From the Sector

Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), the non-profit organisation that fosters collaboration on sustainability in fashion to drive impact, has forged a new alliance with UN Climate Change secretariat (UNFCCC) to accelerate the fashion industry’s climate action.
 
The Fashion On Climate report projects that if the fashion industry does not accelerate its response to climate change, by 2030 it will produce around twice the volume of greenhouse gas emissions required to align with the Paris Agreement global warming pathways by 2050. With the urgent need for industry transformation, the new alliance between GFA and UNFCCC will accelerate the impact of the UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action which aims to drive the fashion industry to net-zero emissions no later than 2050 in line with keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees.
 
The collaboration will be activated around the organisations’ prestigious forums including GFA’s Global Fashion Summit and UNFCCC’s annual Conference of Parties (COP). Through these forums, the organisations will collaborate to unite fashion leaders and core stakeholders to facilitate knowledge sharing, impactful partnerships, and the implementation of bold actions needed to meet the Fashion Charter targets.
 
Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition 2022, the leading international forum for sustainability in fashion, will take place on 7-8 June in the grand setting of the Royal Opera House, Copenhagen, Denmark. Under the theme ‘Alliances For a New Era’ - the Summit will endeavour to form previously inconceivable alliances within the fashion industry and also examine atypical cross-industry alliances, in a bid to accelerate the transition to a net positive reality.
 
UNFCCC will, through the Fashion Charter, contribute to the Summit content, where they will share insights on its progress and what further solutions are needed. UNFCCC will also hold its annual Fashion Charter meeting at the Summit, where the organisations will convene relevant experts to join resources and discuss tools that can enable the sector to achieve its climate targets laid out in the charter. The alliance will also continue for future editions Global Fashion Summit in other locations, in addition to Copenhagen.
 
Beyond the Summit, GFA and UNFCCC will continue to work together to elevate publications and reports, such as the Fashion CEO Agenda, and inform Fashion Charter meetings during COP27 to raise awareness among leaders on the most pressing issues and priorities and urging commitments from industry leaders to drive change within social, environmental and circular dimensions.
 
Federica Marchionni, CEO, Global Fashion Agenda, says: “GFA is striving to create impactful alliances that can accelerate the fashion industry’s transition to a net zero reality. We are therefore thrilled to be collaborating with UNFCCC as its Fashion Charter is an essential tool to mobilise the necessary industry transformation. Through our collaboration, we hope to bring together core fashion stakeholders, foster pre-competitive collaboration and provide even deeper insights and guidance to advance progress.”
 
Niclas Svenningsen, Climate Action manager, UNFCCC, says, “We are excited for this opportunity to reinforce our collaboration with the Global Fashion Agenda. The climate crisis is today the paramount issue for the fashion sector to address. While the Fashion Charter brings together a wide range of stakeholders to work collaboratively on solutions, the Global Fashion Agenda is an important venue for broader sustainability discussions in the fashion sector. We see many opportunities for further strengthening and highlighting both the sustainability and the climate work through this collaboration.”

• C.L.A.S.S. ICON 2021 winner DUARTE returns to Milan Fashion Week launching its SEASON 2 “Eco-Street Dance” collection as a special feature at White Sustainable Milano inside the “Unveiling the fashion backstage” event

By mixing C.L.A.S.S. responsible materials, colorful prints, urban feels and artistic inspiration, the Portuguese streetwear brand creates a new style and a clear yet cool message for conscious fashion consumers
The rewarded 2021 C.L.A.S.S. Icon Award Portuguese brand Duarte is ready to presents its Fall/Winter 2022/23 collection developed in collaboration with C.L.A.S.S. Eco Hub during Milan Fashion Week. With the support of WHITE, Duarte’s creations will be featured as a special project at WSM (WHITE Sustainable Milano) platform space inside “Unveiling the fashion Backstage”, a docu-event focusing on an immersive journey into the amazing world of premium and smart supply chains that make innovative and responsible fashion wardrobes a reality.

For its second collection Duarte still counts on C.L.A.S.S. support in sourcing materials and communication activities as part of the Icon Award yearly program. The streetwear designer Ana Duarte, with the help of the Milanese hub, is back with a renewed collection that counts 40 pieces continuing the concept and the story behind the previous World Keeper: the irresistible superhero Tadao - Ana Duarte’s dog – fighting against the environmental issues created by mankind and personified as Smog Man (air pollution), Fire Man (climate change), Deforestation Man (forests destruction) and Wave Man (water overconsumption).

