Top Five Global Fashion Brands Following Eco-Friendly Trends
In recent years, sustainability has become more than just a boardroom buzzword. Many fashion brands are taking the lead to support ethical fashion and contribute to a cleaner environment, by reducing the negative impact of the manufacturing process. The following global fashion brands are promoting sustainability by minimising water wastage and hazardous chemicals, promoting recycled materials, fostering fair labour, and much more.
Levi’s
Levi’s is best known for its denim jeans. Taking into consideration that only 2.5 percent of Earth’s water is drinkable and that it takes on average 1,800 gallons (6,840 litres) of water to produce a pair of jeans, the company took initiative and introduced Water<Less®. Since implementing the new technology, the company managed to save more than 3.5 billion liters of water and recycled more than 5 billion. In addition, Levi’s is committed to making at least 80 percent of Levi’s jeans using the Water<Less® technique by 2021, up 11 percent compared to 2019.
H&M Conscious
The world’s second largest fashion retailer, H&M has become a go-to for affordable and sustainable clothing. H&M Conscious product line contains at least 50 percent sustainable materials, such as organic cotton and recycled polyester, and recycled cotton making up 20 percent. What is more, the company has a goal to source only 100 percent recycled or other sustainably sourced materials by 2030.
Furthermore, in its latest sustainability report, H&M announced that it will be shifting to a circular packaging model to reduce packaging across the value chain by 25 percent by 2025. Besides, by 2030 the company targets to have 100 percent of packaging made from recycled or other sustainably sourced material.
Patagonia
Patagonia was founded upon the saying “cause no unnecessary harm,” acknowledging the need to reduce damage to earth caused by clothing production. Committed to implementing the best practices and techniques to reduce the harm, their goal is to be carbon-free by 2025 by moving to 100 percent renewable and recycled raw materials.
Patagonia pledges 1 percent of its total sales to environmental groups. The company has already awarded over $89 million in cash and donations to a number of environmental groups making a difference in their local communities.
What is more, the company is proud to be using 100 percent organic cotton in their clothes and having 72 percent of their line made with recycled materials.
Smart Guess
The American clothing brand Guess is also making steps towards a more sustainable future. In 2017 the company launched a sustainability plan with a new clothing line Smart Guess. The company’s sustainability goals for 2021 include producing a fourth of their denim under Smart Guess guidelines. Reducing water usage, the guidelines also ensure the use of sustainably sourced materials and new technologies to reduce chemicals usage. In addition, Guess targets to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent by 2021.
Toms
This American shoe brand existing under the slogan “We’re in business to improve lives”, is best known for their social impact by providing a new pair of shoes to youth of Argentina and other developing nations for every pair sold. The company offers shoes with sustainable and vegan materials, such as natural hemp, organic cotton, and recycled cotton. What is more praiseworthy is that the company’s shoe boxes are made from 80 percent recycled post-consumer waste.
Toms has decided to measure its carbon footprint in 2020 and improve it year by year. Furthermore, the shoe company continues to produce their packaging from sustainably managed forests, as well as making sure that 80 percent of it is made of recycled materials. The company is also working towards sourcing and using 100 percent sustainable cotton by 2025.