WHEN SCIENCE AND BUSINESS JOIN TO CREATE SOLUTIONS
This newsletter translates the fearsome equations of the scientific literature and the algorithms of applied technology into summaries that managers of the circular garment industry can use to create new products and improve old ones.
We welcome contributions and news from any reader with a role in advancing the interests of the fashion creation and garment trade.
Feel free to request a printable full-size A4 PDF of this report from fashionasiatoday@gmail.com
NEW TECHNOLOGY
SCIENCE: Conk et al, 29 Aug 2024. POLYOLEFIN WASTE TO LIGHT OLEFINS WITH ETHYLENE AND BASE-METAL HETEROGENEOUS CATALYSTS,. ABSTRACT: “The selective conversion of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and mixtures of these two polymers to form products with high volume demand is urgently needed because current methods suffer from low selectivity, produce large quantities of greenhouse gases, or rely on expensive, singleuse catalysts. The isomerizing ethenolysis of unsaturated polyolefins could be an energetically and environmentally viable route to propylene and isobutylene; however, noble-metal homogeneous catalysts and an unsaturated polyolefin are currently required and the process has been limited to PE. We show that the simple combination of tungsten oxide on silica and sodium on gamma-alumina transforms PE, PP, or a mixture of the two, including post-consumer forms of these materials, to propylene or a mixture of propylene and isobutylene in greater than 90% yield at 320°C without the need for dehydrogenation of the starting polyolefins.”
EDITOR’S SUMMARY: Breaking down plastic into its original building blocks is an ideal recycling strategy in principle. Unfortunately, in practice, this approach isn’t energetically favorable for the two most common plastics currently in use, polyethylene and polypropylene. Very recently, several groups of researchers showed that introducing fresh ethylene with the right catalyst can transform polyolefins into propylene, but the precious metals used for the catalysis are prohibitively expensive. Conk et al. now report that the process works using a more Earth-abundant combination of tungsten oxide and sodium.
ISABOKO: CRAFTING A RADIANTLY OPTIMISTIC FUTURE THROUGH SUSTAINABLE FASHION, Author: Stormy Light. Publ: SUSTAINABLE EARTH, 20 March 2024.
The Genesis of Isaboko
Isabella Li Kostrzewa from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, has been a beacon of creativity and sustainable design from a young age. Their academic journey at Parsons School of Fashion culminated in a series of accolades, positioning them as a leading voice in the future of sustainable fashion. In 2022, they received the Re:Generation Innovation Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America, participated in the Circular Design Summit at the Aalto School of Design, and delivered a speech on sustainable fashion live at the Live Mas conference.
The Three Pillars of Isaboko
Isaboko is guided by three foundational pillars that define its ethos:
• Waste Textiles Utilization: Every unique Isaboko piece is a testament to the brand’s commitment to minimizing waste and utilizing organic material. By exclusively using discarded textiles, Isaboko challenges the industry’s norms and showcases the potential of repurposed materials.
• Zero Waste Patterns: The brand’s innovative approach to design eliminates fabric waste, exemplifying how creativity can align with ecological stewardship.
• Gender-Free Design: In its quest to embrace inclusivity and challenge traditional norms, Isaboko’s creations are designed for all, transcending conventional gender boundaries.
SWAGCYCLE (Woburn, MA, USA): UPCYCLED FASHION TRENDS FOR 2024: WHAT’S IN AND WHAT’S OUT? — “The world of fashion is ever-evolving, with trends and styles changing faster than you can say “wardrobe makeover.” In recent years, an increasing focus on sustainability and ecoconsciousness has driven a growing interest in upcycled fashion. In 2024, upcycled fashion is poised to take the center stage. Let’s jump right in and explore the latest upcycled fashion trends for the year with our comprehensive SwagCycle blog. We’ll take a look at what’s in and what’s out in this exciting realm of sustainable style.” What is SWAGCYCLE? “When companies rebrand or finish a marketing campaign, it's not unusual to have leftover branded merchandise, or swag. Whether it’s a few t-shirts from last year’s sponsored fun run or boxes and boxes of goods with the outdated company logo, the question is the same: How to dispose of unusable swag in a responsible way? SwagCycle has the solution. SwagCycle will help you donate or upcycle your clothes and branded merchandise to keep these items out of landfills and make a difference in the community and the environment.”
