Sustainability - sustainable production, responsible consumption, sustainable materials

Convenience - consumers of convenience

Technology - digital age of consumers expect digital platforms integrated into businesses and customer experiences

Omnichannel strategies - for customer experience e.g brand knowing customers size when online shopping

Ethics in the fashion industry - the Conde Nast walk out an protest in relation to unfair dismissal, pay and treatment in the fashion industry marks a new era in the way the cut throat industry operates

Eliminate waste and pollution: This involves strategies such as carbon tracking, capture, and removal technologies to reduce pollution at its source. Examples include investing in carbon removal technologies and partnering with innovations that can convert emissions into new materials.

Circulate products and materials: The focus here is on reducing plastic production and promoting circular packaging solutions. Initiatives like Earth Day 2024's "planet versus plastic" campaign aim to reduce plastic reliance, with actions such as using biodegradable packaging and implementing AI to track and recycle plastic waste.

Regenerate nature: The article stresses the importance of empowering women in agribusiness to improve global regenerative food systems. It advocates for gender equity in farming to enhance community resilience, food security, and environmental sustainability.

Eliminate waste and pollution: This involves strategies such as carbon tracking, capture, and removal technologies to reduce pollution at its source. Examples include investing in carbon removal technologies and partnering with innovations that can convert emissions into new materials.

Circulate products and materials: The focus here is on reducing plastic production and promoting circular packaging solutions. Initiatives like Earth Day 2024's "planet versus plastic" campaign aim to reduce plastic reliance, with actions such as using biodegradable packaging and implementing AI to track and recycle plastic waste.

Regenerate nature: The article stresses the importance of empowering women in agribusiness to improve global regenerative food systems. It advocates for gender equity in farming to enhance community resilience, food security, and environmental sustainability.

Embracing circular fashion offers a multitude of benefits for both businesses and the environment. By reducing reliance on virgin resources, it helps mitigate the environmental impact of fashion production, including carbon emissions, water usage, and pollution. Additionally, circular fashion fosters innovation and collaboration within the industry, driving the development of new materials, technologies, and business models.

Despite its potential, circular fashion faces several challenges on the path to widespread adoption. These include limited infrastructure for textile recycling, consumer behavior and perception, and the complexity of supply chain transparency and traceability. Overcoming these barriers requires coordinated efforts from stakeholders across the fashion ecosystem, including brands, manufacturers, policymakers, and consumers.

Brands play a pivotal role in driving the transition to circular fashion by integrating sustainability into their design, production, and marketing strategies. Manufacturers and suppliers are responsible for implementing circular practices within the production process, such as reducing waste and improving resource efficiency. Policymakers can support the circular fashion movement through regulations, incentives, and investments in infrastructure and research. Finally, consumers have the power to drive demand for sustainable fashion through their purchasing choices and behaviors.

Circular fashion represents a paradigm shift towards a more sustainable and regenerative approach to clothing production and consumption. By embracing principles of circularity, stakeholders across the fashion industry can work together to minimize waste, conserve resources, and create a more resilient and equitable future for fashion. Through collaborative efforts and collective action, the vision of circular fashion can become a reality, shaping a more sustainable future for the apparel industry and the planet.

Rising Demand for Upcycling: Increased consumer interest in upcycled, recycled, repurposed, and reworked items.

Consumer Behavior: 53% of UK consumers repaired items instead of replacing them; 22% willing to pay more for waste-reducing brands.

Social Media Trends: Continuous growth in "recycled materials" searches; TikTok's #Deadstock tag had 55.5m views by October 2022.

Gen Z Influence: Desire for individuality and sustainable consumption.

Actionable Insights: Use sustainability as a cost-saving measure during the cost-of-living crisis; promote budget-friendly, recycled, and repairable products.

Circular Processes: Essential to integrate reuse and material longevity into design strategies to reduce waste and GHG emissions.

Consumer Attitudes: Increasing adoption of sustainable lifestyles; more about saving money than saving the planet.

Behavioral Shifts: Preference for durable, reusable, and repairable goods; influenced by cost of living crisis.

Business Implications: Companies need to enhance transparency, embed circularity, and integrate ESG strategies.

