The role of research in sustainable development

Research is a powerful tool for progressing sustainable development, as it provides us with a comprehensive understanding of the complex environmental, social, and economic issues we face. It helps us identify root causes and analyze trends that can inform our decision-making process. Research also allows us to develop effective solutions to these challenges by understanding […]

Earth Day

Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EARTHDAY.ORG (formerly Earth Day Network) including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries. The official theme for 2023 is Invest In Our […]

Fashion Revolution Day

Have you ever heard of the Rana Plaza collapse? It’s a tragic event that occurred in Bangladesh in 2013 and has since become a significant event in the world of fashion. The building, which housed several garment factories, collapsed, killing over 1,100 people and injuring thousands more. This unfortunate event is related to Fashion Revolution […]

The role of research in sustainable development

Research is a powerful tool for progressing sustainable development, as it provides us with a comprehensive understanding of the complex environmental, social, and economic issues we face. It helps us identify root causes and analyze trends that can inform our decision-making process. Research also allows us to develop effective solutions to these challenges by understanding […]

JCA | London Fashion Academy announces a partnership with Lone Design Club, RCGD Global and Graduate Fashion Foundation

LONDON, 5th April 2023: JCA | London Fashion Academy announces a partnership with Lone Design Club, RCGD Global (Red Carpet Green Dress) and Graduate Fashion Foundation for its newly launched, scholarship-supported, Sustainability-focused MA Course in Fashion Entrepreneurship in Design and Brand Innovation. Supported by Vogue Italia, the unique programme seeks to identify, curate and launch […]

JCA | London Fashion Academy announces a partnership with Lone Design Club, RCGD Global and Graduate Fashion Foundation

LONDON, 5th April 2023: JCA | London Fashion Academy announces a partnership with Lone Design Club, RCGD Global (Red Carpet Green Dress) and Graduate Fashion Foundation for its newly launched, scholarship-supported, Sustainability-focused MA Course in Fashion Entrepreneurship in Design and Brand Innovation. Supported by Vogue Italia, the unique programme seeks to identify, curate and launch […]

What does sustainable fashion mean in 2023?

Sustainable fashion has become a crucial part of the fashion industry in recent years. In 2023, citizens, brands, and organizations alike will be more aware of the importance of sustainable fashion practices and their impact on the environment. For citizens, sustainable fashion means being mindful of the fashion choices they make and the impact they […]

Sustainability and Web3 – Digital Fashion Futures arrive at The Oscars : IRL x URL Led by Institute of Digital Fashion [IoDF] in Partnership with RCGD Global and CLO Virtual Fashion [CLO].

Sustainability and web3 are centre stage at The Oscars, using Institute of Digital Fashion [IoDF] formula to aggregate change and bring these important topics to the masses. Challenging fashion’s pain points, three champions of sustainable fashion initiatives join forces to showcase at The Oscars; innovation and creativity aligned all with a key message, that digital […]

Sustainability and Web3 – Digital Fashion Futures arrive at The Oscars : IRL x URL Led by Institute of Digital Fashion [IoDF] in Partnership with RCGD Global and CLO Virtual Fashion [CLO].

Sustainability and web3 are centre stage at The Oscars, using Institute of Digital Fashion [IoDF] formula to aggregate change and bring these important topics to the masses. Challenging fashion’s pain points, three champions of sustainable fashion initiatives join forces to showcase at The Oscars; innovation and creativity aligned all with a key message, that digital […]

AVATAR STAR ZOE SALDAÑA ATTENDS THE OSCARS® IN SUPPORT OF SUZY AMIS CAMERON’S RCGD GLOBAL

*LOS ANGELES* (MARCH. 12, 2023) ​ Actor and producer Zoe Saldaña represented Suzy Amis Cameron’s RCGD Global on the 95th Academy Awards red carpet. The acclaimed Avatar actress further embraces her sustainability journey, by sharing a thought-provoking message of awareness towards the planet on the biggest red carpet of them all. Saldana’s formidable stylist Petra […]

CHLOE EAST STUNS IN MONIQUE LHUILLIER AT THE OSCARS® REPRESENTING SUZY AMIS CAMERON’S RCGD GLOBAL IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™

LOS ANGELES* (MARCH. 12, 2023) ​ Chloe East shines on the red carpet at 95th Academy Awards ® wearing custom Monique Lhuillier, made from black TENCEL™ branded fibers featuring remnant RTW fabric. Chloe represented Suzy Amis Cameron’s RCGD Global initiative in collaboration with TENCEL™, with this year’s focus on accessible textile solutions made through sustainable […]

BAILEY BASS STUNS IN A ZAC POSEN CUSTOM COUTURE GOWN AT THE OSCARS® REPRESENTING SUZY AMIS CAMERON’S RCGD GLOBAL IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™

LOS ANGELES* (MARCH. 12, 2023) ​ Bailey Bass represented Suzy Amis Cameron’s RCGD Global initiative in collaboration with TENCEL™, as she shined on the red carpet at 95th Academy Awards ® wearing a Zac Posen custom couture gown made from TENCEL™ LUXE filament yarns of botanic origin, created using only four cuts of fabric, the […]

AVATAR STAR ZOE SALDAÑA ATTENDS THE OSCARS® IN SUPPORT OF SUZY AMIS CAMERON’S RCGD GLOBAL

*LOS ANGELES* (MARCH. 12, 2023) ​ Actor and producer Zoe Saldaña represented Suzy Amis Cameron’s RCGD Global on the 95th Academy Awards red carpet. The acclaimed Avatar actress further embraces her sustainability journey, by sharing a thought-provoking message of awareness towards the planet on the biggest red carpet of them all. Saldana’s formidable stylist Petra […]

CHLOE EAST STUNS IN MONIQUE LHUILLIER AT THE OSCARS® REPRESENTING SUZY AMIS CAMERON’S RCGD GLOBAL IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™

LOS ANGELES* (MARCH. 12, 2023) ​ Chloe East shines on the red carpet at 95th Academy Awards ® wearing custom Monique Lhuillier, made from black TENCEL™ branded fibers featuring remnant RTW fabric. Chloe represented Suzy Amis Cameron’s RCGD Global initiative in collaboration with TENCEL™, with this year’s focus on accessible textile solutions made through sustainable […]

AVATAR STAR BAILEY BASS AND FABELMANS STAR CHLOE EAST UNVEILED AS THE FIRST WAVE OF STARS OF THE RCGD GLOBAL 95TH ACADEMY AWARDS® CAMPAIGN IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™

AVATAR STAR BAILEY BASS AND FABELMANS STAR CHLOE EAST UNVEILED AS THE FIRST WAVE OF STARS OF THE RCGD GLOBAL 95TH ACADEMY AWARDS® CAMPAIGN IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™ Wednesday 8th March, 2023 (LOS ANGELES) — RCGD GLOBAL in partnership with long-standing eco-couture textile brand TENCEL™ is proud to debut Bailey Bass and Chloe East as the first names […]

AVATAR STAR BAILEY BASS AND FABELMANS STAR CHLOE EAST UNVEILED AS THE FIRST WAVE OF STARS OF THE RCGD GLOBAL 95TH ACADEMY AWARDS® CAMPAIGN IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™

AVATAR STAR BAILEY BASS AND FABELMANS STAR CHLOE EAST UNVEILED AS THE FIRST WAVE OF STARS OF THE RCGD GLOBAL 95TH ACADEMY AWARDS® CAMPAIGN IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™ Wednesday 8th March, 2023 (LOS ANGELES) — RCGD GLOBAL in partnership with long-standing eco-couture textile brand TENCEL™ is proud to debut Bailey Bass and Chloe East as the first names […]

Suzy Amis Cameron, Tati Gabrielle, R’Bonney Gabriel, Nikki Reed and Bailey Bass to co-host RCGD Global Pre-Oscars Annual Celebration in Hollywood, Los Angeles on 9th March 2023

Suzy Amis Cameron, Tati Gabrielle, R’Bonney Gabriel, Nikki Reed and Bailey Bass to co-host RCGD Global Pre-Oscars Annual Celebration in Hollywood, Los Angeles on 9th March 2023 1ST MARCH, 2023 (LOS ANGELES): RCGD Global, official sustainability partner for The Academy and the writer of the Oscars sustainable red carpet style guide, will host their Pre-Oscars […]

Sustainable Apparel Coalition and RCGD Global Partner to Promote Sustainable Design Choices

Los Angeles, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Hong Kong – March 9, 2023: The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) and RCGD Global today announce a series of activations to promote sustainable design choices with young designers in support of bringing environmental and social sustainability in the apparel and design world to the forefront of conversation and action. This […]

Suzy Amis Cameron, Tati Gabrielle, R’Bonney Gabriel, Nikki Reed and Bailey Bass to co-host RCGD Global Pre-Oscars Annual Celebration in Hollywood, Los Angeles on 9th March 2023

Suzy Amis Cameron, Tati Gabrielle, R’Bonney Gabriel, Nikki Reed and Bailey Bass to co-host RCGD Global Pre-Oscars Annual Celebration in Hollywood, Los Angeles on 9th March 2023 1ST MARCH, 2023 (LOS ANGELES): RCGD Global, official sustainability partner for The Academy and the writer of the Oscars sustainable red carpet style guide, will host their Pre-Oscars […]

The craft of making clothing is an ancient skill

The craft of making clothing is an ancient skill that has been present for thousands of years. It involves the creation of garments and textiles using various materials, such as cotton, silk, wool, and linen. Clothing production has evolved over time and has become a global industry with millions of people involved in the process. […]

