On Thursday, 64 companies announced their commitment to increasing sustainable design, garment collection, repurposing, and the use of recycled textiles by 2020. Companies like Kering, Zara’s manufacturer Inditex, Adidas, ASOS, Eileen Fisher, Ganni, H&M, Target, VF Corp., and Reformation, are now required to publish a “progress report” as part of the Global Fashion Agenda’s focus on “circular production in fashion,” according to WWD. Circular fashion revolves around the idea that garments, shoes, and accessories can be made to have a lifespan which benefits the environment in all forms, from their production to their eventual disposal.
“We have now reviewed all 143 of the [individual] targets, and although the focus areas and level of engagement vary from company to company, they all share a common feature by taking steps to transition to a circular fashion industry,” Eva Kruse, GFA’s chief executive officer told WWD. “I find that very encouraging.”
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Each company will set their own targets with GFA’s recommendations. Adidas is committing to collecting used garments. ASOS is going to train its design team to work with “circular design,” easing away from nonrecyclable materials. H&M hasn’t been shy about its renewable initiatives and according to WWD, will now also train employees on increasing circularity, collect 25,000 tons of clothing, as well as provide money for research.
Luxury conglomerate Kering is charging ahead with its plans to embrace sustainability, after announcing Gucci would be fur-free as of its spring 2018 show, is going to focus its efforts on identifying “the most promising pre-and post-consumer raw material recycling technologies for luxury and will start scaling them up the supply chain.” WWD also notes “among all of the 64 companies, collection of used garments is the most common effort elected to be undertaken by the 2020 deadline,” which is a promising start. Progress is a slow process, after all.