The trend in the fashion world is increasingly leading to a sustainable fashion trend. Lacoste, the French clothing brand for the first time since its founding in 1933, has replaced its iconic crocodile logo with 10 rare animals including the Sumatran Tiger and Anegada Rock Iguana. Launched at Paris Fashion Week, the Save Our Species campaign represents a new and inspiring way to increase their awareness and involvement in species conservation.
Then, the Reebok brand announced the Cotton + Corn product initiative which is an ongoing initiative to introduce plant-based footwear to the market.
Sustainable fashion trends are rolling and more brands are following. Small brands join large global brands to adopt green initiatives for the benefit of the environment. American market research company, NPD conducted a survey in July a few months ago to measure the continuing fashion popularity in the US. Nearly a quarter of respondents said they had purchased “sustainable,” “environmentally friendly,” “organic” or “ethical” clothing. This number increased to 30 percent when asked to younger respondents (aged 18-34 years).
Higher interest from younger consumers is not surprising because they are a generation that grows with good information about social causes and their impact on the environment. What is surprising is that almost a third are not sure if they have ever bought this type of clothing, indicating the need for a clear message about sustainable fashion, according to clothing industry analysts at the NPD Group.
The Brands and Sustainable Fashion Trend
Here are some brands in the Asia-Pacific region that lead in a sustainable fashion:
1.Startup Girlfriend Collective
This brand based in Seattle and has created leggings with materials made from 25 bottles of recycled water. There is a disruptive trend in recycled fabric production where some facilities will buy water bottles that are not used to get higher profits in the manufacturing process.
Their head office is monitored by the Taiwan government recycling authorities to ensure that only used water bottles go into making leggings. The bottles are sorted into their respective categories and then sent to centers for processing stages in Taiwan. Leggings and bras are made from Polyethylene Terephthalate, also known as PET.
Girlfriend Collective
- Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney’s commitment to focus on making sustainable luxury brands has proven in their collections. Stella McCartney, who is a vegetarian, does not use any skin or hair in the design. These new technology shoes use environmentally friendly materials and are fully recyclable.
The collection includes men’s and women’s clothing, accessories, underwear, glasses, fragrances, and clothes for children. Stella McCartney has 51 stores including Soho in Manhattan, Mayfair London, Brompton Cross, LA West Hollywood, Palais Royal Paris, Milan, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Beijing.
Stella McCartney
More Brands in Sustainable Fashion Trend
- Christina Zipperlen
Silver jewelry and clothing based in Bali from recycled materials have a green certificate, ensuring the waste process is clean. Cotton in their clothes is certified organic.
“Being in Southeast Asia, we are more directly exposed to the results of pollution and toxic waste so we feel the importance of having a positive impact on the environment,” said a statement on their blog.
Another Singapore-based brand designs jewelry using bioresin and environmentally friendly materials. Unlike traditional resins which consist of petroleum-based ingredients, bioresin contains biobased renewable materials sourced from other industrial process waste streams, such as pulp and bio-fuels production. The sustainable fashion trend is increasing and is a positive thing that needs to be improved.
Christina Zipperlen
