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But, as retail continues to evolve, driven by developments ranging from voice technologies to social media, even luxury shoppers are starting to want different things.

Download Drapers' latest repor t on luxury's digital transformation to read about why the shift is happening, who is in the lead, and what luxury ecommerce could look like in the future.

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But, as retail continues to evolve, driven by developments ranging from voice technologies to social media, even luxury shoppers are starting to want different things. Download Drapers' latest repor t on luxury's digital transformation to read about why the shift is happening, who is in the lead, and what luxury ecommerce could look like in the future.

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The technology is changing several areas of retail and the services seen so far, such as chatbots, are just the start of what it could do for retailers.

In this report, we explore how the technology is already having an impact on the brand-consumer relationship, enabling a closer and more personal interaction and giving retailers more ways to express a brand's personality.

From generating a more emotional connection to providing a fully personalised customer offer, it has big implications for how business is done.

Click here to register to download the report for free.

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How artificial intelligence is transforming the customer journey

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The technology is changing several areas of retail and the services seen so far, such as chatbots, are just the start of what it could do for retailers. In this report, we explore how the technology is already having an impact on the brand-consumer relationship, enabling a closer and more personal interaction and giving retailers more ways to express a brand's personality.

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Development of AI & Stock control.

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Drapers explores the most important digital developments for the coming year, that look to solve underlying industry problems such as overproduction, sustainability and reduced footfall.

Digital sustainability

The past year brought a focus on sustainability to the fashion industry that is only set to increase. With the issue taking centre stage, the range of digital resources at retailers' fingertips to aid sustainable approaches will grow in the coming 12 months.

"We are now seeing a much greater understanding of the strain that fast fashion puts on the environment," says Rhiannon McGregor, foresight writer at trend intelligence company The Future Laboratory. "As a result, we'll see consumers in 2019 become much more attuned to enjoying digital ephemera."

Digital clothing collections - to be "worn" exclusively in photographs with no real-world presence - could help to curb the environmental impact of fast fashion. They feed into the Instagram influencer culture, which encourages the purchase of items for sharing on social media.

Online fashion retailer Carlings partnered with virtual influencer Perl.www in November to create a 19-piece virtual clothing range. Customers can have an item of clothing digitally fitted to a photo of them, which they can share on social media.

The collection is a digital solution to fashion waste, allowing customers to purchase "single-wear" items without a detrimental impact on the environment.

At the other end of the supply chain, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning will be used to solve issues of overproduction.

It's time to shout about your digital triumphs!

From app development to in-store technology to best use of social media, Drapers Digital Awards celebrate the best in fashion retail tech.

Matthew Drinkwater, head of the innovation agency at London College of Fashion, says: "The increased use of machine learning will be a new format of retail where we could potentially see stores reducing the stock that they're holding but become much more targeted in who their consumer is."

H&M group is using analytics and AI to control its production levels. The group blamed a build-up of excess stock for a 62% decline in its operating profits to 1.2bn SEK (£108m) for the first quarter, ending 28 February 2018.

Head of advanced analytics and AI at H&M group, Arti Zeighami, explains: "Advanced analytics and AI are some of the most powerful tools we have in the transition towards a circular and sustainable fashion system. With the help of AI, we can align supply and demand much better with the goal of only producing what we are selling.

This could also entail less transport and warehousing, which means less energy is used. It's really a win-win situation where we reduce the environmental impact of our operations while creating an even more relevant offering for our customer."

Virtual prototyping, cloth simulation and sensor measurement tools for pattern cutting will simplify the design and sampling processes, reducing waste and emissions for the industry.

Using AI to improve fit will also help to reduce painful returns rates for online retailers.

"We will see the development of anything where technology can play a part in helping people select the right size and being able to virtually sample a product and understand how it looks on them or might flow," says Sundeep Khanna, head of fashion and luxury at Deloitte.

Yoox's artificial intelligence-powered stylist, YooxMirror, allows customers to virtually style looks from products on its avatar "Daisy" - the selection is updated weekly.

Giuseppe Tamola, Yoox global brand and marketing director, says: "YooxMirror has the advantage of providing insight on how the clothes really look when worn, reversing ecommerce's paradigm of "first you buy, then you try" and moving back to the bricks-and-mortar [method of trying clothes before purchase]."

Digital personalisation

The vice-president of retail innovation at ecommerce platform Aptos, Nikki Baird, says: "2018 was the year of investing in customer experience for AI. In 2019, we'll see that move into the production and curation side of things."

Digital personalisation will provide a virtual solution to the very real problem of overproduction. It will allow retailers to harness customer data and trends to more closely curate collections and improve sell-through rates. Yoox is leading advancements in digital personalisation with its own label, 8 by Yoox - "Otto" in Italian.
The 8 by Yoox range is created using AI analysed data to predict consumer needs and trends
"Our aim with 8 by Yoox was providing our customers with a collection that perfectly meets their needs - those items that are a representation of what we identify as long-term trends as opposed to seasonal trends," says Tamola.

The Yoox production team interprets research and analysis from an internally developed AI-driven tool and data from the web, social media and online magazine content to create the range.

"In 2019, more and more brands will use data to generate insight that allows them to move beyond surface-level personalisation," says Sian Novakovic, experience strategy director at retail experience consultancy Household. "[Luxury etailer] Farfetch, [fashion shopping aggregator] Lyst and [fashion and homeware marketplace] ShopStyle do this well. Service partnerships with multiple brands are able to pick out trends from data, allowing rapid innovation in tune with changing customer demand."

The trend will develop to generate personalised pricing, says Alex Jones, group director at design and innovation consultancy Fjord. Data from customer payments will be used to generate lower prices for more frequent shoppers determined as having a higher lifetime value.

He notes that Amazon and Alibaba will be leading the way: "As they both own the payment platforms they're using and so many components of what they're calling the new etail infrastructure, they will be the ones that will popularise and set the pace for the industry. It's inevitable that we will see personalised pricing in store and online."

Return to the human touch

Digital in store will become less of a gimmick in the coming year. Instead, retailers will use digital to support their shop floor staff, as customers return to bricks and mortar for human interaction and the expert knowledge that this brings with it.

"Digital is not stepping forward as a protagonist in the story, but making everything more seamless," says Jones.

Chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba Group piloted the "FashionAI" concept store for US brand Guess in Hong Kong this year. The store featured digital innovations such as smart mirrors that offer customers styling suggestions before allowing them to add items to their virtual shopping cart - alerting staff to prepare the garments and accessories for them in the fitting rooms.

Alibaba's fashion AI store

"We are creating a seamless interaction between the online and offline worlds by tapping into technologies ranging from machine learning to computer vision [a form of AI that analyses images] to better understand and cater to customers' fashion needs," says Alibaba Group's head of fashion UK and Nordics, Mei Chen.

Retailers will adapt their in-store digital offerings as they rediscover the integral role that staff play in the bricks-and-mortar experience.

Stefanie Dorfer, retail editor at trend forecasting agency Stylus, explains: "Retailers have realised the huge advantage of having real people in store. Digital's role is to allow customers to switch between online and offline channels without losing any information."

Blurring boundaries

2019 will bring the bricks-and-mortar store into consumers' homes - almost literally.

Harvey Nichols has partnered with retail technology company Hero to launch Ask HN - a live online shopping service available on its website on computers and smartphones. From their home, or on the move, customers can have real-time conversations with store staff for styling advice, view specific pieces or request sizing assistance.

Ask HN allows customers to interact directly with shop floor staff

"Customers who access Ask HN are five times more likely to make a purchase and will on average spend twice as much," says Pearson Poon, executive director at Harvey Nichols. "By forming a relationship with our sales associates, we believe customers will form a closer connection to our brand and stores, resulting in greater engagement overall."

Stylus's Dorfer, meanwhile, says that while mobile is not a new technology, it is a big driver for digital developments in fashion retail.

" The most important trends are mobile driven," she explains. "It's all about the smartphone for omnichannel retail and using the mobile as a remote control in store."

Mobile app Sprucebot allows independents to access data from their customers' devices. The bot integrates into stores' wi-fi and sends information straight to staff members. Among its capabilities, it sends an alert when shoppers who have downloaded the app enter the store, so they can be greeted by name, and keeps records of customers' preferences and tastes.

However, retailers need to be careful to offer a proportionate level of customer service to the amount of data that they are extracting.

Jones warns: "In 2019, people will no longer accept mediocre rewards in exchange for their data. They will expect more from services, so organisations will be forced to do more to ensure customers can clearly see what's in it for them."

In-brief tech insights

AI marketing: The opportunity to cut costs while increasing efficiency has led companies such as etailer Zalando to replace human staff with AI for a more targeted approach

Voice search: As more retailers make use of the new technology, 2019 will bring exciting developments to stay competitive as Microsoft has reduced the error rate of its voice recognition to that of a human

In-store 3D printing: The service will combine personalisation and convenience to produce products while customers wait. Adidas trialled its "Knit for you" pop up this year, focused on high quality and sustainable creations, but 3D printing could take the trend mainstream

Workflow mapping: As online sales grow retailers must iron out issues to support customer journeys across all channels - an area where new tech developments could prove useful

Click and collect: A simple solution to increasing footfall that continues to be a hot topic in the industry

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Drapers explores the most important digital developments for the coming year, that look to solve underlying industry problems such as overproduction, sustainability and reduced footfall. Digital sustainability The past year brought a focus on sustainability to the fashion industry that is only set to increase.

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Businesses make a killing selling products that rarely cost more than a hundred dollars. Take Warby Parker and H&M, for instance. It's hard not to smile at the prices; it's easy to swipe your credit card too.

For companies that offer single items worth hundreds of dollars or goods that cost an alarming four-figures, there are a number of obstacles to overcome before you can convince shoppers to spend even a dime.

Brands consistently face three major challenges when marketing a high-priced product. Below are some solutions which make selling a thousand dollars' worth of merchandise a tad bit easier.

Sticker shock

Most consumers can't help but flinch when they see a price that is outside of their normal comfort zone. For shoppers, it is almost too easy to dismiss a product based on cost alone. A majority of folk will reassure themselves by saying: " It's too expensive" or " I cannot afford it."

Without a strong, compelling offer, you'll quickly lose their attention and interest. To dispel this objection, brands ought to exercise selective and strategic discounting . Businesses should never drop prices in a manner that threatens the integrity of their brand. Instead, they should do it in a way that is tasteful and unexpected .

In most cases, a surprise $200 off promotion on a $600 product will, at the very least, grant you an audience. Of course, that's just the first step to capturing customers' attention before you ultimately convert them.

High customer acquisition costs

More expensive items tend to have higher margins, which many assume leads to better marketing budgets. Unfortunately, competition in the luxury goods sector is fierce and your rivals are well-prepared to outbid you on paid keywords and will happily spend more on direct marketing to capture a larger market share.

Instead of focusing all your energy on the never-ending paid marketing arms race, invest a meaningful portion of your budget towards building an engaged and sustainable audience. Doing so will produce compounding results, unlike with one-off transactions.

Clever tactics for cultivating a consistently growing audience include content marketing and email marketing. For example, luxury brands like have leveraged user-generated content to turn regular customers into active and vocal advocates. Having authentic voices talking about your brand organically will, long-term, generate more ROI than the modest profit from a quick direct response conversion.

As long as you can keep signups growing at a rate that's faster than churn, email can be an immensely profitable tool. Within six months of personalizing its email sends , fashion retailer Intermix grew conversion rates ten times over.

More than just a simple first name-insert, Intermix emails are filled with product recommendations, which customize the shopping experience for subscribers. As the company scales its personalized email program across its entire user base, Intermix's e-commerce director Don McNichol Internet Retailer that he expects a 15 percent increase in revenue for the year.

An unfamiliar brand name

Small businesses are cursed. They have to work nearly twice as hard, in most cases, to convince customers to choose them over bigger brand name competitors who offer the "safe" option.

To help consumers justify the premium cost, you often need to overcommunicate your business' values, your product's benefits and the unique advantages you offer.

For some, seeing is believing, literally. That's why videos of products work exceptionally well for e-commerce sites. For others, social proof may help bolster your brand's image. Real customer reviews and testimonials from people like them make appreciating your product a whole lot easier.

Skeptics may need to be convinced; talking with a company representative can help. Quick response communication methods such as live chat , phone calls and emails help users source answers to their questions right away, while giving you a chance to tailor the sales pitch to convert shoppers.

Lastly, clients feel better when you offer guarantees. Full refunds available based on customer satisfaction and total care product warranties give buyers piece-of-mind, knowing they won't have to be stuck with both a dud of a product and a hefty bill.

Promoting and selling a premium-priced product has difficulties. Though, for marketers who successfully jump over those hurdles, the rewards are endless.

Which luxury brands do you think market big-ticket items well?

Read next: 10 surprising pricing strategies that can drastically improve sales

Read next: Retro album makeovers for modern musicians from Miley to Drake

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The Challenges of Marketing a High-Priced Product

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Businesses make a killing selling products that rarely cost more than a hundred dollars. Take Warby Parker and H&M, for instance. It's hard not to smile at the prices; it's easy to swipe your credit card too.

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Q3 was a mixed bag for fashion retailers - even in the online realm, which can normally be relied upon to provide strong growth. England's exit from the World Cup dampened spending, which was only partly improved by the hot weather.

Looking forward, and the most important quarter of the year is starting - all eyes in fashion retail are now on the peak Q4 trading period.

Download the full report to see how Q3 performed, and trends to expect from 2018's golden quarter.

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Ecommerce Snapshot: Fashion's Q3 online performance

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Q3 was a mixed bag for fashion retailers - even in the online realm, which can normally be relied upon to provide strong growth. England's exit from the World Cup dampened spending, which was only partly improved by the hot weather.

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Q3 was a mixed bag for fashion retailers - even in the online realm, which can normally be relied upon to provide strong growth. England's exit from the World Cup dampened spending, which was only partly improved by the hot weather.

Looking forward, and the most important quarter of the year is starting - all eyes in fashion retail are now on the peak Q4 trading period.

Download the full report to see how Q3 performed, and trends to expect from 2018's golden quarter.

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Ecommerce Snapshot: Fashion's Q3 online performance

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Q3 was a mixed bag for fashion retailers - even in the online realm, which can normally be relied upon to provide strong growth. England's exit from the World Cup dampened spending, which was only partly improved by the hot weather.

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Instagram has become an important source of style inspiration for shoppers throughout the globe. More than 532 million posts were tagged #fashion worldwide as of the week ending 6 July, and in an average month, 180 million Instagrammers visit a brand's website, email or send a message to learn more about a business or product.

Two recent launches will enable brands to capitalise further on this engagement. Instagram Shopping launched in March and allows direct purchasing on Instagram. IGTV launched in June as an app and a space on the platform for videos up to an hour long.

Time spent watching video on Instagram soared more than 80% year on year in June 2017, and brands have responded to this increased interest.

Fashion retailer N Brown Group, which posted a travel-clothing edit featuring plus-size blogger Chloe Elliott for its Simply Be brand, and style advice from rapper Wretch 32 for Jacamo, says IGTV is useful for engagement.

N Brown Group creative director Beth Lowry says: "This new channel allows us to streamline really great content where our customers, both old and new, are already engaged." The Simply Be channel has 72,000 UK customers.

Instagram Stories lets users post photos and videos that vanish after 24 hours and has changed how people use Instagram. Users are posting more real-life moments instead of perfectly filtered images, and so are brands - Gap's Logo Remix campaign on Stories, for instance, paid homage to its logos of the past. The additional frames that users could tap through allowed the brand to tell more of a story. Fashion brands and retailers are leading the way with impactful Instagram content.
Asos boosts awareness
For its first creative advertising campaign on Instagram Stories, Asos created a series of ads that immersed its fashion-conscious, digitally native target audience into the brand.

The ads did not push sales messaging, and instead combined high production values and the style of a fashion shoot to create an engaging mobile video to build brand awareness.

This led to 14-percentage-point lift in ad recall and three-point increase in brand awareness in the UK, and an eight-point jump in ad recall and seven-point rise in brand awareness in the US.

Global director of content and engagement Leila Thabet says: "We wanted to deliver a strong brand message, and help drive awareness and engagement in an authentic and sympathetic way, and entertain our audience in a moment that's really capturing their attention."
Chinese Laundry's Instagram-only Sale
Footwear distributor Chinese Laundry wanted to convert the substantial traffic that it generates from an Instagram campaign into sales, so it decided to launch a Sale that was only available on the platform.

Working with agency Taktical, Chinese Laundry targeted customers who had visited its website within the preceding 15 days but had not purchased within the last three days.

The ad was placed in Instagram Stories and, to ensure it blended in with other posts there, it used the Boomerang looped video feature to create a short story with a text overlay promoting the Sale.

Chinese Laundry increased its return on ad spend by an average of 32% and, overall, the campaign brought in an 8.8 return on ad spend.
Myer's merchandise matters
Instagram's Canvas feature allows users to create full-screen "immersive experiences" for users on mobile devices.

Australian department store Myer used Canvas ads on Instagram Stories to show customers content from its spring 17 womenswear events. The interactive ad showed inspirational photos and videos of the latest collections and encouraged shoppers to click through to Myer's website.

The six-day campaign reached more than 852,000 women, who viewed the ad for an average of 17.1 seconds, and it achieved a 2.2 return on ad spend.

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Instagram's new tools for fashion retailers

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Instagram has become an important source of style inspiration for shoppers throughout the globe. More than 532 million posts were tagged #fashion worldwide as of the week ending 6 July, and in an average month, 180 million Instagrammers visit a brand's website, email or send a message to learn more about a business or product.

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It's already shaping up to be an interesting year in fashion retail. As retailers face waning consumer confidence and an uncertain macroeconomic outlook, our report shows this is not deterring them from thinking strategically and imaginatively about how to use technology to best effect. Download the report to read about:

Retailers' investment plans: We speak to retailers including Dune, Levi's and Lulu Guinness about their investment plans.

Privacy and data: How are consumer attitudes evolving regarding the data that companies hold on them, and what are retailers doing in response?

Leading multichannel stores from across the globe: Stores have become retailers' multichannel not-so-secret weapon. We take a look at some of the best, and investigate how brands are using physical retail to best effect.

Next-generation search: How social, voice and image recognition technologies are changing how people find, discover and become inspired by fashion product.

Is menswear leading the way in multichannel? The menswear market enjoyed high online growth in 2018, partly driven by increasingly innovative multichannel concepts and digitally-led ideas designed to make shopping easier. We look at why menswear is pulling ahead of other categories within the multichannel space, and we explore some of the most innovative ideas.

How is AI impacting multichannel marketing? Retail marketing is evolving swiftly as retailers and brands catch up with changing consumer behaviour. What new tools are emerging to help a brand's marketing efforts become more relevant and more effective, and how is artificial intelligence changing the game for marketeers? This section will explore what multichannel marketing looks like in 2019 and beyond.

If you would like to be kept up to date about future Drapers reports and events, sign up here to join our mailing list.

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It's already shaping up to be an interesting year in fashion retail. As retailers face waning consumer confidence and an uncertain macroeconomic outlook, our report shows this is not deterring them from thinking strategically and imaginatively about how to use technology to best effect.

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15 key skiwear pieces to ensure you stay chic and warm this winter

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See our guide to the best skiwear to hit the clopes in, from ski jackets and stirrup leggings to puffer jackets and moon boots

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Drapers has collaborated with Raconteur on a new report, the Fashion Economy, published in The Times today.

There is a view that the fashion industry has marked its own homework for too long. More than ever before, decision-makers are being compelled to make their brands more 'sustainable', but what does 'good' actually look like when it comes it sustainability? The conversation needs to shift to whose responsibility it is to create accountability. From sustainable supply chains, to authentic influencer marketing and cultural barriers, businesses are navigating an entirely new terrain. The Fashion Economy special report, published in The Times, explores the consumer-driven trends facing the industry, and the ways businesses are adapting. The report also explores how businesses can digitally transform, in order to future-proof their supply chains in an unknown post-Brexit world.

Access the report for free here.

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How sustainability is changing the fashion economy

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Drapers has collaborated with Raconteur on a new report, the Fashion Economy, published in The Times today. There is a view that the fashion industry has marked its own homework for too long. More than ever before, decision-makers are being compelled to make their brands more 'sustainable', but what does 'good' actually look like when it comes it sustainability?