This time the inspiration is also Street Dance drawn directly from the city streets, with majorly unisex pieces (apart from some small specific details linked to sizes or ergonomics) and materials that both respect the planet and keep you warm. The prints drawn from ripped posters giving birth to a sort of new style that we can name “Eco-Street Dance”. The color palette explores the dark shades of grey, cream, blue and black, with artistic pops of color of a hopeful urban culture that tears apart posters from the past and turns them into a new brighter story. 

The linings complete the full sustainable picture, thanks to Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei fabrics by Gianni Crespi Foderami. Bemberg™ is a new generation material made from the smart-tech transformation of cotton linter pre-consumer material, converted through a traceable and transparent closed loop process. Entirely made in Japan, it comes with Compostability and Ecotoxicity Certifications verified by Innovhub-SSI, RCS, OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 and the Eco Mark certifications. The factory is ISO 14001 certified, too.

The collection will mark the return of Duarte’s cool and responsible style to Milan Fashion week and White Sustainable Milano. “We are proud to support Duarte as her style, her creations, visual communication and message are so beautiful, innovative and responsible. On top of that, her message to the consumer is so clear and easy for everybody to understand. With Duarte it is very easy to make a “conscious choice” without any sacrifice, and completely in line with the C.L.A.S.S. manifesto” says Giusy Bettoni, C.L.A.S.S. CEO & founder.

• This Black History Month, the brand is announcing a series of ongoing initiatives focused on celebrating, uplifting and supporting Black women - starting with elevating stories of their lived experiences
• New community actions include an accelerator program for social entrepreneurs; a series of adidas Community curriculums and mentorship opportunities; and an industry-changing design program for the next generation of creators
• Powered by its Impossible Is Nothing attitude, adidas is accelerating its mission to create real , lasting change for historically underserved communities

In a continuation of the brand’s Impossible Is Nothing attitude – and its biggest ever commitment to women – adidas is centering its Black History Month initiatives around celebrating, uplifting and supporting Black Women in sport, fashion and innovation.

Brought to life through athlete partners like Kahleah Copper, Erica Wheeler, Angel McCoughtry , Imani Dorsey, Kendra Harrison and Sarah Nurse , this year’s Black History Month platform focuses on the representation of Black voices by spotlighting the real-life experiences of Black athletes. Meanwhile, sustained community programming and actions will offer Black women creators with real-life opportunities for education, mentorship and growth.

Among many long-term community initiatives that create more opportunities for Black girls and women, adidas is deepening its commitment with the following programs launching this month and beyond:

• Cultivate & B.L.O.O.M (Building Legacies Out Of Movements) an adidas Accelerator - adidas has created an accelerator program that aims to close the opportunity gap that exists for social entrepreneurs of color.  
• S.E.E.D. (School for Experimental Education in Design) Program - S.E.E.D. is a two-year program at the adidas Brooklyn Creator Farm in partnership with Pensole Academy
• adidas Community Platform - adidas Community is a digital network for education, creative collaboration , and growth opportunities that pairs community members with community mentors

Other ongoing programming and partnerships includes work with adidas Legacy, the Black Women’s Player’s Collective, U.S. Soccer Foundation, Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD foundation, Pharrell’s Black Ambition, United Negro College Fund scholarsships, Blavity.org Growth Fellowship, Appeitie for Change youth programming, Wood U in partnership with Pensole and the Iovine & Young Academy and Sound Labs  - an initiative to foster creative collaboration , innovation and proactively support music programs in public schools lacking in financial support.

ROICA™ main objective is to focus on and respond to new generation values in fashion. Values that are key for contemporary consumers, who are the ones leading the change throughout all the supply value chain, and have received even more attention since the beginning of the pandemic. ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei team knows that value creation is the basic foundation of contemporary business. Its teams are ready to go to the next level, answering to the market demand for innovation while sharing its responsibility efforts towards the new generation of consumer.