ZOE SALDAÑA SUPPORTS RCGD GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE STYLE GUIDE AT “AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER” PREMIERE IN LOS ANGELES IN SUPPORT OF RCGD GLOBAL X TENCEL™ SUSTAINABILITY CAMPAIGN

LOS ANGELES, 13th December 2022 Zoe Saldaña stepped out on the red carpet at “AVATAR: The Way of Water” in support of the RCGD Global x TENCEL™ sustainability campaign carrying a black clutch bag by Tyler Ellis lined with a fabric made of biodegradable TENCEL™ fibres. Styled by Petra Flannery, the bag’s lining was in […]

HENRY CAVILL WEARS A BESPOKE HUNTSMAN SUIT AT THE “AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER” PREMIERE IN LOS ANGELES WHILST REPRESENTING RCGD GLOBAL’S NEW SUSTAINABLE STYLE GUIDE

Henry Cavill represented RCGD Global on the red carpet at “AVATAR: The Way of Water” wearing a custom blue Huntman’s suit featuring fabric made of TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers. Cavill wore a double breasted coat with peak lapel and straight pockets, classic Huntsman fit with a strong waistline and high armhole. “I decided to support RCGD […]

SUZY AMIS CAMERON STUNS IN VINTAGE ALAIA AT THE “AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER” PREMIERE IN LOS ANGELES WHILST REPRESENTING RCGD GLOBAL’S NEW SUSTAINABLE STYLE GUIDE

Suzy Amis Cameron represented her RCGD Global initiative, promoting the organisation’s newly launched sustainable style guide. Whilst dressing sustainably, she stunned on the red carpet at “AVATAR: The Way of Water” wearing a vintage Alaia piece from the 80’s. Amis Cameron teamed the super chic black dress with an archive Armani clutch as styled by […]

RCGD Global launches extended Guide for Sustainable Style, a free-resource for the global conscious community

Los Angeles, Thursday 8th December 2022: RCGD Global releases ‘Greening the Red Carpet: The RCGD Global Framework & Sustainable Style Guide’, a free resource and interactive guide to encourage and help citizens make more conscious choices for the red carpet and everyday wear. The comprehensive guide delivers an insightful, informative and accessible glimpse into the […]

RCGD Global launches extended Guide for Sustainable Style, a free-resource for the global conscious community

Los Angeles, Thursday 8th December 2022: RCGD Global releases ‘Greening the Red Carpet: The RCGD Global Framework & Sustainable Style Guide’, a free resource and interactive guide to encourage and help citizens make more conscious choices for the red carpet and everyday wear. The comprehensive guide delivers an insightful, informative and accessible glimpse into the […]

Why is is fashion so addictive and what can we do about it? Part 1

Fashion addiction is a real phenomenon that affects a lot of people around the world. It is often characterized by an excessive and compulsive preoccupation with fashion trends, styles, and clothing brands. Those who suffer from fashion addiction may feel like they can’t live without wearing the latest fashion trends, and they may spend a […]

JAMES CAMERON STUNS IN BESPOKE HUNTSMAN SUIT INCORPORATING TENCEL™ AT THE “AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER” PREMIERE IN LONDON WHILST REPRESENTING RCGD GLOBAL’S NEW SUSTAINABLE STYLE GUIDE

James Cameron represented RCGD Global on the red carpet at “AVATAR: The Way of Water”, promoting the company’s newly launched sustainable style guide. Whilst dressing sustainably, he wore a beautiful midnight navy Huntsman tuxedo made from luxurious textiles, including a rich material made from TENCEL™ fibres. Cameron’s purple tie is also made from TENCEL™. Cameron […]

SUZY AMIS CAMERON STUNS IN CUSTOM-MADE SUSTAINABLE VIVIENNE WESTWOOD GOWN AT THE “AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER” PREMIERE IN LONDON IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™, WHILST REPRESENTING RCGD GLOBAL’S NEW SUSTAINABLE STYLE GUIDE

Suzy Amis Cameron represented her RCGD Global initiative, promoting the company’s newly launched sustainable style guide. Whilst dressing sustainably, she stunned on the red carpet at “AVATAR: The Way of Water” wearing an ethical and eco-responsible Vivienne Westwood custom-made gown in a luxurious navy textile made from TENCEL™ fibers, with navy tulle wrapped to the […]

CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards

From Prada to Maison Valentino to Adut Akech, some of the most significant forces in fashion came together at the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards to discuss and honor fashion’s sustainability movement. Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI), in collaboration with the Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI) of the United Nations, and with the support of the […]

Fashion & Climate Educational by RCGD Global

When it comes to fashion and climate, what is the relationship and what needs to happen? In 2016, the United Nation signed a treaty to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. This is known as the Paris Agreement and pursues efforts to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, which is often referred [...]

SUSTAINABLE FASHION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Can you picture a world where all humans looked the same? Where every community practiced the same cultural norms, so that there was never any inspiration for new ideas? Imagine the richness of human experience we would all lose out on! At RCGD Global, we firmly believe that cultural diversity is as important to humankind […]

SUSTAINABLE FASHION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Can you picture a world where all humans looked the same? Where every community practiced the same cultural norms, so that there was never any inspiration for new ideas? Imagine the richness of human experience we would all lose out on! At RCGD Global, we firmly believe that cultural diversity is as important to humankind […]

Did you miss the Overheated Live stream last week?

Did you miss the Overheated Live stream last week? Good news! You can now watch the full live stream on the @YouTube channel! 🎊  Take a look at the RCGD Global highlight video here, we are so proud to have been part of this event. Follow the link in our stories to join all of the conversations […]

Luxury Fashion Sustainability in a Consumer-Savvy World

There was a time when luxury fashion brands traded almost on name alone. The likes of Lanvin, Dior and Zegna had been around for decades, and their quality was considered synonymous with their name. Generation after generation never even questioned the value of a brand that they had seen their parents and grandparents proudly wear. […]

Sustainable fashion myths

Some sustainable fashion myths you might’ve thought were true:   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Red Carpet Green Dress™ (@redcarpetgreendress) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1) Vegan leather is more sustainable This isn’t always the case. There are pros and cons to vegan leather, and just because something is marked as vegan, doesn’t mean […]

Re-introduction of who we are!

A little re-introduction of who we are! RCGD Global is a women-led global change-making organisation bringing environmental and social sustainability to the forefront of conversation and action within the global apparel and design industry. From our Red Carpet Green Dress™ initiative in partnership with the Annual Academy Awards collaborating with global and small independent brands, […]

5 Ways To Be Sustainable For Free

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Red Carpet Green Dress™ (@redcarpetgreendress) While some sustainable brands tend to be on the pricier side (we hear you) due to the quality of their garments and their guarantee of fair pay for their garment workers, living sustainably doesn’t always have to be more […]

Who is the new luxury consumer?

Who is the new luxury consumer? We’re glad you asked. The new luxury consumer is a mindful and future-oriented shopper. They are looking to remove themselves from the highly popular mass consumption model that is very prominent in our fashion industry currently. Because of this, these consumers are looking for items designed for function and […]

RCGD GLOBAL JOINS OVERHEATED: BILLIE EILISH, SUPPORT + FEED & REVERB HOST FIRST CLIMATE EVENT TAKEOVER AT THE O2 

OVERHEATED: BILLIE EILISH, SUPPORT + FEED & REVERB HOST FIRST CLIMATE EVENT TAKEOVER AT THE O2   Today, Billie Eilish has announced Overheated, a multi-day climate-focused event set to take place at The O2 during Eilish’s Happier Than Ever, The World Tour dates at the London venue, in collaboration with Support + Feed and REVERB. Across […]

RCGD GLOBAL JOINS OVERHEATED: BILLIE EILISH, SUPPORT + FEED & REVERB HOST FIRST CLIMATE EVENT TAKEOVER AT THE O2 

OVERHEATED: BILLIE EILISH, SUPPORT + FEED & REVERB HOST FIRST CLIMATE EVENT TAKEOVER AT THE O2   Today, Billie Eilish has announced Overheated, a multi-day climate-focused event set to take place at The O2 during Eilish’s Happier Than Ever, The World Tour dates at the London venue, in collaboration with Support + Feed and REVERB. Across […]

Are Our Colorful Clothes Killing the Environment?

Fabric dye is one of the most polluting aspects of the global fashion industry. Typical fabric coloration and finishing takes place in large tanks that can require large amounts of energy, heat and water. For fabric dying alone, the global textile industry uses between 6 and trillion liters of water every single year, that’s enough […]

Introducing RCGD Global…we have rebranded!

We started in 2009 as the Red Carpet Green Dress™ campaign initiative at the Oscars, a design contest founded Suzy Amis Cameron when faced with the lack of ethical fashion choices while attending global premieres of husband James Camerons’ ‘Avatar’. Since then we have grown to include collaborations with global and small independent brands, partnerships […]

Introducing RCGD Global…we have rebranded!

We started in 2009 as the Red Carpet Green Dress™ campaign initiative at the Oscars, a design contest founded Suzy Amis Cameron when faced with the lack of ethical fashion choices while attending global premieres of husband James Camerons’ ‘Avatar’. Since then we have grown to include collaborations with global and small independent brands, partnerships […]

Why is circularity crucial?

