Stella McCartney was one of the first designers in the fashion business to embrace a sustainable attitude in her business model- from the productions to the final collections.
As Stella McCartney said ‘I design clothes that are meant to last. I believe in creating pieces that are going to get burnt, that are not going to landfills and that are not going to damage the environment. For every piece in every collection I am always asking what have we done to make this garment more sustainable and what else can we do. It is a constant effort to improve.’
‘It’s really the job of fashion designers now to turn things on their head in a different way, and not just try to turn a dress on its head every season. Try and ask questions about how you make that dress, where you make that dress, what materials you are using. I think that is far more interesting, actually. I think that the way to create sustainable fashion is to keep asking these questions while making sure to make desirable, luxurious, beautiful clothing and accessories that women want to buy.’
‘I’m a big believer in that just doing a little something, is a lot better than doing a lot of nothing’.
The company is always looking for new ways to be more sustainable as it feels responsible for the resources it uses and the impact its activities have on the planet. This sense of responsibility and forward thinking is present when they design their collections, when they manufacture the clothes and even when they open new stores.
All Stella McCartney offices and studios in the UK are powered by wind energy and abroad, they use renewable energy to power their stores and offices not to mention that 45% of their operations are run in 100% renewable, green energy.
Equally interesting, in Stella McCartney‘s collections, they use as much organic cotton as possible and continue to do research to find new materials and new ecological processes.
Textile manufacturing has a big environmental footprint, it pollutes around 200 tons of water per ton of fabric using many harmful chemicals, and consuming enormous amounts of energy for steam and hot water.
The aim is to reduce the use of water (about 25%) and energy (about 30%). Recycling is one of the key points of this company’s philosophy. In 2012, 34.3 metric tons of waste was diverted from landfill and recycled or reused – they recycle all textiles that could be used. Moreover, all Stella McCartney locations have recycling systems.
Fashion is about change, but you can have that and still be conscious. The important thing is that Stella McCartney is doing something to make a difference. Making a bag out of faux leather, and not using fur, may not stop global warming, but it is a small step in the right direction. Hopefully the success of the brand will influence other luxury fashion houses to make changes towards a sustainable and ethical fashion future.
The Parley Ultra Boost X running shoes, unveiled today, feature Primeknit uppers made from Parley Ocean Plastic – a manufacturing process which replaces synthetic fibres with yarns made from recycled waste plastic from the sea.
The trainers are shaped to reflect the form of the foot, with a sock-like fit achieved through the Primeknit material.
The midsole is made from the brand's Boost material, a foamy cushioning more commonly found in car instrument panels, while the laces reach across the entire width of the shoe – an innovation that Adidas claims supports "quick-fire movements".
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