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It's easy to be immediately switched off by tech buzzwords that get talked about a lot, but as River Island, Shop Direct, H&M and N Brown show in this report, there are multiple places it is making a real difference. We're not at widespread adoption just yet, but the space is moving quickly. As we explore in these chapters, AI (as well as its close relations automation and machine learning) is already changing the game.

In this report, we explore how:

Artificial intelligence is reducing time to market for new products

It's evolving search and ways consumers are discovering new items

It is helping retailers to understand what to do next

It is changing staff roles and freeing up time

It is spotting trends and helping retailers future-proof the business

Download the report to find out how H&M, N Brown, River Island and others are using AI in 2019

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Five ways AI is working for fashion retailers

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It's easy to be immediately switched off by tech buzzwords that get talked about a lot, but as River Island, Shop Direct, H&M and N Brown show in this report, there are multiple places it is making a real difference. We're not at widespread adoption just yet, but the space is moving quickly.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It's easy to be immediately switched off by tech buzzwords that get talked about a lot, but as River Island, Shop Direct, H&M and N Brown show in this report, there are multiple places it is making a real difference. We're not at widespread adoption just yet, but the space is moving quickly. As we explore in these chapters, AI (as well as its close relations automation and machine learning) is already changing the game.

In this report, we explore how:

Artificial intelligence is reducing time to market for new products

It's evolving search and ways consumers are discovering new items

It is helping retailers to understand what to do next

It is changing staff roles and freeing up time

It is spotting trends and helping retailers future-proof the business

Download the report to find out how H&M, N Brown, River Island and others are using AI in 2019

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Five ways AI is working for fashion retailers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's easy to be immediately switched off by tech buzzwords that get talked about a lot, but as River Island, Shop Direct, H&M and N Brown show in this report, there are multiple places it is making a real difference. We're not at widespread adoption just yet, but the space is moving quickly.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It's easy to be immediately switched off by tech buzzwords that get talked about a lot, but as River Island, Shop Direct, H&M and N Brown show in this report, there are multiple places it is making a real difference. We're not at widespread adoption just yet, but the space is moving quickly. As we explore in these chapters, AI (as well as its close relations automation and machine learning) is already changing the game.

In this report, we explore how:

Artificial intelligence is reducing time to market for new products

It's evolving search and ways consumers are discovering new items

It is helping retailers to understand what to do next

It is changing staff roles and freeing up time

It is spotting trends and helping retailers future-proof the business

Download the report to find out how H&M, N Brown, River Island and others are using AI in 2019

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Five ways AI is working for fashion retailers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's easy to be immediately switched off by tech buzzwords that get talked about a lot, but as River Island, Shop Direct, H&M and N Brown show in this report, there are multiple places it is making a real difference. We're not at widespread adoption just yet, but the space is moving quickly.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It has been buffeted by production moving to Asia, weathered the uncertainty of the UK's trading future as a result of Brexit, and has a skills shortage that is hampering growth. Yet despite these headwinds, some UK manufacturers believe leaving the European Union may jumpstart a revival of the industry, as tariffs and trading logistics could force retailers and brands to source product closer to home.

New prime minister Boris Johnson has reshaped his cabinet and seems set on bringing the UK out of the European Union on 31 October whether the UK has agreed a deal with the trading bloc or not.

Tariff trouble

The key issue keeping many manufacturers awake at night is the impact of tariffs under any no-deal scenario, explains Adam Mansell, chief executive of UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT): "[Under World Trade Organization rules that would apply in the event of no deal] our UK textile manufacturers would, for example, be faced with an 8% tariff when selling worsted fabric into Italy, but an Italian manufacturer selling the same product into the UK would be able to import it duty free."

Figures supplied by the UKFT show the UK exports £9.7bn of clothing and textiles a year - a 66% increase in 10 years - of which 76% goes to the EU. UKFT estimates that clothing and textiles the UK exports to the EU will be subject to £750m in tariffs.

Mansell says Turkey in particular is a concern: "It is our third-largest supplier of clothing at £1.4bn per year, and the sixth-largest supplier of textiles, totalling £391m per year.

"We have done some initial analysis on the impact of the potential UK tariff regime in a no-deal scenario and the financial cost for imports from Turkey would be in the region of £170m a year."

Whenever you buffer stocks and bring forward production, it all costs a lot of money

Chief operating officer of a footwear manufacturer

The chief operating officer of one footwear manufacturer says the delay of Brexit had been costly to manufacturers and retailers alike across the UK: "We prepared for no deal at the end of March. People built stocks of raw materials and finished products to buffer themselves for any disruption. I guess we'll do that all over again. We have no choice but to make sure the supply chain is uninhibited, but we could all do without this.

"Whenever you buffer stocks and bring forward production, it all costs a lot of money: you have more money tied up in stock and you are spending money on things you don't yet need because you're worried it might run out later. The truth is we now need clarity."

Skills demand

The skills shortage in the UK has long been an issue for UK manufacturers, and could be perpetuated by Brexit, as skilled workers, including production or sample machinists, typically earn below the proposed £30,000 minimum salary requirement for EU citizens seeking UK visas.

"Garment manufacturers have been able to rely on access to skilled workers from the EU, but with the proposed new visa arrangements that talent pool will no longer be accessible," says Mansell. "UKFT and partners have been working hard to develop new apprenticeship programmes and to highlight the positive careers available in manufacturing, but developing a pool of home-grown manufacturing talent will take a long time."

The prospect of crashing out of the EU with no deal may feel like the nightmare scenario for many.

However, James Eden, owner of Salford-based Private White VC, believes UK manufacturers can still thrive even if there are some new barriers to trade: "Private White VC's biggest export market is the US," he argues. "Is Brexit going to impact our trade to the US? I don't think so.

We need to look at the opportunities and not let Brexit hold us back

Mikha Mekler, Raeburn Design

"We have a buoyant business with Germany and Scandinavia. Will there be more paperwork? Yes, but at the same time we sell to Japan, Switzerland, the US and Korea, which is about as complicated as it gets [in terms of tariffs and customs]".

Mikha Mekler, production manager at London Fashion Week brand Raeburn, which produces in London, believes UK manufacturers can thrive if they can find their niche: "Politics and the economy are not as closely linked as they used to be. Brexit, whether 'hard' or not, will force us to act as a business. We need to look at the opportunities and not let Brexit hold us back.

"I don't see the UK as a place where we have hundreds of factories working on mass production, but more smaller labels and medium-sized businesses that specialise [in particular areas] could work."

Speed to market

Increased speed to market and a growing trend towards sustainable, ethically produced product could prove a key element to the revival of British fashion and footwear manufacturing.

Jenny Holloway, owner of London-based factory Fashion Enter, says she had seen a jump in interest from UK retailers in 2019: "We have so many more enquiries from big retailers. This time last year we were [supplying only] Asos. Now we are working with Tesco, M&Co, and Fred Olsen. We have gone from supplying one retailer to five and have three more who may want to work with us. It gives us the ability to grow and forecast cashflow."

She adds that smaller production runs on shorter lead times are in demand as retailers strive to be more reactive to the market: "A lot more people are trialling 200 or 300 garments and then will repeat with 1,000. Four years ago, a typical order would be 5,000 units. Now it is 800, but they want it in two weeks. This means the fabrics needs to come from Leicester and there is a circular economy of buying locally, making and distributing locally and it is working.

"The days of flying over to China to do quality checks - with the flights and carbon footprint on emissions - to put down a £5,000 order [are numbered]."

A season these days can be as short as 15 weeks, and you can't afford long production times

Footwear brand MD

The managing director of one made-in-Britain footwear brand agrees there has been a shift in perception both in terms of sustainable sourcing and time, which has worked against suppliers in Asia: "Speed to market is becoming more and more important and two things are driving it. Risk aversion to getting it wrong has reduced lead times, as the shorter the lead time the more likely you will have the right product at the right place at the right time.

"Another factor is proximity to market. Sea freight takes four or five weeks in transport alone. A season these days can be as short as 15 weeks, and, in these cases, you can't afford long production times."

Raeburn's Mekler believes the UK can lead the way in the adoption of new fabrics and production techniques that could drive new export opportunities and boost the UK's sustainable credentials: "Through innovation we have new materials such as leather from mushrooms, and with new factories we can invest in innovation and follow through with production. At the moment it is hard for the UK to beat places such as Portugal on quality, but if we start producing innovative materials, we can export them."

There are less than 100 days until prime minister Johnson takes the UK out of the EU, and many of the impacts may yet be unknown. Nevertheless, for UK manufacturers, Brexit may favour the brave.
The Drapers Verdict
The future for British manufacturers holds as many opportunities as threats. Despite the feeling of being stuck in Brexit purgatory, those brave or adept enough to branch out will find openings and advantages.

It may never return to the mass-produced factories of decades past, but, with the right government support, and by taking advantage of its strengths such as speed to shop floor and sustainable production, the UK's manufacturing sector could thrive in new ways in the decade ahead.

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The brave new post-Brexit world of UK manufacturing

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It has been buffeted by production moving to Asia, weathered the uncertainty of the UK's trading future as a result of Brexit, and has a skills shortage that is hampering growth. Yet despite these headwinds, some UK manufacturers believe leaving the European Union may jumpstart a revival of the industry, as tariffs and trading logistics could force retailers and brands to source product closer to home.

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Say you were to walk into a London fashion week catwalk show today and order everyone to undress (this is hypothetical, by the way - please don't), an inventory of which high-street label is most worn by the fashionables would, I suspect, surprise many. Topshop would be well represented, naturally, especially the tuxedo trousers, and the so-on-trend dungarees, and the JW Anderson knits (the high-street fashionista's answer to a Jonny Saunders). Cos and Whistles would be punching well above their retail square footage. But the name you'd find over and over again, from the front row to the standing section, in shoes and tailored jackets, in subtle navies and greys as well as this season's lemon sherbet bright? Zara.

Zara has become everyone's favourite fast fashion hit, and the watercooler fashion name to drop. These days, it provides a rich seam of instant small talk between women who like clothes, crossing boundaries of age, class and style. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a blue Zara dress the day after wearing McQueen for her wedding. Coleen Rooney mixes Zara with her designer wardrobe. Mary Berry (77) and Selena Gomez (20) have both worn Zara on TV recently. Samantha Cameron wears Zara to Conservative party conference; the Saturdays wear Zara to go clubbing.

Last month, invited to a smart industry dinner during the Paris haute couture shows, Grazia's senior fashion features editor, Katherine Ormerod, chose from her packed wardrobe her most recent trophy purchase: a striking, broad-striped monochrome Zara blouse. It was "super-chic and on-trend, and it cost only £39.99. But my smugness was soon dented when a French journo arrived wearing the exact same thing, and then an Italian PR in the same blouse in a different colourway. There were only 20 of us around the table and I was obviously - cringingly - seated next to my twins."

The Zara-twin moment has become a frequent fashion week banana skin. Nicola Rose, fashion director of Red magazine (most recent Zara purchases: cream cable-knit sweater with back zip, black kitten heels, sweat top), has a wardrobe stocked with Marni and Miu Miu, but says, "All the fashion insiders top up their wardrobe with something from Zara." Her colleague Emily Gegg, Red's executive fashion director (most recent purchase: black sleeveless blazer), calls Zara "the fashion industry's staple".

Zara's ascendancy to fashion's top table began towards the end of the last decade, as fashion changed direction away from dresses and towards separates. A gradual tidal pull away from the stand-alone trophy dress and towards a wardrobe based on jackets, blouses, trousers and skirts worked in Zara's favour for two reasons. First, the store was among the first on the high street to master production of the new structured jackets at an affordable price. Lily Russo, shopping editor of Grazia, pinpoints the season "when Balmain first sent models down the catwalk with sharp-shouldered rock chick blazers" as the moment Zara got a grip on the fashion zeitgeist.

But there is a second and more fundamental reason the current mood of fashion - in which our wardrobes are steered by the chic, understated, piece-by-piece minimalism pioneered by Stella McCartney and Phoebe Philo at Céline - has benefited Zara. Zara has a unique design model, carefully calibrated to be responsive to what the customer is buying in store. Every single garment on sale in Zara is designed by a 350-strong team at its parent company, Inditex, based in La Coruña, Spain. Between them, they produce more than 18,000 creations a year, from shoes to sweaters, from T-shirts to coats. Although some pieces are manufactured in Morocco or China, most are made in Spain, a proximity that allows for the fastest possible turnaround time.

"This fashion-creating cycle has nothing to do with the catwalk cycles, which show very different proposals of trends several months in advance," Jesus Echevarria, Zara's communications director, tells me. "Zara reacts directly to the customers' tastes for specific trends created by the in-house team. This is the real inspiration for the design team: the choices that everyday customers take in the stores."

Zara's secret weapon is the way in which information harvested on the shopfloor is put to use. If a deep V-neck sweater is selling better than a scooped one, the design team will set to work producing variations on the V-neck. Sales of these will be monitored, and the most successful produced in quantity. "This information reaches the design team, which reacts always with only one thing in mind: what the customer is really wanting. They must be in the skin of the customer. All the organisation is structured towards this aim."

If Echevarria is bullish to the point of evangelism about his business model, the statistics back him up: last year, Zara posted profits of £1.3bn. Amancio Ortega, Inditex's owner, recently leapfrogged Warren Buffett to become the fifth richest man in the world.

Zara's newest and smartest London store, facing the gigantic Marks & Spencer flagship at Marble Arch, is a notably different shopping experience from any of its Oxford Street competitors. The music is quiet and anonymous. There are few images of models wearing the clothes; instead, there are endless mirrors. The atmosphere is less about a social experience and more akin to being inside an enormous, upmarket walk-in wardrobe. It is the perfect environment for a store such as Zara, whose success is built on understanding the shopping impulses of the customer. An "intimate environment in which women are encouraged to assemble their own outfits" is how Inditex describes the new store. On a weekday afternoon, the customers are mostly women shopping alone, although a few are with friends or grown-up daughters. There are mums in parkas pushing sleeping toddlers in buggies, and women in suits with one eye on the time. A woman with a taupe-coloured Céline handbag is browsing next to one clutching two Primark carriers.

Zara's lofty insistence that it does not follow the catwalk is not entirely borne out by the shopfloor. Only the day before, I was admiring photos of the houndstooth check separates designed by Raf Simons for the Christian Dior pre-fall collection, and here, by remarkable coincidence, are a pair of houndstooth cropped trousers (£39.99). An abundance of thick black-and-white striped pieces closely echoes the look seen on the Marc Jacobs catwalk; a black cocktail dress with a stiffened waterfall ruffle is a striking reminder of the current Givenchy collection. A press officer for a prestigious Parisian fashion house told me, on strict condition of anonymity, that she is always pleased when Zara stocks variations on her brand's collection, because even at a discount she can't always afford the real thing - and Zara, she says, "even fools people in Paris".

For key looks, Zara will sell multiple variations on a theme. For instance, I find myself looking at a rack of blazers, in panels of matt black and shiny black viscose. Some have subtle textured navy panels, some have piped edges. Some have flat collars, or notched lapels; some have satin tuxedo detailing. Not since the days of visiting the dressmaker have women's individual preferences been so well catered for at mass market level. In recognising these small differences, Zara flatters the customer's taste. And choice is a smart selling tactic: after flicking through the racks for a few minutes, I realise I have stopped wondering if I should try on a jacket and started wondering which jacket I should try on. (For the record, I bought the one with navy panels. In three outings, it has racked up compliments in double figures.)

There is, of course, a good deal of what I would nontechnically describe as tat. A black lace dress that is cheap and flammable; a street market-esque printed T-shirt. Nicola Rose won't touch the trousers, because "the fabrics just don't work for me. I am very particular about wools and cottons." And the size range can be narrow. Lily Russo says, "I am a size 12 and sometimes a 'large' skirt or trousers doesn't fit. My sister is a size 16 and it would be great if they catered for that size also."

A week and a half later, I make a return trip to Zara. The wide monochrome stripes that dominated the first floor last time have been superseded by abbreviated slim trousers, boyish blazers, silky blouses: a look that closely echoes Hedi Slimane's first collection for Saint Laurent, which recently arrived half a mile away on Bond Street. My navy-panelled blazer has vanished, and I am instantly gratified that I bought it on first sight. (Zara shoppers learn this lesson fast, which helps swell coffers.)

For a generation who have grown used to grazing on fast fashion like hummingbirds on sugar, Zara is addictive. I popped in only to have a quick scout; five minutes later, I'm back in the changing rooms. I'm hooked. Aren't we all?
This article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our journalism is independent and is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that third-party cookies will be set. More information. Topics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Say you were to walk into a London fashion week catwalk show today and order everyone to undress (this is hypothetical, by the way - please don't), an inventory of which high-street label is most worn by the fashionables would, I suspect, surprise many.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Say you were to walk into a London fashion week catwalk show today and order everyone to undress (this is hypothetical, by the way - please don't), an inventory of which high-street label is most worn by the fashionables would, I suspect, surprise many. Topshop would be well represented, naturally, especially the tuxedo trousers, and the so-on-trend dungarees, and the JW Anderson knits (the high-street fashionista's answer to a Jonny Saunders). Cos and Whistles would be punching well above their retail square footage. But the name you'd find over and over again, from the front row to the standing section, in shoes and tailored jackets, in subtle navies and greys as well as this season's lemon sherbet bright? Zara.

Zara has become everyone's favourite fast fashion hit, and the watercooler fashion name to drop. These days, it provides a rich seam of instant small talk between women who like clothes, crossing boundaries of age, class and style. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a blue Zara dress the day after wearing McQueen for her wedding. Coleen Rooney mixes Zara with her designer wardrobe. Mary Berry (77) and Selena Gomez (20) have both worn Zara on TV recently. Samantha Cameron wears Zara to Conservative party conference; the Saturdays wear Zara to go clubbing.

Last month, invited to a smart industry dinner during the Paris haute couture shows, Grazia's senior fashion features editor, Katherine Ormerod, chose from her packed wardrobe her most recent trophy purchase: a striking, broad-striped monochrome Zara blouse. It was "super-chic and on-trend, and it cost only £39.99. But my smugness was soon dented when a French journo arrived wearing the exact same thing, and then an Italian PR in the same blouse in a different colourway. There were only 20 of us around the table and I was obviously - cringingly - seated next to my twins."

The Zara-twin moment has become a frequent fashion week banana skin. Nicola Rose, fashion director of Red magazine (most recent Zara purchases: cream cable-knit sweater with back zip, black kitten heels, sweat top), has a wardrobe stocked with Marni and Miu Miu, but says, "All the fashion insiders top up their wardrobe with something from Zara." Her colleague Emily Gegg, Red's executive fashion director (most recent purchase: black sleeveless blazer), calls Zara "the fashion industry's staple".

Zara's ascendancy to fashion's top table began towards the end of the last decade, as fashion changed direction away from dresses and towards separates. A gradual tidal pull away from the stand-alone trophy dress and towards a wardrobe based on jackets, blouses, trousers and skirts worked in Zara's favour for two reasons. First, the store was among the first on the high street to master production of the new structured jackets at an affordable price. Lily Russo, shopping editor of Grazia, pinpoints the season "when Balmain first sent models down the catwalk with sharp-shouldered rock chick blazers" as the moment Zara got a grip on the fashion zeitgeist.

But there is a second and more fundamental reason the current mood of fashion - in which our wardrobes are steered by the chic, understated, piece-by-piece minimalism pioneered by Stella McCartney and Phoebe Philo at Céline - has benefited Zara. Zara has a unique design model, carefully calibrated to be responsive to what the customer is buying in store. Every single garment on sale in Zara is designed by a 350-strong team at its parent company, Inditex, based in La Coruña, Spain. Between them, they produce more than 18,000 creations a year, from shoes to sweaters, from T-shirts to coats. Although some pieces are manufactured in Morocco or China, most are made in Spain, a proximity that allows for the fastest possible turnaround time.

"This fashion-creating cycle has nothing to do with the catwalk cycles, which show very different proposals of trends several months in advance," Jesus Echevarria, Zara's communications director, tells me. "Zara reacts directly to the customers' tastes for specific trends created by the in-house team. This is the real inspiration for the design team: the choices that everyday customers take in the stores."