Sustainability Efforts: Focus on decarbonisation, reducing waste, and achieving net-zero targets.

Challenges: Affordability remains the primary barrier; need for affordable sustainable alternatives.

Regulatory and Market Changes: Embrace regulatory changes, improve ESG data collection, and leverage policy incentives.

The report features brands from packaging, fashion, beauty, homeware, and consumer electronics that creatively repurpose waste materials.

Sustainable Practices: These brands are recognized for their commitment to sustainability, showcasing how waste can be reused effectively and stylishly.

Industry Examples: Each industry is represented by brands that exemplify how waste materials can be reimagined and reused, contributing to a circular economy.

Consumer Appeal: The use of waste materials appeals to environmentally conscious consumers looking for products that align with their values of sustainability and reduced environmental impact.

Monthly data-led bulletin exploring three cross-industry innovations in global sustainability progress.

WGSN recommends organizations adopt a circular design system with three principles: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials, and regenerate nature.

Showcases real-world applications of circular principles from around the globe, offering actionable strategies for businesses.

Circular Design System Recommendations:

• Eliminate waste and pollution

• Circulate products and materials

• Regenerate nature

Monthly Bulletin Highlights:

• Cleaner Transport: Innovations for sustainable transport modes.

• Creative Value Adding for Optimized Circularity: Strategies to extend product life and enhance value.

• Conscious Consumption: Informed choices contributing to nature's regeneration.

Last Month’s Sustainability Forecasts:

• Inner Sustainability: Shift towards planetary-centric mindsets.

• Fashion Innovation: Low-impact fibers for wellness sleepwear.

• Beauty Legislation: Key updates on sustainability laws in the beauty sector.

• Nocturnal Living: Trends in nocturnal lifestyles and their market impacts.

• Sustainable Decor: Trends in responsible home accessories.

• Tech Legislation: Crucial updates for sustainability in tech.

• Packaging Trends for 2024: From refillable packaging to plastic-free innovations.

Investigates pedestrian street-crossing behavior in the presence of autonomous vehicles (AVs).

Utilizes a virtual reality (VR) environment to simulate street-crossing scenarios.

Factors examined include pedestrian decision-making, gap acceptance, and crossing initiation.

Two types of AV behaviors are tested: cautious (safe) and aggressive (risk-taking).

Results show that pedestrians are more cautious and hesitant in crossing streets with aggressive AVs.

Pedestrians tend to wait longer before initiating crossings when aggressive AVs are present.

The study highlights the impact of AV behavior on pedestrian decision-making and safety perceptions.

Findings emphasize the importance of designing AV algorithms that prioritize pedestrian safety and comfort.

Explores the concept of upcycling in the fashion industry.

Upcycling involves creating new garments or products from existing materials or clothing.

Highlights the environmental benefits of upcycling, including waste reduction and resource conservation.

Discusses the creative process behind upcycling, which often involves reimagining and repurposing materials.

Profiles designers and brands known for their upcycling practices, such as Christopher Raeburn and Patagonia.

Notes the growing consumer interest in sustainable fashion and the role of upcycling in meeting this demand.

Emphasizes the importance of upcycling as a means of promoting circularity and reducing the fashion industry's environmental footprint.

Alt-Optimism: Advocates alternative thinking and imagination for a better future, with creativity as a healing force.

Evolution of Common Connections S/S 25: Reflects on the forecast for the season, emphasizing the STEPIC pillars of Politics and Creativity.

STEPIC pillars: Politics, Creativity

Product direction: Focuses on how envisioning new worlds can guide us through uncertainty, promoting individuality, diversity, and the synergy of opposing ideas.

Products: Innovative items prepared to safeguard and comfort, ranging from portable to super-padded designs.

Aesthetics: Features a spectrum from safety brights to AI-inspired themes and healing colors.

Alt-Optimism's Influence: Reintroduces heritage patterns and rural themes, challenging the obsession with constant novelty and speed.

Context: Situates Alt-Optimism within WGSN's 2026 forecasts, emphasizing the shift towards speculative thinking and storytelling in envisioning better futures during the transition from the information age to the imagination age.

Conner Ives is an emerging American designer who debuted at London Fashion Week.

