100 fashion industry professionals share their experience

It’s undeniable that sustainability in the fashion industry has
shifted from being a ‘nice to have’ to a ‘must-have.’ Recent
legislative updates, such as the approval of the Green Claims
Directive last March, alongside the introduction of the standards
governing the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, have
compounded with the global climate catastrophes we’ve faced in recent
months. These events, such as the recent floods in Bangladesh or
Italy, impact key countries in the textile supply chain.
Sustainability has become the only viable path to ensure the
continuity of the fashion industry. However, while it’s clear that
resilience goes hand in hand with more sustainable practices, many
brands still find themselves at a crossroads, unsure of where to begin
to address this transformation.

Knowledge is power, start by addressing your supply chain

Traceability is the foundation of the systemic change the textile
sector needs. Historically, supply chains in the fashion industry are
among the most offshored and complex globally. A garment can easily
undergo over 30 different processes, jumping from one factory to
another, involving multiple stakeholders. The lack of visibility along
this chain prevents companies from understanding the true social and
environmental impact of their products and business practices.

Cristina Rico, Supply Chain Traceability Manager at Ecoalf, highlights that “it is crucial to
fully understand the entire supply chain and ensure all these
suppliers are aligned and committed to the company’s values. Emphasis
should be placed on assessing and reducing environmental impact across
different stages. In addition to ensuring traceability and complete
transparency throughout all supply chain processes”.

“Encouraging and emphasizing relationships with nearby suppliers,
establishing bonds of trust and collaboration, to impact local
development and the care of small details that can be improved upon is
essential”, comments Helena Llaneza, Production Manager at Romualda.

But considering the decentralization of the chain and the lack of
transparency, how do we obtain this information from the suppliers?
Pauline Goerig, ESG Officer at Scandale eco-lingerie, suggests: “Be as
direct as possible with the suppliers. Clear and friendly phrases are
the most effective. Don’t hesitate to ask or call. Be patient. Ask 2,
3, 5 times, seek help from someone else if it seems difficult.
Reformulate, ask for clarifications… Remember: you’re not the only
one asking for it! Never give up!”.

Stop designing and start ecodesigning

Ecodesign emerges as an unavoidable necessity in today’s fashion
industry. The European Commission estimates that around 80 percent of
a garment’s environmental impact is determined during the design
phase. From optimizing resource management to material selection and
garment durability, fashion designers have the ability to enhance
these aspects by applying ecodesign principles.

Maria Moreno, Ecodesign Apparel Leader at Decathlon, explains: “Ecodesign should be
applied in all phases of the product’s life cycle: from the initial
concept to what I like to call the ‘non-end-of-life.’ We should be
thinking beyond circularity towards regenerative design. The way we
design today should be the transformation for tomorrow”.

The definition of product circularity also plays a fundamental role in
the design phase. Aditya Sharma, Sustainable Textile Systems
Specialist at Spiber, comments: “It’s helpful to consider end-of-use
scenarios for products before worrying about upstream impacts. If an
item is easy to break down and be remade, that’s ideal, but if it
doesn’t need to break down, even better! Models like resale and reuse
can continue generating revenue at much lower operational and
manufacturing costs if items are created with the intention of not
becoming obsolete and maintaining their functionality at maximum
value”.

Anne Guihery, Textile Engineer at Weturn, adds: “Consider the
end-of-life of products from the design phase: limit the use of
elastane and synthetic materials, and opt for monomaterials and single
natural materials. We recommend increasing the proportion of traced
recycled materials in collections. Indeed, using existing resources
helps limit impact and combat destruction and overproduction. Lastly,
designing qualitative products with sober styling increases
sustainability”.

Mallika Chaudhuri, Founder and Creative Director at INDOI, emphasizes:
“Choose only timeless and durable designs crafted with regenerative
natural resources and circular processes to support and nurture both
the planet and people”.

Ecodesign thus becomes an essential step towards sustainability, as
highlighted by Luis Ribó, Co-Founder and Brand Manager at Circoolar:
“The first step towards sustainability is to rethink, unlearn, and
reconsider how we should do things, with reflection, attention,
awareness, and action”.

Make a good selection of raw materials

If we refer to the basic principles for designing functional,
appealing, and sustainable fashion products, ecodesign will always
emphasize the relevance of a good selection of materials to achieve a
product with the least environmental impact. Therefore, the
methodology for choosing the most sustainable raw materials for your
garments involves evaluating the environmental footprint of the
available options throughout their life cycle.

This is highlighted by Fernando Nuñez, Production Manager at HOFF,
emphasizing the need to assess the actual environmental impact of the
materials used, especially considering the footprint of the
transportation used to access these materials.

According to Geertje van Bavel, Head of Impact at Fabienne Chapot,
implementing more responsible raw materials requires clarity in
objectives and close collaboration among teams. “Depending on your
organization’s current situation, it’s important to first clarify what
is defined as more responsible materials. Next, I would recommend
focusing on setting clear and realistic goals regarding the percentage
of more sustainable materials per collection, of course, in close
collaboration with the teams involved”, she points out.

At Pagès Valentí, their Business Development & Sustainability Manager
reflects on individual and corporate responsibility in reducing the
use of natural resources and waste generation. “I believe each of us,
as individuals or as businesses, should reflect on our responsibility
to reduce the abuse we’ve carried out in exploiting natural resources
and cut down on waste generation, both in consumption and production”,
expresses Josep Pagès.

At Castañer, with a decades-long artisanal tradition, they emphasize
the use of certified materials in their production. “At Castañer, we
continue to advocate for an artisanal manufacturing model that has
hardly changed in the last 90 years. The vast majority of our designs
use environmentally certified materials and a handmade production
system that significantly reduces emissions per product”, states Nil
Corominas, CSR at the brand.

