Responsible Fashion

What if, this year for Christmas, you offered clothes and/or accessories with an additional message? That of eco-responsible manufacturing . The choice is vast. Here are a few ideas to give you some ideas.

Who still doesn't know that the fashion industry is one of the most polluting in the world? But there you have it, a fashion gift can't be replaced. So, we choose a chic product with a minimum impact on the environment. A fashion and clean gift . If the AGEC law (Anti-Waste and for the Circular Economy) wants to accelerate the change in production and consumption model to reduce waste and preserve natural resources, biodiversity and the climate , many initiatives have already been taken by companies , often French. Christmas is the ideal time to support them.

A word of advice: take your time before buying, look at the labels and find out about the origin of the materials , the method and places of manufacture.

An upcycled gift

Upcycling , a technique for reusing materials that appeared in 1994, has been enjoying growing success with consumers ever since. Now, we are trying to avoid throwing away by recovering and recycling materials to make new parts. While upcycling prevents waste from ending up in landfills, it also reduces air, water and soil pollution. In some cases, this process is part of a real virtuous circle with short circuit processes, reindustrialization, relocation and the preservation of real know-how. For example:

An elegant computer case

Saint-Lazare , a leather goods brand, is working hard to divert raw materials and accessories from end-of-life vehicles (e.g. seat belts) to recycle them and make pouches, card holders and bags. This start-up employs people made vulnerable by disabilities (ESAT) and works with local partnerships. The products are packaged in pouches made from waste, from the recycling of plastic bottles. Finally, it ensures the delivery of orders by bike or on foot, for a neutral carbon footprint. Remember: this computer pouch made in France is made from recycled car materials , but also from felt scraps that come from the inside of TGV trains .

© Saintlazare

A travel bag for setting sail

727 Sailbags has chosen to recycle old boat sails recovered from sailmakers and sailors. The products, which comply with Oeko-Tex standards, are manufactured according to certificates of conformity to environmental standards. A certificate indicates the life of the sail used, the part number and the number of products made with this same sail. The plus: you can choose a specific recycled sail to make the bag to offer. A great idea to set your sights on ecology.

Photo © Sailsbags

Solidarity socks

A wink gift for everyone, socks. But not just any socks, these have a very special story. Chaussettes Orphelines recycles old socks after collecting them (they can be dropped off at different depots or sent to the association), and unknitted to recover the fibers. Chaussettes Orphelines are then made from these different threads. But this concept is also a model of circular economy. Chaussettes Orphelines runs textile and creative techniques workshops for women in accommodation and social integration centers, and for underprivileged children to develop their dexterity. The socks are sorted in a socio-professional integration center. And the recycled socks purchased on the site are accompanied by a prepaid return label to send 500 grams of socks free of charge. A good idea when you know that 1 kg of recycled socks is 25 kg of CO2 and that it takes 1350 liters of water to make a pair of 60 gr cotton. Store: 2 rue des gardes, 75018 Paris.

Photo © Orphan Socks

Ethical sneakers

Sneakers, a real social phenomenon, represent one in two purchases in France in the shoe category. The problem? The manufacturing is not at all eco-friendly. But alongside the big brands that are making efforts, more than 150 eco-responsible brands have been created in France to offer more ethical models. Two French brands OTA (On The Asphalt) and Basus, one specializing in wear-resistant soles made from recycled tires and the other in the manufacture of clothing made from natural and recycled materials, especially cork with local and on-demand collections, have come together. They have made a pair of sneakers in cork leather and recycled tires with the Leather Working Group label, an organization that ensures compliance with environmental standards in the leather industry. The laces are made from recycled plastic.

Photo © Basus

An essential but more respectful gift

Jeans and T-shirts, iconic and essential pieces, are water guzzlers, spreaders of toxic products, and do not respect the rights of workers, who are often children. While cleaner initiatives are starting to be implemented, they still represent a tiny part of the global market. Offer a pair of cleaner jeans and/or T-shirts to support them and highlight your commitment.