For this reason, the ROICA™ strategy is based on two key elements. On the one side, a strong focus on responsible innovation, able to respond to new fashion needs and desires while not harming the environment nor the society at large. On the other hand, a consolidation of partnerships along the whole supply chain through conversations and collaborations with companies sharing the ROICA™ values, in order to deliver creativity, solutions and design to all contemporary consumers. For example, in terms of fabric producers ROICA™ has been working alongside industry leaders such as Brugnoli, Candiani Denim, CIFRA, Dresdner Spitzen, Eusebio, Iluna Group, Innova Fabrics, Inter Jersey Milano, Lauma Fabrics, L/E Textile, Maglificio Ripa, M.I.T.I., Penn Italia - Penn Textile Solutions GmbH, Piave Maitex, Sitip S.p.A., Sofileta, Taubert Textil, Tessitura Colombo, TINTEX Textiles, TVB Textil-Vertrieb-Beratungs.

See attached document to read more about the current wardrobe stories.

adidas and IVY PARK CEO Beyoncé announce IVY HEART, a new capsule collection inspired by love , just in time for Valentine’s Day, from the ongoing adidas x IVY PARK creative partnership.

As with previous adidas x IVY PARK offerings, this latest collection features distinct looks with inclusive and in gender-neutral sizing in fashion styles, performance gear, footwear, and accessories. The line is available online at adidas.com on February 9th and February 10th in selection stores globally.

The Campaign
The campaign focuses on the guiding thematic color behind the collection. In the Western world, red is commonly associated with love , romance and sensuality. While in the East, red is attributed to good fortune and joy. Wherever you are, it’s clear that this color represents positivity. The concept is centered around bringing people together from all different backgrounds through this one color that’s sentimental to so many. This theme is illustrated through enhanced lighting, bold yet minimal production design, elevated styling and most importantly the international cast. Cultural cues from specific iconography and symbols are explored in visual motifs with sensitivity and intention. IVY PARK pays homage to various cultures inspired by this color, incorporating red through a futuristic yet authentic lens.

The Collection
No matter how you define it, love - most importantly love of one’s self - is at the core of IVY PARK ’s newest drop. Bold and sexy looks are an integral part of IVY HEART, which is aptly decked out in a spectrum of vibrant reds, playful pinks, and nuanced neutrals. In colors that include Candy Paint (Shock Pink), Lipstick Smudge (Red), Raspberry Beret (Power Red), Red, Red Whine (Cherry Wood) and Cheeks (Off-White), the line is punctuated by tactile materials like velour, ribbed knit, and faux latex.  IVY PARK ’s latest collaboration with adidas is further complemented by performance fabrics and graphic prints, allowing ample designs to mix-and-match from work out to night out.

The capsule collection’s design touchpoints are rooted in Beyoncé’s love of athleticism and fashion, merged with adidas’ performance and innovation. The references culminate in a collection of silhouettes that are sporty, stylish, and above all, unique. Conceived around three pillars of foundation, active, and fashion, IVY PARK ’s latest collection is highlighted by the Velour Dress and Tracksuit, Faux Latex Puffer, Pique Jumpsuit and Sequin Duster. Accessories include a 5-Panel Hat, a clutch and a Heart-Lip Belt Bag.

Footwear consists of both on-the-court and off-duty models.  The range is highlighted by a new iteration of the classic Stan Smith sneaker in Cheeks (Off-White), with a rubber dipped midsole.  Additionally, the collection introduces a new silhouette, the IVP Superstar Plim, a mule style shoe inspired by the iconic adidas Superstar in Cheeks (Off-White).  The line also features a new colorway of the IVP Savage sneaker in Cheeks (Off-White), a IVP swim slide in Lipstick Smudge (Red) and the Ultra boost in Candy Paint (Shock Pink).

At Pitti Uomo, Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei celebrates the new year exploring the company’s 90 years anniversary and journey. In Florence, Bemberg™ past and present are linked by style: on display are key historic garments worn by icons such as J.F. Kennedy belonging to historic Roman Sartoria Litrico together with Bemberg ™ new visionary claim “Crafted Elegance“.

On January 11^th, Bemberg™ will be at Pitti Uomo 101 featuring an exclusive collaboration with Luca Litrico, head of the Roman historic Sartoria Litrico, founded by his uncle Angelo Litrico in 1951. He became famous for crafting the highest-quality suits for all the most important men of Dolce Vita era, from Richard Burton to Marcello Mastroianni. Its historic relevance has even been recognized by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, thanks to its archive composed of hundreds of photos and sketches signed by Angelo Litrico himself. For this occasion, Bemberg™ will showcase four historic suits wore by true style arbiters a such as: former US president John F. Kennedy, dolce vita poster-boy Rossano Brazzi, American astronaut James B. Irwin and iconic fashion designer Angelo Litrico. All garments feature stylish linings woven with Bemberg™ fiber disclosing its ductility always in vogue through time. Over the decades, Bemberg™ established heritage in formal lining has expanded into new territories and able to represent also contemporary outerwear styles.
 