Why all this talk of circularity on the red carpet this season? Well, we believe it is crucial. Right now, we are in the Anthropocene, a man-driven era of unprecedented change, where humans are overusing the Earth’s biocapacity, the regenerative ability of our planet’s ecosystems by over 50%. This is like living off 1.5 Earths! […]

MAGGIE BAIRD STUNS IN CUSTOM-MADE SUSTAINABLE BENEDETTI LIFE GOWN AT THE OSCARS® REPRESENTING SUZY AMIS CAMERON’S RCGD GLOBAL IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™

  *LOS ANGELES* (MARCH. 27, 2022) ​ Lifelong sustainability advocate and mother of Billie Eilish and Finneas, Maggie Baird represented Suzy Amis Cameron’s RCGD Global  initiative in collaboration with TENCEL™, as she shined on the red carpet at 94th Academy Awards ® wearing an ethical and eco-responsible BENEDETTI LIFE custom-made gown in a luxurious black […]

TATI GABRIELLE STUNS IN CUSTOM-MADE SUSTAINABLE HELLESSY GOWN AT THE OSCARS® REPRESENTING SUZY AMIS CAMERON’S RCGD GLOBAL IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™

  *LOS ANGELES* (MARCH. 27, 2022) ​ Star of Uncharted, You and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Tati Gabrielle represented Suzy Amis Cameron’s RCGD Global™ initiative in collaboration with TENCEL™, as she shined on the red carpet at 94th Academy Awards ® wearing an ethical and eco-responsible Hellessy custom-made gown in a TENCEL™ fabric paired with […]

PALOMA GARCIA LEE STUNS IN CUSTOM-MADE SUSTAINABLE PATRICK MCDOWELL GOWN AT THE OSCARS® REPRESENTING SUZY AMIS CAMERON’S RCGD GLOBAL IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™

  *LOS ANGELES* (MARCH. 27, 2022) ​ Paloma Garcia Lee stars in the Best Picture nominated West Side Story and makes her Oscars debut representing Suzy Amis Cameron’s RCGD Global™ initiative in collaboration with TENCEL™ this evening. She shined on the red carpet at 94th Academy Awards ® wearing an ethical and eco-responsible Patrick McDowell custom-made […]

BILLIE ELLISH ATTENDS THE OSCARS® REPRESENTING SUZY AMIS CAMERON’S RCGD GLOBAL IN CUSTOM GUCCI GOWN AND REPURPOSED 19TH CENTURY JEWELLERY

  Billie Ellish attended the 94th Academy Awards ® wearing a breathtaking Gucci ‘deadstock’ gown complete with a Fred Leighton Tiara transformed into jewelry. As a supporter for Suzy Amis Cameron’s RCGD Global in collaboration with TENCEL™, she shared a unique message of vintage and put a spotlight on sustainability with her red carpet look. […]

BILLIE ELLISH ATTENDS THE OSCARS® REPRESENTING SUZY AMIS CAMERON’S RCGD GLOBAL IN CUSTOM GUCCI GOWN AND REPURPOSED 19TH CENTURY JEWELLERY

  Billie Ellish attended the 94th Academy Awards ® wearing a breathtaking Gucci ‘deadstock’ gown complete with a Fred Leighton Tiara transformed into jewelry. As a supporter for Suzy Amis Cameron’s RCGD Global in collaboration with TENCEL™, she shared a unique message of vintage and put a spotlight on sustainability with her red carpet look. […]

PALOMA GARCIA LEE STUNS IN CUSTOM-MADE SUSTAINABLE PATRICK MCDOWELL GOWN AT THE OSCARS® REPRESENTING SUZY AMIS CAMERON’S RCGD GLOBAL IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™

  *LOS ANGELES* (MARCH. 27, 2022) ​ Paloma Garcia Lee stars in the Best Picture nominated West Side Story and makes her Oscars debut representing Suzy Amis Cameron’s RCGD Global™ initiative in collaboration with TENCEL™ this evening. She shined on the red carpet at 94th Academy Awards ® wearing an ethical and eco-responsible Patrick McDowell custom-made […]

TATI GABRIELLE STUNS IN CUSTOM-MADE SUSTAINABLE HELLESSY GOWN AT THE OSCARS® REPRESENTING SUZY AMIS CAMERON’S RCGD GLOBAL IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™

  *LOS ANGELES* (MARCH. 27, 2022) ​ Star of Uncharted, You and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Tati Gabrielle represented Suzy Amis Cameron’s RCGD Global™ initiative in collaboration with TENCEL™, as she shined on the red carpet at 94th Academy Awards ® wearing an ethical and eco-responsible Hellessy custom-made gown in a TENCEL™  fabric paired with […]

MAGGIE BAIRD STUNS IN CUSTOM-MADE SUSTAINABLE BENEDETTI LIFE GOWN AT THE OSCARS® REPRESENTING SUZY AMIS CAMERON’S RCGD GLOBAL IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™

  *LOS ANGELES* (MARCH. 27, 2022) ​ Lifelong sustainability advocate and mother of Billie Eilish and Finneas, Maggie Baird represented Suzy Amis Cameron’s RCGD Global  initiative in collaboration with TENCEL™, as she shined on the red carpet at 94th Academy Awards ® wearing an ethical and eco-responsible BENEDETTI LIFE custom-made gown in a luxurious black […]

Global design contest winning designs for 2020 and 2021 revealed!

Meet our cohort of global design contest winners 2020 and 2021! Sanah Sharma, Jasmine Rutherford, Yuriko Fukuda and Benjamin Koh, the winning designs of the 2020 and 2021 Global Design Contest, organized in partnership with TENCEL™ and CLO Virtual Fashion™, had their work unveiled publicly for the first time. Originating from India, America, Singapore and […]

SUZY AMIS CAMERON’S RCGD GLOBAL HOSTS AN INTIMATE EVENING OF SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™ AND CLO VIRTUAL FASHION™

MARCH 25th, 2022 (LOS ANGELES) —  Suzy Amis Cameron’s RCGD Global Pre-Oscars celebration of sustainable fashion returned to Los Angeles on Friday 25th, March. The highly anticipated evening in partnership with TENCEL™ and CLO Virtual Fashion™ brought together friends and supporters of the organization to promote sustainability advances over the past two years within the […]

SUZY AMIS CAMERON’S RCGD GLOBAL HOSTS AN INTIMATE EVENING OF SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™ AND CLO VIRTUAL FASHION™

MARCH 25th, 2022 (LOS ANGELES) —  Suzy Amis Cameron’s RCGD Global Pre-Oscars celebration of sustainable fashion returned to Los Angeles on Friday 25th, March. The highly anticipated evening in partnership with TENCEL™ and CLO Virtual Fashion™ brought together friends and supporters of the organization to promote sustainability advances over the past two years within the […]

Global design contest winning designs for 2020 and 2021 revealed!

Meet our cohort of global design contest winners 2020 and 2021! Sanah Sharma, Jasmine Rutherford, Yuriko Fukuda and Benjamin Koh, the winning designs of the 2020 and 2021 Global Design Contest, organized in partnership with TENCEL™ and CLO Virtual Fashion™, had their work unveiled publicly for the first time. Originating from India, America, Singapore and […]

UNCHARTED ACTRESS TATI GABRIELLE AND WEST SIDE STORY’S PALOMA GARCIA LEE UNVEILED AS FIRST STARS OF THE RCGD GLOBAL™ 94TH ACADEMY AWARDS® CAMPAIGN IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™

MARCH 22nd, 2022 (LOS ANGELES) —  RCGD Global™ in partnership with eco-couture material brand TENCEL™, leaders in the pursuit of eco-friendly solutions for textiles, and in the industry transformation toward sustainability, is proud to debut two new young sustainability minded Actresses as the first names of its 2022 Oscar®  line up. Star of Uncharted, You, […]

UNCHARTED ACTRESS TATI GABRIELLE AND WEST SIDE STORY’S PALOMA GARCIA LEE UNVEILED AS FIRST STARS OF THE RCGD GLOBAL™ 94TH ACADEMY AWARDS® CAMPAIGN IN COLLABORATION WITH TENCEL™

MARCH 22nd, 2022 (LOS ANGELES) —  RCGD Global™ in partnership with eco-couture material brand TENCEL™, leaders in the pursuit of eco-friendly solutions for textiles, and in the industry transformation toward sustainability, is proud to debut two new young sustainability minded Actresses as the first names of its 2022 Oscar®  line up. Star of Uncharted, You, […]

The Most Biodiverse Countries on Earth

Maintaining the sanctity of critical biodiverse spaces grows increasingly important, with industries worldwide doing real damage to our waters and air. Whenever large stretches of land go through tragedies, like Australia’s Black Summer (namely, the bonfire season of 2019-2020), the damage doesn’t stop at that specific part of the world and its indigenous cultures; it’s a tragedy for the planet as a whole. We are very dependent on biodiverse places and the indigenous cultures that take care of them and have done so for hundreds or thousands of years. But where exactly are those biodiverse places?

The term “megadiverse country” is applied to several nations that host the grand majority of the Earth’s species of flora and fauna. There are 17 megadiverse countries, most of which are in tropical and subtropical regions; in all, about 70% of the Earth’s biodiversity is located in 10% of the planet’s surface. Below, you can find an alphabetical list of megadiverse countries. Much of the data below comes from the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity website.

Australia

Seeing as it’s an actual continent, it’s no surprise to see Australia on this list. Between 7 and 10% of all species on Earth occur in the country. It hosts over 50% of the world’s marsupials and about 54% of stingrays and sharks.

Brazil

Occupying about half the total land of South America, Brazil is the most biodiverse country on Earth. It hosts the most significant chunk of the Amazon rainforest, plus the Mata Atlantica forest and a vast inland swamp called the Pantanal, all of which house multiple species of flora and fauna.

China

Besides being one of the largest and most densely populated nations on Earth, China is also highly biodiverse. Around 20% of the country is forest cover, and its forest plantations may be the largest in the world, with very diverse wildlife.