His collection features a mix of upcycled materials and vintage fabrics.

Ives gained attention for his innovative approach to design, blending sustainability with creativity.

He collaborated with Kate Moss and Marc Jacobs, garnering support from industry insiders.

Ives aims to challenge traditional fashion norms and promote inclusivity through his work.

His collection received positive reviews for its unique aesthetic and environmental consciousness.

The designer's background and perspective bring a fresh perspective to London's fashion scene

WGSN advocates for adopting a circular design system, incorporating three key principles: eliminating waste and pollution, circulating products and materials, and regenerating nature.

Monthly bulletins feature real-world applications of circular principles, providing actionable strategies for sustainable business practices.

Current bulletin highlights:

• Removal of toxic PFAS from products and operations in anticipation of legislative mandates.

• Investment in technologies to convert waste into valuable resources and revenue streams.

• Collaboration and innovation to reverse biodiversity loss, including partnerships with adjacent industries.

Recent sustainability forecasts from WGSN cover various sectors:

• Business Strategy: Strategies to address water scarcity threats and build business resilience.

• Fashion: Exploration of bacteria-powered materials for sustainable fashion innovations.

• Beauty: Future of vertical farming in beauty products, including skincare, fragrance, and supplements.

• Food & Drink: Overview of sustainability legislation impacting the food and drink industry.

• Interiors: Trends from recent trade shows emphasizing resourceful use of waste and nature-inspired design.

• Consumer Tech: Highlights from CES 2024, focusing on home tech solutions addressing climate change and consumer behavioral shifts.

• Packaging: Insights into packaging innovations, including biomaterials and fully circular products.

Transitioning from a linear to a circular economy is essential for sustainability.

Circular economy principles aim to design out waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use, and regenerate natural systems.

Circular systems prioritize renewable energy, eliminate toxic chemicals, and design for durability and reuse.

Circular business models include product-as-a-service, sharing platforms, and remanufacturing.

Benefits of the circular economy include reducing resource scarcity, minimizing environmental impact, and fostering economic growth.

Collaboration among businesses, governments, and stakeholders is crucial for successful circular economy implementation.

Circular economy practices can apply across various industries, including fashion, food, and electronics, transforming the way products are made and used.

The fashion industry is estimated to be responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, more than international flights and maritime shipping combined.

The production of textiles contributes to water pollution, with each ton of fabric dyed using up to 200 tons of water.

Synthetic fibers like polyester release microplastics into waterways when washed, contributing to ocean pollution.

The textile industry is a significant contributor to landfill waste, with over half of fast fashion produced being disposed of in under a year.

Recycling and reducing textile waste could lead to significant environmental benefits, including reducing CO2 emissions and water usage.

The European Parliament is taking steps to address the environmental impact of textiles through legislation and initiatives promoting sustainable practices.

Textile, apparel, and fashion (TAF) industries are significant contributors to global environmental pollution throughout their supply chains.

Manufacturing and transportation processes in these industries generate substantial waste and greenhouse gas emissions, often exploiting cheap labor in developing countries.

Stakeholders are increasingly aware of the environmental and social impacts of TAF industries, prompting businesses to address their environmental footprint.

This paper conducts a systematic literature review of sustainability trends in TAF industries over the past 20 years, using bibliometric tools for content analysis.

Three primary research areas are identified: consumer behavior towards sustainable clothing, circular economy initiatives, and sustainability challenges across the supply chain.

The study highlights literature gaps and offers future research suggestions for each research cluster, aiming to guide further investigation.

It also identifies drivers and barriers to implementing corporate social responsibility and circular economy practices within TAF industries.

The study aims to assist researchers and academics in identifying unexplored sub-fields and potential areas for expanding scientific literature on the topic.

Additionally, it provides insights for practitioners and managers to align business models with current sustainability trends and improve overall environmental performance.

Luxury brands face a significant challenge with excess inventory, valued in the billions, which poses environmental and financial concerns.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology offers potential solutions to manage excess inventory more effectively.

AI can help luxury brands predict consumer demand more accurately, optimize production, and reduce overstocking.

Some brands are exploring alternative outlets, such as resale platforms or pop-up sales, to offload excess inventory without diluting brand value.

