Are major fashion brands contributing to deforestation in the Amazon?
New research into the industry’s complex global supply chains has revealed that a number of well-known companies could be indirectly spurring the rainforest’s destruction. Post-Cop26, it’s no surprise that fashion – notorious for its substantial environmental impact – has been in the limelight. Yet while it’s undoubtedly progressive that the...
Current in Style
This desert is a dumping ground for fast fashion’s leftovers
Deep within Chile’s arid Atacama, new dunes are forming – not of sand, but of thousands of tonnes of unsold clothing from across the globe. By now, I’m sure you’re already well-aware that the world is literally drowning in clothes. Though recycling programmes have existed for decades now, with little...
Tiffany & Co. taps into hypebeast culture with Supreme collab
The luxury jewellery and homeware brand is looking to expand its consumer market beyond Upper East Side dwellers and soon-to-be-engaged Millennials this fall. When you think of Tiffany & Co., you’re likely to think of the dainty, classic, minimal aesthetic of the 1960s, emulated most famously by Audrey Hepburn. The brand...
Can livestream shopping survive in a post-lockdown world?
Early excitement about the potential of livestream shopping in the West is dwindling. Can the industry really take off now that the high street has opened up? During the pandemic, Western brands began experimenting with livestream shopping, a technology that contributed $4.4 billion USD to China’s economy in 2018. Lockdown or...
How can the UK reduce its levels of textile pollution?
The UK is the fourth biggest textile polluter in Europe, sending 350 million kilograms of wearable clothes to landfill every year. But a recent documentary highlights that fashion designers, textile makers, and consumers could come together to change that forever. ‘Our current consumption of clothing and trends is shaped by...
Who is Messy the COP Ness Monster?
Waterbear’s new denim draped sculpture, Messy the COP Ness Monster, aims to prove a circular economy is more tangible than her folklore inspiration. Ever noticed how the back-pocket of your jeans is shaped like a dragon scale? No? Luckily sustainability-focused streaming service WaterBear did, and they really ran with the...
Psychedelics are on course to be a catalyst for mass mental health
Poised to be the hottest new therapeutics since Prozac, psychedelics have come a long way since their hallucinogenic hippy heyday. Last year, upon discovering that a growing number of scientists had begun asking whether mind-altering drugs such as DMT, magic mushrooms, and LSD could help treat trauma, addiction, and depression, I posed a question: do psychedelics have the potential to transform mental health? Almost twelve months on, and the answer is...
Why has Lush decided to quit social media?
The cosmetics brand is deactivating four of its accounts until platforms ‘take action to provide a safer environment’ for users. In an increasingly connected world, the idea of a leading company quitting social media seems unthinkable. Alas, just this week, British cosmetics brand Lush announced its decision to quit Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat across all 48 of the countries it operates in. Part of its ‘Global Anti-Social Media Policy,’ the retailer...
H&M’s latest collection embodies sustainable glam
Made using a plethora of recycled and recyclable materials, Innovation Circular Design Story celebrates two themes: eco-friendliness and joy. Given that the majority of us spent the 2020 Christmas period indoors, it’s likely you’re looking forward to celebrating without lockdown restrictions this time around. If you’re gearing up to ditch last year’s sweatpants in favour of full glam for your annual office party – or even just a meander along...
Has fashion been adequately addressed at COP26?
Sustainability advocates have been urging world leaders to recognise the fashion industry’s role in resolving the climate crisis. Have their cries been heard? Despite its significant contribution to the climate crisis, fashion has been surprisingly absent from the conversation at this year’s COP26 summit. A quick comb through our daily live coverage of the event shows no mention of the world’s third most polluting industry whatsoever. For a...
