Latest Stories from Sofia
Poland’s recent abortion ruling has triggered a global furor
Activists around the world are protesting the country's decision to further tighten some of the strictest abortion laws in Europe, which now confirms a near-total ban on the practice. Outlawing the most common of the extremely limited legal grounds for terminating a pregnancy in Poland, the predominantly Catholic country’s government ruled abortion of malformed foetuses as unconstitutional on October 22. This is particularly horrifying given that the overwhelming majority (98%)...
Major retailers are ditching glitter this Christmas
In response to recent findings that biodegradable glitter is actually no better for the environment than traditional plastic options, major retailers are removing it from their products this festive season. Major British retailers have announced they’re committed to banning glitter from their own-brand festive products this Christmas. The move is part of a wider push from companies to drastically reduce the amount of plastic pollution brought about by celebrating the holidays,...
Recycled polyester may not be as sustainable as it seems
Although the fabric is considerably better for the planet than its virgin counterpart, it still generates fibrous micro-plastics which persist in the environment and never degrade. Green or greenwashing? This is the question environmentalists have begun asking with regards to recycled polyester (rPET), the man-made fabric with an obviously smaller carbon footprint than its virgin counterpart, but one that’s still far from sustainable. Currently, polyester accounts for more than 55% of...
The UK is considering an outright ban on fur sales post-Brexit
The move to completely ban the controversial material comes 20 years after the UK became the first country in the EU to prohibit fur farming. The time has finally come. Over the past few years, almost every top designer from Chanel to Prada has shed animal fur from their collections. Sugaring the pill, the state of California has outright banned it, Queen Elizabeth II has renounced it, and in February,...
Exclusive – Welcome to the world’s first-ever digital green carpet
This year, Eco-Age is moving its revolutionary Green Carpet Fashion Awards online, celebrating fashion's commitment to sustainability with an innovative, solution-based virtual event. In the past decade, sustainability consultancy firm Eco-Age has connected with fashion's biggest environmental innovators. Some of its recent collaborations include Candiani, an Italian production company that supplies sustainable denim for big fashion labels, and Diesel, which earlier this year launched a new upcycling collection that re-purposes old...
Converse’s All Stars programme is an engine for youth opportunity
The footwear giant is expanding its All Stars mentorship programme across the globe to guide young creatives in their careers. It’s never been more difficult for young creatives to follow their chosen career paths. The pandemic hasn’t made an already tumultuous path any smoother, with limited budgets, fewer paid opportunities, and a rise in competition now common across every profession. It’s not all bad news however, as brands like Converse...
Vollebak has successfully designed 100% biodegradable clothing
The innovative men's apparel brand has finally cracked the code, using wood pulp and pomegranate peel to create a compostable material that breaks down within just three months. Fast fashion has long-dominated the style landscape, providing an affordable and straightforward way for consumers to keep up with continually shifting trends. However, unlike the rapid nature of fashion fads - which come-and-go as quickly as TikTok challenges - the clothes and...
Exclusive – Keiser Clark is the men’s streetwear label promoting connection and creativity
We spoke with one-half of the cult-fashion brand about their work, the industry-wide push for more sustainability, and the value of using social media to start important conversations. Headed by Marc Keiser and Andrew Clark, Keiser Clark has made quite the name for itself since officially launching three years ago. Thanks to a range of one-of-a-kind leather jackets that stirred up quite the frenzy on social media, the label blew...
Burberry the first luxury brand to livestream a runway show on Twitch
Burberry has taken to Twitch to debut its SS21 collection in yet another step towards the fashion's integration in the world of gaming. Acknowledging that Gen Z is predicted to make up 60% of the entire luxury market by 2026, high-end fashion has been flocking to the world of gaming, eager to cash in on what is now a major platform for promoting cultural trends. And, in a move that...
