Calling the Fashion Police
Let’s talk fashion, shall we? (First time those words have ever passed my lips.)
Or if not fashion, then how about apparel, as even I wear clothes (mostly).
From drawdown of freshwater resources to microplastics pollution to carbon emissions, apparel is a consequential contributor to environmental ills.
So, I figured in this week's issue I’d dig into a few interesting developments that might be of interest to you in the quest of more sustainable fashion.
What say we start in an unusual spot, the grocery aisle? When we're shopping for what we put in our body, it's not unusual to grab a bag or can of food and check out the ingredients on the label. So why not the same for what we put on our body?
That’s exactly what Peter Gorse thought. While some of us used Covid downtime to binge-stream TV shows, Gorse streamed a different level of consciousness by developing a garment facts label to help people understand the impact of the clothes they are purchasing.
Finally, something with societal heft for the fashion police to comment upon!
While some believe the materials, processes, and lifespan are too complex to provide accurate data, I think it’s an effort worth pursuing and refining. And Gorse, knows his stuff; an industrial designer and textile researcher at Cranfield University in England, his path prior to the Pandemic was studying liquid ionic solvents.
Looking at Gorse’s sample label (below), you get a pretty good idea of how it might influence purchasing habits. For me, two line-items jumped out: Energy Source (100% Coal) and Textile Worker’s Pay (45% of living wages).
A pretty rad use of Covid downtime, wouldn’t you say? I know if I saw that label it would produce an audible gulp, a queasy sense in my stomach, and a quick rush to compare other labels for similar products before I made any purchases. Who knows, it might even forestall my purchase and create a longer life for the clothes already in my closet. That's a win.
What do you think?
Godspeed, friends.
Russ
P.S. You can read a more in-depth article in Vogue about Gorse and his label.
💬 Quote of the Week
"I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashions." Lillian Hellman
💥 Quick Hits
• Fledgling certification takes flight – Friend and fellow Boisean Payton McGriff and co-founder Clarabeth Concaret launched a new certification for apparel brands, Fabricure.
• Know your clothing – TS Designs and Croatan Institute created a crowdfunding campaign to build Know Your Clothing, a globally scalable model of regional apparel manufacturing clusters, with a goal of ensuring supply chain transparency, minimizing waste, and fair worker treatment, while promoting the widespread adoption of natural dyes and fibers.
• A textile fairy tale – Godspeed reader, friend, and biz partner Markus Kessler pointed me to a German startup, Manomea, that transforms textile remnants and natural fibers into chairs, stools, and ink pens.
• Stay in step with sustainable fashion – One of the sharpest reporters we know on sustainability in fashion is Elizabeth Segran, who writes with a keen eye for Fast Company. Highly recommended to give Liz a follow on LinkedIn.
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