Colombia

Another country with a piece of the Amazon rainforest, Colombia hosts almost 10% of the world’s biodiversity. It has a particularly large number of bird and orchid species, as well as butterflies, plants, amphibians, and freshwater fishes.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo

The DRC is one of Africa’s most biodiverse nations, and it hosts over 50% of the continent’s tropical forests, which cover more than half of the country’s total land area. It also has many endemic species, such as the beloved bonobo.

Ecuador

Although one of the smallest countries in South America, Ecuador has been famous for its biodiversity since the days of Charles Darwin, who studied Galapagos Island species. Ecuador hosts about 6.1% of taxonomic species of animals and plants reported worldwide. 

India

The second most-populated country on Earth is also among the most diverse, containing many biomes like highlands, tropical and temperate forests, plains, grasslands, desert, high mountains, and more. In 2020, it was reported that India had 1,02,718 species of fauna.

Indonesia

Indonesia is the second most biodiverse country on Earth, hosting about 10% of the world’s flower species, 12% of its mammals, and 16% of its reptiles.

Madagascar

Over 80% of flora and fauna of Madagascar can only be found on the island, making it a truly unique place with ecosystems including forests, steppes, rivers, wetlands, mangroves, reefs, and more.

Malaysia

Approximately 60% of Malaysia is forested, and the country has vowed to maintain at least 50% of forest and tree cover in perpetuity. It has around 306 species of mammals, 242 types of amphibians, over 500 species of marine fish, and more.

Mexico

Mexico hosts 707 known reptile species, 438 mammal species, 290 species of amphibians, and an impressive flora of over 26,000 species.

Papua New Guinea

Occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, Papua New Guinea has over 5,000 lakes, wetlands, and extensive river systems, totaling vibrant biodiversity.

Peru

One of the most biodiverse countries in Latin America, Peru hosts around 10% of the world’s species of flora, plus about 2,000 species of fish, 365 species of reptiles, and 460 species of mammals.

Philippines

The Philippines has two-thirds of the planet’s biodiversity and between 70 and 80% of the planet’s flora and fauna species. It also hosts around 5% of the world’s total flora.

South Africa

South Africa houses about 10% of the world’s plant species and 7% of its reptile, mammal, and bird species. Many of these are endemic: 56% of all amphibians, 65% of plants, and around 70% of invertebrates.

United States

With its many climates and biomes, the United States hosts over 200,000 native species, about 13% of the worldwide total recognised by taxonomists. 

Venezuela

Hosting part of the Amazon rainforest, tropical Venezuela has around 21,000 plant species, about 38% of them endemic. The country also hosts about 8,000 animal species, including an incredible 1,417 bird species, many endemic.

The Role of Fashion and Culture in Sustainability

In the current westernised approach to fashion, which tends towards the standardisation of trends and unified aesthetics, it’s easy to think the traditional ways of making clothes are a rarity, and disconnected from consumers. However, fashion has historically been a representation of the culture and traditions of peoples all over the world – a vision […]

GENERAL INFORMATION ON CRITERIA

GENERAL INFORMATION ON CRITERIA

Sustainable design is an important area with many interpretations – some focus on environmental criteria, defining it by a no-waste, circular economy approach, others by the use of solely organic or certified materials or a reduced carbon print production process. Others believe it is social criteria, such as fair and humane treatment of garment workers’ rights, living wages, safe work conditions and representation. For us, it is any and all of the above.

As part of our general design criteria, we believe that sustainable fashion means producing garments with consideration of the environmental and social impact that they will have throughout the total life cycle. We respect the Environmental Profit & Loss model, which evaluates how a positive or negative impact is created to balance earth’s books. In line with science-based targets (targets developed in line with what is necessary to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement – limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels), we look to prevent negative impacts, minimize impacts that are unavoidable, and push for corrective action when possible. After this we look outside of our immediate value cycle to contribute to a world in which people and nature can thrive through collaborations across industries

To support our assessments and criteria over the years, we have worked in collaboration with organisations such as Greenpeace, Cradle To Cradle, and NRDC, and our criteria covers key areas from environmental through to social. Specifically we address the following core areas: human hands, certifications, transparency, textile waste, biodiversity, materials, climate change, water and chemicals.

HUMAN HANDS

Sustainability has never been purely about the environment, it is about people too which is why we assess social factors alongside environmental ones. We are passionate about people, and when it comes to people, relationships and partnerships are central, with a focus on respectful, informative, collaborative and load-sharing across the fashion value cycle. This includes looking beyond economic GDP (monetary measure of the market value) as the only measurement of progress, such as quality of environment, protection of indigenous knowledge, and equitable distribution of prosperity across the value cycle.

Human hands are valued, meaning fair trade, safe working conditions, fair pay and an intersectional approach to business. Examples of the social metrics range from a safe and hygienic working environment, wages and benefits paid, forced, bonded, prison, prohibition of illegal or indentured labor across to community grievance mechanisms and security management for farmers and artisans.

Alongside our own projects, we work with companies, partners, organisations or brands who must center people along the value cycle. For example, this means textile mills and manufacturers, working in accordance with Labour laws, ILO standards and having a robust social compliance policy and compliance team for addressing key issues such as employment status and dismissals, work hours, child labour, wages and benefits, collective bargaining and equitable treatment.

TRANSPARENCY

It is important for our partners to be able to trace and work out impact, monitor process and to then improve the value cycle from raw material extraction to apparel disposal, as much as possible. For us, transparency relates to provenance and the provision of accessible, trustworthy information about origin, journey and impact. Our partners must work with integrity and act for the benefit of people and the planet, being open to all audits and readily providing key accreditations (see list below). For our project, it is important that all involved are traceable and transparent to provide credible communications. We support the use of platforms such as TextileGenesis™, a pioneering traceability platform custom built for the fashion & textile ecosystem for delivering radical transparency from fiber to retail.

MATERIALS

With its huge environmental impact through waste, water consumption, chemical use, greenhouse gas emissions, soil degradation and rainforest destruction, the fashion industry remains a top polluter. It produces 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions due to its long supply chains and energy intensive production. Clothing represents more than 60% of the total textiles used globally and in the last 15 years, clothing production has approximately doubled. Specifically, textiles matter. It is hard to imagine living in a world without them. Nearly everyone, everywhere comes into contact with textiles all the time, and they create a huge environmental impact in the world. Fibers form the basis of the fashion industry – without fibers we have no textiles, and without textiles we have no fashion industry. The global eco fiber market size is growing, with natural eco fibers the second largest segment – accounting for 22.6% of the global market.

We focus on the use of sustainable materials – certified eco-friendly organic and/or recycled materials with proof of certification and measured impact. For example, we work with cellulosic fibers which are of renewable origin, manufactured through a sustainable process, with a focus on carbon neutrality, transparency and biodegradability. For example, core sustainable materials will have any of the following exemplary attributes:

  • responsible production such as non-GMO, no harmful pesticides or harmful chemicals used in processing
  • protect the health of the workers, farmers, and the soil, air, and water quality within the ecosystem where it grows
  • use recycled or repurposed materials to prevent waste from entering landfill
  • reduction or elimination of synthetics including those derived from extractive resources, such as oil and gas
  • biodegradable and can be recycled back into the manufacturing process
  • reduce waste production
  • use water efficiently or minimise waste
  • climate-friendly initiatives

TEXTILE WASTE

It is important that the companies, partners, organisations or brands that we work with adopt design and process initiatives to reduce and reuse textile waste. All waste from productions is to be recycled, including packaging, fabric cuttings and dyes. This also includes wastewater and the products reuse options for end of life. Key performance indicators measured include Reused Fabric Waste Zero Fabric Waste and Zero production waste. Our partners work to ensure that the lifecycle of materials utilised are sustainably sourced, utilised and disposed to ensure future re-use, repurpose and/or recycling.

In addition, for all hazardous and non-hazardous wastes, agreements are in place with companies licensed by local authorities. All wastes are disposed of through a traceable system.

BIODIVERSITY

The earth has lost an estimated 60% of vertebrate animal populations since 1970, and less than 20% of the world’s ancient forests remain large enough to maintain the biological diversity that’s there. Whilst fashion is not the only contributor, it’s of the most overlooked. We don’t connect clothing to farms or forests but that is where it begins. We have lost touch with what things are made from and how they are made. We are able to create beautiful products because a large majority of our raw materials come directly from nature, or impact it indirectly. Biodiversity encompasses all kinds of life – running from animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms that make up our natural world – and so biodiversity impact affects realms such as air, oceans, freshwater, soil, and forests. 

Alongside our own projects, the companies, partners, organisations or brands that we work with focus on materials and processes which do not have a negative impact on biodiversity assesses through a range of metrics such as Annex XVII of REACH (include the Azo Colourants, nickel release, formaldehyde, APEO etc.), ZDHC wastewater test report to ZDHC Gateway Portal with this ZDHC Aid: A826KT92, or the relocation of waste water, chemicals and fabrics to external laboratories for testing.

Specifically RCGD focuses on eco-botanic filaments derived from the renewable resources and manufactured through an efficient closed-loop system. We prefer to work with fibres and filaments which are vegan and biodegradable as well as compostable, so that they can fully revert back to nature. The Vegan Society seeks to promote vegan-friendly products to ensure consumers the avoidance of animal-derived material and animal testing in the production process. These material solutions are ecologically sound with no harm to animals and little impact on the environment.

CLIMATE CHANGE

In 2018 the fashion industry produced 4% of global carbon emissions – an emissions’ share larger than that of France, Germany & the UK combined. From raw material to disposal, the entire lifecycle of our clothing impacts our climate. It has been estimated that the fashion industry emitted around 2.1 billion tonnes of GHG emissions in 2018, equating to 4% of the global total. Overall 52% of fashion’s GHG emissions come from raw material production and fabric and yarn preparation. This is driven by fashion’s obsession with synthetic oil-based materials such as polyester, which account for around 60% of the clothes we produce.