Recycling programs and initiatives are being implemented by luxury brands to repurpose excess inventory and minimize waste.

Collaborations with technology firms and sustainability experts may further enhance the effectiveness of AI-driven solutions and recycling efforts in managing excess inventory.

The adoption of innovative approaches, including AI, alternative outlets, and recycling, may help luxury brands address their excess inventory problem while promoting sustainability and minimizing financial losses.

Travis Kelce, an American football star, wore an upcycled Chanel scarf shirt designed by stylist Logan Horne, sparking legal action from Chanel due to trademark infringement concerns.

Chanel's cease and desist letter to Horne's label, J. Logan Home, highlights the emerging legal battle around upcycling, which clashes with trademark protection.

Luxury brands have historically been cautious about the secondary market, fearing damage to brand image and sales cannibalization.

Major luxury players like Chanel have pursued legal action against re-commerce platforms and upcyclers to protect their brand integrity.

Upcycling, driven by sustainability concerns and demand for vintage products, has led to a rise in trademark and copyright infringement complaints from brands like Louis Vuitton and Levi's.

Legal experts note the grey area in trademark law regarding upcycling and its conflict with sustainability goals.

While brands have legal grounds for trademark protection, the sustainability benefits of upcycling pose challenges to traditional IP laws.

Upcyclers can take precautions like avoiding prominent logos or providing clear disclosures, but legal risks remain.

Intellectual property laws may hinder the shift to a circular economy by impeding upcycling and recycling efforts.

Consumer demand for upcycled, recycled, repurposed, and reworked items is increasing, driven by a desire for sustainability and individuality among Gen Z.

Data from Lyst, WGSN, and TikTok indicates a significant uptick in interest in terms like "deadstock" and "#upcycledfashion," reflecting this trend.

With the urgent need to decarbonize and reduce waste and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, incorporating processes that reuse or extend the life of materials and products is crucial.

McKinsey's Climate on Fashion report suggests that circular business models, including fashion rentals, re-commerce, repair, and refurbishment, could substantially reduce GHG emissions in the fashion industry by 2030.

The report identifies entry steps for maximizing the value of existing materials and garments, emphasizing the importance of supporting circular processes to unlock inherent value while aligning with consumer preferences.

Introduction to Upcycling: The paper delves into the motivations behind upcycling practices, focusing on sustainability and the creation of value through material engagement.

Upcycling Process: Upcycling involves collecting, sorting, assembling, and crafting discarded materials, framing it as a local, spontaneous, and collaborative process with various values.

Redefinition of Values: The paper challenges traditional notions of fixed values, proposing a perspective where values are continuously constructed through practice and interaction with materials.

John Dewey's Ethical Theory: Dewey's pragmatist approach views ethical conduct as a reflective practice shaped by past experiences, situational assessments, and future consequences.

Human Material Making and Valuation: The process of making is seen as a dynamic interaction between humans and materials, where values emerge through action and engagement.

Sustainable Wellbeing: The paper argues for a process-oriented, relational conception of valuation in understanding motivations for sustainable living, emphasizing subjective desires and inter-subjective variables.

Case Example: An example case study illustrates how values are made through material interactions and everyday engagement with the environment.

Conclusion and Future Work: The paper concludes by suggesting that understanding values as continually made and remade can offer insights into motivations for sustainable living.

It explores the intersection of design, materials, and social impact.

It emphasizes the importance of incorporating materials and making into design research.

The book covers various social issues and challenges, including homelessness, migration, craft skills, colonialism, climate crisis, education, and mental health.

It celebrates the role of materials and making in fostering alternative futures and promoting social change.

The content showcases diverse perspectives and approaches.

The book is relevant to scholars and practitioners in fields such as materials design, textile design, product design, fashion design, maker culture, systemic design, social design, design for sustainability, and circular design.

Explores the evolving nature of fashion in the digital era.

The book focuses on the work of four fashion designers: Virgil Abloh, Aitor Throup, Iris Van Herpen, and Eckhaus Latta.

These designers integrate various creative disciplines such as art, technology, science, architecture, and graphic design into their work.

