![]() ![]() Nike says it believes “the future is circular” and is piloting repair and care solutions. “You can have all the impact reduction in the world go into the making of a sneaker but the fact the sole isn’t replaceable will always make that product disposable.” Their impact could be further maximised with circular business models such as repair services and spare parts, says Leach of Future Dust. These technical innovations are undoubtedly impressive. “The pressure, force and torque applied to performance wear is substantial.” “We’re designing for athletes who can be upwards of 300 pounds and seven feet tall,” says Cosmic Unity lead designer Ross Klein. Nike highlights that sustainability is a particular challenge in performance wear, pointing to the intensified wear and tear athletes’ shoes are subjected to. “We shouldn’t be looking for perfection or driving the idea that a product can be perfectly ethical,” adds Harriet Vocking, chief brand officer at sustainable fashion consultancy Eco-Age. ![]() The New Standard Institute, which issued a roadmap for rebuilding the fashion industry sustainably earlier this year, encourages brands to communicate impact reduction rather than making broad brushstroke claims about sustainability or ethics. From growing crops to dyeing and finishing textiles, materials account for approximately 80 per cent of Nike’s environmental footprint. It does not have a number for Cosmic Unity, but adds that its greatest environmental impact comes from materials. Nike says it does not calculate the carbon emissions of every product it makes as the process is “labour intensive”, but the average piece of athletic footwear uses 10kg of carbon, and the Space Hippie uses just 3.7kg. With Cosmic Unity, Nike says, the reduction in virgin materials results in a lower carbon footprint than standard Nike shoes. One style alone can contain up to 30 materials. Scandinavian brand Asket now has four styles with complete transparency, breaking down the cost, carbon impact and supply chain traceability in its “impact receipts”.įootwear is not well suited to transparency because it’s a comparatively complex product category. Vegan leather brand Been London collaborates with carbon offsetting startup Terra Neutra to measure the carbon impact of its bestselling bag, which it claims is 87 per cent less than comparable styles. New Zealand-American footwear brand Allbirds labels every product with the amount of carbon emissions incurred through its production, use and end-of-life. “Until that information is accurately and transparently available to everyone, we’ll be going round in circles.”Īn increasing number of brands are offering transparency. We need to know every component of every product,” he says. “We need labelling on apparel and footwear to mirror food and drink. Veja lists all of its materials, impacts and certifications. Leach points to French footwear brand Veja as an example of how brands can embrace radical transparency. When you communicate truthfully, the result is a lot more inspiring.” “These launches often have a lot of text and very little information, or the information is meaningless without further context. As a consultant, Leach works with media - the bridge between brand rhetoric and consumers - to digest and communicate new product launches marketed as sustainable. The key to earning consumer trust is to acknowledge shortfalls, says Alec Leach, founder of responsible fashion forum Future Dust. ![]()
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