Cleaner jeans

Cotton growing, spinning, weaving, dyeing, washing, mind-boggling life cycle, the production of a single pair of jeans is an environmental disaster. Imagine that a single pair can travel up to 65,000 km with 20 to 40 kg of CO2 emissions. Three recent initiatives:

• Chevrons , a young French company, sources the most natural and responsible raw materials to manufacture its Eco Denim jeans and jackets. As proof, the brand has completed a single tour of France, all transport included. The company uses 60% recycled cotton and 40% GOTS-certified organic cotton and saves 80% water compared to a classic pair of jeans. 97% of the final price of this made in France purchase goes back to the French economy and 150 jeans sold finance an annual job in our territory. And you can participate by giving your opinion on the next creations.
• Even less greedy with 90% water saved and manufactured without chemicals with laser fading technology, Ace Denim jeans. The brand opposes the rhythm of traditional collections and offers a single model with a unique cut in a limited quantity of 700 pieces.
• Note that the Lee brand offers the 100% recyclable gold & bronze jeans certified Cradle to Cradle in collaboration with Artistic Milliners, a leading organization in the transformation of fashion. This production involves quality of materials and reuse, renewable energy, carbon and water management, and social justice. These jeans are made of organic cotton, with 58% less water, in a factory that produces solar energy.

A more respectable t-shirt

Cotton, which provides a quarter of the raw materials used in textiles, is a disaster for the environmental impact. This explains the birth of organic cotton in 2005 by the Max Havelaar association, which avoids the depletion of the earth due to this intensive cultivation. To be favored, linen , which is a biodegradable material that requires little water to grow, or the more virtuous Tencel. And above all, don't forget that an eco-responsible t-shirt is above all a t-shirt that keeps for a long time. So offer a classic and high-quality model to make it a sustainable gift. Discover:

• The clean T-shirt : a collection for men and women in organic or recycled cotton, linen and soon hemp, without chemicals or insecticides, colored with a dye certified oeko-tex 100 and certified Gots. In addition, the waste water for manufacturing is recycled. Easy maintenance with a 30 ° wash and no need to iron. It is sent without plastic packaging.

• To be spoilt for choice, the Fairytale . eco site offers different brands of organic and eco-friendly t-shirts for women: different cuts and colors, organic cotton, Tencel or hemp. The ethical and transparent approach provides a description of each material, its place of production and the associated labels.

The second-hand market is experiencing a real boom. According to a study by the Boston Consulting Group, it should even grow by 15 to 20% per year over the next five years. So much so that ready-to-wear brands and major retailers now offer their own second-hand service. We are not yet at the point of opening a shopping center exclusively dedicated to second-hand goods like in Sweden (ReTuna), but the offer is growing month after month.

Second-hand sites that have made the market explode

The second-hand market is booming, and the trend is particularly strong in the fashion sector. Thus, according to the Natixis Payments Observatory, the number of second-hand clothing purchases increased by 140% in 2021 compared to 2019! Kantar, which has conducted a study on this vintage fashion market for two years in a row, estimates it at 1.160 billion euros. More than one in four French people (29%) of purchasing age have already bought at least one second-hand item.

Obviously, resale sites and applications play a large part in this growing success. Thus, leboncoin brings together 29 million unique visitors each month. It is the most visited French site. As for Vinted , it is the second favorite E-commerce site of the French according to Foxintelligence. The Lithuanian platform for resale between individuals has become in a few years the third E-commerce site in France in terms of traffic, behind Amazon and Cdiscount, ahead of Fnac and Veepee (formerly Vente Privée). Last example, Beebs , a site specializing in the purchase and sale of second-hand goods for babies and children, has seen a 54% increase in sales since September.
There are two main reasons why consumers choose second-hand goods. According to a study carried out at the end of 2020 for the Oney bank, the price criterion is the primary motivation for 86% of French people, closely followed (78%) by environmental conditions.

Cyrillus and Petit Bateau, pioneers on their site

There are thousands of ads for Petit Bateau or Cyrillus items on Vinted. These brands have realized that it might be better to organize these sales themselves. In 2017, Petit Bateau opened a dedicated space in its application. The brand serves as a host for ads from individuals, who arrange between themselves for the sending and payment of the items. Of course, only the brand's products can be found there. Same concept on the Cyrillus side with its “Seconde Histoire” service, a dedicated site that hosts ads from individuals. Sellers have two options: get the money back or opt for a Cyrillus gift card. To encourage users to choose the voucher, Cyrillus increases the sale amount by 50%.
Originally, these brands offered this service to enrich their community and show that their items are of such quality that they can live several lives. A true sustainable fashion concept, while hoping to channel this anarchic market.

The Mulliez group on the front line

In the stores of the Mulliez galaxy, second-hand goods were quickly established.

Auchan opened the ball

The mass retailer launched its first experimental corners in February 2020 in five stores. The success was such that more than 120 Auchan stores had a second-hand corner by 2021. You can find all brands there, including Zara and H&M, at low prices. To do this, the brand has partnered with the French company Patatam, a startup created in 2013. The company supplies clothing stocks to Auchan – which it buys from individuals at very low prices and resells, after sorting, at a higher price in supermarket aisles – and also collects those entrusted by customers thanks to the collection section. Customers come to drop off their clothes, of any brand, at Auchan. For each bag dropped off, they receive a €5 voucher to be used in the clothing department.

