With Earth Day approaching, brands across categories are doing their bit to create awareness regarding this, as well as playing their part in conserving the planet’s natural resources. One industry that has made a conscious effort over the last couple of years to make a difference is the fashion industry. For example, United Colors of Benetton ranks in Detoxrankings created by Greenpeace to recognise brands that have made progress in reducing the presence of harmful chemical substances in their production processes. In addition, the company has reduced CO2 emissions generated by road transport by over 25%, reducing by 20% the number of trucks used to transport its goods in Italy and Europe.
Similarly, there’s H&M, another fast fashion brand that entered the Indian retail market a few years ago. It has launched its Conscious Exclusive 2018 collection and for the first time, it has introduced two sustainable materials — recycled silver and Econyl, a 100% regenerated nylon fibre from fishnets and other nylon waste.
“We don’t have to just look at ‘now’, but also think of what we are leaving behind for future generations,” says Elin Astrom, head of H&M’s sustainability programme in India. And the report goes on to highlight that under-utilisation and lack of recycling every year result in a loss of more than $500 billion. As per an Ellen MacArthur Foundation report, the $1.3 trillion clothing industry employs over 300 million people along the value chain globally.