Zara's secret weapon is the way in which information harvested on the shopfloor is put to use. If a deep V-neck sweater is selling better than a scooped one, the design team will set to work producing variations on the V-neck. Sales of these will be monitored, and the most successful produced in quantity. "This information reaches the design team, which reacts always with only one thing in mind: what the customer is really wanting. They must be in the skin of the customer. All the organisation is structured towards this aim."

If Echevarria is bullish to the point of evangelism about his business model, the statistics back him up: last year, Zara posted profits of £1.3bn. Amancio Ortega, Inditex's owner, recently leapfrogged Warren Buffett to become the fifth richest man in the world.

Zara's newest and smartest London store, facing the gigantic Marks & Spencer flagship at Marble Arch, is a notably different shopping experience from any of its Oxford Street competitors. The music is quiet and anonymous. There are few images of models wearing the clothes; instead, there are endless mirrors. The atmosphere is less about a social experience and more akin to being inside an enormous, upmarket walk-in wardrobe. It is the perfect environment for a store such as Zara, whose success is built on understanding the shopping impulses of the customer. An "intimate environment in which women are encouraged to assemble their own outfits" is how Inditex describes the new store. On a weekday afternoon, the customers are mostly women shopping alone, although a few are with friends or grown-up daughters. There are mums in parkas pushing sleeping toddlers in buggies, and women in suits with one eye on the time. A woman with a taupe-coloured Céline handbag is browsing next to one clutching two Primark carriers.

Zara's lofty insistence that it does not follow the catwalk is not entirely borne out by the shopfloor. Only the day before, I was admiring photos of the houndstooth check separates designed by Raf Simons for the Christian Dior pre-fall collection, and here, by remarkable coincidence, are a pair of houndstooth cropped trousers (£39.99). An abundance of thick black-and-white striped pieces closely echoes the look seen on the Marc Jacobs catwalk; a black cocktail dress with a stiffened waterfall ruffle is a striking reminder of the current Givenchy collection. A press officer for a prestigious Parisian fashion house told me, on strict condition of anonymity, that she is always pleased when Zara stocks variations on her brand's collection, because even at a discount she can't always afford the real thing - and Zara, she says, "even fools people in Paris".

For key looks, Zara will sell multiple variations on a theme. For instance, I find myself looking at a rack of blazers, in panels of matt black and shiny black viscose. Some have subtle textured navy panels, some have piped edges. Some have flat collars, or notched lapels; some have satin tuxedo detailing. Not since the days of visiting the dressmaker have women's individual preferences been so well catered for at mass market level. In recognising these small differences, Zara flatters the customer's taste. And choice is a smart selling tactic: after flicking through the racks for a few minutes, I realise I have stopped wondering if I should try on a jacket and started wondering which jacket I should try on. (For the record, I bought the one with navy panels. In three outings, it has racked up compliments in double figures.)

There is, of course, a good deal of what I would nontechnically describe as tat. A black lace dress that is cheap and flammable; a street market-esque printed T-shirt. Nicola Rose won't touch the trousers, because "the fabrics just don't work for me. I am very particular about wools and cottons." And the size range can be narrow. Lily Russo says, "I am a size 12 and sometimes a 'large' skirt or trousers doesn't fit. My sister is a size 16 and it would be great if they catered for that size also."

A week and a half later, I make a return trip to Zara. The wide monochrome stripes that dominated the first floor last time have been superseded by abbreviated slim trousers, boyish blazers, silky blouses: a look that closely echoes Hedi Slimane's first collection for Saint Laurent, which recently arrived half a mile away on Bond Street. My navy-panelled blazer has vanished, and I am instantly gratified that I bought it on first sight. (Zara shoppers learn this lesson fast, which helps swell coffers.)

For a generation who have grown used to grazing on fast fashion like hummingbirds on sugar, Zara is addictive. I popped in only to have a quick scout; five minutes later, I'm back in the changing rooms. I'm hooked. Aren't we all?
This article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our journalism is independent and is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that third-party cookies will be set. More information. Topics

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Say you were to walk into a London fashion week catwalk show today and order everyone to undress (this is hypothetical, by the way - please don't), an inventory of which high-street label is most worn by the fashionables would, I suspect, surprise many.

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This blog post is the first in the series of three blogs. The current blog will introduce the reader to the importance of forecasting "views" of an e-Commerce website. The process of forecasting can be implemented using the time-series approach and decomposing the "views" signal into four components namely seasonal, trend, cyclic and irregularity. This decoupling can be achieved through exponential smoothing using the HoltWinters function of the forecast package of R.

Businesses around the globe have been forecasting their sales for a long time. The primary reason for it is planning, for instance, amount of inventory to store or when to allot the budget on marketing etc. Now a day every e-Commerce business, big or small, has their online presence. This gives them an opportunity to accumulate data about their consumer's behaviour, demographics, sources, no of new visits, etc, which can be indirectly used to predict sales. A precursor to sales can also be found by calculating some correlation between the number of visitors and sales. (If this is not the case then one should first rethink about the efficacy of the website in generating revenue) Since many consumers thoroughly research the products and services online before they buy, the web analytics forecasted no of visitors can quickly alert you on any new trend, than what the sales data can.

ABC of forecasting:
Forecasting is the process of estimating a future event based on recent and past time series data. It may not reduce the uncertainty of future; however, it gives the decision makers an idea and a basic premise for planning. Short term forecast will always be more accurate than Long term forecast.

We will use a Time-Series Model for our forecasting purpose. People may visit a particular website for many different reasons which are next to impossible for us to fathom all the underlying factors. So,we presume to know nothing about the causality that affects the variable we are trying to forecast. Instead, we examine the past behaviour of a time series in order to infer something about its future behaviour. Time-series models are particularly useful when little is known about the underlying process one is trying to forecast.

A variety of factors influence the time series data. We shall use decomposition analysis to identify certain patterns that appear concurrently in the time series. There are four components in the decomposition analysis that we'll methodically dissect namely Seasonality, Trend, Cycling and Irregularity.

For an arbitrary observed data running from 1955 to 1995, we'll decompose it into the desired components mentioned above:

Seasonality: When a repetitive pattern is observed over a period of time, such series is known to have a seasonal component. Trend: It is growth or decay that is the tendencies for data to increase or decrease fairly steadily over time. A time series may be stationary or exhibit trend over time.

Irregularity: This component of the time series is unexplainable; therefore it is unpredictable.

Exponential smoothing is a very popular scheme to produce a smoothed time series. It assigns exponentially decreasing weights as the observation gets older. In other words, recent observations are given relatively more weight in forecasting than the older observations.

I have implemented the exponential smoothing method for forecasting number of visitors to a website using Holt Winters model in the next blog.

The following two tabs change content below.

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Forecasting the number of visitors on your website using R. Part I

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This blog post is the first in the series of three blogs. The current blog will introduce the reader to the importance of forecasting "views" of an e-Commerce website. The process of forecasting can be implemented using the time-series approach and decomposing the "views" signal into four components namely seasonal, trend, cyclic and irregularity.

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Truck transportation: the advantages of such a service

Truck transportation is still the most widely used mode of freight transport in North America. Although maritime or railway transportation may be a useful solution for large freight volumes over long distances, everyone agrees that truck transportation will remain the predominant mode of cargo transportation for many years to come.

Here is a small overview of the various truck transportation benefits in order to help you understand more clearly everything regarding your needs for transportation.

Truck transportation: a reliable solution for short and direct routes

Although they do cause more pollution when compared to other methods of transportation, truck transportation remains the most appropriate solution for short-distance and direct routes. The loading and unloading of goods/cargo is much more easily undertaken when compared to maritime or railway transportation; this minimizes handling time and lets your goods reach you sooner. Since truck transportation effectively remains the most direct solution for the transport of your goods and cargo, it is also one of the fastest solutions. In other words, cargo is moved directly from point A to point B without requiring any change in transportation methods, as can be the case with other methods.

In addition, vehicles can easily drive on all roads, regardless of weather conditions or seasonal changes. In a region like Quebec, especially in regards to snowfall, this is a very appealing benefit.

Last but certainty not least: this type of transportation is generally much more reliable in terms of unforeseen delays. Indeed, road vehicles have more facilities to manage the imposed transportation schedules. This allows them to better respect the time and location schedule specified in the shipping contract.

Versatility in terms of roadway transport via trucks

Truck transportation offers greater versatility since there are many roadway transportation solutions. There is bulk transport, TL transport, LTL transport, and courier services. All these solutions let roadway transportation via truck offer a wider range of services, ones that are adapted to any and all needs.

Flexibility: the major advantage of truck transportation

As you can see, transportation via heavyweight vehicles such as trucks has a considerable advantage in comparison to other means of transportation: flexibility. Whether it is due to versatility, thanks in particular to the ways in which loading/unloading is carried out; or due to the ability to adapt to roadway conditions (such as weather conditions and traffic), truck transportation will definitely satisfy all your transportation needs. This has never been more true, as truck transportation increasingly uses technological benefits and enhancements, which make these companies even more efficient when transporting your cargo. This technology has given these companies undeniable logistical advances, notably in terms of communication and organization.

The last advantage of roadway truck transportation is that you are put in direct contact with road transport experts and transporters who will be able to advise you and help you in your decision-making process as it relates to roadway transportation.

For our expert advice, do not hesitate to contact us and receive the help of our specialists for all your transport needs.

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Truck Transportation | The Advantages for Your Transportation Needs

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Truck transportation is still the most widely used mode of freight transport in North America. Although maritime or railway transportation may be a useful solution for large freight volumes over long distances, everyone agrees that truck transportation will remain the predominant mode of cargo transportation for many years to come.

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I work in a quality control firm and we work a lot for the textile industry, which has its own jargon. For example: "CMT" (Cut, Make & Trim). What does it mean?

If you buy any sewn products in Asia, read this post and you might learn something relevant about your suppliers.

Quick overview of the steps of garment production:

Basically, there are three ways suppliers can be organized:

1. Finished product sourcing: an intermediary gives the order to a factory (or splits it into several factories) under FOB terms. This is what most trading companies based in Hong Kong do, and importers often wonder what value these middlemen add to the buying process.

2. In-house production: a factory gets an order and makes the goods in its workshop. Most buyers expect this to happen when they "buy direct from the manufacturer". But, quite often, it is NOT what happens (see below).

3. CMT purchasing: the supplier keeps the development of new styles and the materials under his control, and outsources the labor-intensive jobs (cut, make/sew, trim / final QC, and pack). How often does it happen? It is difficult to estimate, but I guess at least 25% of garment production is managed under CMT terms in China.

But why outsourcing only certain activities? And which ones?

Let's simplify the steps of the production of a batch of garments.

1. Some samples are made to match the customer's design and get the order.

2. The patterns designed in the sampling phase are used for consumption calculations and pricing.

3. The fabrics, accessories, and packing elements are purchased.

4. The fabric is cut and then bundled by style, size and color (that's the CUT).

5. The different sewing steps are performed in a workshop (that's the MAKE).

6. The finished products are trimmed, checked one last time, and packed for shipment (that's the TRIM).

Why keeping certain steps in house?

Suppliers try to keep their hand on development and purchasing:

Making patterns and samples. It is critical for getting orders. A small sampling room with a few good technicians is enough.

Purchasing materials. The consumption is calculated with patterns, and buying the fabric is the most important expense.

One step is usually outsourced under CMT terms: "cut". It requires a large room, some specialized equipment, and a few experienced technicians. However, if properly managed, the benefits of keeping cutting in-house can be huge.

First, fabrics and accessories can be controlled as soon as they are received, and before it is cut. I am certain that, when the "cut" job is done by the sewing workshop, these inputs are checked in a small minority of cases. Why should the workshop care about it?
Second, the unused fabric is kept aside (the leftover of fabric is sometimes the main source of profit on an order, and of course the unused fabric is never declared by the workshop when cutting it subcontracted).
Third, an investment in automatic cutting equipment can help save on fabric consumption. The payback period might be less than a year!

The last two activities are always subcontracted under CMT terms:

The "Make" (i.e. sew) job. Operating a workshop is a recurring cost for a fixed capacity. Outsourcing this activity means your production capacity has no limit! And sending a sample to several workshops is enough to find "the cheapest needle".

The "trim" job, usually including final QC and packing. If an external workshop sews the garments, it should also trim the threads, pack the goods, and repair the workmanship defects.

Hopefully, a few inspectors are sent during the "MAKE" step to avoid quality disasters.

What are the risks for the importer?

The main downside of this supply-chain structure is that the workshop is the weakest element of the network. It is replaced quite easily. It has to bid a low price to get business, so it needs to rush production to make a small profit. In China, 99% of garment factories have the same organization, so lower costs are only achieved with unskilled labor, long hours and minimal QC. Exactly what buyers should avoid!

Actually, the sewing workshop should be at the center of the supply chain:

Where do most quality problems come from? From the workshop job (either because of poor attention to quality or because of poor communication of the buyer's requirements).

Where do last-minute delays come from? From the workshop (because of bad planning, of an order rushed for another customer, and/or of re-work due to poor quality).

For further reading:

Are you trying to find a manufacturer in China who is well-suited to your needs and can also deliver on their promises?

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Manufacturing capabilities

Quality system auditing

Engineering resources

Pricing, negotiation, & contracts

...and much, much more

Just hit the button below to get your copy and put yourself in a great position to get better results from Chinese manufacturers who supply your products:

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What does CMT (Cut, Make & Trim) mean in textile industries?

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I work in a quality control firm and we work a lot for the textile industry, which has its own jargon. For example: "CMT" (Cut, Make & Trim). What does it mean? If you buy any sewn products in Asia, read this post and you might learn something relevant about your suppliers.

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We understand the importance of clear and consistent messaging, and variable data swing tags can represent the most complex type of garment packaging

Variable data swing tickets are often the first thing a shopper looks for when browsing garments in-store, and without clear and easily accessible information on an item's price, size and other variables, they are unlikely to ever reach the fitting rooms.

The information shared on variable data swing tags may change regularly, but Britannia's commitment to quality is constant. Thanks to our many years of experience in the garment packaging industry, you can rest assured that all the relevant information is exactly where it should be, so you can give your undivided attention to the production of quality garments.

Data integrity is one of the most important qualities of variable data ticketing, and we have the ability to create online data solutions that can alleviate manual intervention. We work hard to provide the perfect answer to each of our clients' unique garment packaging needs, using all our industry expertise gained through nearly 40 years in the business. It all comes down to what suits your brand best, and here at Britannia we work closely with our customers to find out what they need from their swing tags.

Why is Britannia the best supplier of variable data swing tickets?

Britannia can offer a choice of technologies that integrate item-specific variable information, such as barcodes, RFID and completely unique solutions tailor-made for individual clients. We can produce garment packaging that works with the latest in-store technology to increase supply chain efficiency, advance security measures and improve customer service.

We generate visuals of variable data swing tags using a centralised online system of version-controlled artwork. Variable data swing tickets often include a large amount of differing information on each design, making this technology particularly useful as visuals can be approved in real time and sent straight to our digital printing machines.

Our innovative cloud-based supply chain technologies also keep production processes as efficient as possible, managing customer input and monitoring our own output. Clients can track their orders in real time from anywhere in the world using our innovative platform which can be accessed on any smartphone. This provides exceptional supply chain visibility, enabling customers to dovetail production.

Britannia can take on any challenge to create the perfect variable data swing ticket, bringing together innovative designs, formats and technologies to complement your unique brand values. We work with clients to tailor products to a certain price, providing options to suit every budget.

We can provide a helping hand if your brand needs any assistance in creating artwork, developing ideas or dealing with the costs of garment packaging orders. Many budget retailers use variable data swing tags as the most practical labelling solution based on cost and ease of production. However, luxury retailers often prefer to produce separate variable data stickers or swing tags to complement branded graphic swing tickets. We treat every customer on an individual basis, taking into account the brand's unique needs, budgets and ambitions.

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Variable data swing tickets & swing tags

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Variable data swing tickets are often the first thing a shopper looks for when browsing garments in-store, and without clear and easily accessible information on an item's price, size and other variables, they are unlikely to ever reach the fitting rooms. The information shared on variable data swing tags may change regularly, but Britannia's commitment to quality is constant.

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Returning fashion manufacturing to the UK - opportunities and challenges

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With Mary Portas, traditional brands and new young designers, UK fashion manufacturing is making a comeback. Experts share their thoughts on its return and revival

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There are currently a number of new fabric technologies available for the outdoor clothing market. In association with Snow + Rock we give an overview of the different technologies being used in waterproof jackets and other outdoor clothing apparel.

POLARTEC NeoShell®

Neo Shell is the first fabric to combine the superior breathability, ventilation and stretch of a softshell with the waterproof performance of a hard shell. The unique construction allows 2-way air exchange while remaining completely waterproof. It does all this at a fraction of the weight of current membrane technologies. It's the ultimate in personal climate control. Neo-Shell by Polartec is featured in the Mammut Eiger Extreme range and also the Stretch Neo jacket from RAB.

GORE-TEX Active Shell®

New GORE-TEX Active Shell offers the highest level of breathability found in any GORE-TEX fabric to date. Ideal for use in all weather conditions during highly aerobic activities, Active Shell features a lighter weight, streamlined 3-layer construction that combines laminates and fine denier performance textiles with a lighter, thinner GORE-TEX membrane. The result is garments that are extremely breathable, and provide durable waterproof and windproof protection, and excellent next to skin comfort. This fabric technology features in Arc'teryx, Haglofs and Mammut ranges to name a few.

Berghaus HYDROPHOBIC DOWN

Hydrophobic down is an innovative thermal insulation technology that utilises all the natural benefits and qualities of down such as superior insulation, outstanding warmth-to-weight, compressibility and durability. It then goes a step further by applying a unique and innovative water resistant treatment directly to the down itself. The result is quicker drying times, less water absorption, quicker loft recovery and enhanced performance in damp conditions. Hydrophobic down technology keeps you warmer and drier in the most challenging weather conditions.

Mountain Hardwear DRY.Q ELITETM and OutDryTM

Dry.Q Elite is the first waterproof and breathable fabric to start breathing the minute you start using it. It is constructed using an air-permeable membrane that maximizes body vapour outflow and unlike traditional waterproof and breathable fabrics, it doesn't require humidity to trigger its breathability. No waiting means no clamminess, just pure performance and outstanding next-to-skin comfort from the moment you put your Dry.Q Elite garment on to the moment you take it off.

Mountain Hardwear gloves now feature their new OutDry system which is based on a patented innovative lamination process fusing a waterproof and breathable membrane directly to the inside of the glove's shell, creating a unique body that seals the stitching and any other potential water entry point. Unlike a conventional waterproof insert system, there are no gaps between the shell and the waterproof barrier where water can gather and soak the insulation so hands breathe and stay warm. Fewer layers mean less bulk, better dexterity and lighter gloves.

Sponsor: Snow & Rock

This feature is sponsoored by Snow & Rock. For more information and to view clothing ranges of waterproof jackets and other outdoor clothing made from the different technologies being used, visit Snow + Rock www.snowandrock.com.

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There are currently a number of new fabric technologies available for the outdoor clothing market. In association with Snow + Rock we give an overview of the different technologies being used in waterproof jackets and other outdoor clothing apparel.

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Ski wear - Sportswear - Clothing - Womens - Selfridges | Shop Online

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Shop the Ski wear range from our Womens department for a wide range of Ski wear products | Available to buy online from Selfridges.com

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Charlie Bradley Ross Thursday, 11 June 2015

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What Is A Range Plan For Fashion Designers?

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If you’re a budding fashion designer you must know how to develop a range plan. Keeping true to your vision is important, but to make money you must plan!

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Eco-friendly, ethical and sustainable fashion is finally on the industry's agenda - and for many brands and designers this has been a year of awakening. But, as Tamsin Blanchard argues, we all have our part to play in making fashion truly circular.

Fashion is finally waking up to sustainability - but the lexicon surrounding eco-friendly and ethical fashion is fraught with inaccuracies. In 'Get Your Greens', an ongoing series launched to coincide with Earth Day 2019, Vogue explores how the industry is advancing towards a greener future.
Business as usual costs the earth." That was the slogan hand-painted across one of the many colourful banners carried by the Extinction Rebellion protestors gathering at Marble Arch on Monday morning last week. A few days earlier, XR had staged a fashion show at Oxford Circus, while my local branch of Traid changed its window display, dressing the mannequins as XR protestors. Fashion is a mirror of our times. And no - right now on Planet Fashion, it's really not business as usual.