Alongside our own projects, we work with companies, partners, organisations or brands who adopt initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce negative impact on climate, such as shifting away from wet towards dry processing, transitioning from coal to electric energy, sewing machines through new technologies and equipment upgrades and more sea and less air transport. Measuring and taking steps to improve the energy usage and emissions is challenging but we are able to provide support for the tracking and improvement process.

WATER

According to Common Objective, it’s estimated that the fashion industry currently uses around 93 billion cubic metres of water per year, which is four percent of all freshwater extraction globally. On current trends, this amount is set to double by 2030. In addition, reducing or removing water from the dyeing process would also reduce or eliminate the levels of toxic effluents, which end up as pollutants in local water systems.

For the companies, partners, organisations or brands that we work with, initiatives to measure water from farm to finishing are undertaken or being undertaken with a focus on reduction of water use in the production process. With the example of wastewater, test results are received at regular intervals from 3rd party through criteria such as the *ICS Environment Audit.

CHEMICALS

Chemicals are used during fiber production, dyeing, bleaching, and wet processing within the apparel industry – and in the process they have huge environmental and social impact. For example, the heavy use of chemicals in cotton farming is causing illness, alongside massive freshwater and ocean water pollution and soil degradation. In addition, some of these substances used in the production of clothing – from textiles to dyes – are also harmful to the consumer and our health. Our skin is the body’s largest organ and absorbs everything that we put on it, including the chemicals in our clothes.

We work with suppliers and partners who use botanical or low-impact dyes to process textiles and produce fabrics in addition to monitoring how chemicals leave manufacturing facilities. All dyes fulfill requirements of Annex XVII of REACH (include the Azo Colourants, nickel release, formaldehyde etc.) For all hazardous and non-hazardous wastes, agreements have been made with companies licensed by local authorities. In addition all wastes are sent with a traceable system. Examples of compliance measures include ZDHC GATEWAY membership and BVE3 MRSL %100 compliance rate.

ACCREDITATION

Certifications can be a challenge, but we work hard to ensure our partners and suppliers are accredited for environmental and social impact by relevant schemes and respected industry bodies. The Ecolabel Index, an independent global directory of ecolabels and environmental certification schemes, counts 463 eco labels across 25 different industry sectors – for our work in sustainable design we focus across these key classifications, certifications, standards and schemes. Examples of programmes and certifications can be found below:

B Corp by B Lab
Bluesign®
CarbonNeutral®
CMiA
Cradle to Cradle Certification ™
Demeter Biodynamic
EU Ecolabel
EWG VERIFIED™
Fair Trade Certified™
Fairtrade Standards
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
Global Recycled Standard
Green to Wear 2.0 Standard
GreenScreen Certified™ Standard
ICS Social and Environmental Audit
ISO Standards: ISO 14001:2015
MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX®
Nordic Swan Ecolabel: Nordic SwanSA8000 certified
Plastic Free™️ certification
Recycled Claim Standard
SA8000 Social Accountability International
STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®
Sustainable Fair Trade Management System
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
The Higg Index – Sustainable Apparel Coalition
The Vegan Trademark
WFTO Fair Trade Standard
Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production
SEDEX (Ethical)
BSCI Certificate: Sustainable Cotton Certificate
Confidence in Textile

Top 10 Most Essential Focuses on the Sustainability Space: What Fashion Legislation Looks Like

To move towards a more sustainable fashion industry, we need to secure a legal framework that makes for fairer and more environmentally conscious spaces. Some of the most significant issues in fashion include excessive use of resources (such as water), waste beyond what is ecologically manageable, and profoundly unfair supply chains across the Global South […]

The Role of Fashion and Culture in Sustainability

In the current westernised approach to fashion, which tends towards the standardisation of trends and unified aesthetics, it’s easy to think the traditional ways of making clothes are a rarity, and disconnected from consumers. However, fashion has historically been a representation of the culture and traditions of peoples all over the world – a vision that continues to this very day in many places. 

In July 2021, Indian American sustainability fashion activist Nina Elety was on the Conscious Style Podcast talking about cultural sustainability in fashion, in the context of  fashion as a regional and individual thing. She discussed her experience as someone who spent her first years in the U.S. and then moved to India at a young age: she drew the parallel whereby American fashion comes from big shops with many options of the same piece, Indian garments are almost individual treasures. 

Elety explains that, in parts of India, it’s normal to have a relationship with clothes: women will choose the fabrics, talk to weavers about what they want or even weave themselves, dye, and tailor saris to achieve the fit they desire. In all, each garment has a history and a meaning, and, as such, people will cherish them more, even passing down pieces of clothing as heirlooms. These series of practises are inherent to the culture, and can even tell the story of a time and place; fashion is a personal and individual experience in the region, as people consciously engage in what they wear, and simply don’t see clothes as disposable.

India is hardly the only country where people have relationships with their clothes. Every culture on Earth has created its garments, from the loincloth in the Amazon to the Ghanaian smock, each using the materials available to them and styling them in a way that’s most appropriate for their particular climates, symbols, and customs. Another example is how the Kuba people from the Democratic Republic of Congo have designed and handcrafted Kuba textiles for hundreds of years; weaving these fabrics is a skill that passes down through generations and forms the basis of royal ceremonial dress, which ultimately means using Kuba textiles expresses hierarchy and wealth status. It’s much more than a fabric: it’s a way to connect with culture.

Meanwhile, the Tai Lue ethnic groups (found in southern China, Laos, Myanmar and specially Thailand) have spun locally grown cotton into thread for centuries. Their intricate designs don’t just dress up the people within their communities: they tell the story of women’s connection to the household. Traditionally, Tai Lue women would weave a number of beautifully crafted items to showcase that they’d be good wives ahead of their marriages. It’s now a way for many women in rural communities to support their families.

Traditional clothes making, that is, the process of making one’s clothes or having a local tailor or seamstress make them for us is inherently sustainable, and it has been for hundreds or thousands of years. Originally, this meant a “green” approach to every step of making clothes, such as regenerative agriculture and using natural pesticides; in many places, including India, there has been a shift towards more westernised ways of planting.

Eurocentric culture has made clothing styles from countries like France or Italy the standard of luxury, while there are still rich textiles and garments in more marginalised regions, particularly in the Global South. Countries like Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and South Sudan are refusing to accept limitless second-hand clothes, demonstrating how the southern hemisphere is disproportionately affected by textile waste from the north, as is visible in places like the Atacama desert in Chile

There isn’t a single solution to giving its fair place to garments of cultural importance: there will be variations from region to region, depending on the local conditions. It’s important to note the processes and traditions of each place, the western influence on them (from farming to clothing aesthetics), and any other factors worth considering in how they look at both fashion and sustainability. Understanding what goes into every step of supply chains is also essential, as is giving local BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of colour) communities their place at the table, and respecting what they’ve built themselves throughout the years.

21 Sustainable Brands Around the World

Over the years, RCGD Global has worked with a beautiful variety of fashion designers from all over the world. We know that fashion is an essential art form that can express everything from an artist’s aesthetic to their cultural background. That’s why we’ve invested in the vision of designers from around the world! To honour […]

Disability & Fashion: What You Need to Know & Who’s Leading the Conversation

Sustainable fashion goes beyond using organic materials and providing fair working conditions across supply chains. While these are essential pillars of sustainability, for our industry to be truly sustainable it also has to have a diverse output. And that also means creating spaces for the so-called “non-traditional” bodies. This goes from extending sizes of clothing to include larger bodies or catering to children and adults with a spectrum of disabilities and special needs.

Disabled people have different needs and what constitutes the “norm” in fashion may not work for them. For example, some may have motor issues that make it difficult to use industry standards like buttons or shoelaces. Others may find it impossible to put on garments over their heads, or end up in discomfort over pants that will bulk up in a wheelchair.

According to the CDC, 26% of adults in the United States have some type of disability, whether it’s related to mobility, cognition, hearing or vision; that’s 1 in 4 people altogether. Among those, many have difficulties dressing themselves, so it also becomes a priority to have an array of garments that makes it easier for caregivers to dress them. And, of course, fashion remains a way of self-expression, and people with disabilities do also require options to simply present themselves to the world the way they feel best showcases their style and personality.

Disabled people are the largest minority in the world, with about 1 billion on the planet, 20% of whom live with great functional difficulties. It’s hardly a small crowd, yet it’s one that is widely underrepresented in the media and the fashion industry. Since there are few options, it presents a huge opportunity business-wise. In fact, Vogue Business estimates that the global market for adaptive fashion will be valued at $400 billion by 2026.

Taking into account the needs of people with disabilities, we’ve prepared a short guide to the world of fashion and disability. We hope that it can serve as an introduction for abled people with less awareness of the challenges disabled folk have when it comes to getting dressed, plus the steps brands and stores are taking to make things easier for them. 

Adaptive Fashion

Adaptive clothes are specially designed for people who have difficulty getting dressed by themselves. Usually, these garments have small yet key differences in build. Some practices in adaptive fashion include adding flap openings to put on garments, trading buttons for velcro or magnet fastenings, creating clothes with room to accommodate incontinence aids, or adding pieces of fabric that stretch in one or both directions depending on the user’s needs.

