| Dear reader,
Performance wear is, by definition, expected to withstand whatever gets thrown at it. But many of the qualities consumers expect from the category — stretch and recovery, water repellence, moisture-wicking, and odor control — typically rely on synthetic fibers and potentially harmful chemical coatings, membranes, and treatments. Now, brands and fiber producers are attempting to move the needle by pursuing the same level of performance with natural or naturally derived fibers and safer, certified chemistry. But can they scale? Contributing editor Sophie Benson speaks with three early movers in the space on what it takes to make non-toxic performance wear happen at scale.
A rising number of dangerously hot days are hitting fashion factories, especially those concentrated in South and Southeast Asia, where extreme heat is most acute. As outlined in a report by New York University’s Stern Business School last week, heat stress — and not just climate change at large — is emerging as one of the biggest threats to fashion’s workforce. Elizabeth L. Cline investigates how fashion manufacturers are tackling extreme heat.
Finally, check out sustainability editor Bella Webb’s piece, How to Build a Winning Sustainability Team: a toolkit for creating the right system of incentives and influence to set sustainability teams up for success. Here, you will find a variety of sustainability archetypes and case studies to pick and choose from, depending on the scale and needs of your organization, including Tekla, Vivobarefoot, Reformation, Tapestry, Kering, and Veja.
Thanks for reading. |
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