CORE COMPETENCY
FREE downloadable Ebook from Fashion Technology Accelerator (Italy): LAUNCHING A FASHION STARTUP IS TOUGH: ARE YOU READY FOR THE CHALLENGE? “Are you thinking about launching your business? We’ve put together a checklist to help you start with the right attitude since the beginning, avoiding common mistakes that could sink your growth. Keep in mind that just 18% of first-time entrepreneurs are successful, meaning that resilience and experience play a huge role in defining your success in the industry.".Read on the full article or just download the free ebook version. CONTENTS
1 Launching a fashion startup is tough: are you ready for the challenge?
1.1 Download our ebook about startup failure!
2 Top 5 reasons for startup failure
2.1 Top reason for failed startups #1: the product has no market need
2.2 Why a startup fails #2: it runs out of cash
2.3 Highway to startup failure #3: picking the wrong team
2.4 Reason behind your startup failure #4: getting outcompeted
2.5 A possible cause for your startup failure #5: underestimating the importance of pricing and costs
3 Top 10 reasons startups fail
3.1 Reason #6 why startups fail: the product is not user-friendly
3.2 How to fail with your fashion startup #7: create a product without a business model
3.4 Ignoring customers: a surefire way to fail with your fashion startup #9
3.5 Don’t lose your focus or your startup may fail #10
3.5.1 Download our ebook about startup failure!
4 How to fail with your startup in 20 moves
4.1 Reason #11 for startup failure: the product is mistimed
4.2 How to fail with your fashion startup #12: have disharmony among team and investors
4.3 Why a startup fails #13: the pivoting has gone bad
4.4 Highway to startup failure #14: lack of passion about the company or the market
4.5 How to close your startup #15: plan a wrong geographical expansion
4.6 Raising no interest from investors: reason #16 for startup failure
4.7 Don’t protect your brand: reason #17 your startup won’t survive
4.8 Be shy and don’t use your network: reason #18 your startup may fail
4.9 How to cause your startup’s demise #19: burnout
4.10 Last but not least! Reason #20 for startup failure: not pivoting
FREE downloadable Ebook from Fashion Technology Accelerator (Italy): THE FASHION BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS: TOOLS FOR YOUR STARTUP. “Creating a fashion startup requires a precise set of tools and skills to succeed. There are some fundamental pillars to start, and through the creation of a strategic business canvas, you can focus on the value proposition of the brand, its positioning, competitors, and buyer personas.
“A business model canvas allows you to collect all the necessary information on a single page, to have all elements together at a glance. It allows you to organize logically and visually how your company creates value, reflecting in a single sheet the strengths and weaknesses to obtain the complete picture:
• The Product Offering. Choosing the right merchandising plan, it’s fundamental for a fashion brand. Moreover, many can opt for a direct-to-consumers model reducing the variety of the catalog in the first phase.
• The Buyer Personas. Communication in fashion is a very relevant aspect. Defining customer segments is not enough. It’s important to develop the profiles of the main buyer personas to craft a perfect communication plan to reach through the right channels in each cluster.
• The Branding. A relevant space is assigned to the Brand Identity. The type of relationship you want to create with your customers starts from the promise you make with the values behind your brand.
• E-commerce. Discover how to craft your sales funnel and which actions lead to immediate results. Constant optimization of the different phases will play a major role in your company’s development.” Download the Fashion Digital Brands Canvas template here (halfway down the page).
On the 17th of June, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a decree creating the country’s first National Circular Economy Strategy (ENEC). The strategy aims to promote the economic transition from the current linear model to a circular economy, to create lasting and more conscious economic growth. The drafting of the ENEC was inspired by circular economy principles and reports published by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The process directly involved representatives of the Foundation’s Latin America team, along with UNEP, in dialogue with the Brazilian ministries. The Strategy is based on the three pillars of the circular economy – elimination of waste and pollution, circulation of materials and products at their highest values, and regeneration of nature. SOURCE: Ellen MacArthur Foundation 11 JULY 2024.
