) will work to increase the global market for sustainable fibers, focusing initially on those that are bio-based, organic, and recycled while retaining a core focus on organic cotton, according to the release. It will also tackle pressing textile industry production concerns such as water and air emissions, energy use and its impact on climate change, waste production, and the widespread use of toxic inputs.

According to the Textile Exchange, "Change is vital given the huge and unsustainable economic, environmental, and social costs of current textile production methods and a projected global population of over nine billion by 2050, all needing clothing and other textiles. A focus on textile sustainability enables the entire value chain to find cost savings and production efficiencies and pass those savings on to customers while reducing the impact of textile production on people and the environment."

The change will be announced at Textile Exchange’s Global Sustainable Textiles Conference, with approximately 300 textile industry-related representatives from 29 countries already registered to attend. TE’s global conference includes representatives from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, adidas, Anvil Knitwear, C&A, Disney, Eileen Fisher, Gap, H&M, Lenzing, LL Bean, Nike, Nordstrom, Patagonia, Puma, REI, Target, Walmart, and Williams-Sonoma. Topics to be covered include sustainable textile processing, eco-indexing, traceability and transparency, organic fiber production, and environmental footprinting.

A one day seminar ‘Organic in a Day’ will also be held for newcomers as well as brands and retailers looking to include organic cotton in their supply chain, covering everything from fiber sourcing to online tracking, processing, certification, and consumer messaging.

The conference will cover discussions on natural textiles (cotton, silk, wool, hemp and linen), basics of dyeing, ensuring the integrity of product claims etc. as well as environmental impact of textile manufacturing and issues with organic cotton.

It will also throw light on the influence of latest technological developments on sustainability and textile industry. According to the Organic Exchange newsletter, "With over seven billion people projected on the planet by 2011 and over nine billion predicted by 2050, our dependency on textiles and its current production methods comes at a huge and unsustainable economic, environmental, and social cost. Attending the 2010 OE Sustainable Textiles Conference not only provides the opportunity for an education about what is happening in the sustainable textile industry, it also offers the opportunity to connect with people committed to creating material change."

PRESS RELEASE / GREEN SEWN

From Saris To Scarves That Help Plant Trees

Sustainability and eco-friendly fashion is taking many routes to the market, all the way from changing practices in fields to raising consumer awareness. A second, and increasingly vibrant, trend is the emergence of recycling apparel and making them fashionably trend.

One such imaginative enterprise that is both recycling and creating green spaces is GreenSewn, a Ft. Lauderdale company that recycles old vintage saris into one-of-a-kind and limited-edition scarves and wraps. The company recently announced that they have planted over 12,000 trees as a result of sales to date.

GreenSewn plants 10 trees with the purchase of every scarf or wrap, in partnership with Trees for the Future, a non-profit group dedicated to restoring degraded lands in communities around the world through agroforestry education and the planting of beneficial trees.

Dan Shir, GreenSewn president and founder said, "we are proud and deeply grateful to all our customers and colleagues who supported us from startup to this point. Our customers are thoughtful, conscious consumers, and it is rewarding to to produce and sell a beautiful, sustainably made product that is not only recycled, but gives something back to the planet via our "buy one plant 10" tree program."

GreenSewn rescues beautiful old vintage silk saris that would otherwise be discarded and "reincarnates" them into authentic, gloriously colorful, limited edition eco-chic fashion statements. Each scarf or wrap contains elements from as many as 7 different saris, giving each piece has it's own genuine, special history and charm.

Production is done in small batches entirely by hand, hand twisted and sun dried after an all natural eco friendly cleansing bath in soap nuts. The end result is a vibrant "masala" blend of colors, pleasing to the eye and nourishing to the soul.

GreenSewn is an eco fashion design company that creates unique eco-chic one of a kind scarves by recycling old vintage saris. A sari is a long (usually 15 feet or more) garment worn by women in India. The recycled vintage sari scarves are colorful, intricately patterned, and sometimes have intricate gold "zari" work hand woven into the borders. GreenSewn says it collects the softest and prettiest old saris and lovingly recycles them into luxurious, authentic, ultra limited edition and gloriously colorful green fashion creations that are both sexy and sustainable.

GreenSewn was started by Dan Shir, a 25 year shoe industry veteran based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Wanting to produce something more green and meaningful, Dan and his longtime agent in India started GreenSewn. Production is done at our workshop near New Delhi, using locally sourced hand-selected vintage saris.

According to the website of GreenSewn, "Widespread destruction of our forests worldwide destroys habitats and is a major cause of global warming. We believe that sustainable agriculture and re-forestation of degraded lands are essential to the long term health of our planet. Trees For the Future is a non profit organization that since 1989 has promoted the practice of agro-forestry through their tree planting and education programs worldwide."

Press Release: "Born Again" Sari Eco-Fashion Helps Plant 12,000 Trees
Website: http://greensewn.com
Photo Courtesy: http://greensewn.com

BOOK  / ECO FASHION BY SASS BROWN

Eco Fashion At The Tipping Point

‘As with other social and political statements through commercial art, eco fashion is a reaction to social and ecological conditions’, writes Sass Brown in her new book “Eco Fashion”. Eco Fashion has got mixed responses so far. There are people who go gaga over it and those who do not. However, as the earth becomes hotter, people ought to do all they can. Brown also says “Very few products, let alone garments, fulfill the concept of sustainability in its entirety. But we all have to start somewhere.”

According to Brown, Eco-fashion has reached a tipping point, where the best of the best are simply the best in the industry. No matter how you slice it, something is obviously working—it has to. In the end, green design is good design, and fashion is just another product to be viewed through that lens.

