The fashion industry is the second largest polluter of the environment. At a time when the condition of natural resources is critical, the industry players need to take up their responsibility and instil sustainability in their business practices and CSR campaigns.
Fashion brands that take CSR seriously by doing their bit to protect the environment.
1. H&M
The retail giant H&M is ranked No. 20 on Forbes’ The World’s Most Sustainable Companies 2016. The company strives to deliver affordable and sustainable items to its customers. The company has launched a conscious exclusive collection that features affordable pieces made of recycled materials. 31% of the cotton used by H&M is completely organic.
2. Zara
The brand is very conscious about the carbon footprint it leaves on the environment. This is why it is very careful about its operations at different levels. For example, the Zara stores are designed in an eco-friendly way. It makes optimum use of renewable energy for its heating and cooling requirements. The company also ensures that the hangers used at its stores are all recycled. 90% of the packaging is made of paper. The 10% plastic that it uses during sales, is mostly biodegradable.
3. Anita Dongre
Anita Dongre, a Mumbai based designer who has initiated brands such as AND and Global Desi, is highly active in social and environmental welfare. The Anita Dongre studios’ working hours are designed in a way to ensure the maximum use of daylight. The headquarters of the brand are intelligently designed which has a free flow of light and air to minimize energy consumption.
4. Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney is an ambassador of green fashion movement. She firmly believes that fashion and sustainability do not have to be mutually exclusive. This is why she avoids using animal-based products in her fashion line. She believes that livestock production is a major contributor to environmental issues such as land degradation, global warming and pollution.
5. Adidas
Adidas is also at the forefront in the sustainable fashion market. The brand partnered with Stella McCartney and came up with a line which focuses on minimizing waste and reusing the leftover fabrics. The Adidas group has also partnered with Parley of the Oceans, an organization that works towards raising awareness about ocean pollution. As a result of this partnership, the brand launched its first shoe in the world made from plastic waste from the ocean.
6. Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein collaborated with Eco-Age, a brand sustainability consultancy for 2016 Met Gala. For the event, the brand designed three sustainable outfits sported by Emma Watson, Lupita Nyong’o and Margot Robbie. The outfit worn by Emma Watson was a five-piece gown from three different fabrics all woven from yarn engineered from recycled plastic bottles.
7. Lush
Lush cosmetics is very famous for its fragrant cosmetics, skincare and bath products. However, the brand is also very famous for its ethical production. All the products of the brand are 100 per cent vegetarian. No animal testing is conducted for any of its products. In fact, the retailer is known to fight against the practice. All the packaging used by the brand is eco-friendly too.