FIBRE2FASHION, 23 Sept 2024: SUSTAINABLE FASHION: WHAT STRATEGIES AND TECHNOLOGIES?
French LECTRA OBSERVATORY, which studies innovation and change in the fashion, furniture and automotive markets, has published its third white paper on sustainability in the fashion industry. It provides an overview of the market, its current and future challenges, and identifies emerging technological trends. Following on from its white paper on worldwide traceability and transparency regulations for fashion, the Observatory decided to continue its work on the fashion industry for its third white paper. “The fashion industry is facing some major upheavals. Consumers are increasingly concerned about buying ethical and sustainable products, while brands are subject to numerous and complex environmental regulations, particularly regarding traceability. With this white paper, we wanted to give a picture of the major challenges facing the fashion industry today, to understand the commercial strategies that brands are adopting to address these challenges, and to identify technological solutions that can reconcile sustainability, responsibility, profitability and growth.” Maria Modroño, chief marketing & communications officer at Lectra.
INDIA EMERGES AS THE WORLD’S LARGEST PLASTIC POLLUTER: WHAT WENT WRONG AND WHAT’S NEXT? Plastics For Change, 25 Sept 2024. “More than 5.8 million tonnes of this waste are incinerated each year, a practice that not only fails to address the problem but also releases harmful pollutants like dioxins into the air. These toxins are known to cause respiratory diseases and increase cancer risks. India's inadequate waste management systems, combined with rampant open burning, make managing the plastic waste challenge even more daunting.
Key Factors Contributing to the Crisis
The rise in plastic pollution can be traced to multiple underlying factors:
1. Inefficient Waste Management Infrastructure: India’s waste management infrastructure has not evolved to handle the growing volume of plastic waste. An estimated 77% of the waste generated in Indian cities is dumped into open landfills without being treated. Only 60% of the plastic waste generated is recycled, and this recycling is often done inefficiently in the informal sector.
2. Open Burning and Landfilling: 5.8 million tonnes of plastic waste are burned openly across India each year, primarily in rural areas and urban slums. This practice not only contributes to air pollution but also releases harmful pollutants, affecting local communities' health and exacerbating climate change. An estimated 30% of the total plastic waste is dumped in uncontrolled landfills, where it can leach chemicals into soil and water bodies.
3. Single-Use Plastics: Single-use plastics, including bags, straws, cutlery, and packaging materials, account for a large portion of India’s waste. Despite regulatory bans, 43% of India’s total plastic waste still consists of single-use plastics, largely due to weak enforcement and a lack of affordable alternatives. The government’s ban on certain single-use plastics, introduced in 2022, has been difficult to implement, as these plastics remain cheap and readily available.
4. Discrepancy in Data Reporting: India’s official waste collection rate is cited as 95%, but recent studies reveal that this number is closer to 81% in practice. This data gap reflects inefficiencies within the collection and disposal systems, where much of the waste is left uncollected or managed improperly. This discrepancy complicates efforts to create accurate policies and manage the crisis effectively.
5. Informal Waste Sector: The informal waste sector, including waste pickers and small-scale recyclers, plays a crucial role in managing plastic waste in India. It is estimated that 60% of India’s plastic waste is handled by this unregulated sector. However, without formal recognition or support, much of the waste handled by this sector remains unaccounted for, and informal recycling practices can exacerbate pollution rather than mitigate it.
INCUBATORS & ACCELERATORS
F6S WHERE STARTUPS GET FUNDING, GRANTS, TALENT, CONTRACTS & FREE SERVICES ED: From information provided on their web page, “F6S helps founders and startups grow to solve the world's pressing social, economic, environmental, sustainability and innovation problems.
