Raza Beig on sustainable fashion

FEASIBLE FASHION

Splash Fashions was one of the first labels in the region to adopt better business practices for environmental conservation. Behnaz Sanjana quizzes Splash CEO and Fashion Director Landmark Group, Raza Beig, on the youth brand’s sustainability initiatives.

What prompted Splash to take the sustainable/eco-friendly route? The fashion industry is the second most polluting in terms of overall environmental impact, using an exorbitant amount of resources for raw material, production, logistics and warehousing, sales and distribution, and garment care.

In times when consumers have become increasingly conscious towards the cause of preserving the planet, Splash Fashions, being one of the Middle East’s biggest retailers, believes it a moral obligation to reduce the impact of our business on the environment. We are stepping up our sustainability game simply because it’s the right thing to do, while bringing consumers fashion in an affordable way.

What are the sustainable initiatives undertaken?

We have a 360-degree approach towards sustainability; from product design, selection of raw material, manufacturing practices, supplier selection and packaging material to warehousing and retail.

More than 80-per-cent of the Splash product line will be made using sustainable raw material this year by collaborating with international agencies and industry experts to support our initiatives. We are the only homegrown brand in the Middle East to be a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, and the first to be a part of the Better Cotton Initiative.

In 2019-20, Splash stood first for having a sustainable business model and third for its Environmental Sustainability Programme at the Gulf Sustainability and CSR awards. We also came first as the most responsible retailer in 2019 at the RetailME awards.

What kind of eco-friendly fabrics do you use? Besides sustainable cotton (grown without pesticides or synthetic chemicals), we use plant-based fibres such as Viscose, Rayon and Lyocell, that originate from certified sustainable forestry plantations, helping conserve and protect natural forests.

A large part of our polyester comes from recycled PET bottles, leading to less plastic ending up in the ocean. All of the denim at Splash is sustainable either by way of raw material or by garment processing techniques that use 70-per-cent less water and 30-percent less energy.

Our design teams are spending more time researching and sourcing sustainable fabrics and manufacturing methods to significantly decrease the brand’s carbon footprint.

How do you think this impacts young people?

Today’s youth are extremely conscious about environmental sustainability, and it influences their buying behaviour. In times to come, sustainable business practice will become a norm governed by the demand from consumers and the government regulatory and statutory policies.

How is Splash aiming to go plastic-free? All our carrier bags are oxy-biodegradable and we have initiated trials to replace them with paper bags in the future. Splash has prevented 200 tons of plastic lying in landfills annually by replacing plastic tags and accessories with Forest Stewardship Councilcertified paper tags and accessories.

We have trialled recycled plastic for product trims like buttons, and are exploring options to use the same across the business.

What’s the way forward? Splash Fashions is striving for 100-per-cent sustainability in product offering by the end of 2020. More than 80 per cent of our products will be manufactured using sustainable and ethically-sourced materials, significantly decreasing the brand’s carbon footprint.

Going forward, we will define sustainability targets for every aspect of the business and departments to make our eco-friendly initiatives comprehensive and holistic.

Having taken the lead in doing our bit for the planet, we hope to inspire and encourage other brands to adopt eco-friendly practices to achieve the larger goal of preserving the environment for our future generations.