Focus on what you can measure

It’s impossible to improve what is unknown. Therefore, to address the
footprint of one of the planet’s most polluting industries, it’s
essential to comprehensively quantify the current and potential impact
of textile products throughout their entire life cycle.

“It’s essential to measure our environmental impacts using tools like
those provided by BCome and simultaneously inform consumers so they
can make better purchasing decisions based on real data, distancing
themselves from the greenwashing that floods the sector”, explains
Ana Jiménez, Country Manager at GoTrendier.

The emphasis on educating and raising consumer awareness through
impact data is also underscored by Marta Losada, Buying &
Sustainability Specialist at Scotta, who states that impact assessment
provides valuable information for seeking improvements in production
processes and conveying accurate data to customers.

Measurement, as pointed out by Patricia Bori, Product & Sustainable
Specialist at SAYE, helps identify areas for improvement both
internally and externally: “It allows you to understand areas that
need improvement to reduce your negative footprint, whether through
seeking better materials or optimizing water and electricity
consumption in factories”.

Loreto Ros, Sustainability Manager at Ecoalf, highlights the crucial
need to record progress through measurement: “If there are no records,
it doesn’t exist”. This perspective aligns with Bültel’s vision,
represented by Jürgen Sabelhaus, Head of CSR Management for the group,
who emphasizes that without measurement, there’s no real possibility
for improvement.

Sustainability, as pointed out by Mireia Valls, Project Manager at
Ocean Born, should be considered from the inception of the garment
creation and production process. Assessing its impact throughout its
life cycle facilitates informed decision-making, considering not only
its footprint during production and use but also its impact after its
end of life.

Be honest with your consumers

The fashion industry is undergoing a transition towards
sustainability, but for this transformation to be effective,
transparency and honest communication are crucial. Monitoring the
supply chain, developing sustainable products, and assessing their
impact are essential steps in this direction. However, as pointed out
by Jorge Mataix, General Manager of Belda Llorrens, sustainability
often remains in manufacturing and doesn’t clearly reach the end
consumer, highlighting the relevance of establishing a clear and
direct bridge between responsible production and customer perception.

For Claudia Ermini, Sustainability & Innovation Manager at Rifò, the
key lies in: “Informing them about every step taken to make the
product more sustainable with clear, direct, and transparent
communication”, thus strengthening the connection between
sustainability and consumer awareness.

In line with this, Nick Owen, Sustainability Communications at
Twothirds, emphasizes the importance of internal reflection: “Drive
significant changes within your company to ensure that your future
claims are based on facts”, highlighting the need to substantiate
sustainability claims with real data.

Furthermore, Boozt’s Sustainability Supply Chain Coordinator
underscores: “Transparency towards the public and your customers is
essential. Make sure to stay updated with the best practices regarding
environmental claims and find ways to communicate about sustainability
that provide clarity and understanding while also offering an
excellent shopping experience”. Isatou Bah highlights that this
transparent communication is not only essential but also enhances
consumer interaction with your product.

Be sustainable in your growth as well

The excessive consumption prevalent in the fashion industry due to the
pace set by fast fashion describes a situation where the use of
natural resources has surpassed the capacity of the system. According
to Global Footprint Network (GFN) data, to sustain our current
consumption rate, humanity needs 1.75 planets.

To achieve true sustainability, it’s not enough to adopt more
eco-friendly materials or implement internal policies. As highlighted
by Juliana Penagos, Sustainability Director at Munich Sports: “No
matter how many sustainable materials we include in our next
collection, how many certifications we have in our supply chain, or
how many internal policies we follow… As long as we base our
business on the unrealistic and unsustainable premise of unlimited
economic growth with infinite resources, we won’t be able to create
lasting, meaningful, and systemic changes”.

The greatest sustainability efforts are useless if changes in
production practices aren’t accompanied by a reduction in the volume
of items produced. In this sense, decoupling fashion industry
profitability from the number of new products sold is an urgent
necessity for the sector’s transition towards an environmentally,
socially, and economically sustainable system.

Sustainability is not a static concept; it’s an ever-evolving
commitment that requires strong leadership and a clear strategy from
the top of the company. As stressed by Maria Moro, Key Account Manager
at Zahonero: “For any company’s sustainability strategy to be real, it
must originate from the leadership with measurable, achievable
projects and enough resources. Sustainability within a company is
social, economic, and environmental, and each area requires trained
leaders to succeed”.

Alberto Gil, Co-Founder of Hockerty, reminds us of the essential role
of commercial innovation in this transition towards sustainability:
“Our duty to the planet is to offer solutions that are more
sustainable than current ones, yet also commercially appealing. Only
then will we achieve a society where sustainability is not seen as an
alternative but as a real and preferred option”.

Cecilia Guarás, R&D & Sustainability Manager at Bobo Choses, invites
us to redefine our foundations: “Designing more sustainable scenarios
can be subtle, involving seemingly minor changes. What’s important is
that they are honest and accompanied by a vision that drives the
transformation of methodologies, ways of conceptualizing, producing,
and consuming”.

The fashion industry faces a crucial moment; sustainability is no
longer a choice but an unavoidable necessity. The valuable lessons
shared by these professionals through BCome reflect the urgency to
take action. From a better understanding of supply chain practices to
honesty in consumer communication, it’s evident that sustainability
demands a profound transformation in mindset and business practices.
It’s time to join forces with experts, commit to real change, and
collectively build a more responsible and sustainable future in the
fashion industry.