Italian legendary designer Valentino Garavani, founder of his eponymous label Valentino, received last week the prestigious Legacy Award at the 2019 Green Carpet Fashion Awards, an event dubbed as the Oscars of sustainable fashion. 

The event celebrated Valentino’s contribution to sustainable fashion.

Let’s have an in-depth look at the new trend – the ethical or sustainable fashion – that has become on the industry’s top agenda. 

It is a new philosophy that advocates environment and social responsibility. Sustainable fashion is defined as clothing, shoes, bags, and other accessories that are manufactured through the most sustainable manners, taking into consideration both the environmental and socio-economic impacts. 

This new fashion trend aims to lower toxic waste as well as the amount of micro fibres released into the environment, support animal rights, contribute to less strain and waste on the planet’s resources. 

Fashion industry has a terrible environmental impact in the countries where garments are manufactured. The process of producing, spinning, and dyeing raw materials like cotton consumesenormous amounts of water, which unfortunately involves the usage of large quantities of pesticide and toxic dyes that leach into our ecosystem.

In addition, a recent report showed that global textile production releases 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually. This makes it a bigger contributor to greenhouse gases than international flights and overseas shipping combined.  

Another report released by the EU earlier in January said that only half of used clothes are recycled, and only 1% of these are turned into new clothes. The majority ends up in landfill or is incinerated. 

But a lot has changed over this year. 

2019 has been recognised as a year of awakening since fashion brands, retailers, and designers are pledging their hearts to the environment. Several luxurious fashion designers announced commitments to recasting the sustainable fashion in a more glamorous—and desirable—light. For instance, Burberry is coordinating with Elvis &Kresse, which rescues some of the nine tonnes of leather waste the brand is producing each month to make leather accessories using a modular patchwork system that means they are endlesslyrecyclable andrepairable.

Another initiative was announced on 23 August, when 32 fashion companies, involving some of world’s luxury labels such asHermes, Chanel, Prada, Stella Mccartney, and Ralph Lauren, as well as fast fashion players such as Zara and H&M, signed a Fashion Pact. 

Fashion Pact, a non-legally binding agreement to combat greenhouse gasses and emphasize sustainability in the industry, was announced at the G7 meetings in Biarritz, France. Signing the pact reflects global fashion companies’ commitment to create a more equitable future for every living being – working within the industry.    

The pact’s objectives focus on action in three key areas for safeguarding the planet; 

• Ending global warming: by deploying an action plan for achieving the zero greenhouse gas emissions target by 2050 to keep global warming below a 1.5°C pathway between now and 2100.

• Revive biodiversity: by restoring natural ecosystems and protect species.  

• Safeguard the oceans: by relieving the fashion industry’s negative impact on the oceans through for instance the gradual removal of the usage of single-use plastics.