Writer, Investor, Advisory Director, Berkshire Partners – Professor of Practice, Fletcher School Tufts University
The fashion industry continues to advance voluntary and unlikely solutions to its plastic problem. Only higher prices will flip the script, writes Kenneth P. Pucker.
https://www.businessoffashion.com/opinions/sustainability/why-fashion-should-have-a-plastic-tax/?utm_source=newsletter_dailydigest&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily_Digest_030524&utm_content=intro
H&M’s new deal to buy $600 million of “circular” polyester over seven years from Syre, a Swedish startup it co-founded, underlines one of fashion’s dirty secrets: Making new polyester from recycled bottles sounds environmentally friendly but, in reality, polyester is a huge source of pollution. And recycling bottles to make more polyester might be worse than the alternative — keeping the bottles in the beverage industry where they can be recycled.
Now some fashion companies are moving toward circular, textile-to-textile solutions that cut recycled bottles from the process altogether.
https://www.greenbiz.com/article/why-hm-turning-away-polyester-recycled-bottles?
utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=Circularity&mkt_tok=MjExLU5KWS0xNjUAAAGSTOPV6kTgCsfQ9RWoislXUGzKE6XEQIv4CH-P6WpK0l-NGzM9fPViOR3tM2ngKUsw_sCb6KDitxIt3RmbbiT-ktO8BYzhmECT-CcGvJJk7g
With the French and European elections happening in June, French Republicans are trying to sway voters by targeting Shein and its production practices. Some are taking to TikTok to promote the most recent bill dubbed the “fast fashion tax”.
The proposed legislation, called “loi 2268”, which was passed by the center-right political party Horizona through the lower Assembly on March 14, now has to go through the French Senate next spring. It was promoted by Antoine Vermorel-Marques, right-wing MP, in a March 14 video on TikTok. On the platform, he parodies fast fashion haul videos while promoting his political proposals.
The ‘instant fashion’ juggernaut’s explosive growth is attracting imitators. But keeping up with Shein’s relentless churn puts the industry on a perilous course when it comes to sustainability
https://www.businessoffashion.com/opinions/sustainability/shein-fast-fashion-hm-sustainability/?utm_source=newsletter_dailydigest&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily_Digest_050324&utm_term=SY6SWPMZQBDD7D52PZ42I4CDEU&utm_content=top_story_2_title
In this episode, Dr. Divya Jyoti and Kim sit down with Ken Pucker, former Timberland COO turned sustainable fashion critic, who now works as a Professor of Practice at the Fletcher School. Fun fact: Ken’s career began in manufacturing, and at the time he joined Timberland, they were still producing much of their footwear.
Though it wasn’t necessarily their intention at the outset – this episode ended up focusing on levers for change. Ken shares why he has chosen to focus on shifting the rules of the game through legislative action, but we also discuss the need for systemic change, or to rebuild the “whole house” – and the difficult task of shifting cultural beliefs needed to achieve this.
Ken also reflects on his time at Timberland, and his realization that despite Timberland being a poster child for sustainability, the company’s environmental impact worsened under his watch. He shares how this led him to let go of ideas and assumptions based on infinite resources and growth. If you’re interested in learning more about Ken’s view, I highly suggest checking out his recent publication, “A Circle That Isn’t Easily Squared,” featured in the Stanford Social Innovation Review.
This episode is part of the “Crossover Moments” miniseries, where we explore key moments of personal transformation that led people to question and ultimately reject conventional approaches to sustainable fashion.
One of fast fashion’s biggest players says it’s taking major steps toward a more sustainable business model. But in an industry predicated on low cost, low quality and high production volume, experts say it won’t be simple.
“It’s hard to see how they actually deliver on their emissions reductions targets,” said Ken Pucker, a professor at the Fletcher School at Tufts University in Medford, Mass., who focuses on sustainability.
“Because volumes are going to continue to go up.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/fast-fashion-sustainability-targets-1.6913112