The turn of specialist brands

After Auchan and Kiabi, the Pimkie and Jules brands have also opened corners in partnership with Eureka Fripes, the international leader in the sale of second-hand items in B to B and founder of the Kiloshop concept. Pimkie was inspired by this since women's clothing stores have chosen to sell these second-hand clothes by the kilo, in their ReLove corners.
The men's clothing brand Jules chose the name Rewear for its spaces, the first of which was inaugurated at the entrance to the Lille point of sale, followed by Nice, Angers, Reims, Brest and Lyon. These corners host second-hand items from all brands (Nike, Champion, Adidas), in the denim, sportswear and streetwear categories. In 2020, the company also signed a partnership with Le Relais for the collection of clothing: the brand's customers can drop off their used items in 500 boxes installed in Jules points of sale.

Everyone wants their tab or corner

Faced with this consumer craze, many other brands, such as Bocage Gemo, Camaieu, Promod, C&A or Eram have converted to second-hand clothing. The windfall is such that traditional brands no longer really have a choice.

Like Auchan, Leclerc, Cora and Carrefour have set up second-hand corners in some of their stores: Leclerc had 25 “Leclerc Occasion” points of sale in 2020. The distributor aimed to open more than a hundred — the Covid-19 pandemic has complicated its plans a little. Recently, Galeries Lafayette and Printemps have opened spaces dedicated to vintage and second-hand items. Luxury is not left out since brands like Burberry, JM Weston and Gucci also offer second-hand items.

The big names in the web, former mail order companies or multi-brands are not left out. In December 2020, La Redoute launched its own space for exchanging second-hand products between individuals, called “La Reboucle” and accessible on its portal or app. The fashion platform Spartoo lists several thousand second-hand clothes on the marketplace of its French site with the help of the specialized service provider Patatam. Cdiscount had already launched this service, like Zalando, the European leader in online ready-to-wear sales.

Beyond Clothes

But the fashion sector is not the only one to convert. Leroy Merlin has just launched its resale service, called “Second-hand products”. The sports brand Decathlon has long set up Trocathlon (an annual and ephemeral operation for the recovery and resale of equipment) and has strengthened its system, since we have found more and more corners dedicated to second-hand goods in stores for two years, as well as a site, Occasions.Decathlon.fr with a large part of the ads dedicated to bicycles. Système U is testing the sale of second-hand products in the household appliances, bazaar, culture and multimedia departments. Carrefour Occasion was opened in partnership with Cash Converters and Cora, with Easy Cash. Delsey launched the first platform dedicated to second-hand suitcases and travel bags, sold after being reconditioned. Since July, French Ikea stores have been offering the reservation of second-hand furniture available at their store on the brand's website.

Bringing people back and generating sales

In a context of a crisis in the number of customers visiting major retailers, in favor of local shops, Drive and online sales (all accentuated by Covid), traditional distributors have the ambition not to let Le boncoin or Vinted capture the market.

Persuading Senior Consumers

Finding second-hand items in the same stores as new products removes obstacles for senior consumers, who will never go through a platform. The store keeps a reassuring side for them, and assures them of quality and hygiene.

Generate traffic again

Having a second-hand corner is not an alternative to new products, it is an imperative that creates traffic by attracting a younger clientele. Second-hand sections generate strolling in the store. They even increase the number of visits: one to drop off a product, the other to buy it!
The aim is therefore to boost attendance, sales and image as much as – or even more than – reducing their environmental footprint.

Generate sales

Second-hand sales are always seen as a service, but behind this desire for circularity often lies the - antagonistic - ambition to generate new sales, since the fruits of sales can be recovered in cash or in vouchers, increased by 20% at Kiabi, 25% at La Redoute, 30% for Promod or Maison 123. However, 60% of customers opt for the voucher. QED.

As we can see, the second-hand market is far from having more sustainable and environmentally friendly consumption as its sole motive. On the consumer side, the argument is often as much economic as ecological, linked to purchasing power. On the brand and retailer side, the arguments are multiple. For brands with a certain prestige, it is a question of proving the quality of their items, capable of living several lives, of managing their brand image and of channeling the sales of their products, both second-hand and first-hand. For large retailers, the goal is to capture a share of the market, in particular to bring people back to these large stores that have been somewhat neglected in times of economic and health crisis, and to seek out new consumers - lovers of vintage at low prices - in the hope of building their loyalty.