F6S members include the world’s top companies, earlier stage companies, startups scaling towards unicorn status and other supporters. F6S works for founders and their companies with the help of corporates, governments and others in the global startup ecosystem. F6S tools deliver company growth through funding, investment, pilot contracts, grants, partnerships, jobs & talent and company services. F6S Members have received hundreds of millions of euros, pounds and dollars in government grants, R&D tax credits and support for investment schemes like SEIS and EIS tax relief F6S members can connect with funding and grant opportunities, post or apply for jobs, get free founder deals and apply to startup programs (including accelerators)." ED: This web statement is followed by a rather formidable list of testimonials and endorsements web linked to original sources.
FASHION
TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATOR FTA is a fashion technology incubator that focuses in part on digital and technology innovation in sustainable fashion. FTA has divisions in Silicon Valley, Seoul, and Milan. FTA helps promote start-ups at the intersection of technology and fashion by facilitating access to fashion and retail brands, advisers, business partners, investors, professional services, ad agencies, and portfolio companies. FTA serves fashion tech companies that are acquiring customers and want to generate more revenue. For companies with established revenues but a shallow client base, FTA helps fine tune the company’s offerings, positioning the company to raise capital and make deals. While FTA offers a co-working environment in its three locations, FTA portfolio companies need not be in residence, as also companies that work in their own space are accepted. The first FTA office was founded in 2012, in Redwood City in Silicon Valley by a group of fashion and technology entrepreneurs with 25 years of experience in the industry. In 2013, after a year of rapid growth, FTA set up additional offices in Milan and Seoul. In 2018 FTA was selected by HATCHER + as their global partner to invest in fashion technology startups. FTA Seoul is the first global accelerator business in Korea. FTA selects and fosters the best Korean startups in the fashion tech sector. FTA’s website states that its initial mentorship of a successful applicant company can be as much as €100K, for which they require a 10% equity stake. FTA states they mentor six companies per year. A partial list of Fashion Technology Accelerator Milan portfolio companies is listed at the bottom of this web page
JOINT VENTURE OPPORTUNITIES
DEVELOPING AN UPCYCLE GARMENT INDUSTRY TO SERVE AZERBAIJAN’S MIDDLE EAST & AFRICAN TEXTILE MARKET, adapted from Kohan Textile Journal, 24 August 2024.
“Azerbaijan is investing heavily in modernizing its textile industry. As far back as 2019, Azerbaijan’s retail value of yarn items, apparel, and footwear exceeding 1.5 billion EUR. The Sumgayit region’s Gilan Textile Park has grown rapidly, producing cotton yarns and finished products using Rieter (Switzerland) and Muratec (Japan) equipment. The Gilan Park facility has a monthly production capacity of 91,000 shirts, 70 tons of towels, and 22,000 sets of bed linen.”
Azerbaijan has a significant market presence but does not have local circular/upcycling manufacturing facilities. The country textile sector is an opportunity for Asian circular and upcycling equipment manufacturers and consulting firms to guide the country in solving its own internal plastics waste disposal challenges. The country has eight established textile makers to serve as potential joint venture partners for Asian companies seeking to serve Azerbaijan’s formidable Middle East and African markets.
CIRCULAR AND UPCYCLING J-V OPPORTUNITIES IN IRAN. Summary of data from Iran’s Unique Textile Industry Advantages (23 Aug 2024) and Fabric Production in Iran (25 Sept 2023) published in Kohan Textile Journal. “In recent years, Iran has made significant strides in revitalizing its textile industry, building on its unique advantages and rich history. The international exhibition of the textile industry, held in Tehran, brought together over 290 companies from Iran and 13 other countries. The event showcased products and services from around 170 domestic companies and 120 foreign firms, including key players from Germany, Italy, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, South Korea, Turkey, Pakistan, Austria, Switzerland, India, Japan, and China. Notably, three of the top five textile and apparel exporting nations—China, India, and Turkey. … Iran has initiated a campaign to revitalize its textile industry. In the past three years, $1.1 billion has been allocated to modernize machinery in
the leather, footwear, and related industrial sectors. Officials estimate that a $5 billion investment over the next five years is needed to fully modernize the textile and clothing sectors. … Iran has begun to work on improving and developing its textile industry:
• Establishing designated textile and fabric economic zones in various Iranian provinces, including Yazd, Kermanshah, and Razavi Khorasan.
