Sustainable apparel is nothing new, but in 2019 the sector has seemingly undergone tremendous growth. From a green-apparel subscription box that is attracting a ton of followers to sustainable apparel at PPAI Expo 2019, tons of apparel companies are getting in on the movement. This week was no different, with a number of sustainable apparel announcements making headlines.
Here’s the latest:
1. Survey Says…
According to a recent AT Kearney survey published on Fibre2Fashion, 50 percent of U.S. shoppers plan to shift their apparel shopping patterns toward more green options—an increase from last year’s 38 percent. The survey included 1,000 U.S. respondents of all ages
2. Adidas Announces Sustainable Shoes
The athletic retail unveiled its Futurecraft Loop performance running shoes, which are made with 100 percent reusable thermoplastic polyurethane. They are also constructed without the use of adhesives or other chemicals. Engineers worked on the shoe for six years, and it’s only Adidas’ most recent foray into sustainable apparel.
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It turns out the company has other big plans:
“Taking plastic waste out of the system is the first step, but we can’t stop there,” said Eric Liedtke, executive board member and head of global brands at Adidas, according to Treehugger. “What happens to your shoes after you’ve worn them out? You throw them away—except there is no away. There are only landfills and incinerators and ultimately an atmosphere choked with excess carbon, or oceans filled with plastic waste. The next step is to end the concept of “waste” entirely. Our dream is that you can keep wearing the same shoes over and over again.”
After runners are done with their shoes, they can turn them in to Adidas, where they will be ground up and used for a new pair of shoes.
3. Ralph Lauren Launches Recycled Polos
In support of Earth Day, Polo Ralph Lauren announced the addition of the Earth Polo, a version of the iconic polo made of recycled plastic bottles and dyed through a zero-water process.
“Every day we’re learning about what’s happened with global warming and what’s happening all around the world, and our employees and our customers are really feeling that it’s time to step up and make a difference,” said David Lauren, chief innovation officer and the youngest son of the company’s founder, according to USA Today.
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In conjunction with the Earth Polo, Ralph Lauren also announced it is committed to removing at least 170 million bottles from oceans and landfills by 2025.
4. Puma Commits
According to just-style.com, the German sports retailer announced it has set a new sustainability goal. By 2020, 90 percent of cotton and polyester used in its products are to come from sustainable sources.
“We are proud that we have reached our targets for more sustainable materials two years earlier than planned,” said Stefan Seidel, head of corporate sustainability at Puma. “We still have room for improvement, which is why we have taken steps with our suppliers to sharply increase the amount of more sustainable materials in our products going forward.”
