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Sustainability in Copenhagen Fashion Week and More
Induja from Trace
August 15, 2024
Happy Thursday!
We’re excited to kick off our newsletter this week with a discussion on what’s going on in the industry. This week we’ll discuss one of the biggest global events in fashion: Copenhagen Fashion Week, and some of the sustainability initiatives surrounding it!
We’ll also revisit a popular sustainable framework: the UN SDGS and close out with our brand spotlight and company highlights.
Thanks for reading!
Headlines
This August, Copenhagen Fashion Week (CFW) once again set the bar high for sustainable fashion. Held from August 5th to 9th, 2024, the event showcased not only cutting-edge designs but also a strong commitment to environmental and social responsibility, reaffirming its position as a global leader in fashion sustainability.
CFW is a bi-annual, fairly high profile fashion week, and a leader in sustainable initiatives when it comes to high fashion events. In 2020, CFW introduced its first Sustainability Action Plan, which it has built upon each year. As of 2024, CFW took a strong stance, being one of the first events of its kind to officially ban exotic skins and feathers from pieces being showcased in future years.
The Sustainability Action Plan includes minimum standards that brands must meet to participate in the program, which includes not only the ban on skins and feather, but a ban on furs, a requirement of at least 60% of the brand’s materials being made from deadstock or materials approved as sustainable, and minimum requirements on labor conditions and consumer education.
While there is still more opportunity to push brands further, CFW continues to raise the bar and give us an optimistic look at what the future of high fashion could be.
Read more detail here about the specific requirements that brands are subject to.
Analysis of the Week
In the past we’ve discussed many regulatory frameworks that brands can choose to adhere to. Today we are revisiting the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, set by the United Nations and what the impact is in the US and the EU.
Aspect | European Union (EU) | United States (US) |
Regulatory Framework | Comprehensive, with specific regulations and directives aimed at the entire EU. Initiatives include the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, aiming for all textile products on the market to be durable, repairable, and recyclable, with increased use of recycled fibers by 2030. Mandates also include design requirements, a Digital Product Passport, and restrictions on the export of textile waste | More decentralized, with sustainability initiatives often driven by individual states, private sector leadership, and non-governmental organizations. Notable efforts like New York’s proposed Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act aim to require major fashion companies to disclose environmental impacts and supply chain practices |
Goals and Targets | Targets include reducing the carbon footprint, increasing the use of recycled materials, enhancing product longevity, and eliminating hazardous substances in textiles. Strong focus on circular economy principles, including extensive recycling and minimal landfill use. Also aims to address the unintentional release of microplastics from textiles | Goals vary by state and organization but generally include increasing transparency, improving recycling rates, and reducing environmental impact. |
Innovation and Technology | Heavy investment in research and development to support innovations in textile recycling technologies, eco-design, and sustainable materials. The EU funds projects to advance these technologies under frameworks like Horizon Europe | Innovation is driven largely by the private sector and academia, with significant contributions from startups and tech companies focusing on sustainable practices and materials. Federal support exists but is less centralized, often channeled through grants and incentives for sustainable business practices |
Consumer Protection | Strong measures against greenwashing, with proposals for new regulations to ensure companies substantiate their environmental claims. Introduction of clearer labeling and advertising standards to help consumers make informed choices | Consumer protection varies by state; some states have introduced laws to combat greenwashing and promote transparency in sustainability claims. However, there is yet to be a nationwide policy equivalent to the EU’s comprehensive consumer protection measures specifically for fashion sustainability |
International Cooperation | The EU actively promotes international standards and cooperation in sustainable fashion, both within its borders and globally. This includes setting global standards for sustainability practices and encouraging other countries to adopt similar measures | The US participates in various international forums and agreements aimed at promoting sustainable practices globally, though these efforts are less coordinated at the federal level compared to the EU. Private sectors and NGOs often lead international collaborations |
Although the UN SDGs are more so a broad set of ideals than a strict regulatory framework that companies must abide by or can tangibly report against, they have played an important role in increasing the conversations around the key focus areas and making environmental and social issues more visible to the public.
Brand Spotlight
Learn about one of the sustainable brands on Trace’s marketplace!
Check out today’s featured brand: Horizon Active
Horizon Active is a sustainable activewear brand, which was founded in and produces in the U.S., to keep their carbon footprint low. The founder, Sara, was driven by discovering the many environmental and social issues that exist in the fashion space and wanting to tackle these issues through all parts of their value chain.
The active wear is constructed from recycled fabric, made in-house, and shipped in zero-waste compostable packaging. Check out Horizon Active for all your activewear needs!
Innovation in Fashion
House of Baukjen - British luxury fashion house and B-corp which centers sustainability and circularity through its sourcing of responsible fabric, 100% biodegradable packaging, rental platform, as well as its second-hand sale platform. It recently became one of the highest scoring fashion brands by B Labs.
Reluxe - luxury fashion goods resale platform
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