• Creating an investment fund will promote the growth of the textile and fabric industries to encourage investment in this industry.
• Establishing centers for technological advancement in textile and fabric production in research centers and universities
• Utilizing cutting-edge technologies like cellulose, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence to assist in the production of textiles and fabric goods
• Utilizing BOT agreements and other techniques to lure foreign investment into the textile industry The industry’s current product range includes cotton, wool, silk, and synthetic fibers. The Iranian Ministry of Industries, Mining, and Trade is actively promoting the apparel industry and expanding its exports to different regions worldwide. The government’s trade policies and proximity to several neighboring countries have made it easier to penetrate regional markets.”
EMPOWERING SME GROWTH
WITH INTELLIGENT TRADE FINANCE SOLUTIONS, 28-min webinar produced by Tradewind Finance , narrated by Maham D. Siddique, VP Asia, Tradewind Middle East Ltd. “This webinar addresses the financial needs of young companies and SMEs, how Factoring and Supply Chain Finance solutions enter new markets and working capital capabilities; how receivables finance helps navigate through challenging times.” ED: This is a well-produced advertorial which presents a substantial number of to-do and how-to lists covering nearly every facet of receivables financing, market creation, and risk/liquidity management.
MANUFACTURING & PRODUCTION
ADORNO, 1 JULY 2024: JACQUARD WEAVING: HIGH-RESOLUTION WEAVING AHEAD OF ITS TIME AND POISED FOR THE FUTURE, Natalie Mercer. “Three designers who harness the power of Jacquard weaving to produce stunning creations. Lucas Gutierrez (Berlin, Germany) achieves incredible results with Jacquard, creating tapestries that appear almost three-dimensional and encourage contemplative moments as viewers become almost mesmerized by his hypnotic designs. Ishraq Zraikat (Walikil, Jordan) uses Jacquard weaving to create wall hangings aptly reminiscent of pixelation, offering opportunities for reflection and immersion. Emma Terweduwe (Ghent, Belgium) crafts bold, colorful blankets that are strikingly graphic, showcasing the versatility and creativity possible with Jacquard weaving. Read on to discover the noteworthy history of Jacquard weaving and explore what the future holds for this fascinating technique.”
REGULATORY & COMPLIANCE
HOW DO YOU PROVE YOUR PRODUCT IS ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE? From fibre to finished product, bluesign® partners with brands, manufacturers, and chemical suppliers because the world needs safer workplaces and textile products that are less impactful on the environment and people. Consumers can trust that bluesign labeled textiles and products from the chemical inputs to the final production have met the strictest standards
throughout the supply chain. Product segments: Outdoor/Sportswear, Workwear, Denim, Footwear. Downloadable PDF brochures for CHEMICAL SUPPLIERS: Verify your products conform to the highest environmental standards. MANUFACTURERS: Assess, quantify, manage & communicate your environmental impacts. BRANDS AND RETAILERS: Advance your textile supply chain towards meeting your environmental and social targets. CONSUMERS: Shop verified products that meet the strictest standards.
PRODUCT INNOVATIONS
STARTUP OF THE MONTH FOR OCTOBER 2024: OOLA MODEST SPORTS WEAR. Originally published in Fashion Technology Accelerator (Italy and Seoul). “Oola Sports’ inspiration came from necessity: Haya Al Ghanim and Amina Ahmadi from Doha, Qatar were training for a Mount Kilimanjaro hike. They had difficulty finding sports hijabs and performance garments that met their hiking needs, while also being aligned with their values. They immediately spotted the market opportunity of women who wanted to enjoy the great outdoors but could not easily find appropriate athletic wear. Too often Muslim women had to mix-and-match pieces that turned out to be unpractical. Al Ghanim and Ahmadi partnered with fashion designer, Lilian Gabriel de Almeida Barbosa to found Oola Sports — women's wear that performs well and comes in modest styles, without compromising on either. Their first step was to participate in a Fashion Technology Accelerator training program. They then launched a crowd-funding campaign on Indiegogo. which achieved 223% of their initial target.