We would like to answer with a categorical no, to affirm that mentalities have definitely changed, that new entrepreneurs like today's consumers are concerned by sustainable development above all...

Is fashion virtuous?

For several years, the brands that have taken off in France are those that have adopted sustainable values : Le Slip Français, Sézane, Veja… Especially in the jeans and sneakers sectors, young shoots are bearers of ethical values , looking for Made In France, short circuits, with organic or recycled raw materials. And it works!

They have managed to attract new consumers, particularly Millennials, no doubt through their disruptive values, but perhaps above all – let's not kid ourselves – through their trendy products, their offbeat discourse and communication, and inspiring storytelling, very much in tune with the times.

Would these brands have achieved such success by simply asserting their sustainable development values? Undoubtedly not. To judge this, one only has to look at the fate reserved for a few organic textile brands without further discourse. Finally, it is important to emphasize one essential point: these brands are aimed at populations who have – or are giving themselves – the means to buy items whose average price is much higher than the average.

On the other hand, faced with the growing demand <44% of people aged 17 to 26 say they want increased use of eco-friendly fabrics in fashion >, more and more major brands are launching into the marketing of certified organic or ethical products. According to a study by the IFM (French Fashion Institute), these brands, often from large groups, are adopting the eco trend to improve their image (83%) or increase their turnover (65%). More virtuous, certainly, but also out of opportunism. And what can we say when we know that the same study reveals that only 8% of textile brands consider sustainable development as a priority.

It must be accessible to all budgets

2020 was a dark year for the clothing sector. While online sales outperformed (+42%), overall turnover is said to have fallen by 55%. Added to this cyclical crisis is a worrying structural figure: the household budget allocated to clothing consumption fell by ten points between 1990 and 2020.
The purchase of clothes – considered a non-priority – is heavily dependent on household budgets. And when the budget is tight, the first thing we look at is the price.
Indeed, according to the IFM, 58% of total sales made on the web are on products with crossed-out prices. In 2020, the big winners in clothing purchases were Vinted, Vestiaire Collective, Veepee and Showroomprivé, second-hand or clearance sites, sites also popular with Millennials. As for the younger generation, with an even tighter budget, they do not hesitate to buy on sites like Shein or to buy from Fast Fashion. For the majority of them, sustainability and ethics remain very secondary issues.
However, most ethical brands have included among their values ​​the refusal of incessant promotions such as Black Friday, private sales and others.

Opportunistic entrepreneurs

Result: alongside brands with ethical values, many mini labels are appearing that work on a just-in-time basis by "customizing" pre-designed clothes purchased at low prices from the same suppliers as those in Fast Fashion. This is also one of the models recommended to young entrepreneurs who would like to launch their fashion brand.
And this is all the more so since one of the markets that has performed best recently is that of streetwear, which is not the most ethical there is. Many sites or shops offer t-shirts or sweatshirts made in Asia or the Maghreb, customized on demand on site.
It is therefore much easier and more profitable to launch a label that uses the resources of Fast fashion, but the communication of trendy labels: small productions, in a tight flow or on demand, at very affordable prices. Even if it only lasts for a while, and changes the concept according to trends.

Long live Metamode!

Solving the problem of overconsumption, exploitation of natural and human resources, while supporting creation and still selling clothes - for the moment expensive - is a done deal with virtual . It may seem surreal, and yet, 2020 saw the explosion of virtual fashion. And the announcement of the creation of Metaverses by Jerry Zuckerberg (ex Facebook became Meta), but also other players of the web of the future, as is already the case on the game Fortnite, promises a bright future for digital fashion.
In our pajamas at home, we will be able to create avatars who will wear clothes chosen, or even co-created and purchased online.
The Fabricant, a pioneer of virtual fashion, created Iridescence in 2019, the first virtual dress, which sold for $9,500 at auction. And collaborates with many names in fashion, such as Under Armour and Puma, to create screenwear . Here, no seasons or surplus, but creative, even crazy clothes, where Fashion takes back its values.
And as The Fabricant's creator says: "Digital fashion production generates less than 10% of the carbon emissions in its life cycle (0.7g CO2) compared to a physical garment (8g CO2). Digital fashion will never end up in landfills, never generate plastic waste, and never contribute to water pollution."

