sustainable fashion

Zara, Asos Commit to More Sustainable Practices by 2020

Photo: GIUSEPPE CACACE / Staff/This content is subject to copyright.

Sixty-four fashion companies including Zara, Asos, luxury conglomerate Kering, and Target have pledged to enact more sustainable practices in their companies by 2020. As part of the effort by the Global Fashion Alliance focused on sustainability and circular production, each company has submitted individual targets for “sustainable design, garment collection, repurposing and the use of recycled textiles by 2020” according to Women’s Wear Daily.

Each target was left up to the company, but the GFA made recommendations. The company will be required to report on their progress annually and GFA will publish a “progress report” in May.

The level of involvement varies. Adidas committed to increasing its collection of used garments in key cities (coincidentally, this is the most common goal among the 64 brands). Asos said that, in addition to a collection system, their design team would be trained in circular design, and nonrecyclable materials would be eradicated. Kering, which owns Gucci, Balenciaga, and Stella McCartney, is focusing on technology. In a statement to WWD, the brand said it would identify “the most promising pre-and post-consumer raw material recycling technologies for luxury and will start scaling them up the supply chain.” Self-made (and reported) goals may not be ideal, but in an industry that’s notoriously wasteful, it’s a start.

These Brands Have Committed to Sustainable Practices by 2020