While we often think of adaptive clothes as those made for people with mobility issues, there’s also something to be said about textures for neurodivergent people. Autistic people are often very sensitive to how certain fabrics feel on their skin. Luckily, brands are catching up, although there may be more options for autistic children than adults within the spectrum. Some large brands that have stepped up to the plate with sensory-friendly clothes include American Eagle with its Ne(X)t Level Stretch denim and Aerie seamless underwear, Target’s lines of sensory-friendly clothes for children and adults and Uniqlo’s comfort garments (even though they’re not marketed as sensory-friendly). 

Current Challenges of Adaptive Fashion

As a whole, disabled people are often left out of fashion campaigns. Disabled bodies have traditionally been “hidden” from the public conversation, and certainly from high fashion. A lack of representation in campaigns and in the decision-making table has led to fewer options in shelves, but there’s a growing awareness of the need to include disability in the conversation.

Fewer off-the-rack options also means that people with disabilities spend more money on clothes in general. They may have to adapt garments themselves or spend more money on tailoring, or get shoemakers to make extra tinkering on their footwear. For example, if someone has a limp on one leg, their shoes on that foot are bound to be torn quicker. That’ll require either constantly purchasing new shoes or having them fixed far more often; either choice can be costly.

When there are options directly made for disabled people, they’re often not marketed as such, once again leaving them out of the conversation. In early 2021, Nike released its first adaptive shoe, Go FlyEase, which was made specifically with the brand’s disabled athletes in mind. The ad campaign was poorly received due to its focus on the Go FlyEase being for “everyone”, shifting the conversation away from those that would truly benefit from this shoe. As a plus, these were limited-edition trainers, so it’ll be difficult for people with disabilities to find them later on, and the prices will surely be steeper due to the reselling market of novelty sports shoes.

Generally speaking, there’s now a trend of cordless shoes in sportswear, which aren’t necessarily marketed to disabled people but can still make a world of difference to them. Just the same, velcro fastenings, often used in toddlers’ shoes, could also prove to be a great solution for adult people with motor disabilities.

Stores & Brands Stepping Up for Adaptive Fashion

Luckily, things aren’t all grim. Brands big and small have started to see the importance of stepping up to the plate and offering options for people with reduced mobility or sensory issues. Here are some of the best-known brands with available adaptive collections:

Tommy Hilfiger is one of the biggest brands to dip its toe into adaptive clothes. They’ve partnered with disability fashionistas and consultants to create lines for men, women, and children, all within the casual and laidback style the American brand is known for. They have options with easy closures, prosthetic fits, seated wear, and sensory-friendly clothing.

Target also offers adaptive clothing for kids, women, and men. Some features include side fasteners for women’s bras, flat seams, wide waistbands for a comfortable fit and side zippers.

Zappos has a wide line of adaptive products, including easy on/off shoes, AFO-friendly, easy dressing, seated clothing, orthotic friendly and sensory-friendly. They offer options for boys, girls, men and women, with a section of their available adaptive brands, including Converse Kids and Ugg.

JCPenney offers adaptive clothes, mostly for children, with adjustable features, hidden access opening for medical devices, and easy-on, easy off. Kohl’s has a similarly children-focused line that includes easy dressing, seated comfort, and sensory friendly.

There are also smaller and startup brands making strides towards a more fashionable future for disabled people. Chinese brand YVMIN partnered with Xiao Yang, a fashion influencer with a prosthetic leg, to create a beautiful collection of fashionable prosthetics. Abilitee Adaptive Wear offers many adaptive accessories, including water-resistant ostomy bag covers. Rebound Wear specialises in comfortable and easy-to-wear clothes, particularly for post-op bodies.

These are mostly available in regions like western Europe and North America, so they’re not yet fully universal solutions. However, seeing brands of different sizes create a space for different fashion needs is a major step in the right direction.

People Making a Difference

While many of the traditional issues of lack of representation persist, adaptive fashion has come a long way – and it’s because of amazing people fighting for a more inclusive industry. 

One of the great trailblazers of adaptive fashion is Stephanie Thomas, a stylist specialising in creating comfortable and attractive solutions for disabled people. Thomas, a congenital amputee, has been fighting fashion industry ableism for over 30 years, and she’s often quoted as saying it’s easier to find clothing options for pets than for people with disabilities. She’s the founder of Cur8able, a service of fashion styling, content creation, coaching and consulting for disabled people and companies who are looking to include them in their products. Thomas also developed the Disability Fashion Styling System, a 3-step criteria for clothes, accessories and footwear. As a reference in the field of adaptive fashion, Thomas has served as a consultant in fashion campaigns for brands like Nike, Zappos, and Kohl’s. She also has a TED Talk about her work as a disability stylist.

Mindy Scheier worked as a designer and stylist for years. Her son, Oliver, was born with muscular dystrophy, and as a young boy asked her for jeans and other clothes that looked like those of his abled-bodied friends. Realising there weren’t many options in stores, she modified garments herself, and later set out to make adaptive clothes more commonplace. Scheier then founded the Runway of Dreams Foundation, an organisation that works towards the inclusion of adaptive options in brands and stores. She’s consulted with major adaptive fashion collections for brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Target. Scheier also has her own TED Talk.

There are also models participating in breakthrough campaigns for brands small and large. British model with Down syndrome Ellie Goldstein works extensively with Gucci, and has been on the cover of magazines like Allure, Glamour and ELLE. Jillian Mercado, a wheelchair user with muscular dystrophy, has had a fascinating career as a model, appearing in campaigns from Diesel Jeans and Target to merchandise ads for Beyoncé’s Formation tour. Multi-talented Aimee Mullins, who had both her legs amputated from fibular hemimelia, began her stay in the public eye as a Paralympic athlete in 100-meter sprint and long-jump; since, she’s turned to activism and modelling for brands like Alexander McQueen, Kenneth Cole and L’Oréal Paris.

One name worth noting is Selma Blair’s. In 2018, the Cruel Intentions actress shared with the world that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and in the time since she has become very vocal about living with disability. Blair has spoken at length about how hard it has been to find clothes that fit her current needs, particularly for galas and events. Having someone that notorious speak about the difficulties of navigating adaptive attire has helped open a new conversation about fashion and disability, bringing awareness to abled people outside the industry.

In Conclusion

There are certainly more adaptive clothing options now than ever before, but there’s still so much more to be done. Catering to a market of about a billion people worldwide makes sense financially and it’s essential when it comes to creating a more inclusive industry. 

We need more campaigns with disabled models normalizing different bodies, and above all, we need fashion-knowledgeable people from the disabled community in the room where decisions are made. It’s essential to empower disability activists and fashionistas so they can help us pinpoint the precise issues the community faces, and how the fashion industry can solve and circumvent them. 

LA Fashion Week’s Sustainability, Diversity and Disability Initiatives Hope to Transform the Industry

LA Fashion Week’s Sustainability, Diversity and Disability Initiatives Hope to Transform the Industry by Lexy Silverstein Unlike any other fashion event on the international calendar, LA’s Fashion Week celebrates Los Angeles’s red carpet, contemporary, and streetwear looks. After all, LA is the red carpet capital of the world. LAFW Spring/Summer was held on the rooftop […]

35 ways to fight climate change

The consequences of climate change permeate into just about every aspect of our lives, which can be very overwhelming, and anyone just starting their road down a more conscious life could have trouble deciding where to start engaging. There are a million things we can all do to fight climate change, but we’ve created a […]

Fashion and climate with COP26

The United Nations’ 26th Climate Change Conference, COP26 for short, is currently underway in Glasgow. Delegates and leaders from all over the world, including from some of the most polluting countries on Earth, are present, as they discuss new terms and guidelines to follow the requirements of the Paris Agreement. And while this event is […]

RCGD GLOBAL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TENCEL AND CLO ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS OF THEIR LARGEST, MOST INNOVATIVE GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE CONTEST FOR YOUNG AND ESTABLISHED DESIGNERS TO EXPERIMENT WITH VIRTUAL DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES

LOS ANGELES, Tuesday 2nd November – RCGD Global™ (RCGD), in partnership with TENCEL™ and CLO, have named this year’s global design contest winners.  Open to emerging and established designers over the age of 21, this year, applicants submitted a digital sketch of their sustainable red carpet design before the international contest closed on the 23rd […]

RCGD GLOBAL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TENCEL AND CLO ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS OF THEIR LARGEST, MOST INNOVATIVE GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE CONTEST FOR YOUNG AND ESTABLISHED DESIGNERS TO EXPERIMENT WITH VIRTUAL DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES

LOS ANGELES, Tuesday 2nd November – RCGD Global™ (RCGD), in partnership with TENCEL™ and CLO, have named this year’s global design contest winners.  Open to emerging and established designers over the age of 21, this year, applicants submitted a digital sketch of their sustainable red carpet design before the international contest closed on the 23rd […]

Pros & Cons of Sustainable Fabrics and Materials

In the search to be more sustainable, fashion brands big and small have been jumping at the chance to innovate when it comes to materials. For many, the solution has been relying on the greener versions of traditional materials; perhaps the most popular is organic cotton, which is sustainably grown by using less water and […]

Interesting Websites to Learn About Sustainability

Whether you’ve been working towards having a conscious life for decades or you’re only dipping your toe into sustainable living, it’s a world of constant updates and endless new technologies. There are so many online resources for conscious consumers to find guidance that the prospect of endless choices can be a little daunting.  Every action […]

Sustainability Vocabulary: Carbon Footprint, Offsetting & More

While the terminology for carbon offsetting has been around for a while, with the growing concern for climate change it’s also become more commonplace. Still, some of the terms can be confusing because they’re not fully universal just yet. As more companies and even countries move towards creating solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it becomes essential to understand how to speak of greenhouse gas emissions and the way to offset them. In 2019, the global average atmospheric carbon dioxide was 409.8 parts per million. This number only keeps growing, and they’re the highest levels of carbon dioxide our atmosphere has seen for at least 800,000 years. The effects of growing greenhouse gases in our atmosphere are well-known, from acid rain to worse air for living things to breathe – and, of course, climate change. Below, you’ll find some of the most essential terms and practises environmentalists are using to fight greenhouse gas emissions. 