ED Note: Fashion Technology Accelerator was founded in Italy but has a branch in Seoul headed by Richard Min (Managing Director) and Charles Jang (Director). See the firm’s portfolio of startups here .
AUSTRALIAN RECYCLING REVOLUTIONARY TURNS OLD CLOTHES INTO KITCHEN TILES, Australian Business News, 2.6 million views since 2021. “Scientist and NSW Australian of the Year Veena Sahajwalla is a recycling superstar with some bold new ideas about how to save waste from landfill. Subscribe: https://bit.ly/3l7kXcR. Inspired walking the streets of her Mumbai neighborhood as a child, Veena observed almost everything was reused and "nothing was wasted". This can-do attitude shaped her engineering career and sowed the seeds for some ground-breaking ideas, including making steel from car tyres. Now she's unveiling her latest invention, a "micro factory" that creates building materials and tiles from dumped clothes and glass. It’s a revolutionary concept. But will it work outside the lab? #VeenaSahajwalla #AustralianStory #GreenSteel #GreenCeramics Read more: https://ab.co/37iHi06."
FRENCH ARCHITECT TRANSFORMS USED TEXTILES INTO BRICKS, Fabbrick, Paris, 54,000 views since 2022. Viewer comment: “This needs to be scaled up..fast fashion is currently creating SO MUCH waste, and yet people complain of lack of affordable housing. We would easily build rooms and walls with the help of materials like this. Our planet has no shortage of clothes, but people are paying more and more for wood and concrete. This is a win win solution.”
EDUCATOR NEWS
COURSE OUTLINES, LESSON PLANS, LEARNER PROJECTS
Bloomsbury Books Nov 2023: ZERO WASTE FASHION DESIGN, Timo Rissanen & Holly McQuillan (paperback , 200 color illustr, ISBN 9781350116962). “Zero Waste Fashion Design combines practical examples, flat patterns, and more than 20 exercises to help you incorporate this sustainable technique into your portfolio. There are also beautifully illustrated interviews with innovative designers, including Richard Lindgvist, Mary Beth Bentaha and Daniel Desanto to show how sustainable practice continues to evolve within industry. This updated edition includes new content on integrating 3D design into a zero waste process, additional coverage of the historical context of zero waste around the world, and expands on the related technique of subtraction cutting.”
Bloomsbury (Fairchild Books imprint), Oct 2022: SUSTAINABLE FASHION, Connie Ulasewicz & Janet Hethorn (Ebook, 3rd ed, ISBN 9781501385667). “This book focuses on innovative action needed to achieve the goal of creating healthier environments, reducing climate change, and improving the well-being of all people as they choose and wear clothing. Features Study smarter self-quizzes with scored results and personalized study tips; Review concepts with flashcards of essential vocabulary; Instructor’s Guide for planning the course and using the text in the classroom; Supplemental assignments and lecture notes.”
LESSON PLAN: WAYS TO CONSERVE THE ENVIRONMENT, KIM ALVIN DE LARA (free pdf), by Sustainable Earth. GRADES 4–5. Duration: 1 week @ 30 min daily. “This lesson instills climate change awareness and responsibility among pupils. It promotes environmental and moral values essential to the present needs of the learners. It contains varied activities that lead the pupils to think and apply their knowledge and learn scientific concepts and values efficiently and effectively.”
LESSON PLAN: THE TRUE COST OF FAST FASHION, HERAT DESAI (free pdf), by Sustainable Earth. GRADES 6–8, Duration: 2–3 class periods. “Learners will apply their reading, writing, and speaking skills to solve the problem of overconsumption of resources, specifically items of apparel. They learn about the problem of ’fast fashion’ and will identify solutions using team consensus. This lesson contains adaptations for diverse learners. This lesson teaches them the math concept of percent change and how they can apply it in real life. The student uses real-life tools to master the topic like bar graphs, line graphs, and data from articles. This lesson brings the awareness of what creating a sustainable environment and how we benefit from it.”