Vanessa Gerrie introduces the concept of the metamodern age to frame the discussion, describing it as a time where the boundaries between the modern and the postmodern collapse.

Gerrie's analysis highlights the blurred borders in contemporary fashion and aims to further dissolve them, potentially leading to their erasure.

The book provides insights into the current Western cultural zeitgeist through the lens of fashion and creative practices.

The environmental impacts of the textile and fashion supply chain have gained significant attention in recent decades.

Various phases of a textile product's life cycle, including raw material extraction, manufacturing, consumer use, and disposal, contribute to environmental impacts.

Mitigating these impacts, especially in the manufacturing phase, is crucial for addressing the overall environmental footprint of the textiles and clothing supply chain.

The contributed volume aims to showcase initiatives undertaken by the textile manufacturing sector to address environmental concerns.

It seeks to identify key practices adopted by textiles and clothing manufacturers to promote sustainability within the industry.

Fashion embodies the concept of time uniquely, constantly creating its own past through rapid style changes.

This anthology explores three alternative perspectives on fashion and time:

1. Examining the seasonal nature of fashion as an industry and its impact on workers and wearers.

2. Viewing fashion design as a continuous process of adaptation, reconstruction, and motif recombination, influenced by nostalgia and revivals.

3. Considering fashion's "imaginary" as a form of alternate history, characterized by fantasy and myth-making, posing questions like "what if?"

The anthology includes classic and lesser-known texts from various disciplines such as philosophy, history, literature, media, and fashion design, spanning from the 18th century to the present.

It serves as a critical resource for understanding fashion's complex relationship with time, suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate students in the humanities, as well as anyone interested in fashion's creative, commercial, and cultural aspects.

Historical Context: Historically, leather has been prized for its malleability, versatility, and durability. However, the turn away from animal-based materials in recent times has led to a search for alternatives within the textile industry.

Colonial Influence: Prakrati Bhargava's article on the modernization of the leather industry in colonial Kanpur sheds light on how leather production demanded the development of professionals and institutions. However, there is a gap in understanding the specific animal species raised in this production system.

Conservation Concerns: David J. Vandyke-Lee's technical text from the 1970s highlights the deterioration of leather and the conservation efforts to address common problems. This underscores the environmental impact of leather production and the search for more sustainable alternatives.

Industry Perspective: Tom Hogarth's article presents the leather industry's reservations about substituting animals in production. While acknowledging ethical and environmental imperatives, the industry expresses skepticism about the feasibility and market reception of alternatives like mushroom-made leather.

The resource likely explores various alternatives to traditional leather, such as plant-based materials, synthetic alternatives, and innovative biomaterials.

It may discuss the benefits of these alternatives in terms of sustainability, ethics, and animal welfare.

The resource could provide insights into the characteristics, applications, and development of different leather substitutes.

It might address challenges associated with transitioning away from traditional leather production and promoting more sustainable practices in the fashion industry.

The resource may offer information on the growing trend of using leather alternatives in fashion and consumer preferences driving this shift.

Discusses the historical lack of representation in fashion, the challenges faced and the progress made in recent years.

Consumers increasingly prioritize sustainability when making purchasing decisions.

The article may cite data and research showing the rising importance of sustainability to consumers.

It may explore how sustainability concerns influence consumer behavior and brand loyalty.

The article might highlight the business case for integrating sustainability into CPG companies' strategies and operations.

Strategies and best practices for CPG companies to meet consumer demand for sustainability may be discussed.

The link could provide insights into how companies are adapting their products, packaging, and supply chains to align with sustainability goals.

Examples of successful sustainability initiatives and case studies from leading CPG companies may be included.

The significant environmental footprint of the leather industry, including pollution, deforestation, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Statistics or data illustrating the environmental harm caused by leather production compared to alternative materials.

Arguments advocating for the adoption of cruelty-free and sustainable alternatives to leather.

The role of consumer demand in driving change within the fashion and textile industries.

Potential solutions and alternatives to traditional leather, such as plant-based or synthetic materials.

Ethical considerations related to animal welfare and environmental sustainability in fashion and consumer choices.

Calls to action for individuals to make more environmentally conscious decisions when purchasing fashion items.