Fashion's Environmental Toll and Industry Responses
In September 2018, during Paris Fashion Week, Lacoste introduced a campaign that featured 1,775 polo shirts showcasing ten critically endangered species. This initiative quickly gained traction, amassing 600,000 shares within a day, with proceeds benefiting the IUCN's Save Our Species program. Since its inception in 2013, H&M's clothing collection initiative has successfully collected over 40,000 tons of used garments and recycled 9.5 million PET bottles in 2016. The fashion sector generates 8 billion new items each year, contributing more CO2 emissions than all air and maritime transportation combined. Additionally, H&M and other companies signed the New Global Plastics Economy Commitment to minimize non-biodegradable plastics. On November 20, 2018, Prada Group held 'Shaping a Sustainable Digital Future' to discuss sustainability and digital integration.
Key facts
- Lacoste produced only 1,775 polo shirts with endangered animal logos during Paris Fashion Week September 2018.
- The campaign had 600,000 shares in 24 hours and boosted website traffic.
- H&M's garment collection program since 2013 has recovered over 40,000 tons of clothing.
- H&M recycled 9.5 million PET bottles in 2016.
- Fashion industry produces 8 billion items yearly, 400% more than 40 years ago.
- Fashion generates more CO2 than all air and maritime traffic combined.
- New Global Plastics Economy Commitment signed by H&M, Burberry, L'Oréal, Selfridges, Stella McCartney, Target, Unilever.
- Prada Group held 'Shaping a Sustainable Digital Future' on November 20, 2018.
- Carlo Mazzi stated digital and sustainability are now essential.
- Cognitive computing could reduce production forecasting errors by 50%.
- H&M loses $4.3 billion annually in unsold merchandise.
- Amazon is developing an AI fashion designer.
Entities
Institutions
- Lacoste
- Save Our Species
- IUCN
- H&M
- Charity Star
- Save the Children
- Burberry
- L'Oréal
- Selfridges
- Stella McCartney
- Target
- Unilever
- Prada Group
- Fondazione Prada
- Politecnico di Milano
- Yale School of Management
- Amazon
- Artribune
Locations
- Paris
- France
- Sweden
- Italy
- Vietnam
- Madagascar
- Sumatra
- Indonesia
- Myanmar
- Gulf of California
- Mexico