As the world contemplates Earth Day 2019, and many in the industry prepare to ask #WhoMadeMyClothes in remembrance of the 1,138 garment workers who were killed when the Rana Plaza factory collapsed on 24 April 2013, this is a week in which to reflect on how the fashion industry is dealing with the undeniably negative impact it has on both people and planet - and to work together to find solutions.

"What we need to do is make it clear how fair and decent work and environmental protection are intrinsically interconnected," says Carry Somers, founder of Fashion Revolution, the global campaign for a more transparent fashion industry. "At the moment, human rights abuses, gender inequality and environmental degradation all remain rife within the fashion industry, and positive change is more urgently needed than ever to tackle climate change and create a more equitable future for everybody working within the fashion supply chains."
Read more: 5 Years On From The Rana Plaza Collapse, How Much Has Actually Changed?
The challenges can seem insurmountable. Global textile production emits 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases annually, more than international flights and maritime shipping combined.

Read more: Climate Change Activist Greta Thunberg Is Nominated For The Nobel Peace Prize Aged 16
But a lot has changed over the last twelve months. The Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg has become a spokesperson of a generation who are impatient for change and will not compromise on their ethics - whether that means going vegan or swapping their clothes rather than buying them new. In December, while Thunberg was telling the world's leaders at COP24 in Poland that "you are never too small to make a difference", Stella McCartney was launching the UN Sustainable Fashion Industry Charter for Climate.

To mark Earth Day, Fashion Revolution announced that it too is declaring a climate emergency and has signed the charter. Other signatories include Burberry, Gap, H&M, Kering, Levi's and Inditex, all of whom have pledged to a series of industry-wide commitments, including a target of 30 per cent greenhouse gas emission reductions by 2030.
Read more: 5 Changes To Make This Fashion Revolution Week

For many brands and designers as well as consumers, this has been a year of awakening. The V&A's "Fashioned From Nature" exhibition opened the eyes of its visitors to some of the stark realities of the fashion industry, from how thirsty cotton is, to the hidden horrors of microfibres. It also highlighted some of the most innovative solutions, from spider silk and leather made from discarded grape skins to fabrics grown from bacteria. H&M's current Conscious Collection has a leather jacket and cowboy shoes made using Piñatex, a leather-like material that is made from the leaves that are normally discarded in the production of pineapples.

Other positive fashion initiatives over the past twelve months have included Mother of Pearl's No Frills collection, Allbirds's shoes made from eucalyptus plants, the ongoing success of Veja's Fairtrade trainers (the look of which is being copied by the high street - which, of course, totally misses the point that they are made in a way that is fair and transparent), and niche start-ups like OAR Basics, set up by the designer Kim Trager, who is on a mission to make a perfectly crafted white T-shirt from organic cotton using renewable energy, fairly-paid labour and a transparent supply chain. Meanwhile the Wellthread x Outerknown collection at Levi's is piloting products which use 40 per cent 'cottonised' hemp, which means it's been engineered to be softer to the touch, and includes jackets with detachable hardware to make them more easily recyclable.

Read more: How Mother Of Pearl Is Redefining Sustainability With Its New No Frills Line
"The plan is simple," says designer Phoebe English. "We must now look at design as a solution-based, problem-solving strategy." English has been incorporating waste materials from previous collections into her new work, and offers her clothes for rental with Higher Studio.

Last July, Burberry admitted to burning £28m worth of luxury product, but it soon became clear that the practice was commonplace among the industry. While brands need to look at their own issues around over production, there are solutions in the pipeline to help deal with pre-consumer waste. Burberry is working with Elvis & Kresse, which rescues some of the nine tonnes of leather waste the brand is producing each month to make leather accessories using a modular patchwork system that means they are endlessly repairable and recyclable.

"Circular design" has become the big buzzword. It means the entire lifecycle of the product must be thought about at the design and sourcing stage. "The problem is that the brands all need to understand how to make recyclable goods, and whilst this is not impossible, the massive lack of technical infrastructure means that the circles have big breaks in them," says Rebecca Earley, Professor of Sustainable Fashion Textile Design at University of the Arts London.

But help is at hand. In April, Earley was in Stockholm to moderate a summit for the 2019 Global Change Award, an annual prize worth €1m donated by the H&M Foundation to promote innovation in the fashion industry. The winner of the top €300,000 award was The Loop Scoop, a digital tool by the Berlin-based start-up circular.fashion aimed at providing designers with everything they need to create closed-loop, circular fashion.

All good stuff - but it can sound a little too theoretical. When summer is coming, sustainability is often not top of most people's priorities when they're thinking about new season shopping lists. To help spread the word, luxury resale website Vestiaire Collective has produced 'Buy, Sell, Share, Care', a practical guide to circular fashion, with tips on how to make better use of the clothes we have by the models and sustainability advocates Arizona Muse and Margherita Missoni.

"Circularity means not putting an end to the things you use," says Missoni. "In the last few years fashion has woken up, we've become aware of how aggressive the industry is and the impact our actions have, both individually and as institutions. But there is a lot more to do."

*Tamsin Blanchard is the special events curator at Fashion Revolution and the editor of Hole & Corner magazine. *

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Is 2019 The Year Fashion Finally Takes Sustainability Seriously?

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Eco-friendly, ethical and sustainable fashion is finally on the industry's agenda - and for many brands and designers this has been a year of awakening. But, as Tamsin Blanchard argues, we all have our part to play in making fashion truly circular.

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The concept of sustainable sourcing, also known as green purchasing or social sourcing, is nothing new. Sustainable sourcing is impacting nearly every area of corporate business and the consumer's mindset. Everything from sourcing materials, talent attraction and consumer purchasing habits are changing because of the growth of sustainable sourcing. However, the term gets thrown around in the procurement industry quite a lot and is often misunderstood or misused. So, here's a guide with all the basics you need to know about sustainable sourcing.

WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE SOURCING

First and foremost, we have to define the term. Sustainable sourcing is the integration of social, ethical and environmental performance factors into the process of selecting suppliers. It includes purchasing sustainably preferable products and services (products made from recycled or remanufactured materials), as well as green purchasing guidelines that might pertain to certain products or commodities.

Sustainable sourcing is needed because supply chains are continuing to expand globally into developing countries for lower costs and larger production capacity. This expansion exposes companies to increased risks and heightens the expectations of their stakeholders. Company stakeholders (including customers, shareholders, employees, NGOs, trade associations, labor unions, government observers, etc.) expect corporations to take responsibility for their supplier's environmental, social and ethical practices. Now companies are increasingly making sustainable sourcing an essential part of their procurement and supply chain management processes.

WHAT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE SOURCING

Sustainable sourcing often gets confused with other industry terms. The most common is ethical sourcing, which is defined as the process of ensuring the products being sourced are obtained in a responsible and sustainable way. It is a component of sustainable sourcing but not the same thing.

Additionally, sustainable sourcing is not supplier diversity - providing economic opportunities to suppliers that are diverse enterprises like minority-owned or veteran-owned businesses. It is also not sustainable cost savings, which is the concept of recurring savings (you saved 10% last year and you want to save at least 10% this year, too).

DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABILITY

The "Sustainability in the Supply Chain" learning module from SIG University teaches that there are several dimensions of sustainable sourcing:

Environmental: Biological perseverance, energy conservation, pollution regulations, carbon/water footprint reduction and global warming

Social: Diversity, local communities and decent working conditions

Economic: Financial stability, energy demands and reduction

DRIVERS AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

The three primary drivers of using sustainable sourcing practices are to manage risks, reduce costs and increase revenue. Each driver has different elements to it that motivate the business:

Manage Risks: Brand protection, supply chain disruptions, fines and litigations

Reduce Costs: Vendor rationalization, reduced administration, total cost of ownership

Increase Revenue: Service differentiation, access to new markets, competitive advantage

One company that stands out to me as using sustainable sourcing for a competitive advantage is Toms. You may be familiar with Tom's One for One® campaign which provides a new pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair that is purchased. They are utilizing the social dimension of sustainable sourcing to promote this charitable cause that supports local communities and it makes their brand stand out from the competition.

Sustainable sourcing also provides the following opportunities to businesses:

THE SHIFTING MINDSET ON SUSTAINABILITY

According to research in "Sustainability as a Business Strategy" from the SIG University learning module, the mindset of consumers is drastically changing when it comes to sustainability. Consumers are now more aware and conscious of the brands they purchase from and the companies they work for, and they desire to make decisions that support sustainable enterprises.

66% of consumers will pay extra for products and services from socially responsible companies

52% of consumers made at least one purchase in the past six months from socially responsible companies

52% of consumers check product packaging to ensure sustainable impact

49% of consumers prefer to volunteer/donate to organizations engaged in social and environmental programs

For additional resources on sustainable sourcing, visit the SIG Resource Center to find a variety of content on the subject. I'd also recommend reading this whitepaper from EcoVadis on "The 5 Pillars Of Sustainable Procurement Value Creation."

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The concept of sustainable sourcing, also known as green purchasing or social sourcing, is nothing new. Sustainable sourcing is impacting nearly every area of corporate business and the consumer's mindset. Everything from sourcing materials, talent attraction and consumer purchasing habits are changing because of the growth of sustainable sourcing.

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This is a result of a combination of supply outweighing demand, continued discounting and customers being cautious with spending, said IMRG Capgemini.

It contrasts a "strong" performance in footwear, where sales rose by 16.7%, and in health and beauty where sales were up 15.6%.

For the three months to 31 March, clothing sales grew by 2.6%, compared with 13.9% growth for the same period last year.

The latest IMRG Capgemini eRetail Sales Index showed that although overall online retail sales increased 5% year on year, such "low" monthly growth is below the three-, six- and 12-month averages of +7.5%, +7.1% and +10.2% respectively.

It also revealed that online-only retailers fared marginally better than multichannel retailers (+8.9% versus +5%).

Bhavesh Unadkat, principal consultant in retail customer engagement at Capgemini, said: "The overall position of clothing is concerning, which continued its five-month run of single digit growth. Many of the larger, often reliably robust, retailers also recorded low single-digit growth.

"Closing out the first quarter of 2019, clothing now stands at 2.6% growth, which is significantly lower than last year's 13.9% growth."

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Online clothing sales growth continues to slow

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This is a result of a combination of supply outweighing demand, continued discounting and customers being cautious with spending, said IMRG Capgemini. It contrasts a "strong" performance in footwear, where sales rose by 16.7%, and in health and beauty where sales were up 15.6%.

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The online fashion retailer Boohoo has once again bucked the gloomy retail trend and reported a near-40% surge in sales in the past three months.

The firm, whose brands include PrettyLittleThing, Nasty Gal and MissPap, has tapped into the popularity of cheap fashion bought by young shoppers on their mobile phones. Booho's sales rocketed 39% to £254.3m in the three months to 31 May. Sales rose 27% in the UK and 56% internationally.

Growth has also been fuelled by Boohoo's "fashion for all" approach, offering its clothes, including tight-fitting bodycon dresses, swimwear and miniskirts, up to a size 26 and featuring plus-sized models. The retailer expanded into menswear two years ago.

Boohoo was started by the fashion entrepreneur Mahmud Kamani and Carol Kane in Manchester in 2006. It has expanded quickly, floating on the stock market in 2014 and now has 13m active customer accounts around the world. It sells own-brand clothing, shoes, accessories and beauty products, largely to shoppers aged 16 to 30, who swap fashion tips through social media and follow styles embraced by "influencers".

The wider retail market continues to struggle, with consumer confidence hit by Brexit uncertainty, and a shift to online shopping. An industry survey last week showed British shoppers cut back on their spending in May by the most in more than two decades. Ted Baker issued its second profit warning in four months on Tuesday, blaming the weather and the torrid high street conditions which have sparked a price war.

Household names such as House of Fraser, Marks & Spencer and Debenhams have been forced to close shops and Sir Philip Green's retail empire Arcadia, which includes Topshop, Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins, is teetering on the brink of collapse. Arcadia creditors meet on Wednesday to vote on a complex rescue deal.
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Boohoo bucks UK's gloomy retail trend as sales rocket

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The online fashion retailer Boohoo has once again bucked the gloomy retail trend and reported a near-40% surge in sales in the past three months. The firm, whose brands include PrettyLittleThing, Nasty Gal and MissPap, has tapped into the popularity of cheap fashion bought by young shoppers on their mobile phones.

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patagonia is a designer of outdoor clothing and gear for the silent sports: climbing

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Patagonia is a designer of outdoor clothing and gear for the silent sports: climbing, surfing, skiing and snowboarding, fly fishing, and trail running

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Sweaty Betty London | Womens Activewear | Run & Yoga Clothing

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Find your new favourite workout clothes in the Sweaty Betty collection. Designed with your goals in mind, experience active wear that helps you reach your performance peak. Sweaty Betty brings you women's fitness clothing without compromising on style - find fashion and function in the Sweaty Betty range.

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We make it possible for customers around the world to express themselves through fashion and design in a sustainable way.

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In late October, Helena Helmersson, CEO H&M Group, and Jesper Brodin, CEO Ingka Group / IKEA, finally had the chance to meet IRL after many digital meetings.

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How Sustainability is important to Gen Z Shoppers

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How Sustainability is important to Gen Z Shoppers

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The research also reveals that nearly half (48%) of these groups say they have abandoned purchases because a brand or retailer does not fit with their values, while 46% of shoppers say they spend time researching ethical and sustainable brands to buy from.

The research was done for Drapers' latest report, exploring Gen Z and millennial shoppers and how they feel about fashion. It investigates current shopping behaviour as well as where the opportunities are for brands and retailers.

Just over 76% of the 2,000 consumers we surveyed for the report said that sustainability was either very or quite important to them when deciding which brands to shop with.

The consumers surveyed were aged between 18 and 38. Men rated sustainability as slightly more important than women: 40% rated it as very important, compared with 33% of female shoppers.

The youngest cohort, those aged 18 to 24, are most likely to have abandoned a purchase - 55% of this group said they had done so.

There are also regional variations in how shoppers are approaching sustainability. Shoppers in the south-east and London were more likely to rate it as important: in London, 63% of shoppers reported having abandoned a purchase because of sustainability.

Access our Gen Z and millennials report here to read more about how people in their twenties and thirties are buying fashion.

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Gen Z shoppers report abandoning unsustainable purchases

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The research also reveals that nearly half (48%) of these groups say they have abandoned purchases because a brand or retailer does not fit with their values, while 46% of shoppers say they spend time researching ethical and sustainable brands to buy from.

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What Gen Z want from the fashion industry.

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What Gen Z want from the fashion industry.

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Comment: How are Gen Z shopping for fashion?

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Generation Z – those born since 1995 – are the all-important next generation of consumers. So how are they shopping for fashion?

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The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends

The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends

With the Winter Olympics about to take place in PyeongChang, it's making many of us dream about escaping to the mountains for a spot of skiing.

Bella Hadid, Mariah Carey, Rita Ora and Kourtney Kardashian are just a few of the stars who have already hit the slopes this year - and although it makes us slightly green-eyed, they have also given us some well needed skiing style inspiration.

So, in 2018, don't settle for last season's ski gear. From retro silhouettes, metallic puffers and chic all black ensembles - here's how to elevate your slope style to A-lister status.

Shine Bright In Metallic

Yes, metallic garments aren't just on trend on the streets, but also on the slopes.

Paris Hilton looked like a golden goddess as she slid down mountains in a shiny gold puffer jacket.

Meanwhile, Simi Khadra opted for a more casual Nike number.

4 metallic coat styles that will make you shine this season

Whatever style you choose, a metallic jacket is definitely a stylish way to spruce up your ski wardrobe - so get those futuristic vibes at the ready.

Get The Look
Silver Ski Puffer Jacket by Topshop SNO, £110, Shop it now
You Can't Go Wrong With A Classic Pair Of Black Ski Trousers

We all know that black goes with everything, so it's no surprise to hear that if you invest in a fitted pair of black ski trousers you can't really go wrong.

Bella Hadid proved this theory on her recent ski trip to Aspen. Meanwhile, Rita Ora looked oh-so glamorous as she took to the slopes in a classic pair of black trousers that boasted a subtle white stripe.

Get The Look
Vinyl Ski Trousers by Topshop SNO, £65, Shop them now
In recent years a retro all-in-one has been considered a ski style faux-pas - but not anymore.

The bold look championed by Princess Diana in the 80s is making a roaring comeback - Kourtney Kardashian is a firm fan - and if the Kardashians approve, you know it's trendy.

Get The Look
Wolf Faux Fur Trimmed Ski Suit by Topshop SNO, £165, Shop it now
The best way to stand out on the slopes is by injecting a little colour - or possibly a print or two.

Nina Dobrev went for a fun and playful 80s aesthetic in a retro rainbow ski suit.

However, if that's a little OTT for you, take note from Paris Hilton and go for a more sophisticated block colour option.

Get The Look
Vale Hooded Ski Jacket by Perfect Moment, £475, Shop it now
Invest In A Great Pair Of Goggles

Lastly, don't forget about accessories.

Functionality and fashion are both important factors when it comes to choosing the right pair of googles.

Plus, as Bella Hadid recently pointed about - they have to be selfie ready.

We suggest opting for a funky pair of mirrored frames that not only improve your vision on the slopes, but also your style.

Get The Look
Mountain Mission Mirrored Ski Goggles by Perfect Moment, £125, Shop it now

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The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends With the Winter Olympics about to take place in PyeongChang, it's making many of us dream about escaping to the mountains for a spot of skiing.

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It's a 'Perfect Moment' for Kate at Heads Together Marathon Training Session UPDATE on Shoes & Earrings - What Kate Wore

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Kate was in a new jacket and sneakers at today's Heads Together training session for the London Marathon. The Duchess joined Prince William and Prince Harry at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for the event. The Royals were at the Park on behalf of their mental health initiative, Heads Together.

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Chanel welcomed guests into a winter wonderland for Karl Lagerfeld's final show at the Grand Palais in Paris. Attendees and models, which included Cara Delevingne, Kristen Stewart and Penelope Cruz, all observed a minute's silence in memory of the legendary designer, who died on 19 February aged 85.

He was known for his catwalk spectaculars which spanned underwater kingdoms, enchanted forests and free-flowing waterfalls. Lagerfeld was too ill to attend the most recent couture show in January, which was set against the backdrop of the stately 'Villa Chanel'.

For the autumn/winter 2019 show this morning (5 March), the brand failed to disappoint. Editors, influencers and celebrities walked into a snow-covered winter village surrounded by mountains. Bare branches and fir trees were coated with snow, while guests sat on wooden benches outside alpine chalets.

No detail was too small - Chanel skis, which were first launched to much fanfare in 2006, poked out of mounds of snow and faux smoke blew out of the chalet chimneys.

Guests were each given a keepsake that paid to tribute to the visionary, influential Lagerfeld. An illustrated version of the designer, decked in his signature ponytail, sunglasses and suit, alongside Coco Chanel in a hat and tweed suit, appeared alongside the words "The beat goes on".

As an emotional finale took place to the soundtrack of David Bowie's jubilant Heroes, two models were seen crying as they walked alongside Delevingne on the runway. But tears turned into cheers as Cara led the charge, making peace signs to the cameras. The audience offered a unanimous standing ovation for a man whose fashion legacy will never be forgotten.

Lagerfeld's long-standing right-hand woman, Virginie Viard, has been appointed as his Chanel successor.

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Chanel creates a snow-covered winter wonderland for Karl Lagerfeld's last show

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Chanel welcomed guests into a winter wonderland for Karl Lagerfeld's final show at the Grand Palais in Paris. Attendees and models, which included Cara Delevingne, Kristen Stewart and Penelope Cruz, all observed a minute's silence in memory of the legendary designer, who died on 19 February aged 85.

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Active Streetwear for Women | P.E Nation Official Website | P.E Nation

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Discover the latest in womens activewear and streetwear with P.E Nation. Shop leggings, sweaters, sports bras, gym tops, denim & accessories collections from the official P.E Nation website. Free Worldwide Shipping available.

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Wellington boot brand Hunter has reported record revenues following strong growth in the US and Asia.