“We are so excited to be back in Florence. Pitti Uomo and Italy are the perfect starting point of our journey through style.” says Mr. Koji Hamada, CEO of Asahikasei Fibers Italia, “At our booth visitors can glimpse the link between past and present, our values and chromosomes for the fashion to come.”

Bemberg™ vision is centred around contemporary beauty, and uniqueness – the fibre manufacturing is exclusively taking place in Nobeoka, where its closed-loop circular economy production approach together its transparent and traceable processes are able to guarantee the responsible certified values.
 
Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei will unveil the second chapter of its journey at Première Vision in Paris with an exhibition where visitors will be able to explore the fashion world, from India to Japan, through fabrics and style of today and tomorrow.

Iluna Group and Maglificio Ripa announce a strategic collaboration, each maintaining its own identity and independence, based on the complementarity of the proposal and the convergence of intentions for a new and more functional way of partnership.

Iluna Group, a leader in the production of smart lace, and Maglificio Ripa, internationally recognized for the production of premium and responsible jersey, both established in common sectors - from underwear to beachwear and sportswear - formally launched this collaboration during the MarediModa show in Cannes with a joint double stand where visitors could discover the latest collections of the two companies and also imagine new designs and solutions for sustainable fashion.

"We are living in a moment of strong change, from the wave of sustainability that is finally sweeping the fashion world to new market scenarios. And we are convinced that collaboration is the key to face these new challenges. In Maglificio Ripa we saw a complementary and unique partner with whom we can reach partners, customers and suppliers in a more complete way." comments Furio Annovazzi, CEO of Iluna Group. "Ours is not a union between companies but a new model of partnership, a sort of strategic symbiosis aimed at developing together new paths that can lead the both of us both to growth. Our collections, presented in the same context, can nurture the creativity of customers at a time when the stylistic contaminations are increasingly pronounced," adds Luca Bianco, CEO of Maglificio Ripa.
 
Furthermore, Iluna Group and Maglificio Ripa jointly created their new campaign with a photo shoot and video clip as well as jointly developed a trend scenario that allowed both companies to better embrace the evolving market by sharing information, perspectives and ideas.

• RGE has formalised two new partnerships in Singapore to advance sustainable fashion.

The first is a three-year strategic partnership with the Textile & Fashion Federation (TaFF) to advocate sustainable industry practices within Singapore and the region, through programme implementation, research, and education. The second is a five-year research collaboration with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) on innovation in textile recycling technology.

The partnership with TaFF on its fashion sustainability programme was officially launched today. Through industry talent development and capacity building, raising corporate and consumer awareness, and innovation promotion, TaFF seeks to galvanise the fashion ecosystem towards redefining sustainable fashion.

Wilson Teo, President of TaFF, said, “Our strategic partnership with RGE marks a step forward for TaFF to expand our sustainability ecosystem throughout the fashion value chain, from materials, manufacturing, brands and technology to solutions. We have set up a Steering Committee that spans across the value chain, as a model for the industry. Together with our collaborators, we will continue to equip enterprises in the journey of sustainability. We will also work with communities to build awareness in responsible consumption and recycling.”

RGE has committed to provide nearly S$3 million funding over three years to support TaFF’s fashion sustainability programme. In addition, RGE’s Vice Chairman Bey Soo Khiang joins the programme’s Steering Committee as its Vice Chairperson.

Tey Wei Lin, President of RGE, said, “As a Singapore-based company and the world’s largest viscose producer, our business is well-positioned to support the country’s desire to advance sustainable development and to create a green economy. Our collaboration with TaFF and NTU is an investment of financial and other resources to create meaningful impact, not just within Singapore but also in the region. As part of our US$200 million investment commitment into next-generation textile fibre innovation and technology, we seek to work with innovators, industry partners, research institutions and academia to scale up solutions that will deliver cleaner and more circular cellulosic textile fibre to the masses at affordable prices.”

The launch of TaFF’s fashion sustainability programme follows the roll-out of the Enterprise Sustainability Programme (ESP) by Enterprise Singapore on 1 October 2021, which supports enterprises in their sustainability initiatives and helps them capture new opportunities in the green economy.