It therefore seems difficult to create only ethical and sustainable fashion brands. Because these require a certain purchasing power from buyers that the vast majority – especially the youngest, who are the biggest consumers of clothing – do not have.
On the other hand, with the advent of digital fashion, should we expect a future where we would only wear ecological, sober and utilitarian physical clothing and where creativity and eccentricity would take place in digital universes? Utopia or dystopia, it's up to you.

Anyone who has ever seen the photographs taken in 1986 by Sebastião Salgado in the Serra Pelada gold mine in the state of Pará, Brazil, will never look at his jewels in the same way again. Illustrating modern servitude and the working conditions in these immense gold mines, these photos leave a lasting impression. And the same can be said of diamonds, which are much less glamorous after seeing the film Blood Diamond (starring Leonardi di Caprio, released in 2006) than Breakfast at Tiffany's (starring Audrey Hepburn).

Mining of precious stones and metals can have catastrophic consequences for the environment and humans. This is why, for about twenty years, major jewelry brands and new market entrants, with the support of professional confederations and NGOs, have been trying to clean up this industry by choosing suppliers who have changed their production methods and ensure better traceability.

Gold, an extraction with dark consequences

Costly extraction of natural resources

2500 tons of gold per year are processed to make jewelry. However, gold mining is one of the most polluting activities and requires large quantities of ore for poor results. According to the ARM (Alliance for Responsible Mining), to extract 20g of gold, 70 tons of material are returned including 50 tons of soil, consuming 50,000 liters of water, and releasing 430kg of CO2, not to mention the mercury and cyanide used as solvents for extraction in industrial mines that supply 90% of the market.

Extremely polluting and destructive

The largest gold mines are said to be dumping up to 1,900 tonnes of cyanide into the environment each year. These practices are causing pollution of rivers and the destruction of entire ecosystems.

The consequences can be just as disastrous when the contaminated water retention basins give way, as in Romania in January 2000 or in Brazil in 2015. In 2019, the rupture of a dam in Brazil caused a tsunami of toxic mud (iron ore), which flooded the Minas Gerais region, causing several deaths and an ecological disaster .

In French Guiana, the Montagne d'Or project – in the heart of the Amazon rainforest – was also to use the retention basin technique. This project planned to operate the largest open-pit mine in France from 2022. In May 2019, the executive deemed the Montagne d'Or mine project incompatible with France's environmental requirements.

The fact remains that the rejection of the Montagne d'Or project does not solve the problem of illegal gold panning. The Gendarmerie estimates that there are 10,000 illegal gold panners on 500 sites. To separate the gold flakes from the mud, they use mercury, some of which is released into the environment.

And socially impactful

The use of chemical components also has an impact on workers and local populations. The former are in direct contact with toxic products, the latter suffer from the pollution of their natural resources. Thus, villages in Africa, located around artisanal mining operations, are directly affected: cultivation and fishing can no longer be practiced.

Finally, working conditions are a problem: child labour, unsafe structures, low wages.

Labels for clean gold: Fairmined, Fairtrade

Among the labels developed for more ethical gold, two stand out: Fairmined, issued by a Colombian NGO, and Fairtrade launched by the Swiss Max Havelaar Foundation. These labels guarantee the traceability of gold, with extraction conditions that limit, or even eliminate, the use of harmful chemicals. It is also a question of respecting labor rights within the operations, and guaranteeing decent wages, even within small artisanal operations. The Minamata Convention , signed in 2013, more firmly regulates the use of mercury for gold extraction. While Fairmined or Fairtrade gold only generates an additional cost of 10 to 12%, production remains extremely limited: a few hundred kilos per year, while global gold production is 3,300 tonnes.

Recycled gold increasingly used

Gold is a resource that is running out, and its stocks are limited. However, it is estimated that there is enough gold already mined to meet the needs of the jewellery industry for the next 50 years. Therefore, jewellers concerned about traceability mainly use recycled gold and players certified by the “RJC” (Responsible Jewellery Council) organisation, which has developed a reference standard for the entire supply chain.

This recycled gold generates almost no additional cost, and it is also gold that has already had a life, in the form of jewelry or inside an electronic component. Since January 1, 2016, it is no longer possible to directly recycle gold from individuals; the operation must be the subject of a gold buyback before it can be used in the manufacture of the new jewelry. The gold recovery price then includes the costs related to its refining to return it to its original pure state before using it to create a new alloy.

Diamonds, traceability facilitated by the concentration of the sector

The end of "Blood Diamonds"

Conflict diamonds became an alarming subject with the civil war in Angola from the 1970s and then with the conflict in Sierra Leone in the late 1990s. NGOs then discovered how rebel groups, UNITA (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola) and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in Sierra Leone financed their bloody raids thanks to the extraction of diamonds in mines they had taken control of.