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Superdry Summer Sale Now On - Mens & Womens Clothing - Superdry

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Welcome to the official Superdry shop - Our summer sale is now on, with 50% off our sale lines! Click here to view our range of men's & women's clothing.

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Roxy: Surf, Snowboard, clothing and accessories - Online Shop

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Discover the world of Roxy and all the latest collections on the official store. View the new collection, buy online. Express Delivery Available

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Ski & Snowboard Clothing, Snow & Ski Gear by Patagonia

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Lighter, warmer and softer-Our ski & snowboard clothing is designed to keep you warm in the harshest elements. Shop all snow and ski gear at eu.patagonia.com.

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Napapijri official store: ready to wear, jackets, bags, rucksacks and so much more, just for you. Quality service, fast delivery and easy returns. Enjoy it!

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Quiksilver | Surf & Snowboard Brand Since 1969

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Quiksilver is the best place to buy Surf & Snowboard products online. See the full collections (clothing, accessories, shoes), read user-reviews, and shop online

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Ski, Snow, Outdoor, Climbing Gear & More

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Huge range of Ski, Snow and Climbing Clothing & Equipment from the world's best brands. Shop the latest Outdoor Clothing and Accessories with click and collect to one of our nationwide stores.

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Topshop Sno The Skiwear Capsule | Topshop

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Discover the latest in women's fashion and new season trends at Topshop. Shop must-have dresses, coats, shoes and more. Free delivery on orders over £50.

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IT MAY not seem like a natural fit, alongside rails of designer jeans and trophy jackets, but Donna Ida asserts that skiwear brand Perfect Moment - never before available in the UK - is a great fit for her stores, and her customer.

"I wanted to introduce a directional skiwear collection to the UK and Perfect Moment embodies the Donna Ida girl spirit; with colourful strong fashionable pieces to be worn with a carefree attitude," boutique owner Donna Ida Thornton explained. "I love the attention to detail of the lightweight pieces with luxe gold zippers and reversible jackets where the silhouette is cut shorter for a feminine look. I'd wear Perfect Moment skiwear for daytime in bold colours for a sense of fun and adventure. For après ski, team skinny jeans with an embellished blouse or the finest cashmere finished with a statement coat from Donna Ida."

And - as the collection's biggest fans on the slopes of Courchevel, Zermatt, Klosters, Verbier and Val d'Isere will probably do this winter - it seems only fair to toast the range with a warming drink.

"We're celebrating the skiwear launch at my Donna Ida flagship Chelsea boutique this Wednesday, November 13 from 11am," Ida added. "There will be luxury hot chocolate from Kokoa and snacks from Honestly Healthy, and then from 4.30pm, we'll be serving Luxor champagne infused with golden leaf flecks. All of our guests will take away a Perfect Moment beanie hat as a special gift with purchase."

See the collection, here.

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IT MAY not seem like a natural fit, alongside rails of designer jeans and trophy jackets, but Donna Ida asserts that ski wear brand Perfect Moment - never before available in the UK - is a great fit for her stores, and her customer.

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Every style conscious athlete knows that when you're going on a ski holiday, your suit not only has to protect you from the elements, but it has to look good too.

After all, you're committing to wear the same outfit for an entire week, right? Thankfully there's a whole host of brands delivering functional, snow-worthy gear that's easy on the eyes.

From slim fitting to flared, baggy to boyfriend, there's a cut out there to suit every taste and shape. When trying on, make sure they're roomy enough to house your thermals underneath and long enough to cover your boots. Opt for technically enhanced fabrics that'll keep you warm and dry and, even though it makes you look and feel like Simon Cowell, a high waist is a must.

Here's our pick of the best.
M. Miller Alpen High Rise Ski Trousers
Channel your inner Brigitte Bardot with these slim M. Miller pants. Made to be form fitting but with a bit of stretch, they're super light yet exceedingly cosy - exactly what you want if you're paying over £500 for a pair of trousers. Features such as the snow skirts and ultra-high waist will save you from the powder as you carve your way down the slopes and the fleece lining is definitely appreciated after a day in the cold. .
The North Face Presena Trousers
The North Face has long been a stalwart for those battling cold weather, providing reliable, high quality clothing. Combining its Heatseeker insulation with DryVent technology, the Presena trousers are a popular choice for those after a simple pair of salopettes in a range of colours. Though the waist band is mid - rise, these will stay up comfortably all day and are thick enough to keep out the bracing temperatures without leaving you covered in sweat.
Musto Women's Every Gore- Tex Trousers
If you're a fast skier who likes to go off- piste, this practical pair from Musto is the ski pant equivalent of a Swiss army knife. Included are various pockets, high waist and internal boot gaiters to keep the snow out and the fabric is made from three layers of Gore- Tex, meaning you'll have all the benefits of wearing lots of layers without the bulk. The waterproof measurement of 15,000mm will keep you dry as a bone, too. Team with the matching black jacket for smart slope style.
Picture Treva Pant
The epitome of class and style, the Duchess of Cambridge is a fan of recycled skiwear, so if it's good enough for her, it's good enough for us. The Slany pant is made from recycled polyester and eco-friendly DWR so you can zip down the mountain guilt free. Extra padding on the knees and a super - high snow skirt make these ideal for boarders or off piste skiers, who'll also be easy to spot thanks to the bold colour.
Roxy Torah Bright Motion Pants
As a brand, Roxy caters to the adventurous, active woman and is well respected for its high quality kit. Although pegged as snowboarding trousers, these will do just as well at protecting you on skis. Designed in collaboration with international snowboarder Torah Bright, you can rest assured that these trousers will work just as hard as you do on the slopes. The lightweight waterproof shell material allows maximum movement without being too thin and the side zips on the hems proved really useful when trying to pull them down over boots.
Perfect Moment Aurora Flare Rainbow Pant Mesa Extreme Women's Softshell Ski Pants
Sleek and streamline, you'd be forgiven for mistaking these for a pair of cigarette paints- the Mesa Softshell pants have a flattering yet comfortable fit. Including all the features you'll want from touring trousers- RECCO rescue technology, breathable fabric and waterproof, taped seams- they also have extra warmth in the way of insulated fleece lining. Choose from black or petrol to complete your look.
Kjus Formula Pants
The Fast Thermo Care and Black Magic fabric used to create the Formula pant helps to balance your body temperature, even in fluctuating conditions- this will come in particularly handy if you're on a long chair lift or starting high up in the valley where temperatures can reach well into the minuses. Kjus has been producing this style for years now, which proves just how reliable it is. With thirteen colour ways to choose from, you can find a pair to suit your wardrobe.
J. Lindeberg Truuli JL 2 Layer Pants
Stand out from the crowds with this limepair By J. Lindeberg. Water resistant and resiliently wind proof, you'll want to keep these on for your après ski vin chaud as well. A Scandinavian company favoured by international snow athletes, you won't have to trade substance for style either. Integrated elastic at the back made these one of the comfiest pairs we tested, allowing us to adjust the waist line accordingly.

ESBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing.

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Every style conscious athlete knows that when you're going on a ski holiday, your suit not only has to protect you from the elements, but it has to look good too. After all, you're committing to wear the same outfit for an entire week, right?

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As ski season begins, finding suitable attire if you're a novice hitting the slopes for the first time can be a daunting task. Heading into an extreme sports shop is pretty intimidating and how do you know where to begin searching for something that is as flattering and stylish as it is functional? No one wants to look like the Michelin Man when you're nervously trying to navigate down a bunny slope.

Thankfully, Net-A-Porter is here to put an end to your sartorial skiwear woes. From Topshop's Sno collection and Perfect Moment to Fendi, our favourite fashion destination has countless options to ensure you look and feel your best out in the snow. Following a hugely successful ski season last year, Net-A-Porter has grown its skiwear buy by over half, offering everything from technical jackets, ski pants, goggles and helmets to the perfect après-ski wardrobe. The luxury e-tailer has developed an exclusive capsule with Chinti & Parker for all your après styling needs, while base layers from non-skiwear labels LNDR and Tory Sport are also available, and new outerwear brand Templa launches next month - we're predicting it will be a skiwear sellout.

If you're still feeling a little bit sceptical about pulling off a stylish look on the slopes, we spoke to Net-A-Porter's Global Buying Director, Elizabeth von der Goltz to discuss the growing interest in their ski offering and her advice on what to pack for the chalet. "As experiences have become increasingly important in everyone's lives, so has travel and adventure. Being up in the mountains in the snow isn't just for skiers but for people looking for new experiences too," von der Goltz explains. "With this in mind, looking great on the slopes is just as important as your holiday. Due to the successful performance of skiwear last year - it accounted for nearly three quarters of our Cruise 2017 buy - we've increased the category by over half and we don't see this slowing down any time soon."

So how do you pick between salopettes or a knit and ski jacket? "Personally, I love bold graphic prints and colour blocking when I'm skiing. This season, I'll be wearing Perfect Moment's monochrome black and white star sweater paired with a slim boot-cut ski pant and stylish jacket from Moncler Grenoble. Our customers also love a more retro look, like the onesies from Fendi and Fusalp or Topshop Sno's orange 'Wolf' ski suit," von der Goltz explains. Alternatively, if you still want to be able to express a playful side as opposed to the more monochrome, sleek offerings, Chinti & Parker's knits are a more colourful, lighthearted option. "They're fun, playful and great for layering. We have an exclusive capsule this season, which includes a cute 'Ski Ya Later' slogan jumper and star print track pants - both are on my wish list. Onesies from Fendi, Perfect Moment and bold jackets from Moncler Grenoble are also hugely popular because they're functional and fabulous."

But if you don't want to invest in ski-specific garments, just in case things don't quite work out for you on the slopes, it is of course possible to wear items from your existing winter wardrobe. "Your Falke base layers can be used for regular workouts, while Tory Sport sweaters can be repurposed for your everyday winter wardrobe. Great technical outerwear can be just as stylish and appropriate for the city, such as Canada Goose's down jackets, and when it comes to shoes and accessories, sunglasses, gloves and even shearling ankle boots can all be worn at home as well as for skiing holidays." So there you have it. Now you can get all the gear (courtesy of Net-A-Porter) even if you still have no idea.

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What To Wear For Your First Ever Ski Holiday

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As ski season begins, finding suitable attire if you're a novice hitting the slopes for the first time can be a daunting task. Heading into an extreme sports shop is pretty intimidating and how do you know where to begin searching for something that is as flattering and stylish as it is functional?

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How H&M’s Lesser-Known Brand, & Other Stories, Got to Be So Good

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One brand, three cities, and an impressive roster of designer and celebrity collaborations.

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Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we're up to by signing up here.
& Other Stories emerged in Europe just over a year ago, taking no time at all for buzz to float overseas: the clothes, the beauty products, the accessories, the price point! Fashion-hungry Americans got jealous of the H&M-owned brand's 11 stores across the pond-in countries from Spain to Sweden-and it became one of those "while you're in Europe you must check out" bullet points.

Then, like the answer to a shopping prayer, & Other Stories announced they'd open their first Stateside store in New York as well as US e-commerce at stories.com (sign up now and get 20% off your first order-you're welcome). The doors to both open today, and fashion people are freaking out excited. Here's the story.

1. They're owned by H&M Group
The company was started as an assignment from H&M Group to start a premium beauty brand. Helena Carlberg, the brand's social media manager, told us at a recent walk through of the fall assortment that all of their inspiration images in that initial phase were of people. "We went to H&M and said, 'We want to do shoes and bags and ready-to-wear,'" in addition to beauty, and the concept evolved.

2. But they kind of do their own thing
Helena tells us H&M acts as a backbone to & Other Stories, helping them with logistics and support functions, but they operate, otherwise, as their own independent beast. They have their own offices and atelier in Stockholm, as well as a second atelier in Paris. The design team is & Other Stories's own, not shared with their parent company, and they design literally everything in-house, from the clothes to the candles to the shopping bags to the store furniture.

3. It all fits together just so-but is designed to be broken
Within all of that in-house design is a lot of consideration (which they relish in sharing, particularly on Instagram). "The pink in this nail polish," Helena said, picking up a bottle of Epinglé Coral, "ties into the pink of that coat," pointing to a grey mohair coat with a broken pink stripe (see above). That same pink is called out in one of the seasonally-updated shopping bags, too, among many other harmonious guest appearances. Nothing at & Other Stories is an accident: everything is very purposeful, thoughtful, and has a story of its own.

The fall collection offers four "stories," each based on a different city-Stockholm, Paris, New York, and Berlin-designed to be mixed and clashed as the shopper sees fit. "Today, a woman with a love for fashion creates her own style," Helena explained of the brand's open approach to personal taste. As such, they offer a wide swath of styles, from fitted mini dresses to palazzo trousers, brogues to high heels. Another aim of & Other Stories is to provide all of the elements of a wardrobe under one roof-from boots to BB cream.

4. They want it to be shoppable by all: price, style, age
"All of the value is in the product, not special packaging," Helena noted as we browsed body scrubs, housed in nothing-special plastic containers with black screw caps. Affordability is at work here, but in a different way than at H&M. For instance, you won't find acrylic winter gloves at throw-away prices, but you can stock up on wool, cashmere, or leather gloves with special touches at a heck of a lot cheaper than the department store. The most expensive piece we spotted for fall was a leather jacket coming in around $350.

"We're trying to reach a woman with a heart for fashion," Helena explained, "which can be a woman of any age." Case in point: to sail into the States, they asked Ari Cohen of Advanced Style to shoot the collection on 93-year-old fashion icon Irs Apfel in a "personal styling story".

5. They're primed for collabs
The name itself is intended to be prefixed by collaborators: Nike & Other Stories, Lykke Li & Other Stories, Garance Doré & Other Stories. Sometimes this means exclusive product, sometimes it's the existing collection "through the lens of" an influential eye. We have a feeling they'll roll out projects with more cool, splashy names as they take their stake in the US (we're living in a world where H&M landed Alexander Wang, after all).

& Other Stories's Paris Rue Saint Honore store

6. Consider & Other Stories the middle child between H&M and COS
Confused by how & Other Stories compares with its sister brands, H&M and COS? Don't worry, you're not the only one. Think of COS as the super cool, super fashion-y older sister and H&M as, well, H&M. & Other Stories is right in the middle: the wide assortment of H&M, the fashion-focus of COS but warmed up for a broader audience. Keep buying your basics at H&M, get grown-up work pieces at COS, and fill in the rest with & Other Stories.

· & Other Stories [Official Site]
· At Last: & Other Stories Has a US Launch Date! [Racked]
· H&M's & Other Stories Is Opening in the US [Racked]

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Six Crucial Things to Know About & Other Stories

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Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we're up to by signing up here.

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Wearing chic, luxe skiwear when you hit the slopes is just as important as ensuring you have at least one apple strudel atop a mountain during any given alpine adventure, correct? Skiwear is one of those categories you simply cannot scrimp on: If you're going to making skiing a regular part of your vacation plans, then it is wise to invest upfront, picking perfectly designed pieces that A) are technically up to the job and of the highest spec and B) look sophisticated and as far away as possible from the gigantic, Michelin Man-style padding you'd probably have to hire in (been there, done that, got the embarrassing photos).

But where to turn when you want to find salopettes worthy of a social media shot, thermals that don't make you feel like an OAP or snow boots you wouldn't find being worn by a kooky girl in a '90s rave night? We have answers-and many of them come from a recent flurry of fashion moments from the influencer community. They've already been taking to the snowiest parts of the world and documenting their every fashion move along the way.

One brand in particular- Perfect Moment -appears to be the number one choice for cool girls in the cold, with the likes of Linda Tol and Evangelie Smyrniotaki alerting us to the rather grown-up and flattering black jumpsuits. This Chamonix-based brand not only knows its technical stuff, but it sure can make something practical feel utterly desirable.

Next up: the best camel coats to shop now.
This post was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

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10 of the Best Designer Skiwear Brands for a Chic Time on the Slopes

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Wearing chic, luxe skiwear when you hit the slopes is just as important as ensuring you have at least one apple strudel atop a mountain during any given alpine adventure, correct?

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There are three good things about cold weather: One, more excuses to buy hot drinks, two, ski holidays and three... let's, stick at two.

If you're thinking about booking a ski holiday, or already have one planned, looking for the best ski gear to wear slopeside is essential for getting prepared. Because if you're going to fall on your butt in front of a lot of people, you might as well look great and minimise the chance of soggy pants while you're at it.

Thankfully, there's ski wear is no longer only available in specialist stores- there's affordable ski clothing on the high street too. WH has rounded up the best ski gear to wear while you're bombing down a black run or, you know, just sampling the cheese fondue. Someone's got to do it, right?

To keep warm, dry and for ski clothing you'll wear again, read on.

Topshop SNO

If you're the fashion-conscious type, make Topshop's ski gear collection your go to. The flattering straight-leg style will keep you warm and dry, while elasticated braces keep everything secure.

Perfect Moment

This uh-mazing onesie has featured heavily on the 'gram (if you follow The Londoner, Fearne Cotton or Holly Willoughby, you'll know what we mean), but we're definitely not bored of it yet. It's made from merino wool that'll keep you toasty and has bacteria repelling properties, so you'll smell fresh all week even if you've got a sweat on.

Merino Wool Jumpsuit, £355, Perfect Moment

Chinti and Parker

Is your ski gear look even complete without a bobble hat? This super cute one is made using a double knitting technique that promises exceptional warmth, and the ribbed band ensures it won't slip off on windy days.

Wool beanie, £95, Chinti and Parker at net-a-porter.com

Picture Organic Clothing

A beanie off the slopes, but a helmet on the slopes - the rules of safe skiing. So do choose a helmet that you'll want to wear. This one is made from recycled plastics and includes a ventilation system (read: less sweaty hat hair).

Picture Organic Helmet, from £69

O'Neill x Jones Collection

Take your pink obsession to new heights on the slopes. This team-up between O'Neill x Jones will do the trick.

Jones sync ski pants, £135.99

Superdry

Snow Puffer Jacket, £194.99, Superdry
If you're looking for a seriously technical ski jacket, this one has all the bells and whistles. Two outer and inner fleece-lined pockets for your tech that has a goggle cloth inside, and a detachable snow skirt and cuffs to keep the powder out, are just some of the reasons why this puffer is designed for advanced skiers and boarders. Worth the price tag.

The North Face

If you've ever experienced the sensation of cold snow slipping into the inside of your gloves, you'll know the importance of pull toggles that seal around your wrist *shudders*. These bad boys do just that, as well as offering 100% waterproofing and touchscreen compatibility.

Ski gloves, £75, The North Face

Long Sleeve Ski Base Layer, £65, Sweaty Betty

Sweaty Betty

Base layers are just as important as your outer ski gear, and you'll want to show them off apres ski when they look this good. Sweaty Betty's retro offering is sweat-wicking and quick drying with a high neck for extra warmth.

Adidas

Your fave Ray Bans won't cut the mustard down a black run, so try these frameless goggles instead. They might look chunky, but they're ultra lightweight with durable lenses that resist scratching, so you can enjoy the view.

Backland ski goggles, £64, Adidas at vision3k.com

When you're a beginner to the skiing world, buying the not-so-purse-friendly kit can be a bitter pill to swallow. These H&M trousers prove that ski gear needn't cost the earth and don't scream 'I'm new here!', either. Result.

With your ski wear wardrobe sorted, now shop the best gym bags, best workout leggings and discover why weightlifting trainers should be worn at the squat rack.

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10 Best Ski Wear Brands For Everyone Who's New To Skiing

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There are three good things about cold weather: One, more excuses to buy hot drinks, two, ski holidays and three... let's, stick at two. If you're thinking about booking a ski holiday, or already have one planned, looking for the best ski gear to wear slopeside is essential for getting prepared.

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International growth boosts Lululemon profits

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Revenues at the yoga retailer also shot up by 20% to $782.3m (£462.51m), driven by product innovation and international growth. Direct-to-consumer net revenue went up by 33% and represented 26.8% of total net revenue, compared to 24.3% for the same period in 2018.

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How Sustainability is important to Gen Z Shoppers

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How Sustainability is important to Gen Z Shoppers

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The research also reveals that nearly half (48%) of these groups say they have abandoned purchases because a brand or retailer does not fit with their values, while 46% of shoppers say they spend time researching ethical and sustainable brands to buy from.