The first term to understand, basic though it may be, is that of the carbon footprint. This is what we call the amount of carbon dioxide produced by a single person, company, locality or even country. Don’t be fooled by the word before footprint, because most definitions of this won’t stop at carbon, as they also include other greenhouse gases like methane. We all have a carbon footprint by way of simply existing in the modern world: we contribute to emissions through our food consumption, using gasoline-based transportation, and many other things. Having an awareness of what the carbon footprint entails, and how it speaks of individual or group responsibility on the emissions in the atmosphere, can help us understand our own impact and every other subsequent concept.

The second essential term to understand is carbon offsetting. Offsetting is a conscious reduction of emissions of carbon and other greenhouse houses, and it is designed to compensate for excesses already in the atmosphere. As such, efforts towards carbon offsetting focus on reducing the “regular” emissions a single action would take, neutralising emissions through compensating actions that help the atmosphere heal or, at least, suffer no further damage. It’s also possible to take offsetting one step further and, instead of simply neutralising the usual carbon footprint of an action, also getting rid of some of the greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere. You’ll find a great guide to what carbon offsetting entails here.

In all, the idea is to balance out our carbon footprint by investing in programmes that will “right our wrong.” Still, there’s a major difference between the carbon footprint of a single person and that of a company or country, which is why there are two different ways to classify offsets: voluntary and mandatory. The mandatory offset market is regulated by carbon reduction regimes set up by local or national governments, as well as international agreements and offsetting guides. Meanwhile, the voluntary market is moved by individuals who are looking to leave a smaller carbon footprint altogether by engaging in emissions-free practices in their everyday lives.

There are various CO2 emission calculators available online, including this one. The United Nations also has its own platform for voluntary cancellation of emissions by supporting green projects, but there’s a lot of variety out there for individuals looking to engage in offsetting.

Carbon neutral was the New Oxford American Dictionary’s word of the year all the way back in 2006, and it means an activity or product that releases absolutely no greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

 Meanwhile, climate positive is when an individual, company or country takes a step further from carbon neutrality to not just avoid releasing gases, but also directly reduce emissions already in the atmosphere. This can also be called carbon or net positive, and, confusingly enough, carbon negative. Climate positive is a more common and accepted term, but whenever you see any of those words around, remember they all pretty much mean the same thing.

We invite you to use the sources we’ve liked above to read more about the wide and fascinating universe of climate offsetting. There are many interesting projects around the planet you can support while also leaving your mark for a cleaner atmosphere!

Disability & Fashion: What You Need to Know & Who’s Leading the Conversation

Sustainable fashion goes beyond using organic materials and provideing fair working conditions across supply chains. While these are essential pillars of sustainability, for our industry to be truly sustainable it also has to have a diverse output. And that also means creating spaces for the so-called “non-traditional” bodies. This goes from extending sizes of clothes to larger bodies to catering to disabled ones. Disabled people have different needs and what constitutes the “norm” in fashion may not work for them. For example, some may have motor issues that make it difficult to use industry standards like buttons or shoelaces. Others may find it impossible to put on garments over their heads, or end up in discomfort over pants that will bulk up in a wheelchair.

According to the CDC, 26% of adults in the United States have some type of disability, whether it’s related to mobility, cognition, hearing or vision; that’s 1 in 4 people altogether. Among those, many have difficulties dressing themselves, so it also becomes a priority to have an array of garments that makes it easier for caregivers to dress them. And, of course, fashion remains a way of self-expression, and people with disabilities do also require options to simply present themselves to the world the way they feel best showcases their style and personality. Disabled people are the largest minority in the world, with about 1 billion on the planet, 20% of whom live with great functional difficulties. It’s hardly a small crowd, yet it’s one that is widely underrepresented in the media and the fashion industry. Since there are few options, it presents a huge opportunity business-wise. In fact, Vogue Business estimates that the global market for adaptive fashion will be valued at $400 billion by 2026. Taking into account the needs of people with disabilities, we’ve prepared a short guide to the world of fashion and disability. We hope that it can serve as an introduction for abled people with less awareness of the challenges disabled folk have when it comes to getting dressed, plus the steps brands and stores are taking to make things easier for them. 

Adaptive Fashion

Adaptive clothes are specially designed for people who have difficulty getting dressed by themselves. Usually, these garments have small yet key differences in build. Some practices in adaptive fashion include adding flap openings to put on garments, trading buttons for velcro or magnet fastenings, creating clothes with room to accommodate incontinence aids, or adding pieces of fabric that stretch in one or both directions depending on the user’s needs. While we often think of adaptive clothes as those made for people with mobility issues, there’s also something to be said about textures for neurodivergent people. Autistic people are often very sensitive to how certain fabrics feel on their skin. Luckily, brands are catching up, although there may be more options for autistic children than adults within the spectrum. Some large brands that have stepped up to the plate with sensory-friendly clothes include American Eagle with its Ne(X)t Level Stretch denim and Aerie seamless underwear, Target’s lines of sensory-friendly clothes for children and adults and Uniqlo’s comfort garments (even though they’re not marketed as sensory-friendly). 

Current Challenges of Adaptive Fashion

As a whole, disabled people are often left out of fashion campaigns. Disabled bodies have traditionally been “hidden” from the public conversation, and certainly from high fashion. A lack of representation in campaigns and in the decision-making table has led to fewer options in shelves, but there’s a growing awareness of the need to include disability in the conversation. Fewer off-the-rack options also means that people with disabilities spend more money on clothes in general. They may have to adapt garments themselves or spend more money on tailoring, or get shoemakers to make extra tinkering on their footwear. For example, if someone has a limp on one leg, their shoes on that foot are bound to be torn quicker. That’ll require either constantly purchasing new shoes or having them fixed far more often; either choice can be costly.

When there are options directly made for disabled people, they’re often not marketed as such, once again leaving them out of the conversation. In early 2021, Nike released its first adaptive shoe, Go FlyEase, which was made specifically with the brand’s disabled athletes in mind. The ad campaign was poorly received due to its focus on the Go FlyEase being for “everyone”, shifting the conversation away from those that would truly benefit from this shoe. As a plus, these were limited-edition trainers, so it’ll be difficult for people with disabilities to find them later on, and the prices will surely be steeper due to the reselling market of novelty sports shoes. Generally speaking, there’s now a trend of cordless shoes in sportswear, which aren’t necessarily marketed to disabled people but can still make a world of difference to them. Just the same, velcro fastenings, often used in toddlers’ shoes, could also prove to be a great solution for adult people with motor disabilities.

Stores & Brands Stepping Up for Adaptive Fashion

Luckily, things aren’t all grim. Brands big and small have started to see the importance of stepping up to the plate and offering options for people with reduced mobility or sensory issues. Here are some of the best-known brands with available adaptive collections:

Tommy Hilfiger is one of the biggest brands to dip its toe into adaptive clothes. They’ve partnered with disability fashionistas and consultants to create lines for men, women, and children, all within the casual and laidback style the American brand is known for. They have options with easy closures, prosthetic fits, seated wear, and sensory-friendly clothing.

Target also offers adaptive clothing for kids, women, and men. Some features include side fasteners for women’s bras, flat seams, wide waistbands for a comfortable fit and side zippers.

Zappos has a wide line of adaptive products, including easy on/off shoes, AFO-friendly, easy dressing, seated clothing, orthotic friendly and sensory-friendly. They offer options for boys, girls, men and women, with a section of their available adaptive brands, including Converse Kids and Ugg.

JCPenney offers adaptive clothes, mostly for children, with adjustable features, hidden access opening for medical devices, and easy-on, easy off. Kohl’s has a similarly children-focused line that includes easy dressing, seated comfort, and sensory friendly.

There are also smaller and startup brands making strides towards a more fashionable future for disabled people. Chinese brand YVMIN partnered with Xiao Yang, a fashion influencer with a prosthetic leg, to create a beautiful collection of fashionable prosthetics. Abilitee Adaptive Wear offers many adaptive accessories, including water-resistant ostomy bag covers. Rebound Wear specialises in comfortable and easy-to-wear clothes, particularly for post-op bodies.

These are mostly available in regions like western Europe and North America, so they’re not yet fully universal solutions. However, seeing brands of different sizes create a space for different fashion needs is a major step in the right direction.

People Making a Difference

While many of the traditional issues of lack of representation persist, adaptive fashion has come a long way – and it’s because of amazing people fighting for a more inclusive industry. 

One of the great trailblazers of adaptive fashion is Stephanie Thomas, a stylist specialising in creating comfortable and attractive solutions for disabled people. Thomas, a congenital amputee, has been fighting fashion industry ableism for over 30 years, and she’s often quoted as saying it’s easier to find clothing options for pets than for people with disabilities. She’s the founder of Cur8able, a service of fashion styling, content creation, coaching and consulting for disabled people and companies who are looking to include them in their products. Thomas also developed the Disability Fashion Styling System, a 3-step criteria for clothes, accessories and footwear. As a reference in the field of adaptive fashion, Thomas has served as a consultant in fashion campaigns for brands like Nike, Zappos, and Kohl’s. She also has a TED Talk about her work as a disability stylist.

