Fashion Comes Together to Fight Climate Change
The state of the climate is direr than ever. The Amazon rainforest has been burning for weeks, data has revealed faux fur may be worse for the environment than the real thing (thus complicating the fur-free fashion movement), and freak weather events keep happening right and left. Experts keep saying we have 12 years (or maybe even drastically less) to turn things around, and the reality is that even though going vegan and taking shorter showers will help to some degree, the type of change necessary requires major governments and companies to pitch in. So when 32 global fashion and textile companies announced they signed a new Fashion Pact in commitment to sustainability, it was a big deal.
Ahead of this past weekend's G7 meeting, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the agreement and invited representatives of each organization to the Elysée Palace. Talks for the Fashion Pact have been underway for months, as back in April Macron tasked Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault with bringing together fashion and textile leaders to reduce the industry's environmental footprint. And bringing together the industry is something Pinault has certainly accomplished, as the list of companies making a commitment is massive: in addition to Kering's portfolio (which includes the likes of Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Alexander McQueen), the coalition comprises Chanel, Burberry, Karl Lagerfeld, Ermenegildo Zegna, Prada, Hermès, and Stella McCartney, among many others. The combined impact truly adds up, so hopefully this will help to make a dent in the pile of work necessary to save the planet.
“The Fashion Pact is an unparalleled project signed by the most important fashion and luxury groups aiming to proactively act together for a sustainable world to build up a better future," Zegna said of being part of the new agreement. "I believe that joining our forces, we can reach remarkable achievements. As Zegna we are very proud to be part of the coalition, and I thank Mr. Francois Henri Pinault for the involvement."
The pact makes specific goals within its three essential areas of climate, biodiversity, and oceans in hopes of effecting concrete change. These include creating and deploying an action plan for achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, using science-based targets to restore natural ecosystems and protect species, and reducing the fashion industry's impact on oceans through initiatives like gradually nixing single-use plastics.
While sustainability has been a popular topic of discussion for a while in the fashion world, the new agreement marks unprecedented territory within the fashion world. There's never been such a large coalition of luxury fashion companies coming together for this cause, and while some politicians and brands still really need to help out, the Fashion Pact shows that corporations are finally starting to hear the urgent calls for adapting practices to save the planet. Hopefully, this means a long future ahead for the wild, younger generations, and even the major industries themselves—companies need to remember that if climate change goes too far, they too will be unable to survive. See the full list of organizations that signed onto the agreement below, and keep it in mind when bringing sustainability into your fashion choices.
The Fashion Pact Coalition Members
ADIDAS, BESTSELLER, BURBERRY, CAPRI HOLDINGS LIMITED, CARREFOUR, CHANEL, ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA, EVERYBODY & EVERYONE, FASHION3, FUNG GROUP, GALERIES LAFAYETTE, GAP Inc., GIORGIO ARMANI, H&M GROUP, HERMES, INDITEX, KARL LAGERFELD, KERING, LA REDOUTE, MATCHESFASHION.COM, MONCLER, NIKE, NORDSTROM, PRADA S.p.A., PUMA, PVH Corp., RALPH LAUREN, RUYI, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO, SELFRIDGES GROUP, STELLA MCCARTNEY, TAPESTRY