The research was done for Drapers' latest report, exploring Gen Z and millennial shoppers and how they feel about fashion. It investigates current shopping behaviour as well as where the opportunities are for brands and retailers.

Just over 76% of the 2,000 consumers we surveyed for the report said that sustainability was either very or quite important to them when deciding which brands to shop with.

The consumers surveyed were aged between 18 and 38. Men rated sustainability as slightly more important than women: 40% rated it as very important, compared with 33% of female shoppers.

The youngest cohort, those aged 18 to 24, are most likely to have abandoned a purchase - 55% of this group said they had done so.

There are also regional variations in how shoppers are approaching sustainability. Shoppers in the south-east and London were more likely to rate it as important: in London, 63% of shoppers reported having abandoned a purchase because of sustainability.

Access our Gen Z and millennials report here to read more about how people in their twenties and thirties are buying fashion.

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Gen Z shoppers report abandoning unsustainable purchases

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The research also reveals that nearly half (48%) of these groups say they have abandoned purchases because a brand or retailer does not fit with their values, while 46% of shoppers say they spend time researching ethical and sustainable brands to buy from.

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Eco-friendly, ethical and sustainable fashion is finally on the industry's agenda - and for many brands and designers this has been a year of awakening. But, as Tamsin Blanchard argues, we all have our part to play in making fashion truly circular.

Fashion is finally waking up to sustainability - but the lexicon surrounding eco-friendly and ethical fashion is fraught with inaccuracies. In 'Get Your Greens', an ongoing series launched to coincide with Earth Day 2019, Vogue explores how the industry is advancing towards a greener future.
Business as usual costs the earth." That was the slogan hand-painted across one of the many colourful banners carried by the Extinction Rebellion protestors gathering at Marble Arch on Monday morning last week. A few days earlier, XR had staged a fashion show at Oxford Circus, while my local branch of Traid changed its window display, dressing the mannequins as XR protestors. Fashion is a mirror of our times. And no - right now on Planet Fashion, it's really not business as usual.

As the world contemplates Earth Day 2019, and many in the industry prepare to ask #WhoMadeMyClothes in remembrance of the 1,138 garment workers who were killed when the Rana Plaza factory collapsed on 24 April 2013, this is a week in which to reflect on how the fashion industry is dealing with the undeniably negative impact it has on both people and planet - and to work together to find solutions.

"What we need to do is make it clear how fair and decent work and environmental protection are intrinsically interconnected," says Carry Somers, founder of Fashion Revolution, the global campaign for a more transparent fashion industry. "At the moment, human rights abuses, gender inequality and environmental degradation all remain rife within the fashion industry, and positive change is more urgently needed than ever to tackle climate change and create a more equitable future for everybody working within the fashion supply chains."
Read more: 5 Years On From The Rana Plaza Collapse, How Much Has Actually Changed?
The challenges can seem insurmountable. Global textile production emits 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases annually, more than international flights and maritime shipping combined.

Read more: Climate Change Activist Greta Thunberg Is Nominated For The Nobel Peace Prize Aged 16
But a lot has changed over the last twelve months. The Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg has become a spokesperson of a generation who are impatient for change and will not compromise on their ethics - whether that means going vegan or swapping their clothes rather than buying them new. In December, while Thunberg was telling the world's leaders at COP24 in Poland that "you are never too small to make a difference", Stella McCartney was launching the UN Sustainable Fashion Industry Charter for Climate.

To mark Earth Day, Fashion Revolution announced that it too is declaring a climate emergency and has signed the charter. Other signatories include Burberry, Gap, H&M, Kering, Levi's and Inditex, all of whom have pledged to a series of industry-wide commitments, including a target of 30 per cent greenhouse gas emission reductions by 2030.
Read more: 5 Changes To Make This Fashion Revolution Week

For many brands and designers as well as consumers, this has been a year of awakening. The V&A's "Fashioned From Nature" exhibition opened the eyes of its visitors to some of the stark realities of the fashion industry, from how thirsty cotton is, to the hidden horrors of microfibres. It also highlighted some of the most innovative solutions, from spider silk and leather made from discarded grape skins to fabrics grown from bacteria. H&M's current Conscious Collection has a leather jacket and cowboy shoes made using Piñatex, a leather-like material that is made from the leaves that are normally discarded in the production of pineapples.

Other positive fashion initiatives over the past twelve months have included Mother of Pearl's No Frills collection, Allbirds's shoes made from eucalyptus plants, the ongoing success of Veja's Fairtrade trainers (the look of which is being copied by the high street - which, of course, totally misses the point that they are made in a way that is fair and transparent), and niche start-ups like OAR Basics, set up by the designer Kim Trager, who is on a mission to make a perfectly crafted white T-shirt from organic cotton using renewable energy, fairly-paid labour and a transparent supply chain. Meanwhile the Wellthread x Outerknown collection at Levi's is piloting products which use 40 per cent 'cottonised' hemp, which means it's been engineered to be softer to the touch, and includes jackets with detachable hardware to make them more easily recyclable.

Read more: How Mother Of Pearl Is Redefining Sustainability With Its New No Frills Line
"The plan is simple," says designer Phoebe English. "We must now look at design as a solution-based, problem-solving strategy." English has been incorporating waste materials from previous collections into her new work, and offers her clothes for rental with Higher Studio.

Last July, Burberry admitted to burning £28m worth of luxury product, but it soon became clear that the practice was commonplace among the industry. While brands need to look at their own issues around over production, there are solutions in the pipeline to help deal with pre-consumer waste. Burberry is working with Elvis & Kresse, which rescues some of the nine tonnes of leather waste the brand is producing each month to make leather accessories using a modular patchwork system that means they are endlessly repairable and recyclable.

"Circular design" has become the big buzzword. It means the entire lifecycle of the product must be thought about at the design and sourcing stage. "The problem is that the brands all need to understand how to make recyclable goods, and whilst this is not impossible, the massive lack of technical infrastructure means that the circles have big breaks in them," says Rebecca Earley, Professor of Sustainable Fashion Textile Design at University of the Arts London.

But help is at hand. In April, Earley was in Stockholm to moderate a summit for the 2019 Global Change Award, an annual prize worth €1m donated by the H&M Foundation to promote innovation in the fashion industry. The winner of the top €300,000 award was The Loop Scoop, a digital tool by the Berlin-based start-up circular.fashion aimed at providing designers with everything they need to create closed-loop, circular fashion.

All good stuff - but it can sound a little too theoretical. When summer is coming, sustainability is often not top of most people's priorities when they're thinking about new season shopping lists. To help spread the word, luxury resale website Vestiaire Collective has produced 'Buy, Sell, Share, Care', a practical guide to circular fashion, with tips on how to make better use of the clothes we have by the models and sustainability advocates Arizona Muse and Margherita Missoni.

"Circularity means not putting an end to the things you use," says Missoni. "In the last few years fashion has woken up, we've become aware of how aggressive the industry is and the impact our actions have, both individually and as institutions. But there is a lot more to do."

*Tamsin Blanchard is the special events curator at Fashion Revolution and the editor of Hole & Corner magazine. *

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Is 2019 The Year Fashion Finally Takes Sustainability Seriously?

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Eco-friendly, ethical and sustainable fashion is finally on the industry's agenda - and for many brands and designers this has been a year of awakening. But, as Tamsin Blanchard argues, we all have our part to play in making fashion truly circular.

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Prepare your wallet and get ready to be inspired and thrown into the wonderful world of sustainability all at once, with these, the best sustainable fashion brands...
The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. It's also one that is swiftly changing its ways by listening to the wants and needs of mindful consumers who can afford to want to know their clothing, accessories and shoes are being made sustainably, in an ethical process where no one gets hurt, underpaid, or undervalued. Whilst the Pretty Little Things, Boohoos and Primarks of the world may continue to thrive despite highly un-fashionably unethical practices, there are tons of wonderful, slow-fashion brands worth shouting about. Fashion brands that understand that good quality clothing should be kept forever and recycled, upcycled, or passed onto others via charity shops or re-selling websites such as Depop and Vestiaire Collective. Fashion brands that have taken the time to consider their supply chain and who take pride (rightly so) in being able to say that they are a sustainable brand.

Whether it's out of genuine concern for the planet or just to capture a new type of customer who follows the sustainability-related buzzwords popping up everywhere right now, many brands are catching on to the sustainability wave by creating sustainable capsule collections. But as much of a positive a change as this is, a singular collection just isn't enough. So, as part of our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and encouraging you to do the same, we've researched and rounded up the best sustainable fashion, footwear and accessory brands to support, who ensure they are being as sustainable as they possibly can. Thought sustainable fashion meant un-fashionable fashion? These brands will make you reconsider...

FASHION

Beamont Organic

Beamont Organic, a brand stocked at Young British Designers, was founded with a mission to create 'contemporary conscious clothing'. The materials they use are fairtrade, organic and eco-friendly, and the styles vary from light floaty linen dresses for summer, to organic cotton hoodies for winter. It's a responsible, slow-fashion brand that can be trusted to always produce ethically and reduce waste wherever possible, whilst being an easy brand to head to for a quick wardrobe update. Beaumontorganic.com

Arela

Fashion brand Arela set up the 'For Good' initiative to ensure they take responsibility for the environmental impacts of their products. 'For Good' is a framework that allows the life of their garments to be as long as possible, and is split into design, care, taking back unwanted products, using quality materials, recycling and reusing materials, and using recyclable packaging, which is often something that gets forgotten and can put a real dampener on a new purchase. The most enticing thing to us about Arela, apart from the designs which we love, is the fact they re-use materials from their products to make and mend new ones. Waste not, want not - and we want everything Arela is selling. Arelastudio.com

Beulah

Beulah is a sustainable fashion brand excelling in floaty dresses and skirts. It also does its very best to be ethical, and is on a mission to eradicate slavery 'through the power of skilled craft, exemplary business ethics and conscious consumption'. Their supply chain prides itself on transparency, as the brand knows that the fashion industry is one where forced labour and slavery can thrive. So, Beulah employs women who have been overcome sex trafficking and slavery with the hopes of giving them and their families a more sustainable future. They are also sustainable in the sense that their garments are high quality, to decrease the number of clothes thrown away and end up clogging up landfills. One material used a lot in their collections is silk which is sourced from China and then hand-printed either in India or digitally printed in Italy. They explain on their website that 'currently there are not many viable higher-welfare alternatives to traditional silk; options like peace silk are still relatively unfeasible in terms of quality and quantity', and assure that the company is always striving to investigate new fabrics and spearhead the latest environmental practices. The use of cashmere and wool in their collections isn't common, but when they do, it's through a partnership with a women's cooperative in Nepal. In fact, Beulah goes into deep detail of how their materials are sourced and how they're trying to improve - and this is the kind of mindful business process we support. Beulahlondon.com

JETS Swimwear

Australian swimwear brand JETS have created a sustainable collection using Renew Plus, an environmentally friendly and sustainable fabric made of 100% recycled polyamide and Lycra Xtra Life fabrication. On the hunt for a cute one piece for summer? JETS is the ticket. Jetsswimwear.co.uk
P.S, this swimsuit was Tuesday 2 April's addition to the Luxury List: Sustainable Series. Check the page out for daily shopping inspiration!
Tretorn

If you're on the hunt for a sustainable jacket suitable for unruly weather conditions, buy one from Tretorn. Their initial goal was to be able to 'label 50% of our outerwear with the Eco Essentials initiative before the year of 2020'. Having aready acheived this, Tretorn now boasts that 85% of their outerwear is part of the Eco Essentials Initiative. What this means is that the products included in this initiative are made from recycled materials such as plastic bottles. Tretorn.com

Celtic & Co

Pioneers of sustainable fashion from the start, Celtic & Co predominantly use British-sourced natural materials that will go into creating a piece of clothing designed to last a lifetime. The benefit of using these natural materials means that when the clothes are washed, micro-plastics aren't emitted into the ocean. Celticandco.com

Davy J

Designed in Devon and made in the UK, Davy J is the new swimwear brand with covetable pieces to add to your sustainable summer shopping list this year. Stylish and designed for relaxing, swimming and diving in, Davy J use [email protected], a swimwear fabric made from ghost fishing nets; fishing nets that have been lost or left in the sea, nearly invisible to see and seriously dangerous for any animal that gets stuck inside it.

Twenty-Seven Names

New Zealand based brand Twenty-Seven Names offers fashionable sustainability at its finest. Created by Rachel Easting and Anjali Burnett and named after the 27 people who helped get the business off the ground, Twenty-Seven Names choose ethical fabrics and methods of creation. On each garment's page, you'll find a full disclosure of where the piece was cut and made, and the provenance of the lining, trims and fabrics. Twentysevennames.co.nz

Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood uses her collections and catwalk shows as a platform for positive activism. Her resilient campaigning on climate change and overconsumption has underpinned the brand's identity, as has her ecological crusades. Vivienne Westwood is a Trustee of human rights organisation, Liberty and Patron of Reprieve and a campaigner for Amnesty International. Her green campaign support includes Cool Earth, in their efforts to save rainforests and stop climate change. In collaboration with the UN's Ethical Fashion Initiative Vivienne Westwood began producing bags in 2015 supporting thousands of women from marginalised African communities. The collections are created using recycled materials from slums and landfill and the income helps to stop the need to continue deforestation in the area. Viviennewestwood.com

Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney was one of the first luxury fashion brands to advocate environmentally friendly production, still with a chic, understated aesthetic that appeals to the fashion-conscious customer. Partnering with the ethical fashion initiative since 2011, the designer has banned fur and leather in her collections and continues to inspire other fashion brands to embrace a more sustainable business model. Stellamccartney.com

Gillian June

Emerging designer Imogen Johnson-Gilbert believes in fair fashion. By working closely with their supply chain from its mill in Northern Island to their artisan makers in Jaipur, Gillian June sticks to its pledge of making sure the working environments of their employees are always safe and fair. The brand also champions the use of sustainable and ethical fabrics, by choosing to use modern, innovative materials and fibres such as Tencel, Irish linen and wool. Gillianjune.com

Eileen Fisher

Ethics and sustainability are quite literally woven into US fashion label Eileen Fisher's minimalist fashion offering. The brand publicly shared its commitments in their 2020 vision that looks at improving the social and environmental impacts of their supply chain. Their initiative, Green Eileen, has seen the fashion label collect and recycle previously worn Eileen Fisher clothing, supporting women, girls and the environment. What's more, the brand offers free repairs on all their clothing. Eileenfisher.com

Tome

Tome's sustainability and ethical fashion impetus began with the launch of their first capsule for the White Shirt Project in 2014. The White Shirt Project supports Katie Ford's foundation, 'Freedom For All' that fights human trafficking and slavery. Katie's enquiries raised internal questions for Tome itself: 'is everyone involved in producing the clothes paid well?' Tome took a fine-tooth comb to their process and visited the factories, working on reducing waste and using local and renewable sources. They see periodic check-ins of factories as the best way to monitor their supply chain practice and safeguard the women who work for them. Emma Watson was also spotted in Tome during her Press Tour for Beauty and The Beast where she only wore ethical and sustainable clothing. Tomenyc.com

Chinti & Parker

Chinti & Parker, renowned for their 'quality basics' started in 2009 as a joint venture between cousins Anna Singh and Rachael Wood. They began with ethical cashmere clothing for children, soon venturing into womenswear, creating simple and versatile pieces. The brand is committed to sustainability and better living, justifying the cost of the products with the ethical process behind them. For example, each of the Chinti & Parker factories is handpicked for its relevant expertise and high-quality credentials. What's more, in places where production involves long travel, Chinti & Parker actively offsets carbon emissions as outlined by the Carbon Neutral Company. Gwyneth Paltrow even designed a jumper to champion the brand's approach to ethics and sustainability. Chintiandparker.com

People Tree

People Tree truly pioneered the idea of ethical and environmentally sustainable fashion in its entirety as opposed to an external campaign or side note. They were the first international clothing company to be awarded the World Fair Trade product label - evidence of their dedication to covering fair wages working conditions, transparency, capacity building, environmental best practice, gender equality and setting standards for conventional fashion companies to improve their supply chains. And still, their stylish designs are affordable, proving that ethics don't need to be expensive. Peopletree.co.uk

The Cotton Story

If you think you need to go to Primark to get your basics, think again; The Cotton Story sell good quality and very reasonable (£16 for a tee-shirt) basics; long sleeve tops, short sleeve tops, sweatshirts, shirts and more, in soft colourways such as navy blue, greys, white and black. They pride themselves on their pricing being honest, although judging from the quality they certainly could be charging more; beautiful products for everyone and anyone; and ethical factories. In fact, if you visit their pop up on the King's Road, you'll be able to see pictures from their factories and learn about who made the clothes. Even the swing tags are recyclable! Thecottonstory.co.uk

Somerville

A British brand inspired by British spirit, Somerville produces small collections of high-quality clothing that are both stylish and comfortable for working people. The sustainability element is clear - garments are made in the UK, collections are small to minimise waste, digital printing is used to save water waste, and the packaging is recyclable. Perfect! Somervillelondon.com

Haute Hijab

Haute Hijab is a brand that has thought about every step of their production and selling process to make it as ethical and sustainable as possible, and it's clear its an issue that's important to them. Each hijab is made from deadstock materials that are tested to make sure they'll last a long time. The pieces are then made by manufacturers with whom Haute Hijab are in contractual agreement, guaranteeing each employee involved gets paid fairly. Once a product is sold, it is packaged in polybags that are made of biodegradable, recyclable plastic. Hautehijab.com

Belize

Belize is making efforts as a company to become more sustainable; many of their garments are made using Khadi fabric, which is a 100% eco-friendly fabric. This means it takes longer than your average garment to create - but it also means it keeps more deserving people employed, using Khadi reduces the brands' carbon footprint by 30%, and it means that the garment is biodegradable, so it won't sit in landfills forever - it will naturally fade away. Belizeofficiel.com

Bunks

Bunks trunks are a premium quality swimming trunks brand for kids, with matching options for parents. Launched only 2 years ago, Bunks is contributing positively to the world by helping to protect the ocean and its inhabitants that have inspire its designs so much. Buy a pair of trunks from Bunks and you'll be pleased to find their packaging is made of biodegradable and recyclable plastic packaging. Plus, the swing tag can be reused as a luggage label. Bunkstrunks.com

Vin + Omi

Eco-conscious design duo Vin + Omi have been practising and developing eco-innovation since 2004. Their process of producing rPET textiles starts with collecting plastic from clean-up sights, and their way of producing clothes uses over 50% less energy than with PET fabrics. Vinandomi.com

Elio

South African fashion and accessory/jewellery brand Elio create one-off pieces made in Cape Town. It's a slow-fashion brand, and all materials are locally sourced, adhering to the company ethos of being as ethical as possible in their processes, producing 'little to no waste'. Shop here for limited edition, floaty and unique summer dresses, tee-shirts and hair accessories. Elio.clothing

Lilliput & Felix

British based swimwear and beachwear brand Lilliput & Felix are bringing something very necessary and new to the table - sustainable, stylish swimwear for summer. Since launching in 2014, it has gone on to create luxury, high-end pieces that 'merge classic and contemporary styles'. The brand was awarded Positive Luxury's Butterfly Mark for its commitment to social and environmental sustainability, and it's no surprise - the peices made of solid fabrics are made with recycled fabrics, and other pieces are sustainably woven to order in small quantities in order to reduce waste. Lilliputandfelix.com

ACCESSORIES

Neubau

This glasses brand creates its pieces using naturalPX - a material unique to the brand that has been highly developed to be eco-friendly. The material is made from organically sourced and renewable primary products, '65% of which is eco-friendly oil extracted from the seeds of castor oil plants'. The cases they come in are recyclable, as are the cleaning cloths which are made out of recycled plastic bottles. The packaging used is all paper (which is recyclable), and the suppliers they work with are all selected as eco-friendly ones. Neubau-eyewear.com

Bom Bom Morocco

Summer's approaching and we're sure wicker bags are going to hit the shelves pretty soon, following last summer's craze for the trend. So this summer, get yours (and personalised) from Bom Bom Morocco, and wear it with pride. Each product is handmade by a women's association near the Atlas Mountains. They're made from natural palm leaves and the pom poms are hand-dyed in Marrakech tanneries, before being hand-sewn onto the piece. A scoop of sustainability with a sprinkling of female empowerment equals a solid brand worth supporting. Bombommorocco.com

Billy Tannery

Whilst the brand isn't using sustainable vegan leather, it does practice some sustainability elements - they have used previously wasted meat by-products and bark extracts to make the products in this new collection which includes The Backpack, The Briefcase, The Tote, The Apron, The Key Wrap and The Cardholder. Also, their micro-tannery recycles 90% of its water and turns any waste into compost. British leather goods with a conscience, anyone? Billytannery.co.uk

Lovia

Accessory brand Lovia creates all types of bags entirely from waste materials. With the understanding that the fashion industry accounts for around 800,000 tons of leather waste every year, Lovia decided there must be a way to create beautiful leather bags without adding to this waste. Plus, they're passionate about being transparent - all the waste that goes into creating their bags can be entirely traced right back to its original source. Loviacollection.com

Taylor Yates

British accessory brand 'Taylor Yates' have mastered understated luxury, and are committing to sustainability, too. The leather they use is a by-product of food production, and for this, they have been awarded The Butterfly Mark by Positive Luxury for their company-wide commitment to sustainability. Tayloryates.com

SHOES

Veja

Veja's sneakers are everywhere - look around in London and it feels like everyone has a pair. This is a national obsession we can get behind, because the brand is big on transparency. Customers can look into Veja's supply and production chain and find out all the info they need to know. Plus, the vegan shoes are totally inexpensive for stylish design and well-thought-out materials. Vega-store.com

Good News

Good News produce effortlessly cool sneakers. The brand is sustainable from the start of the shoe-making process to after the shoe is no longer wanted. Created with the aim of using a platform to promote a healthy planet, Good News goes to great lengths to ensure their carbon, water and chemical footprint is as low as possible. Each pair of shoes is made with a recycled rubber sole, organic cotton and weave uppers, and a recycled eco-lite footbed. They also have a small supply chain to be able to care for each person involved. Finally, Good News will donate deadstock and faulty shoes to refugees in need, and homeless people. Ethical and sustainable at every point of the production process - this is how it should be done. You can shop them at Dover Street Market. Goodnews.london

Aspiga

Aspiga was founded after Lucy, the founder, fell in love with the impressive craftspersonship in Kenya - in particular, the handmade beach sandals. By practising ethical trading and supporting local communities, making sure the supply chain is small, trustworthy and transparent, and using natural fibres to create each piece, Aspiga is sustainable.

