Sustainable fashion triumphs in Florence and Milan

Sustainable fashion lessons in Florence and Milan this month in occasion of Milan Fashion Week and Pitti Uomo. Some of the most successful fashion brands and award-winning designers have talked about their approach to sustainability and ethical work, themes that are quickly gaining ample space in many fashion houses.

"We are aware that the fashion industry is one of the most polluting in the world, second only to the oil industry", commented British Ambassador to Italy Jill Morris, a guest in Florence during the conference UK-Italy: Lezioni di Moda Sostenibile. “The UK has placed clean growth at the center of its government's priorities, so much so that Parliament has recently set up an Environmental Control Commission to assess the social and environmental impact of fashion and study ways to recycle clothing , in an effort to reduce waste and pollution”.

A theme dear to us for a long time, now become mantra of all new stylistic research, both with regard to ethical fashion and sustainable design.

A theme that is in fact dear to many, and to which the United Nations, in March 14, 2019 will launch the alliance for sustainable fashion, an ambitious project, with the aim of coordinating the response of the UN system to the challenges that the textile, fashion and accessories sectors must tackle to achieve the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.

We have seen that today the greatest challenge of fashion is sustainable development, and beyond that, its greatest opportunity.

As a consumer, it is not easy to be green, but it is becoming simpler. Thanks above all to the consumers themselves, more and more attentive and oriented towards sustainable fashion and cleaner alternatives. And the appeals to the sector are not few. According to a survey conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the Changing Markets Foundation and Clean Clothes Campaign, most Italians believe that clothing brands must take charge of the impact of their supply chains. 2 Italians out of 3 are not willing to buy clothing whose production is associated with pollution and even for 72% of Italians, big and small brands, should ensure that their production and distribution takes place in a sustainable way, in addition to guaranteeing decent working conditions for employees. The results of the survey therefore point to a clear change in mentality on the part of consumers, who demand a greater assumption of responsibility by the industry and more information.

And fashion, as always, is not slow to respond. In Florence and Milan, sustainable fashion has triumphed, the only undisputed protagonist. Basic collections, in which the circular economy is the protagonist of the garment through reworkings of fabric made from discarded fishing nets, plastic bottles or worn tires, unusual elements that have given life and shape to coats, swimwear, sneakers and accessories. This wave of green will soon also involve the fashion week in Las Vegas, which will host the first edition of Vegan Fashion Week at the California Market Center from February 1 to 4 with fashion shows, talks and musical events dedicated to ethical fashion.

"Everyone wears clothes, everyone wants to look and feel good, and everyone wants a healthy environment where they can thrive both themselves and future generations”  Stanley-Jones.

And we’ll keep you updated!