In May 2000, at the instigation of the UN, a summit brought together producer countries that wished to join (its members now represent more than 99% of the world's diamond production), the diamond industry and NGOs in the mining town of Kimberley, South Africa. This summit then initiated the Kimberley Process, concluded in 2003, which established a certification system tracing the origin and guaranteeing – in theory – that no rough diamond is a "conflict diamond". In Switzerland, the Swiss Jewellers and Goldsmiths' Union (UBOS) developed a code of conduct for traders in 2006. Other verification and traceability systems exist: Forevermark to clearly distinguish natural, untreated diamonds from conflict-free locations, and Everledger, a secure registry that establishes the supply chain of each gem with strict certification in a digital safe.

Regulation favored by concentration

Two facts have allowed the Kimberley Process to become firmly established.

The Belgian diamond company De Beers, which in the late 1990s held a quasi-monopolistic position on the market. It produced around 45% of diamonds and sold almost 80% of the world's production, which gave it an important regulatory role. And the fact that diamonds still pass through a few well-known exchanges, the most important being in Antwerp (still 50% of world production), ahead of Tel Aviv, New York and London.

A strong environmental impact

It is important because the sector needs space, a lot of water and energy. If the amount of pollutants used in the stone treatment process is almost insignificant - especially in comparison with gold - diamonds weigh on the environment . Digging a pit the volume of 26,000 Olympic swimming pools - as is the case for the Victor mine, in Attawapiskat, in the Canadian Far North, operated by De Beers - is not insignificant for the balance of an ecosystem. But for the past 15-20 years, in addition to the Kimberley Process, diamond cutters have made significant progress in terms of responsible and transparent practices.

The study commissioned from Trucost, a subsidiary of S&P Global, by the Diamond Producers Association (DPA), an organization that represents 75% of global production, dissects the impact on nature of these large diamond mines in Canada, Botswana, Australia and Russia.

According to the report, the activities of mining companies producing natural diamonds emitted an average of 160 kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO2) for every 1 carat of diamond produced in 2016. They claim to pay their miners, who are locals, 66% more than the local wage and invest in social and education programs. However, the report acknowledges that to reduce the environmental impact, the sector will need to further adopt renewable energy , increase the recycling of mining waste produced on sites, and continue to improve safety.

Precious stones, difficult to “clean”

A fragmented sector, difficult to regulate

For coloured gemstones, the issue is different. While the industry is working to establish international standards, the challenge lies in how the vast majority of coloured gemstones are mined. Mining of coloured gemstones is on a smaller scale than diamonds – 47 countries are involved – and there may be as many as 30 million artisanal miners, including around 2 million children. It is also linked in some countries, notably Colombia, to funding conflict. Moreover, the scarcity of rubies and emeralds makes it difficult to identify commercially viable sources and large-scale production almost impossible. Regulation of working methods in mines is therefore complicated.

A test of supervision

In 2010, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), in cooperation with the Vienna International Institute of Justice and the International
Colored Gemstones Association, has created a public-private partnership to improve transparency, regulation, working conditions and sustainability in the gemstone supply chain from mine to export markets. Brands participating in the initiative include Cartier, Bulgari, Dior, Tiffany & Co., Gemfields and countries such as Myanmar (Burma), Kenya, Colombia, Brazil, Madagascar, Mozambique, Sri Lanka and Tanzania, with many more invited to join.

Synthetic stones, the solution?

Identical structures

Faced with the scarcity of natural resources, but also and above all, with the demand of younger people, more concerned about environmental issues, but also about price, the demand for synthetic stones has increased sharply in recent years.

Artificial diamonds are not new. The process of manufacturing artificial stones began in the early 20th century, but their arrival on the jewelry market is more recent. While diamonds from mines are the result of thousands of years of natural processes, those from laboratories are created in just a few weeks. Made from carbon, they display the same structure, the same physical, chemical and optical characteristics, the same hardness and brilliance as traditional diamonds, but they have less impact on nature. Certified synthetic diamonds are sold for 40% less.

• In France, Jeweler Courbet is the specialist, with Millennials in its sights, who are more sensitive to the conditions of extraction of natural stones.
• In 2018, the world number 1 in diamonds, De Beers, also chose to focus on synthetic diamonds through its Lightbox Jewelry brand launched in the United States at much more affordable prices, while continuing to exploit natural stones within the Diamond Producers Association (DPA).
• A few years ago, Pomellato was a pioneer by releasing the “Rouge Passion” collection with scarlet synthetic stones.
• Swarowski has unveiled a fine jewelry line made from ethical Peruvian white gold and cultured diamonds,
• In May 2021, Danish company Pandora decided to abandon mined diamonds in favor of synthetic ones.