Yatay

Not only are Yatay's shoes 100% sustainable, but their packaging is also too. Buy yourself a pair of the sneakers that are made in Italy to reduce the environmental impact of production, using entirely eco-friendly materials, and expect them to arrive in a box made of 5 plastic bottles, making its environmental impact approximately 90% lower than a traditional shoebox. Yatayatay.com

Penelope Chilvers

Why have regular shoes when you can have Penelope Chilvers shoes, where the soles are old tyres? This is the kind of creative recycling that makes a respectable brand. In addition, their 'waste not want not' motto means there is no plastic used throughout her collections.

Allbirds

Allbirds, the San Francisco based brand that has only recently launched in the UK with a store on Long Acre, has sustainability at its core. Each pair of shoes, priced at £95, are comfortable and cosy and adds something a little different and more quirky to the heavily logo-ed sports shoe industry. Materials used include wool from New Zealand and renewable Eucalyptus fibre, proving that sustainability need never put a cramp on style. Allbirds.co.uk
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The Best Sustainable Fashion Brands | Fashion, Accessories & Shoes

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Prepare your wallet and get ready to be inspired and thrown into the wonderful world of sustainability all at once, with these, the best sustainable fashion brands... The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world.

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Range Plan - Colour Inspo

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Commercial Colour Update A/W 19/20: Women & Young Women

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Commercial Colour Update A/W 19/20: Women & Young Women

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Jetting off to a posh ski resort? Lucky you! Now you need to make sure you're mountain-ready. From star-print ski pants for whooshing down snowy terrain to calf-hair boots to see you through a heavy afternoon of wild après - here are our picks of the best outfits to wear on and off the slopes this winter...

Perfect Moment Aurora printed slim-leg ski pants

Want to leave all the boys starry-eyed? Whizz down the slopes in these sleek star-print ski pants.

£235, from Net-a-Porter

JW Anderson mockneck sweater with puller detail

Make the mountain your runway with this JW Anderson sweater. No one will miss you in those racing stripes.

£425, from JW Anderson

Toni Sailer Sports Mathilda Splendid jacket

Just because it's freezing cold doesn't mean you need to look like the Michelin Man. This Toni Sailer Sports jacket will keep you nice and toasty.

£850, from Snow & Rock

Toni Sailer Sports Sestriere Jet flared ski trousers

If you're hitting the slopes early, a tight pair of black ski trousers are a must. Buy these, and wear them forever...

£400, from Matches Fashion

Adidas by Stella McCartney flared-leg ski trousers

Go on, do it! Where else can you pull off a pair of scarlet pants?

£230, from Matches Fashion

Montelliana 600 fur-trimmed calf-hair après-ski boots

These Montelliana boots will stop you slipping, keep you cosy like a hot-water bottle and they look pretty ace too.

£385, from Matches

Sweaty Betty Anon Nova ski helmet

Never mind the infinite amount of outfit changes, this helmet will go with EVERY one of them. Safety first.

£165, from Sweaty Betty

Icebreaker Vertex long-sleeve turtleneck

Imagine having a super-power that meant you would never feel the cold again? Well, these magical products from Icebreaker will give you exactly that.

£90, from Snow & Rock

Völkl Pyra 2017 skis

No boring rental skis, thank you very much. You need these bright and cheery Völkl ones.

£275, from Snow Leader

Rossignol Women's Alltrack Pro 80 W ski boots 2016/2017

Ski boots can (quite literally) be such a pain. But you can have these fitted to your feet, which means those aches and pains will be no more.

£250, from Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports

Fendi mirrored ski goggles

These monochrome goggles are perfect for when visibility is tricky. Plus they'll stop you having goggle marks. Phew.

£210, from Matches Fashion

Sunday Somewhere Matahari convertible round-frame mirrored sunglasses

A decent pair of sunglasses is de rigueur. This pair from Sunday Somewhere double up as a pair of glasses too. Handy.

£195, from Net-a-Porter

Alexski ski gloves

They're lined with possum fur, so your hands will feel like they're having a permanent mountainside cuddle. They come as gloves or mittens, and in pretty much every shade of the rainbow. Yes, please.

£295, from Alexski

Fendi Karlito fur-appliqué mittens

They scream fashion and FUN, and that's all that matters.

£1,230 from Matches Fashion

Perfect Moment Star II intarsia merino-wool jumpsuit

Once you're off the slopes, you'll want to slip into something warm and cosy. And something that Bowie would be proud to wear.

£280, from Net-a-Porter

The best ski resorts in Europe

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Jetting off to a posh ski resort? Lucky you! Now you need to make sure you're mountain-ready. From starry-printed ski pants for whizzing down snowy terrains in, to calf-hair boots to see you through a heavy afternoon of wild après

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Online competitor representing many ski & snow brands.

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Ski, Snow, Outdoor, Climbing Gear & More

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Huge range of Ski, Snow and Climbing Clothing & Equipment from the world's best brands. Shop the latest Outdoor Clothing and Accessories with click and collect to one of our nationwide stores.

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Shop designer fashion online at NET-A-PORTER.COM. Designer clothes, designer shoes, designer bags and designer accessories from top designer brands: Christian Louboutin, Matthew Williamson, Alexander McQueen, Marc Jacobs and more...

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Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a mechanism for businesses to assess the impact they have on society and consider putting responsible, ethical policies in place to support individuals, the local community and the environment. Despite its relatively new name, it is not a new concept; some businesses already had ethical and social aims in place before CSR became a phenomenon.

Also known as corporate responsibility, corporate citizenship or responsible or sustainable business, CSR requires that an organisation assesses its stakeholders, such as its employees, customers, suppliers, communities and environment and evaluates its responsibilities to them. Good CSR strategies then focus on creating policies that benefit society in a variety of ways, with the organisation's individual circumstances in mind.

Corporate social responsibility strategies consider areas of concern to organisations. Effective policies address initiatives that are designed to improve relationships with local communities, employees and customers, and aim to put systems in place to encourage and monitor ethically and environmentally responsible activities. The goal is often sustainability, complementing business activities with socially responsible actions that support communities, individuals and the environment.
The benefits of corporate social responsibility
Organisations large and small sometimes struggle to differentiate themselves from their competitors. However, doing so is vital in order to stand out, win funding bids or gain business. A strong sense of corporate social responsibility can provide an organisation with a way of distinguishing itself from others in their field, offering extra benefits to buyers or investors in the form of ethical and environmental policies and happy employees and customers.

A good sense of social responsibility can also lead to innovation in business, creating the opportunity for thought leadership and improved influence, as organisations become frontrunners in conducting their affairs in an ethical and sustainable way. This can improve a brand's reputation and even generate the potential for extra investment and funding.

Corporate social responsibility can also be a boost for businesses in terms of sales. According to the UK Small Business Consortium, 88% of consumers said they were "more likely" to buy from a company that "supports and engages in activities to improve society". Corporate social responsibility policies, therefore, can be an effective way of improving an organisation's reputation and promoting sales.

As consumers become more aware of ethical purchasing and environmental sustainability, organisations with effective CSR policies promote the kind of responsibility that customers are increasingly reacting positively to. All organisations can benefit from being proactive in this area.

Corporate social responsibility frameworks also allow businesses to deal with issues that could cause friction between the organisation and local communities, employees, customers or suppliers. This could include local environmental damage or childcare provision for workers, for instance. Addressing these factors can lead to better community and employee relations, benefiting the organisation and its reputation.

Effective corporate social responsibility policies also provide brands with the opportunity to create 'good news' stories to share with the press and supporters, demonstrating that organisations have concerns beyond their bottom line. Every organisation is looking for effective ways to generate good press, and a happy ending about a customer relationship or a charitable donation can do exactly that.

Another factor to consider is that consumers respond well to openness and accountability, and corporate social responsibility promotes social, ethical, environmental and community accountability within organisations, corporations and businesses. Demonstrating a proactive stance on these issues can be an effective way of garnering significant customer support and can even encourage positive reports on social media (which is increasingly important for the majority of organisations) and in reviews and feedback.

Some organisations focus their social responsibility efforts on sourcing ethical products, such as fairly traded tea and coffee, or locally or charitably sourced items. This can also have a positive impact on both the company's sales and its reputation. It gives a business a unique selling point and offers a sustainable, responsible approach.

This means that businesses can win new business as a result of implementing corporate social responsibility policies, but an effective policy can also result in improved customer retention. When somebody is impressed by the way an organisation conducts its ethics, they are more likely to stick around and become a loyal customer.

CSR activities can also have an impact on attracting a higher quality workforce, when the ethical and sustainability policies appeal to competitive and experienced applicants. Dedicated employees who feel they work for an ethical and responsible company will also be keen to continue working there, so staff retention can be improved.

Employee and contractor relations can be improved, resulting in a happier workforce and potentially a boost in productivity.

When business processes are streamlined and made more accountable, this can result in a much more efficient operation, saving money on operating costs and energy expenditure. This demonstrates why suitable corporate responsibility strategies can make good business sense, even if you look at them from a purely financial viewpoint, disregarding the PR, customer and staff relations and environmental factors they can involve.
Things to consider when creating corporate social responsibility policies
Organisations considering creating or adapting their ethics and sustainability will want to consider which department will be responsible for a corporate social responsibility strategy. In some businesses, it will be managed by the human resources department, the public relations department or by those in charge of business development, while other organisations will have a dedicated department specifically to manage CSR matters. For smaller organisations without the resources to dedicate a full-time team, allocating members of staff who will take responsibility for CSR activities will focus the campaign and result in a clearer, more coherent CSR strategy overall. Leaving it to chance is unlikely to see any effective results. A defined budget, team and goals and objectives are far more likely to lead to success.

One of the ultimate goals of corporate social responsibility policies is sustainability, and this is not just in relation to environmental sustainability. The policy itself must be sustainable, even as the fortunes of the organisation may change. The aim of CSR is to promote ethical and sustainable activity, as well as to generate goodwill and a positive reputation.

The contents of a corporate social responsibility policy will vary, depending on the focus of an organisation.

Choosing the right area of corporate social responsibility is important. Sociological and business studies have found that, while businesses that sell local products or support charities are greeted by local consumers who will spend more money, those that focus on social initiatives that seem out of alignment with company goals can see a negative impact on public perception. This means that it is important to take into consideration which areas of ethics, responsibility and sustainability fit with the image of your organisation, as well as the image you would like it to have.

Some aspects to consider include:

Employee relations: do employees receive a living wage? Are their working conditions safe and reasonable? Do they get time off and have union representation? Do they have consistent and socially responsible employment contracts? Are employees given training and development opportunities in the course of their work?

Diversity policies: does the organisation have a reliable equal opportunities policy? Is that policy implemented? Does the business go out of its way to support members of minority groups within its workforce and customer base? Does it deliberately expand its recruitment policies to appeal to members of minority groups to apply for jobs?

Community investment: does the organisation invest in its local community? Do larger businesses that employ a large proportion of a community reflect this local interest in their actions? Does the organisation take care to avoid polluting or damaging the local assets?

Ethical marketing: does the organisation refrain from false advertising and manipulation in its self-promotion?

Environmental policies: does the organisation reduce waste, including water and energy usage? Do the organisation's production practices include recycled or recyclable materials? Does the organisation maintain paperless offices? Are local environmental concerns taken seriously and addressed?

Charitable activities: does the organisation donate a proportion of its income to a designated charity? Are fundraising activities undertaken with staff or customers? Do certain products generate profits for charities? Are staff allowed time off to donate their time to volunteer at local non-profit organisations? Is payroll giving in place for employees?

Socially responsible investing: does the company use its financial investments in ethical ways? Does it avoid investing its capital into funds that promote arms sales or tobacco, for instance?

In order to ultimately measure the success of a corporate responsibility policy, it is vital to put goals in place, early on. Without set objectives, it will never be clear whether the policy is effective or whether it is missing the mark. And, if the policy involves other stakeholders, for example, a charity or community organisation, the goals should be decided upon mutually. This ensures that the time, money or resources that are invested are done so efficiently and effectively, benefiting all parties and resulting in a truly ethical, accountable system.
What do UK law and regulations say about corporate social responsibility?
The UK Corporate Governance Code is a guide to "facilitate effective, entrepreneurial and prudent management that can deliver the long-term success of a company", focusing on the actions of a company's board of directors and how it "sets the values" of a company.

The Governance Code does not specifically discuss corporate social responsibility, but it does acknowledge that a board of director's duties do go further than benefiting its shareholders, by stating that a company should meet its obligations to its shareholders and others. Further guidance insists that risk assessments should cover health, safety and environmental risks, risk to reputation, and risk to business probity (i.e. integrity), as well as purely financial risk.

Pressure has now been raised by the Companies Act 2006, which requires that company directors take community and environmental issues into account when they are promoting their companies and making disclosures.

However, corporate social responsibility remains more of a matter of best practice than legal requirement, with accountable and sustainable business activity offering organisations a boost in reputation, sales, and employee and community relations. Many aspects of CSR policy may not be legally mandated, but they make good business sense, as well as being a boon for an organisation's ethics and sustainability.

Corporate social responsibility policies are generally self-regulated and require a certain degree of accountability and self-disclosure but, in organisations of many sizes, a good policy is a realistic and recommended goal to have. Organisations generally monitor their own success, but when partnerships with community organisations or charities are involved, external accountability also comes into play.

It could, in fact, be argued that it is the self-regulated aspects of corporate social responsibility that make it even more worthwhile for businesses to engage in. The organisations that are the most socially responsible can be perceived to be those that chose to take positive, affirmative action rather than those that did so because they were required to by law. The more proactive an organisation is seen to be, the better the boost in its reputation and results.
Reporting on corporate social responsibility
Promising reports on the success of corporate social responsibility activities is a way of ensuring compliance with the programme and encouraging accountability and good results. Even where some aspects of the policies were less than successful, remaining open and honest is a smart approach that suggests the organisation is aiming for better results and will continue to be accountable and ethical. And, of course, the most successful elements of the strategy should be widely shared and promoted.

The form and style of CSR reports do not have to fit a particular format, but they do need to be comprehensive and portray honesty and accountability to their readers. As long as some people remain sceptical about whether brands are using corporate social responsibility as some kind of veil to comply with reputation management objectives, rather than as a genuine good to society, openness is required to overcome this doubt.

Corporate social responsibility offers organisations the opportunity to promote themselves, while doing good for the community and society. It's a win-win situation for many businesses, and can be undertaken with some simple planning and implementation.

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Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a mechanism for businesses to assess the impact they have on society and consider putting responsible, ethical policies in place to support individuals, the local community and the environment. Despite its relatively new name, it is not a new concept; some businesses already had ethical and social aims in place before CSR became a phenomenon.

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Interim Report on the Sustainability of the Fashion Industry 

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Interim Report on the Sustainability of the Fashion Industry 

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The House of Commons wrote to sixteen leading
UK fashion retailers to ask what steps they are taking to reduce the environmental and social impact of the clothes and shoes they sell.

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Drapers article talks about several brands that have introduced recycling incentives or schemes

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Decluttering your wardrobe has become a somewhat unlikely fashion trend lately. Consumers have been encouraged to delve into their drawers and emerge with bags bulging with unwanted clothes thanks to Netflix's Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, in which the lifestyle guru encourages people to get rid of junk - starting with their wardrobes.

But despite Kondo's best efforts, there is work to be done. The amount of clothing sitting in wardrobes - or, worse, going into landfill - each year remains a major challenge for the fashion industry. The British public is sitting on £4.1bn in used clothing - the equivalent of £82 per person - research published last month by the Fashion Retail Academy shows. And data from sustainability organisation the Ellen MacArthur Foundation suggests that, worldwide, one rubbish truck of textiles is burned or goes into landfill every second.

If retailers and brands hope to address the problem, the opportunity to be a "force for good" comes with demands - from managing the logistics of a take-back scheme to ensuring customers are aware and fully engaged. But fashion retailers are being prodded into action thanks to a combination of increased awareness around sustainability, the risk of significant reputational damage and the threat of government intervention.

How sustainable is your business?

Drapers' new survey is aimed at providing a comprehensive measurement of how sustainable UK fashion is, and how far it has to go.

We want to find out what challenges retailers face when it comes to embedding sustainability into day-to-day working practices, and obtain views on government support for the industry.

The survey only takes a few minutes to complete and all answers will be treated anonymously.

Govermental demands

Pressure on brands can come from below - customer outcry - or above, in the form of influence from government. Last summer, luxury brand Burberry pledged to stop burning unsold goods after it was criticised summer for setting light to millions of pounds worth of clothes, accessories and perfume to try to maintain exclusivity. In February, MPs urged the government to introduce a 1p levy on every item of clothing sold to fund better recycling and "end the era of throwaway fashion."

The environmental audit committee made the suggestion in its final report on the sustainability of the fashion industry. It said a 1p garment tax as part of a new "extended producer responsibility" scheme could raise £35m for investment in better clothing collection and recycling in the UK.

The report highlighted the French model as an example. In 2007, France introduced an extended producer responsibility scheme that makes clothing, linen and footwear companies responsible for products at the end of their life. The number of clothing collection points rose from 15,600 in 2011 to almost 42,000 in 2016. In 2009, France was collecting 1.9 kg of discarded clothing, linen and footwear per person per year. By 2016, it was 3.2kg. More than 90% of what is now collected is recycled or re-used.

The retail industry has a huge opportunity to be a force for good

Tom Byrne Landsec

Some fashion retailers are introducing recycling or take-back schemes to try to ease their waste troubles. Value retailer Primark will introduce an in-store take-back scheme later this year, and already works with charity Newlife, which collects, sorts and recycles unsold Primark goods and buying samples to raise money for children with disabilities.

"Launching an in-store customer recycling scheme is a natural next step for us," a Primark spokesperson tells Drapers. "Following a pilot in five stores in the UK and Germany (at Reading, Lakeside, Frankfurt Zeil, Frankfurt North-West Zentrum and Weiterstadt), we will be rolling out the scheme in our stores this year. Customers will be able to donate their unwanted garments, textiles and shoes, from any brand, in store to be repurposed or recycled."

