The Latest in Sustainable Fashion
In 2022, senators introduced The New York Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act (or “The Fashion Act”) to the New York State Legislature. The hope was to hold larger apparel companies to more rigorous and legally binding environmental standards. The inspiration behind the move was clear—and urgent: According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, whose mission is to protect the planet, the $2.5 trillion fashion industry is a “climate nightmare” responsible for between 4 and 8.6 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions. (The United Nations puts fashion’s carbon emissions at closer to 10 percent!) And that’s to say nothing of the industry’s water contamination, deforestation, toxic chemicals, and treatment of its workers.
Basically, fashion’s destruction of the planet gives new meaning to the term “bad look.”
The bill had stalled, supposedly bumped aside for more pressing issues, but according to the trade publication, Total Retail, it’s gaining steam again now, thanks in part to support from celebrities from Leonardo DiCaprio to Angelina Jolie and significant brands (some of which will be impacted by the regulations), such as Stella McCartney, Eileen Fisher, Patagonia, and Everlane.
Fortunately, there is also new momentum around sustainable fashion thanks to innovations in ecological textile creation, upcycling and beyond, supported by more and more conscious designers, brands, and even shop owners. The latest in green fashion is less about compromising style for sustainability and more about the myriad ways sustainability can—and must—feed and even inform our style choices. And yet, there’s not an agreed upon definition of the term. Similar to buzzwords like “natural” and “clean” in the beauty world, this open interpretation has allowed for a certain amount of greenwashing (which is why formal legislation like the Fashion Act is so important). That said, this flexibility also allows for multiple ways to get involved. “Sustainability means ten different things to ten different people,” explains Aileen Lerch, director of sustainability at San Francisco-based footwear brand, Allbirds. “It can mean materials, worker wellness, animal welfare, water, and a dozen other things—each of which is important.”
“Sustainability means ten different things to ten different people. It can mean materials, worker wellness, animal welfare, water, and a dozen other things—each of which is important.”
— Aileen Lerch, director of sustainability, Allbirds
For Sabrina Phillips, VP of design for G-III Apparel Group, specifically DKNY Jeans and Sport, materials are also where key progress is being made—but in the recycling department. “Sustainability in my world means constantly looking for new and different ways to use less of earth’s resources and create less waste,” she explains, acknowledging that it’s a process of continual improvement. “One of the biggest ways my company has adopted sustainability has been through the raw materials we use. It’s very common now for polyester yarns to be recycled, either from plastic bottles or other sources.”
This practice is being embraced across the industry. In March of 2024, for example, H&M Group launched Syre—a new textile impact company specifically working to decarbonize and de-waste the industry and move toward a more circular system on a “hyperscale.” That includes a $600 million offtake agreement with H&M itself.
That said, the challenge for many other brands interested in integrating these types of materials is financial. Recycled yarns are not as expensive as they used to be, but they still cost more than regular yarns—and not everyone can afford the higher price tag.
Fortunately, there are other areas in which to think ecologically, as well. To offset its footprint, G-III’s DKNY team also cuts back on packaging materials and poly bags used for shipping, putting multiple garments in a single bag instead of packaging individually. And, whenever possible, the company sources cotton via the Better Cotton Initiative, a global organization—currently accounting for 22 percent of global cotton production—that works to improve farming practices, reducing the use of chemicals and improving living conditions for agricultural communities.
For LA designer Janessa Leoné, regenerative agriculture is now the hugest factor in sustainability. When she launched her line in 2013, at first exclusively as a millinery collection, it was instantly embraced by in-the-know stylists and editors, in part because quality—and thus longevity—was always core to the concept. “From the start, I wanted to create something lasting and meaningful,” she explains. “Our focus was always on slow fashion—producing fewer pieces with more intention that were made with superior quality that lasted many generations.” Even the creations themselves continue to be inspired by nature’s textures and forms, reflecting a kind of quiet luxury and respect for the earth.
These days, Leoné has taken her concept of sustainability to the next level, aiming not just to mitigate damage to the planet, but to leave the world better, environmentally healthier, than she found it. That has meant building a fully traceable supply chain, particularly with its wool and leather, ensuring that each element is responsibly sourced from regenerative farms that equally support both the ranchers and the soil itself. Its partner Shaniko Wool Company, for example, supplies carbon-negative wool products. “Sustainability is about reciprocity and regeneration,” Leoné says. “It’s not about sustaining the status quo. We aim to give back to the depleted systems and leave them better than we found them. Regenerative practices allow us to restore ecosystems, build soil health, and increase biodiversity.”
Designers like Leoné make these commitments because it’s the ethical thing to do. But, as she acknowledges, a growing demand from consumers for accountability is forcing progressively more fashion world players to take action.
Kelly Wang sees this reality in action daily as the founder of Brooklyn’s sustainable boutique Rue Saint Paul, launched online in 2018 and as a brick-and- mortar shop just before Covid hit in early 2020. For her, necessity was the mother of invention—and inspiration. “My interest in sustainable fashion grew out of a necessity to align my work with my values,” she says. “As I started sourcing, I quickly learned about the negative environmental and labor impacts within the fashion world. This led me to a crossroads where I considered shutting down my business because I didn’t want to contribute to these ongoing issues. However, after extensive research and reflection, I realized that I could build a business rooted in circularity and sustainability.”
Wang decided to make her shop more like a “sustainable closet” with options for renting,
buying, and even selling used indie brands, as well as discovering new conscious lines. Her strict criteria has led her to current obsessions from Sailor Jeans by Kowtow, a fair-trade organic cotton brand that is completely plastic-free from New Zealand, to Quilted Vests made from vintage Appalachian quilts by Reclaim Creative out of Knoxville, Tennessee.
The boutique owner credits social media in part for educating particularly a younger generation on the dangers of fast fashion and the benefits of secondhand shopping. “It’s all about embracing...the circular economy,” she explains. “[Sustainability is] not just about the materials or the supply chain—though those are crucial elements—but about rethinking the entire lifecycle of a product. The industry is trying to figure out how it can...create a system where products can be reused, recycled, or repurposed.”
Hope on the horizon as innovation continues to flourish. But achieving full realization will take time. “I truly feel like there is an awareness and drive from the majority of the fashion world today to be more sustainable,” Phillips says. “True sustainability would be to replenish any resources being used and to have no waste, but from what I know, no one is there yet, so, I prefer to keep looking for as much improvement as possible.”
Lerch at Allbirds agrees: “We know that we can’t wait for perfection [to act] because climate change is real and is impacting us today.”
“Regenerative practices allow us to restore ecosystems, build soil health, and increase biodiversity.”
— Janessa Leoné, LA designer
