We talked a lot about Patagonia and their “only buy our jacket if you need it” mentality and branding. Patagonia is an outdoor clothing and gear brand, very Vancouver/Pacific Northwest-esque. However, I was curious if luxury brands were taking any necessary steps to becoming more sustainable.
Stella McCartney’s namesake brand is a pioneer in the fashion industry to embrace change and adopt a sustainable attitude in their business model – from the beginning stages of production to distribution and to the end consumer. All Stella offices in the UK are powered by wind energy, and international offices are powered by renewable energy outlets in their respective countries. 45% of the company’s operations are run on renewable and green energy. Garment transportation is most wasteful when it is shipped by planes, so fashion companies are looking towards container ships and rails.
Stella McCartney’s offices around the world adopt a recycling program, and in 2012, 34.3 metric tons of waste was diverted from landfill by being recycled or reused. The company is also the first luxury brand to join a green initiative called ‘Natural Resource Defence Council’ (NRDC) Clean by Design Programme. This programme focuses on reducing waste emissions by improving process efficiency.
I could go on and on about how Stella’s sustainable world is changing my perspective on the fashion industry, but that would require several blog posts. I think the fashion industry is often ridiculed and mocked for its conspicuous collections that use unethical methods when sourcing materials. But the key to any luxury product is that it is made to LAST, and maybe we become critical when products are flashy with an even flashier price tag. I hope more companies follow in Stella’s footsteps, because I don’t think people are going to stop buying clothes anytime soon.
Check out this article for more information!
PamelaMarisaMeloElbiorn
January 26, 2016 — 10:54 pm
This is so true, clothes are a product people will always need to use and eventually renew when it doesn’t fit anymore. Companies in the fashion industry should start taking advantage of being able to differentiate themselves through green strategies. When having so many new and innovative clothing designs, the green factor could definitively play an important role when consumers make purchase decisions or even when investors decide which company to support, considering the fact that luxurious fashion involves bigger investments. I can imagine two extravagant designers trying to convince stakeholders to support their collection and, since fashion is also very subjective, being a environmental friendly brand could definitively add valuable points in favour.
hovictor
February 1, 2016 — 5:54 am
Would you happen to know some of the other companies that are a part of the clean by design programme? It seems as though the idea of ‘reducing emissions by improving processes’ is rather wide-spread and not exactly a new and exciting topic but I am definitely glad to see a luxury brand step up and try to become more sustainable.
What really surprises me is their energy use. 45% of operations by renewable sources and 100% of their offices being powered by wind or other renewable energies. Those are some great numbers!
You mentioned that the fashion industry is often mocked for its unethical sourcing of materials. How does Stella source it’s materials?
Braelyn Fedun
February 1, 2016 — 7:52 pm
So this is embarrassing but I didn’t know who Stella McCartney was until your blog post – so thank you! I am pleasantly surprised to see how they have incorporated sustainability into their business model. In a luxury market with so many competitors, I feel like this is a great opportunity for differentiation. Like we talked about in class, “great first, green second” – luxury goods are typically always great, or perceived to be anyways – so I think green fits in really nicely!
lgonchar
February 2, 2016 — 6:59 pm
I agree that with sustainability being the hot topic leading all of our modern industries, even the fashion market has to integrate sustainable designs or practices into its products and brands. Lately I’ve come across some online catalogues with big brands featuring innovative styles that integrate sustainable materials. One of the examples being the new Nike shoe, that we talked about in class. Moreover, other high fashion clothing companies, like People Tree are working with farmers and artisans in third world countries to produce Fair Trade and environmentally sustainable clothing. Even H&M started their new green conscious exclusive line that features garments made out of hemp, organic linen and organic leather. Sounds to me, like an amazing way to feel good and look stylish!
http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/news/549258/the-best-ethical-fashion-brands-to-know-sustainable-fashion.html#index=1
danielleyallouz
April 1, 2016 — 10:22 am
Tessa, this is a great post! I agree the the fashion industry is constantly criticized for being less than sustainable and having negative impacts on not only the environment, but social welfare as well. It is an interesting industry because it drives the economy, as clothing is essential in our lives, however many people speculate that clothing companies are doing more harm than good. You have proven that this is not always the case. A company, like Stella McCartney, that is taking real steps to not only improve the economy, but reduce their carbon footprint and help the environment is very refreshing! What a cool company that combines high quality products with a sustainable mission! The only thing I wonder is it possible to be this sustainable and offer affordable prices for the mass consumer? I checked out Stella McCartney’s prices and noticed that her clothing and accessories are extremely expensive, targeting a very niche market who can afford to spend on clothing. However, taking steps in the right, environmentally friendly direction in an industry like this, is a great thing!