Property company Landsec introduced a landlord-led recycling pilot initiative in March at its Westgate Oxford shopping centre.

"We wanted to engage with consumers on why textile waste is a problem and the steps that can be taken to reduce fashion's impact on the environment," Landsec's sustainability manager Tom Byrne tells Drapers. "The retail industry has a huge opportunity to be a force for good, and now is the perfect time. There's been a huge wave of support for reducing waste, which started with an awareness around single-use plastics and coffee cups, and is moving into textiles."

Swedish retailer H&M has been collecting unwanted clothes from any brand since 2013. All H&M stores contain a garment collecting box and the business collected 20,000 tonnes of textiles in 2018. Its next ambition is to collect 25,000 tonnes by 2020. Clothing that can be worn again is sold second-hand (proceeds go to the British Red Cross and the H&M Foundation), older clothes are repurposed into other products, and the remainder is broken down into textile fibres. Customers receive a £5 voucher to use on their next purchase of £25 or more when they drop off unwanted clothes.

To introduce a successful recycling scheme, retailers need to focus on simplicity and communication, says H&M's UK and IE sustainability manager Giorgina Waltier.

"Old clothes and textiles may no longer be wanted by their owners, but they are definitely not waste," she explains. "It is our responsibility to help our consumers to understand this and to dispose of their unwanted clothes in the most sustainable way possible. Recycling schemes need to be easy and straightforward for the customer to use. Likewise, communication around the scheme also needs to be easy to understand and transparent."

Overcoming hurdles

However, introducing a take-back or recycling scheme is not without its challenges. Retailers need to identify the right partner, communicate with customers and ensure they have enough human resource to gather, sort and transport what they collect.

"The main challenges regarding the introduction of a new recycling scheme are logistics and traceability," adds Waltier. "Knowing exactly how the customers' unwanted textiles are being processed once they leave your business and arrive in the hands of your recycling partner is your responsibility. Ensuring that these textiles are handled in the right way is non-negotiable."

Consumers might be happy to pay lip service to sustainability, but ensuring they engage with recycling schemes is another hurdle, says Jack Ostrowski, founder of fashion recycling app Regain. Regain users pack unwanted clothes and then drop them off at a local pick-up point, unlocking discount codes to use at participating retailers. Regain's partners include Boohoo, Missguided, New Balance and Superdry.

"There is still a big education piece that needs to be done when it comes to consumers and recycling," Ostrowski explains. "It is getting better, but a lot of people are still throwing their clothes into landfill, even in cities with a sophisticated understanding of the issues, such as London. We're only on the beginning of a long road when it comes to changing consumer behaviour."

We need to start a conversation with consumers to show them how to start to make better decisions

Romy Miltenburg, Asics

Ostrowski urges retailers to start talking to consumers about what to do with end-of-life product as early as possible to help ease this challenge.

"Why are we not telling customers what to do with their product when they've finished with it at the point of purchase? It would be easy to include on boxes or packaging, or at the checkout. There are so many ways to communicate sustainability very practically that could change things from day one."

Romy Miltenburg, manager for CSR and sustainability EMEA at Asics, agrees that communication and logistics are at the heart of a successful take-back scheme. The sportswear brand has partnered with recycling services provider I:Co to collect used sports clothing from participants of eight marathons around Europe this year.

"We need to start a conversation with consumers to show them how to start to make better decisions," says Miltenburg. "Finding the right recycling partner - one who shares your vision - is important. Internally, there is the operational side to consider. There are practicalities to think about with your logistics and facility teams, because what you collect needs to be emptied, sorted and transported."

Miltenburg adds that success hinges on both internal and external stakeholders engaging with the scheme: "It is important internally that employees understand where [recycling schemes] fit it into the overarching sustainability strategy, so that there is a sense of shared responsibility to make it a success. And communication is key, because we need participants to be prepared and bring something with them that they want to donate."

But despite the difficulties, sustainable initiatives such as recycling schemes, can have tangible benefits for retailers. Finn Christo is group head of ecommerce at vegan footwear brand Koi, which has partnered with Regain.

He explains that the brand's sustainable focus is paying dividends: "Generation Z and millennials have the information that they need to make conscious decisions, and they know they don't have to choose between having values and ethics and stylish products. By listening to our customers, and recognising that choices such as being cruelty free, vegan and working towards sustainability are a key issue for them, we can build brand loyalty."

Recycling initiatives are one way fashion retailers can begin to tackle the industry's waste problem. Those looking to introduce such schemes need to engage stakeholders from across the business, consider operational challenges and communicate clearly with consumers for success.

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The war on waste: fashion wakes up to recycling

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Decluttering your wardrobe has become a somewhat unlikely fashion trend lately. Consumers have been encouraged to delve into their drawers and emerge with bags bulging with unwanted clothes thanks to Netflix's Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, in which the lifestyle guru encourages people to get rid of junk - starting with their wardrobes.

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This article talks about the price breakdown of onshore vs off shore manufacturing

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We don't think so, and we'll show you why...

There is a myth that making clothing in the UK is much more expensive than manufacturing overseas. We'd like to dispel that myth and show you why that's not the case, even on simple products such as T-shirts.
Let's first start by looking at all of the different costs associated with making a good quality, branded T-shirt that retails for £25.
The average manufacturing cost for that T-shirt in the Far East, making a small quantity of a few hundred pieces, is around £4.24*. That price includes the fabric, cutting and stitching of the garment, labelling, pressing and packing, and the factory overhead and margin.

The same T-shirt made in the UK is around £8.85. It's seems like it's more than double, but hear us out!

When clothing is made overseas there are several other costs that need to be taken into account before that product is ready to hit the shop floor.

Shipping and duty can be as much as £1.75 on a simple T-shirt, depending on the size of the order. And if the brand is buying through an agent they will take their cut too.

So now you get to a more likely cost of £7 for the Far Eastern-made T-shirt, compared to the £8.85 for the British one.

But it doesn't stop there.

Retailers traditionally work on a profit margin of around 60% on a branded item when they sell it in their stores. A simple way to work that out is roughly double the wholesale cost plus VAT.
The problem is that retailers have to take into account the fact that not all of the product that they buy sells at full price.
The average sell-through (the amount sold at full price) on a fashion product is around 60%. High-fashion, seasonal colours and styles can have an even lower sell-through, especially when the buyer has had to predict the trends months in advance in order to place an order with a Chinese factory. And therein lies the problem.

With average order times from the Far East being around 12 weeks from when a buyer places an order, often the product sitting on the shelves is not what the customer wants to buy. So traditional retailers have to factor this into their pricing, with around 40% of clothing making no profit for them at all.
Having product available when a customer actually wants it is where sourcing locally comes into its own.
[bctt tweet="Having product available when a customer wants it is where sourcing locally comes into its own" username="makeitbritish"]

It's why some of the fastest growing fashion retailers, such as ASOS and BooHoo, manufacture a large percentage of their clothing in the UK.

Let's assume that the average sell-through rate of a T-shirt which is bought within 4 weeks of going on sale is 80%. The wholesale price of the T-shirt may be higher, but if only 20% of the product goes in the sale then the retailer actually makes more profit.
It is not unheard of for UK-made brands to have a sell-through rate of 100%.
When they are selling online and able to gauge a reaction on the product via a channel such as Instagram they can literally make to order within a week. So every piece that they make sells at full price, because they have exactly what the customer wants...when they want it.

This illustration doesn't even include some of the other hidden costs of buying overseas, such as flights to the Far East to meet with the factory or courier bills for sending fit samples backwards and forwards until the product is correct?

One of the advantages to brands of making in the UK is that they can have close contact with the manufacturer, and hence can avoid costly sampling and production mistakes.

Simon Cook, MD of Discovery Knitting, who has been knitting quality fabrics for T-shirts in Leicestershire for over 30 years, told us:

" I've heard of one brand who had to fit a T-shirt 17 times with a Chinese factory in order to get it right. At £54 a time for DHL to courier the sample over from the Far East that amounted to hundreds of pounds in sampling costs for just one T-shirt ".

Of course the price for making the T-shirt in the UK can vary massively according to so many different factors.

Simon Cook, who helped us to compile the figures for the cost price of the UK-made T-shirt, says that "£8.95 is the average price to make a small order of 150 T-Shirts in the UK, but this is based on an existing style. If there is a new pattern to be made and development work to be done then the brand will pay more".
So how is the £8.95 cost of making a T-shirt in the UK broken down?
After speaking to different T-shirt manufacturers in the four main areas for jerseywear production in the UK (London, Manchester, Nottingham and Leicester) to whom he supplies his fabric, Simon came up with the following breakdown of production costs for 150 short sleeve T-shirts:

Fabric - £3.15
100% Organic Combed Cotton Single Jersey dyed Optic white 170/175gsm using a metre of fabric per T-shirt and buying 90 metres of fabric from stock (which you can buy directly from the Discovery Knitting website here)

Cutting - 60p
Based on cutting 150 T-shirts over 4 sizes - S/M/L/XL

Stitching - £4.00
Price per garment if it is a straightfoward style. Includes labour costs and factory overheads

Press, Trim and Kimble - 65p
The cost for the final finishing and inspection of the T-shirt and the application of a swing tag.

Individual bag and barcode - 45p
Packing the garment and getting it ready to go to stores

When you see it broken down like that, you can begin to understand how little profit UK manufacturers make compared to the retailers. Does that sound fair?
One way of getting the best value product for you money is to buy British-made directly from the brands and not from the retailers.
In the example that we have given, which we took from the 'cost breakdown of a sample €29 T-shirt' in the Fashion Revolution Zine, brands make very little margin. They will often be squeezed by retailers for the lowest possible price and have to cut their own profit in order to get in with the big stores. Traditionally they would try to double the cost price in order to set the wholesale price, but on highly competitive items such as T-shirts that may not be the case.

A good way for brands to get round this is to sell directly to the end consumer.

A great brand that sells T-shirts made in the UK is Good Joe. Not selling via retailers enables them to use the extra margin to give back to those less fortunate.

Margaret Church, the founder of Good Joe explains: " Selling directly to the consumer enables us not only to bring them great British quality at a lower price, but to fulfil our Buy One, Give One commitment. For every shirt purchased, we donate a new item of clothing here in the UK ".

Next time you complain about clothing being made in the UK being too expensive, stop and think about WHY that might be, and how by buying smarter you can change that perception.

Discovery Knitting stock a huge selection of knitted fabrics for making T-shirts and much more, all manufactured in their factory in Wigston, Leicestershire. To see the full range visit www.discoveryknitting.co.uk

*Figures for production based on 'Cost breakdown of a sample €29 T-Shirt' by Fashion Revolution in their fantastic Zine - get hold of a copy here

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Is making clothing in the UK really more expensive? - Make it British

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We don't think so, and we'll show you why... There is a myth that making clothing in the UK is much more expensive than manufacturing overseas. We'd like to dispel that myth and show you why that's not the case, even on simple products such as T-shirts.

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Perfect Moment | Shop luxury performance ski and surf wear

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Shop luxury ski and surf clothing, active wear with optimal athletic performance and an exceptional fit.

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The last day of 2017, on a sunny white and cosy afternoon, I sat down with Jane Gottschalk in Gstaad. We chatted about her brands Perfect Moment and Jax Coco, her five children and her involvement with animals. Here is my interview with this incredible and elegant multifaceted woman.
What is the story behind Perfect Moment?
For over 20 years, Perfect Moment has been creating ski-wear for the most extreme skiers with a focus on performance garments and statement designs. Today, we have grown our collection of retro-inspired and technical clothing products to provide our fashion conscious community with a full range of winter ski and summer beach and surf wear. We design for fashion, form and function. The adventure started in the mountains of Chamonix in 1984, with Perfect Moment a vision of famed extreme sports filmmaker and professional skier Thierry Donard, who designed apparel for his team of expert freeride skiers and surfers for his film production company La Nuit de la Glisse. Donard used his personal experience to create designs that were characterized by quality, style and performance, and focused on the ultimate goal of every athlete: to experience that Perfect Moment.

From then until today our mission has been to provide the ultimate active wear clothing for snow and beach lovers alike. Our logo, placed proudly on all our garments, is inspired by the Northern Star that represents nature's compass - a key tool for any adventurer - and a guiding celestial light for early explorers to get safely home. It is also our stamp of quality that symbolises technically exceptional, practical and stylish clothing that is capable of meeting the robust demands of a freerider.

Perfect Moment now offers high performance lifestyle clothing with a core emphasis on woman's ski wear, kids ski wear and men's ski wear that can be worn on and off the slopes. Performance is at the forefront of our statement designs as we incorporate the industry's leading technical fabrics into our garments and combine with vivid and bold colour palates that blend from one season to the next. We understand the demands made of our active wear and ski wear and vigorously test our materials, challenging insulation and warmth, breathability and durability, to ensure an optimal athletic performance and an exceptional fit. Each garment is built to ensure peak performance in action and a fashion forward approach to looking great.

Our dedicated collection for kids across both ski wear and active wear mirrors our core seasonal garment designs adapted for a fun, stylish and cool younger look. Kids colour palates echo the retro hues that characterise Perfect Moment and our Polar Bear print, which has become a firm favorite as we raise awareness for our endangered great Arctic friend, can be spotted on many pieces from ski pants and knitwear to bikinis and summer beach shorts. Designed to lead the way on the seasons active fashion wear, Perfect Moment's new summer 2018 collection takes influence from the sunshine island of Ibiza with "Surfer Girl" inspired high end active, beach and swim-wear.
How and where it all started?
By legendary ex French World Cup skier turned extreme movie producer Thierry Donard. His mentor was Jean Claude Kiely and the clothes 70s retro. When he retired from skiing and started the movies, he noticed that skiwear had become very similar and block colored- red jackets, black pants, orange jackets etc. It was hard to differentiate between the main brands. He wanted to create something different and something reflected from his professional skiing years. He mixed retro with inspiration from filming in Greenland (lights, colours, polar bear prints, the Northern star). The name "Perfect Moment" came from the professional sportsmen and women in the movies finding their "perfect" conditions: perfect wave, perfect line, perfect powder, perfect temperature, perfect wind conditions.

When we got involved and then took over the business, it was clear that there was a market for technical skiwear that had a more fashionable cut and shape. One of our first clients in Hong Kong was Lane Crawford, fashion director Sarah Rutson fell in love with the brand and saw a gap for fashionable functional ski outerwear. This was the beginning of Lane Crawford launching a Sportswear section.

Also at the time, friends I asked could name a few brands where they could buy ski jackets but struggled to tell me where they would buy good ski pants (an NO one could name me a kid's brand). I knew I wanted to create a range of ski pants for different shapes, sizes and fits as per a jeans company for example. We now have the high waisted, low waisted, adjustable waisted, flares, skinnies, cargos, old school racing salopettes and I would like to introduce short, medium and long lengths too.
Could you give me some adjectives which describe your brand?
Fashion, form and function, performance, retro, style, fun and original, distinctive, bold.
How many collections do you have?
Ski, Swim/Surf and Active. Winter and Summer.
When did you launch the summer collection?
Last year was our first full collection across women, men and kids and Active (yoga, gym, spinning)
Did you launch the kids collection at the same time?
The brand was originally focused on men's performance wear as the professional riders in the movies were men but this quickly changed. It's great to see more and more women being included in the Nuit de la Glisse movies now. Our womenswear has grown hugely thanks to the new fashionable designs. Kids wear was important for me to include as I have five young children and many friends with young kids who have always struggled to find decent, interesting kid's skiwear that doesn't look cheap but doesn't break the bank either and is guaranteed to keep kid's warm and dry.
Do you do the design?
I have the title of "Creative Director" and I work closely with our Shanghai based designer (married to a Canadian skier). I love the connection we have between East and West particularly as we lived in Hong Kong for many years. The Asian ski market is also growing rapidly particularly as China is hosting the Winter Olympics in 2022. The Chinese government are investing into the top Chinese ski resorts. The Chinese have traditionally rented their ski wear, this is now changing and the opportunity here for ski outwear is huge. I also work closely with our CEO and production team in Hong Kong and sales, marketing and PR teams in London.
Where do you take the inspirations?
Perfect Moment inspiration was originally from shooting Nuit de la Glisse in Greenland. The North Star, lights, Polar Bears. The names of the original collections were all from Greenland (Inuk, Qanuk, Amak, Aurora). For me, inspiration sits in the original 70's skiwear, old photos of my husband skiing (he skied on the Swiss national Junior ski team) and his family and friends in Switzerland in the 70s and 80s. I love the original stretch racing pants with coloured side seams, bold colours and traditional sweaters.
Why Ibiza is the influence under your new summer collection? What do you like the most there?
We have had a house there for the past 12 years and spend all our summers there with our 5 children, 10 dogs and as many friends as we can fit in! Ibiza to me represents the original Perfect Moment "Freeride State of Mind" slogan that Ibiza still embodies. I have always thought that you can turn up to a dinner or party in Ibiza in a bikini or a ball gown and no one really would care. It still has that relaxed, free, comfortable, "be who you are" atmosphere tempered with water sports, climbing Es Vedra, swimming in the crystal blue Caribean-esque waters of Formentera. Long, lazy days, evenings at a beach shack restaurant with feet in the sand, beautiful sunsets. Our summer designs encompass the DNA of the ski wear (stars, stripes, polar bears) and we have used a backdrop of images from Ibiza: Es Vedra at sunset on a few key swimwear and mesh jacket pieces.
Do you work with influencers and celebrities?
Our brand has attracted many influencers and celebrities like The Duchess of Cambridge, Rocky Barnes, Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, Poppy and Cara Delevigne, Bradley Cooper, Suki Waterhouse. This has grown organically via our own website and social media channels and PR company and also with the help of our retailers such as Net-a-Porter, Matches Fashion, Farfetch and My Theresa. We worked with Ferrari, Moet and Net-a-Porter on their ski trips. 50% of these influencers and celebrities have been from the USA - the Americans embrace colour and are not afraid to be bold.
What is your next challenge?
To keep being innovative (as per our retro stripped rainbow knees on the pants for example) and different, to stay ahead of the curve in terms of design and function. To continue to grow in Asia and to continue to grow our Men's and Kid's wear which is gaining a lot of momentum. It has always been very hard to find good kid's skiwear and Men's jackets that are not black. I love that some of our male friends who have never been out of their designer black skiwear now wear our Polar Bear print pants. To continue to produce ski pants for all different shapes and sizes (high waisted skinnies, low waisted flares, cargos) and to find the right balance between Asian, European and US sizing, always a challenge.
Your projects for the next winter?
My focus is on waterproof denim, expanding our "All in One" ski suit range which have been very popular and developing our accessories range - belts, ski bags, socks, goggles and helmets.
Coud you tell me about your relation with Animals Asia?
We are in discussions with a number of animal charities and how best to work together. I am an Ambassador for Animals Asia in Hong Kong and China, founded by Jill Robinson. I've been involved in rescues of Moon Bears from bile farms in China and have raised over $1m for them - some of which was used to shut down the Nanning bile farm (a State owned farm). Jill is a true inspiration of mine, she is a remarkable woman. I am passionate about dogs (I have 21 dogs) and dog welfare. I know I will always work in animal welfare and it is something I would like to focus more and more on.
Where could we find the brand?
Online, we operate an e-commerce focused strategy.Our only stand-alone stores are in Shanghai and we work with key retails partners such as Net-a-Porter, Matches Fashion, Farfetch, My Theresa, Selfridges, Harrods, Le Bon Marche, Goop, Gorsuch and high end ski resorts like Gstaad, Verbier, Courchevel, Chamonix, Aspen, Yellowstone Club to name a few.

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A Perfect Moment with Jane Gottschalk in Gstaad.

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The last day of 2017, on a sunny white and cosy afternoon, I sat down with Jane Gottschalk in Gstaad. We chatted about her brands Perfect Moment and Jax Coco her 5 children and her involvement with animals. Here is my interview with this incredible and elegant multifaceted woman.

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Perfect Moment (@perfectmomentsports) * Instagram photos and videos

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72.2k Followers, 933 Following, 1,046 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Perfect Moment (@perfectmomentsports)