The book talks about companies that are making the world realize that eco fashion is not boring. Gone are the days when eco fashion was all about organic cotton t-shirts or bohemian pants or plain clothes. However, people still think that eco friendly clothes are not fashionable. Now companies are producing desirable and well-designed apparel and accessories with a conscience. The book demonstrates the range of products available around the globe. It also explains the stories behind them and the communities they support, as well as showing how and where they make a difference.

Says Brown, "One of the strongest trends in fashion is the expression of ecological, social and community consciousness through for-profit fashion design corporations, which most recently have moved upscale from organic cotton T-shirts and hippy-ish drawstring pants to high fashion. There is now a wide range of companies offering well designed merchandise, from one-off art, recycled and redesigned clothing, organic and sustainable textiles and garment production, to a range of community and indigenous support cooperatives bridging the gap between traditional craft and high fashion."

Originally from London, England, Sass Brown is a full-time professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. She has worked with women's cooperatives in Latin America, most notably COOPA-ROCA in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

NEWS REPORT / EFW

Eco-Innovation Walks The Ramp At Vancouver

 Sustainable fashion seems to be running high on innovation as became evident at the Vancouver fashion show when designers showcased creative use of waste, eco shoes and sustainable harvesting practices in the Amazon forest.

The Vancouver Eco Fashion Week seeks to promote environmentally conscious trends in fashion. At the fashion week, loudest were the voices amplifying various aspects of sustainable fashion. WGSN’s Carly Stojsic explained how denim scraps can be used for housing insulation and made the point that the whole process of the life cycle needs to be considered when evaluating a product, reports eco fashion world.  Mark Trotzuk from Boardroom Eco Apparel echoed the point that sustainable textiles must look at all factors including raw material choice, impact of the process it was created by (water, energy), travel, after care, packaging, print paper usage, disposal, etc.

The discussions around the fashion week made a couple of telling points. Speakers such as Paul Raybin made the point that public commitments by large brands towards sustainability imposes a pressure on them to follow up while at the same time creating a precedent for other people and brands to follow. On the other hand, speakers such as Trotzuk highlighted the difference between the entire lifecycle of polyester (ideally recycled) and organic cotton discussing how in beginning stages cotton appears better, but in later stages the poly shows to be more sustainable as the fabric last longer and the garment care does not require hot water, dryer, or iron.

Read the full Story: Success For Eco Fashion Week Vancouver

NEWS REPORT / GUARDIAN

Ethical Fashion Takes The Ramp Around The World

The Ethical Fashion Show, devoted to sustainable fashion, is now in its seventh year and becoming increasingly mainstream with over a hundred brands represented reports Kate Carter for the Guardian.

The clothes on display range from the impressive but quirky - a jaw-dropping couture dress made from recycled film stock – to the more wearable and commercial, like 50s-style skirts in organic cotton and silk from French/Vietnamese brand All, and British company Terra Plana's recycled leather shoes.

This year the show has been taken over by Messe Frankfurt, the world's largest trade show organiser – a sign that despite the recession, ethical fashion is still a growth market.

Ethical fashion is increasingly moving into the limelight - Mintel estimates that despite the recession the market has more than quadrupled in the last five years, to around £175 million in the UK alone. Last week saw the first sustainable fashion show at London fashion week, as well as a vibrant and busy Estethica showcase. But the organisers of this show are determined to make Paris the capital of ethical fashion - as well as couture and pret-a-porter, says the report.

SO CRITICAL SO FASHION, taking place in Milan from the 27th september to the 2nd october, will bring together fashion and “ethical consumerism” to create a new lifestyle, says Fashion & Runway This event, organized by Terre di mezzo Eventi in cooperation with Isola della Moda, will star brand new fashion brands, independent designers, social responsible and environmental friendly enterprises, working to conjugate trends and innovation.

According to the report, there is an increasingly widespread attitude among consumers towards buying “critical” therefore making a choice not simply in terms of aesthetics, styles and trends, but also considering the ethical standards of dresses and accessories: kind of fabric, environmental impact of production and distribution, working conditions, sustainable innovation, local roots linked to ancient traditions, etc.

The project was the result of a conviction: the fashion needs of new values and new practices  must be consistent with contemporary environmental and social needs and therefore can not break free from the impositions of the twentieth century marketing and consumerism, say the So Critical, So Fashion Organizers.

Montreal’s ethical and equitable Fashion Salon Modethik, now in its fourth edition, joined Montreal Fashion Week  (MFW), on September 28, reports ecouterre. Over the past three seasons, Modethik has provided 60 socially and environmentally focused fashion brands with the opportunity to make their mark locally and internationally. This partnership between an NGO and a Fashion Week, is the first of its kind in North America, following in the footsteps of those developed in London and Paris in recent years.

During MFW, Modethik will feature a fashion exhibit and talk about ethical fashion. Following this will be a collaborative fashion show featuring nine sustainable designers, Cherry Bobin, Croquis, El Naturalista, Harricana, Myco Anna, Nicole Bridger, Rachel F., Ressac and Olga Tigirlas. A section will also be reserved for these ethical fashion designers in the MFW Showroom.

In London, the sustainable catwalk organized by the British Fashion Council organized for the London Fashion Week marked the first time room was made on the official fashion-week schedule to showcase ethical designers, says ecouterre. The catwalk featured established designers like Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCartney, as well as smaller but rising labels such as Junky Styling, People Tree, Henrietta Ludgate, and From Somewhere.

Read the Full Articles:

Sustainable chic hits capital of fashion in the Guardian

So Critical, So fashion in Milan in Fashion & Runway

MONTREAL EVENT: Ethical Fashion at Montreal Fashion Week in ecouterre