Brands That Are Looking To Change The World

Luxury and excess need not come at the expense of the environment, the fashion industry is quickly learning. As the mission to become more sustainable is urgently gaining traction, we highlight the brands that are looking to change the world, one small step at a time.

- Jeremy Gopalan

Fashion brands are becoming increasingly concerned about their carbon footprint – as they should as it is no secret that the fashion industry, in particular luxury, is one of the most resource-intensive industries in the world.

From its unsustainable manufacturing methods to its plastic wastage entering our seas, the industry has a huge environmental impact. Our consumerist culture further exacerbates the issue, with nearly 30kg of textile and leather waste per capita in Singapore sent to landfills each year, according to the National Environment Agency. This buy-and-dispose culture poses a great issue as decomposing clothing emits methane, one of the greenhouse gases responsible for warming the planet.

In recent years, the industry’s polluting impact on the environment has entered mainstream consciousness, with consumers increasingly seeking out brands that support environmentally friendly initiatives. This cycle of demand has led to an increased mindfulness in the way brands run their businesses.

Fashion’s biggest players, Kering and LVMH, have pledged to reduce their carbon footprint by aggressively pushing for sustainability strategies to reduce resource consumption. Kering, for instance, has a Materials Innovation Lab where it researches and creates fabrics that have a lower environmental impact.

We examine the inroads that some of the most prominent luxury brands have made in pursuit of this mission and how they are utilising progressive production methods and innovative textile inventions. Whoever said fashion doesn’t have a conscience?

The brand changing the culture of wool farming

Founded in 1812, Italian luxury yarn, material and garment manufacturer Loro Piana was the trade’s bestknown secret. But in recent years, it’s transformed into a luxury consumer brand boasting its own identity and style, and famed for its quality cashmere.