“Industry partnerships are pertinent to uplift capabilities of enterprises. We are very encouraged by TaFF’s efforts to drive sustainability in the textile and fashion sector as trade associations and chambers play a key role in strengthening sector-specific capabilities,” said Alan Yeo, Director of Retail & Design at Enterprise Singapore. “Collaborations with corporate partners such as RGE will also help accelerate this process. This is a good start and we hope to eventually see more companies across all sectors start to integrate sustainability alongside their growth.”

The launch event was graced by Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling, TaFF’s patron and Senior Minister of State for National Development and Foreign Affairs Sim Ann, CEO of Enterprise Singapore Png Cheong Boon, as well senior representatives from TaFF and RGE.

The official launch of the research collaboration with NTU is expected to take place next year. A key desired outcome from the collaboration is to complement RGE’s pilot urban-fit textile recycling plant in Singapore.

Gina Tricot releases its first collection that has been produced with We aRe SpinDye. The collection is part of Gina Tricot's innovation program Gina Lab. and consists of a coat, shirt, trousers and two bags colored with We aRe SpinDye's method.

With the collaboration, Gina Tricot continues to focus on sustainability, now with the coloring process at the center. Of all the resources that arise during the entire lifespan of a garment - from the production of raw materials, to recycling, 80% is used during the production phase itself. To maximize the effects of the sustainability changeover, an increased focus is required on the entire production process and in particular on the most resource-intensive of them all: the dyeing.

One of Gina Tricot's focus is to explore new methods and technologies in sustainability, which makes the collaboration with We aRe Spin Dye feel just right for us. Together we get a product with more durable and circular fibers, in addition with a more sustainable textile production with a focus on minimal water use. We are extremely proud of this collaboration. says Emma Garrote, Global Production & Sustainability Manager at Gina Tricot.

Gina Tricot is a shining example of an agile organization with short decision-making processes. They have managed to enthuse both the design and production department. It has been crucial to reach the launch of this collection that takes place today, says Andreas Andrén, CEO of We aRe SpinDye®.

Gina Tricot
Gina Tricot is a Swedish fashion brand that offers fashion to women in over 30 countries. Today, Gina Tricot has over 160 stores around Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, as well as e-commerce throughout Europe. With around 1,900 employees, 98% of these are girls. For Gina Tricot, it is important to build pride from the inside out, we are a company that chooses to invest in and highlight women.

We aRe Spin Dye
The company is a Swedish cleantech company that provides and offers a process and platform for production and quality control that enables players in the fashion and clothing industry to significantly reduce their environmental impact. The company's business concept is to establish a new, sustainable and transparent standard for dyeing synthetic textiles in the fashion and apparel industry in a simple and user-friendly way.

• Iluna Group and Maglificio Ripa present their new collections and an innovative, strategic symbiosis for sustainable fashion
• 9-11 November - Palais de Festivals, Boulevard de la Croisette, Cannes, France, Booth 28-29

Values, strategies, an imprinting for innovation and a well-defined vision and expertise in sustainable fashion. This mix is  the  wide  and  solid  common  denominator  giving  birth  to  the  collaboration  between  Iluna  Group,  leader  in  the production of smart lace, and Maglificio Ripa, internationally recognized for the production of premium and responsible jersey.

Two mature companies projected towards new formats of proactive collaboration, both established in common industries  - from underwear to beachwear  and  sportswear  -  that  have  chosen  to  create  a  symbiosis  of intents and strategies, each maintaining its own identity and independence.

"We are living in a moment of strong change, from the wave of sustainability  that  is  finally  sweeping  the  fashion  world  to  new  market scenarios. And we are convinced that collaboration is the key to facing these new  challenges.  In  Maglificio  Ripa  we  saw  a  complementary  and  unique partner with whom we can reach customers, suppliers and other partners in a  more  complete  way."  comments  Furio  Annovazzi,  CEO  of  Iluna  Group. "Ours is not a union between companies, but a new model of partnership, a sort of strategic symbiosis aimed at developing together new paths that can make the both of us grow, while offering a more complete proposal to the market." adds Luca Bianco, CEO of Maglificio Ripa.

One of the first examples of this new format is the joint stand at MarediModa, a single space where visitors can discover the latest  collections  of  the  two  companies,  and  imagine  new  designs  and solutions for sustainable fashion.

Iluna Group and Maglificio Ripa also created the new campaign and photo shoot together, as well as developed a trend scenario that allowed both companies to better embrace the evolving market by sharing information, perspectives and ideas.