10 anni di Sfilata Frasso: la moda sostenibile all’insegna dell’upcycling
Sfilata Frasso, the fashion event that raises awareness of the recovery of materials leaving the jaw open for the creativity of its participants, celebrates ten years. Also this year we were at the fashion show in the suggestive Frasso Sabino, for the occasion set up with recycled materials by the Pro Loco Frasso with the collaboration of the community, friends, volunteers and inhabitants of neighboring municipalities. Viviana Rapisarda of Radio Company was presenting the event, with the participation of the dancer Simona Borghese. Eleven dresses competing this year, examples of how to create fashion thanks to upcycling, dexterity and imagination. It wasn’t easy being on the jury and choosing the…
Illegal logging in Cambodia to feed the fashion industry
The garment sector in Cambodia is fueled by illegal logging. In the global fashion industry, the accusation of profiting at the expense of forests is nothing new. Last year, we published an article about research that highlighted the link between fashion and deforestation in the Amazon. The protected forest of 402,352 hectares that extends across the provinces of Kampong Speu, Koh Kong and Pursat is considered one of the best preserved rainforests in the country. It is an area rich in biodiversity. According to a survey conducted by Mongabay (2023)*, garment factories in Cambodia are using wood illegally harvested from these protected areas to fuel their boilers. The garment industry…
Injustices in sustainable fashion: what does it want to “sustain”?
“Before finding solutions, perhaps one should first ask: What do we want to sustain in fashion? Such a question may at first seem abstract and idealist. But without questioning the basic framework under which the work toward sustainability occurs, the risk is of sustaining unintended dynamics in fashion. Sustainability risks becoming a cloak under which to hide how injustices are made permanent, suffering made invisible, while maintaining social conflict and systemic inequities, rather than boosting the democratic principles the industry suggests it desires to sustain. Much everyday brand-initiated discourse on sustainable fashion is an excuse for keeping up the status quo, implementing surveillance regimes on goods and labor, and effectively…
SHEIN: New report reveals dangerous chemicals in products
Ultra-fast fashion brand SHEIN has a “business model based on hazardous chemicals and environmental destruction” according to a recent investigation by Greenpeace Germany. SHEIN’s marketing bombards young people, through platforms like TikTok, with glamorous-looking items sold at bargain prices, promoted by micro- and macro-influencers who get free products and other benefits in return. However, little is known about the thousands of suppliers who cut and sew garments in Guangdong, China, and even less about the factories that wash and dye their fabrics, the major source of the pollution caused by SHEIN. To find out more about the products and especially the use of hazardous chemicals in the supply chain, Greenpeace…
Alert toxic products: two shoe models reported by the European Commission
The European Commission quickly reports the measures taken against dangerous non-food products among the national authorities responsible for product safety in single market countries. Every day the national authorities send alerts with information on the type of product detected as dangerous, a description of the risk and the measures taken by the economic operator or ordered by the authority. Two Guess shoe models are currently reported. The harmful chemicals we put on our feet while wearing shoes can exceed the permitted limits. The use of toxic chemicals for the environment and health is unfortunately currently one of the negative impacts of the fashion industry. Reports are definitely a useful tool,…
Denim production in Pakistan: Environmental Impacts, Strategies, and Future Directions
Denim is one of the most popular and ubiquitous fabrics globally, and the fashion industry heavily relies on it. However, the production of denim has a significant environmental impact, from water usage to chemical pollution. Therefore, the need for sustainable denim production has become more pressing as the world moves towards more sustainable practices. In the last Premier Vision Denim fair in Milan we met many Pakistani realities selling denim. This article aims to explore the challenges faced by Pakistan in achieving sustainable denim production and the strategies employed to overcome them. Denim in Pakistan: A Blue Gold Rush Pakistan is the third largest preferred cotton-producing countries* in 2019/2020, after Brazil…
The future of fashion: sustainability and potential developments that may shape the sector
We cannot predict the future with certainty, especially in this context perceived after the pandemic as increasingly unpredictable, but I can give you some insights based on current trends and predictions. Here are some potential developments that may shape the future of fashion: 1. Sustainable fashion There is a growing awareness of the environmental impact of the fashion industry, and consumers are increasingly demanding sustainable and ethical practices from fashion brands. This trend is likely to continue, and we may see more brands adopting sustainable practices, using eco-friendly materials, and implementing circular economy principles. 2. Technology and innovation Technology is changing the way we shop, design, and produce fashion. We…
Microfibers and microplastics from textile materials: what are they and how to reduce them?
Thanks to two interesting studies*, reviewing the research on microfibres and microplastics, we try to shed light on a topic more and more preoccupying. The increase in the production of textile fibers in the last 20 years, in particular of synthetic ones, and the discoveries on the effects they have on man and the environment place more and more attention on the subject. Fiber fragments released from clothing and home textiles during washing, drying and use are considered a new source of environmental pollution and a health threat. What are microfibres? What size are they? “Microfibre” is a consolidated term in the textile industry to indicate fibers between 10 and…
Dress code for a special occasion: now what? The sustainable solutions
A Christmas dinner, announced as an occasion to celebrate with a dress code that was soon to be announced. Everything starts from here. You’ll ask yourself “What’s special? Why are we talking about it here?”. What is special is that, instead of rushing to buy something new as soon as we received the details of the clothing required for the evening, it turned into a challenge to arrive dressed in theme and satisfied by choosing the perspective of greater sustainability and awareness. Yes, that’s fine, but where do I find an elegant (sustainable) red dress now? I have two or three of them in my wardrobe, not for evening wear.…
Biodesign: the possible future of fashion
We are being urged to reconsider what we eat, how we travel, and what we buy to lessen our collective environmental impact, which is frequently marketed under the term “sustainability.” But shouldn’t sustainability be fundamentally incorporated into how things are designed and made if we’re going to drastically reduce climate impact on the scale necessary to stop climate change? What environmentally friendly way to create houses, clothes, cars, and food? Following nature’s blueprint and incorporating biological systems into the creation of objects, according to a growing community of designers and scientists, will help ensure that they are symbiotic with our planet rather than parasitic or polluting it. Let’s get deep…