A controversial assessment

The Trucost study revealed that the greenhouse gas emissions of synthetic stones are estimated at 511 kilograms of CO2 for 1 carat of diamonds, or 3 times more than a natural diamond. Synthetic stones do not exploit nature, but require a very large amount of energy for their production. Hence a controversy launched by the natural diamond industry.

Because while some manufacturers are starting to use renewable energy, particularly in California, this is not the case in India or China, where fossil fuels largely prevail. And Courbet, who presents himself as an “ecological jeweler,” claims a negligible carbon footprint, thanks to energy of nuclear origin in France, solar in the United States and hydraulic in Russia. The two camps have not finished opposing each other.

Brands that are committed

All the major jewelers have now put their collections in order, challenged by new arrivals.

The great transparent jewelers

• Chopard launched its Green Carpet collection in 2013, the first high-end jewellery line with Fairmined gold and ethical stones, and extended it to all its jewellery in 2018, committing to acquiring its precious metal from responsible suppliers, meeting the best environmental and social standards, artisans from small mining communities attached to official organisations, via the Fairmined and Fairtrade programmes, or from a refinery in the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) sector.
• At LVMH, all brands in the watches & jewelry sector (Bvlgari, Tiffany & Co., Chaumet, Fred, Dior, Hublot, Tag Heuer) are RJC certified. In 2017, 98.5% of diamonds purchased were RJC certified.
• Bulgari obtained the Chain of Custody certification set up by the RJC for gold in 2015.
• The Cartier group (Richemont group) has submitted all its diamond purchases to the Kimberley Process Guarantees system since 2003 and was certified in 2011 by the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC).
• The Kering group (Boucheron, Pomellato, Dodo, Gucci) has the objective of reaching 100% responsible gold by 2025, coming from several eligible sources that combine RJC's Chain of Custody certified gold with gold from Fairmined or Fairtrade certified artisanal mines. Or from mines that have banned the use of mercury in their extraction processes.
• Wanting to go beyond sourcing, La Maison Cartier, Kering and the Responsible Jewellery Council launched the Watch and Jewellery Initiative 2030 in October 2021, which brings together players in the watch and jewellery sector who want to commit to a set of ambitious and common objectives in three areas: strengthening climate resilience, preserving resources and promoting inclusion.

The new brands:

Many brands are emerging, which promote short circuits, upcycling, recycling, and artisanal know-how. In the tradition of the British Cred, a pioneer since 1996, with Fairmined and Fairtrade gold and recycled stones, we can cite in France: JEM (Jewellery Ethically Minded, Fairmined gold), but also Douze Paris (recycled gold, authenticated stones), DFLY (synthetic diamonds and 18K recycled gold ), Courbet (recycled gold and synthetic diamonds), Héloïse & Abélard (recycled gold and second-hand diamonds), Elise Tsikis (recycled 24k gold, short and controlled circuit). To name just a few.

In terms of jewelry, conflicts in the countries where the deposits were located triggered a shift in the 1990s, leading to better regulation of provenance and traceability. They allowed these industries to take a fairly early turn towards a sustainable, ethical, social and environmental policy, reinforced by the demands of a new generation of luxury consumers . The fact remains that mining operations, even when better regulated, denature the soil and disrupt the landscape in a lasting way.

When we think of Fast Fashion, we think of clothing. However, its methods and its flaws have also reached the jewelry sector. Fast fashion brands almost all have their own jewelry section, not to mention the dedicated brands that have been created. And if everything exists in this universe, from the mega company to the smallest artisan, finding a totally clean costume jewelry is still very complicated.

Jewelry has become a cheap accessory

Gone are the days when people only had one or two pieces of jewelry, valuable and often family heirlooms, that they only wore on special occasions. Not to mention the famous short story "La Parure" by Maupassant (where the wife of a simple employee goes into debt for life to buy back a set of jewelry that was lent to her and that she lost).

From “fake jewelry” to costume jewelry

In the 17th century, wealthy families regularly had copies of their jewelry made from less precious metals and glass paste. In the 19th century, with the rise of the bourgeoisie, "gold plating" was created. Then, Coco Chanel created the first "fake jewelry" in the 1930s, with semi-precious stones, fake pearls, rhinestones and ribbons.