HOW 1.5 MILLION PLASTIC BOTTLES ARE TURNED INTO CLOTHING EVERY DAY, Business Insider, 2 million views since July 2024. “Brands like Adidas, Nike, and Shein are trying to increase the amount of polyester made from recycled plastics — but is this the best use of old plastic? We visited Tamil Nadu, India, to see how one company makes clothing from used plastic bottles and whether this is the best solution for this waste stream.”
EDUCATIONAL VIDEO: WHY FAST FASHION COST MORE THAN YOU THINK. YouTube 112,469 views 24 Apr 2015. Fast Fashion stores like H&M have made dressing fashionable easier and cheaper than ever. But what's the real cost of all these mass-produced, low-quality clothes? Targeted toward youth buyers. Downloadable transcript available for educators and parents.
CONSUMER AWARENESS
CONSCIOUS LIFE & STYLE, written by and for young environmentally aware young people, is a wideranging, professionally produced educational and curatorial guide that lists nearly 50 podcasts, videos, articles, and YouTubes on every important environmental choice young people face every day. “Founded nearly a decade ago, we create resources on slow fashion, low waste low-tox living, sustainable home, and responsible travel and have been listed as a “Key Organization” by Fashion Revolution.We also produce the Conscious Style Podcast, about how we can build a more sustainable and equitable future for fashion. The podcast has been featured by Apple Podcasts, FashionUnited, Good On You, and other industry outlets. While we never shy away from the issues, our well-researched guides and articles are also designed to make more sustainable living simpler and more joyful.” CONSCIOUS LIFE & STYLE is available on its website as well as Apple Podcasts, Pandora (406 subscribers), Spotify, and YouTube. Visit WELCOME TO SLOW FASHION SATURDAY, a weekly newsletter produced by Elizabeth Joy for an introduction.
INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS & STUDIOS TO WATCH
ADORNO 3 July 2024: 10 TRADITION & INNOVATION IN TEXTILE DESIGNERS, Natalie Mercer. “By blending sustainable practices with modern techniques, they pave the way for a future where textile design is both an art form and a means of positive change. Their works, spanning from throws and cushions to rugs and wall decoration, embody the enduring power and evolving potential of textile design, harmonizing the tactile richness of traditional craftsmanship with the limitless possibilities of contemporary technology and the historical depth of the art form.” Featured textile designers are Tartaruga Studio ( Łódź, Poland), Ebba Lindgren (Malmö, Sweden), Lyk Carpet (Berlin, Germany), Lucas Gutierrez Studio (Berlin, Germany), Maria Sigma (London, UK), Twelve Degrees (Amman, Jordan), BOI (Berlin, Germany), Laura Dominici (Vienna, Austria), Ishraq Zraikat (Wallkill, Jordan), Susanna Costantini (Silvi Marina, Italy).
ADORNO 21 March 2024: HOW ITALIAN ROOTS AND A HOLISTIC APPROACH SHAPES THE DESIGN PHILOSOPHY OF SERGIO MANNINO STUDIO. by Martin Clausen. “Sergio Mannino’s educational and professional journey in Italy, from Memphis Milano, and particularly his work with design icons Ettore Sottsass and Remo Buti, has significantly influenced his design philosophy. His experiences have instilled in him a belief that design goes beyond function, serving instead as a method of communication and a means to enhance human feelings. The studio’s innovative Secret Gardens Rug collection showcases the studio’s ability to extend its design philosophy into the realm of product design. The rugs are memorable because of their intricate designs, vibrant colors, and sustainable materials crafted with the expertise of Nepalese artisans”
ADORNO 16 January 2024: ANDEAN DESIGN STUDIO LED BY ALEJANDRO MOYANO, SHOWCASES THE RICH HERITAGE OF ECUADORIAN CRAFTSMANSHIP IN THE MODERN TEXTILE DESIGN WORLD, by Martin Clausen. “SOULFUL OBJECTS is Alejandro Moyano’s way of inviting the world to experience the richness of Ecuador through contemporary design lenses. The collection is a tribute to the artisans’ role in preserving cultural knowledge and their skill in adapting it to modern contexts. Through its work, ANDEAN ensures that the stories and skills of Ecuadorian craftsmanship continue to resonate and evolve in the world of contemporary design.”
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