Mindy Scheier worked as a designer and stylist for years. Her son, Oliver, was born with muscular dystrophy, and as a young boy asked her for jeans and other clothes that looked like those of his abled-bodied friends. Realising there weren’t many options in stores, she modified garments herself, and later set out to make adaptive clothes more commonplace. Scheier then founded the Runway of Dreams Foundation, an organisation that works towards the inclusion of adaptive options in brands and stores. She’s consulted with major adaptive fashion collections for brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Target. Scheier also has her own TED Talk.

There are also models participating in breakthrough campaigns for brands small and large. British model with Down syndrome Ellie Goldstein works extensively with Gucci, and has been on the cover of magazines like Allure, Glamour and ELLE. Jillian Mercado, a wheelchair user with muscular dystrophy, has had a fascinating career as a model, appearing in campaigns from Diesel Jeans and Target to merchandise ads for Beyoncé’s Formation tour. Multi-talented Aimee Mullins, who had both her legs amputated from fibular hemimelia, began her stay in the public eye as a Paralympic athlete in 100-meter sprint and long-jump; since, she’s turned to activism and modelling for brands like Alexander McQueen, Kenneth Cole and L’Oréal Paris.

One name worth noting is Selma Blair’s. In 2018, the Cruel Intentions actress shared with the world that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and in the time since she has become very vocal about living with disability. Blair has spoken at length about how hard it has been to find clothes that fit her current needs, particularly for galas and events. Having someone that notorious speak about the difficulties of navigating adaptive attire has helped open a new conversation about fashion and disability, bringing awareness to abled people outside the industry.

In Conclusion

There are certainly more adaptive clothing options now than ever before, but there’s still so much more to be done. Catering to a market of about a billion people worldwide makes sense financially and it’s essential when it comes to creating a more inclusive industry. We need more campaigns with disabled models normalizing different bodies, and above all, we need fashion-knowledgeable people from the disabled community in the room where decisions are made. It’s essential to empower disability activists and fashionistas so they can help us pinpoint the precise issues the community faces, and how the fashion industry can solve and circumvent them. 

Fashion and Waste: What Are the Largest Landfills on Earth?

Let’s talk about landfills…

As we know, fashion is, unfortunately, one of the most wasteful industries in the world. The multiple yearly seasons and low quality of garments of fast fashion translate to lots of clothes and fabrics ending up in landfills. Fast fashion stores will directly throw away unsold pieces once the season is over, and many consumers quickly grow tired of the garments or simply dump them whenever a minor flaw appears.  In the past two decades, the number of garments produced annually has doubled. In 2017, it was estimated that the fashion industry contributed 92 million tonnes of waste to the world’s landfills. We have no reason to believe these numbers have lowered in the time since, as online fast fashion retail soars.

On average, consumers throw away 60% of their clothes in their first year, and a truckload of textiles gets dumped into landfills every minute. There’s also an issue of waste within the luxury fashion industry: in 2018, it became public knowledge that Burberry had destroyed over £90 million worth of unsold items over five years, in an attempt to keep their prices high and their products exclusive. 

All this waste piles up in landfills everywhere in the world. While we all understand the concept and have seen the occasional landfill throughout our lives, the locations and characteristics of the biggest ones aren’t as widely known. Out of the top 10 largest landfills on Earth, 3 are in China, 2 in the US, 2 in India, 1 in Mexico, 1 in South Korea, and 1 in Italy. They’re usually near large and highly-populated cities, as these are the places that generate the most waste. 

In increasing order, these landfills are Xinfeng in Guangzhou, China (227 acres); West New Territories in Hong Kong (272 acres); Deonar in Mumbai, India (326 acres); Delhi Landfills in New Delhi, India (500 acres); Sudokwon in Incheon, South Korea (570 acres); Puente Hill in Los Angeles CA, USA (630 acres); Malagrotta in Rome, Italy (680 acres); Laogang in Shanghai, China (830 acres); Bordo Poniente in Mexico City, Mexico (927 acres); Apex Regional in Las Vegas NV, Isa(2,200 acres). Bear in mind that these lists can vary somewhat depending on the information provided by landfill owners and representatives, and we’ve taken into account the data from World Atlas. With that being said, let’s take a look at the five largest landfills in the world and how they’re handling their gas emissions.

1. Apex Regional (2,200 acres / 890 hectares)

It receives around 9,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste per day and can handle up to 15,000 tonnes daily. It opened in 1993 with a projected life of 250 years, and currently holds about 50 million tonnes of waste. It accounts for approximately 17.7% of US methane emissions.

Green measures

Apex’s methane feeds an 11-megawatt power plant that meets the energy needs of 10,000 homes in southern Nevada homes.

2. Bordo Poniente (927 acres / 373 hectares)

Bordo Poniente was established in 1985 to take debris from that year’s earthquake in Mexico City, and it was operative until 2011. In its heyday, it received 12,000 tonnes of waste daily, and it remains Latin America’s largest landfills. It currently holds around 70 million tonnes of waste.

Green measures

There are plans to tap into the landfill’s methane to produce 60 megawatts of electric power, which would eliminate 1.5 million tonnes of yearly gas emissions.

3. Laogang (830 acres / 335 hectares)

Laogang receives about 10,000 daily tonnes of municipal solid waste, which amounts to about half of Shanghai’s total waste.

Green measures

Its methane gas generates 102,189 MW-hours of green energy, covering the electric needs of 100,000 homes. In 2014, it was announced that Laogang’s methane emissions had been reduced by 25,800 metric tons, and also avoided 542,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions.

4. Malagrotta (680 acres / 255 hectares)

This Roman landfill takes between 4,500 and 5,000 tonnes of waste every day, numbers that make it the largest municipal solid waste landfill in continental Europe. It has a holding capacity of 60 million tonnes.

Green measures

There are plans to use Malagrotta’s methane for electricity and fuel, but so far the landfill has caused considerable environmental damage to the area where it’s located. Issues have included air contamination, soils poisoned from harmful chemicals, and underground aquifers.

5. Puente Hill (680 acres, 255 hectares)

Active between 1957 and 2013, Puente Hill received over 130 tonnes of municipal waste during its active life, and it was America’s largest landfill. In its heyday, it could receive up to 13,200 tonnes of daily waste.

Green measures

Puente Hill’s methane gas is currently used to turn a 50-megawatt power turbine that generates enough power to fulfill the power needs of 70,000 Southern California homes. The site is also being converted into a recreational regional park.

An Introduction to Biodegradable Clothes

The worldwide fashion industry has a serious waste problem due to various factors, such as the excessive production of garments in fast fashion. One of the worst scourges of clothing waste is related to synthetic fabrics: garments are often made with at least a percentage of plastic-based fabrics, which means these items won’t naturally decompose for hundreds of years. Taking this into consideration, many brands are turning to natural fibres to decrease waste, using materials like cotton, silk, bamboo, wool, alpaca, and hemp; in all, fabrics that can easily biodegrade within days or months through simple bacterial decomposition. With this in mind, we wanted to speak a little about biodegradable clothes and the interesting things going on in this field.

What Do We Mean by Biodegradable Clothes?

For a clothing item to be considered biodegradable, it has to naturally blend into the environment in a year or less. That means that microorganisms should be able to break down a garment so it blends back into nature without issue, which cannot happen if there’s any form of synthetic material in the piece. Even small details can halt the quick biodegradation of an entire garment. Adds-ons like zippers, buttons, and traditional sequins are usually made from plastic-based materials that take hundreds of years to degrade naturally. Some manufacturers have taken steps toward making garment details more environmentally friendly, creating options like buttons made from coconut shells, buffalo horns, bones, and mother of pearl.

However, details like buttons and zippers are not the only way for clothes to include synthetic materials. All plastic-based materials can inhibit biodegradation, and that includes fast fashion staples like polyester, spandex, and nylon. Other materials and practices that halt quick biodegradation include petroleum-derived dyes and threads based on acrylics or nylon. Plus, fabrics are often coated with chemical treatment finishes that are resistant to quick biodegradation. Even commonly used natural fibres like cotton can easily become difficult to degrade through the simple act of mixing them with synthetic materials, even if the percentage of plastics is very low. As it stands right now, most fashion isn’t biodegradable although there are many brands that center their designs on compostable materials with natural dye technologies.

New Fibres Making the Cut

The realisation of our need for biodegradable clothes has given space for people with great ideas to thrive. There has been a return to natural and traditional fabrics like untreated cotton, hemp, and even bamboo, namely, materials that have been used for hundreds or thousands of years to make clothes and we’ve also seen a surge of truly interesting and new alternatives.
One thing that is super exciting to see is the new scientific approach to fashion, as material experts jump at the chance of creating new fabrics based on nature, with fibres being made from algae, soybeans, and citrus fruit.

For example, students and faculty at New York City’s Fashion Institute of Technology have created a yarn-like fibre based on algae that can be dyed with non-chemical pigments like crushed insect shells; these, in turn, can then be knitted into apparel. Theanne Schiros, one of the F.I.T. assistant professors involved in the project, then went on to co-found AlgiKnit, a company aimed at producing algae-based apparel commercially. Algalife also produces biodegradable dyes and fibres from algae, through a closed-loop and zero-waste system.

In Italy, Sicilian startup Orange Fiber uses cellulose fibre from citrus fruit peels to make biodegradable yarn, which in turn can be spun into a fabric with a very similar texture to silk. California-based company Bolt Threads specialises in creating new and nature-based fabrics, such as mushroom-based vegan leather and a fibre resembling spider silk that’s produced from fermented yeast.
There’s a growing number of brands looking to become more sustainable in every step of their manufacturing process, and diving into biodegradable clothes is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to do it. We hope we’ve shed a little bit of light on what biodegradable clothing entails and how to start your journey into this fascinating and growing world!