But it was the Second World War, a period when precious metals became scarce, then the Trente Glorieuses, which led to the rise of costume jewelry, no longer as a copy of precious jewelry, but as a creation in itself.

In the 60s and 70s, when women's wardrobes were revolutionized by ready-to-wear, mini-skirts and flower power, jewelry became ethnic or pop, colorful and original, with geometric shapes, in metal, amber, bakelite or plastic.
Jewelry is no longer seen as a social marker, but as an everyday and accessible object, and also an expression of one's personality.

The turn of the 21st century: fast jewelry

You only need to walk around a shopping centre to be tempted. From Claire's to Moa, Lovissa to H&M, and sometimes to Accessorize, you are faced with an overabundance of tempting and colourful items that are highly Instagrammable. From rings to earrings, sometimes offered in packs of 10 or 20, bought on impulse at unbeatable prices, some of which will not last the week, or will give your skin an unappealing verdigris colour!

China's entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001 caused the same movement for jewelry as for fashion. Many costume jewelry brands now manufacture in China or Bangladesh, with India keeping luxury costume jewelry with semi-precious stones. If the design office is in France or any other Western country, production is outsourced. The law of lowest cost prevails.
Costume jewelry has become a cheap object, manufactured in abundance, in a very short time, with the same deplorable working conditions and the same cheap labor as for clothing. It is now a simple fashion accessory, with constantly renewable collections, interchangeable... and disposable.

Jewelry that is not very durable or even dangerous

While there is now a plethora of information on manufacturing conditions, origin and traceability in jewelry and fine jewelry, it must be emphasized that it is much more complex to find information on the manufacturing of costume jewelry and its impact.
The websites of major retailers and more high-end brands often have no information on any CSR policy , and very often you can't even find the materials used there – or on the jewelry packs in stores.
And as a result, it is especially when incidents come to light that we see the other side of the story.

Deceptive, sometimes toxic jewelry

Costume jewelry is subject to specific regulations, given the toxicity of lead, nickel and cadmium. Lead is classified by the WHO as one of the 10 chemicals of serious concern to public health. Cadmium can cause problems with the liver and respiratory system, and is considered carcinogenic. Despite this, we regularly find costume jewelry that does not comply with European standards.

The DGCCRF investigation

In 2016, the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control looked into the costume jewelry sector, particularly its way of communicating, the validity of the information provided and, above all, the effects of this jewelry on consumers' health. A total of 758 manufacturers, specialized brands, wholesalers, manufacturing workshops and artisan resellers on the markets were scrutinized. In a second phase, the DGSE services more specifically checked 144 products: nature of the components (stones, metals, pearls, colored glass, etc.) and dangerousness. In the end, more than 30% of the products were found to be non-compliant. The most serious being the presence of heavy metals and/or allergenic substances in a third of them. The concentrations of lead, cadmium and/or nickel were higher than those recommended by regulatory standards. So much so that these jewels were declared "dangerous" to health. For 11 of the samples, anomalies appeared between the indicated composition and the actual composition: "stone" for reconstituted stone, "gold plated" for a layer of gold less than 3 microns, "crystal" for glass, "pearl" for imitation pearls, etc.

The study of 60 million consumers

In 2018, the magazine analyzed 12 pairs of earrings and eight bracelets sold in stores such as Asos, Balaboosté, Claire's, Forever 21, H&M and Primark. The investigation showed the presence of lead, cadmium and nickel, but fortunately in quantities below the regulations.

Ban on the sale of the Wish brand

At the end of 2021, the delisting of the American online sales platform Wish was requested by the French fraud prevention services. After analysis of the 140 products sold on Wish, 90% of electrical appliances were deemed dangerous, as were 62% of costume jewelry due to the presence of heavy metals, and 45% of toys.

Polluting raw materials

But even when these products are compliant, safe for the consumer, this does not necessarily mean that they are sustainable. Even jewelry from small designers, manufactured in compliance, uses materials extracted or produced in a polluting way for some.

Brass and zinc, the most common metals

Brass has been used since prehistoric times for ornamental objects. Today, it has a special place in the manufacture of quality costume jewelry, because it offers many advantages. Also called "yellow copper", this alloy gets its yellow color from zinc and its strength from copper. In addition to its strength and color, it is resistant to corrosion and salt water. Finally, it does not cause any contact allergies. However, it is brass that sometimes leaves these greenish deposits on the fingers. Indeed, brass corrodes in the presence of humidity, chloride, ammonia and certain acids. When copper reacts to form copper sulfide, and if it is very exposed to slightly acidic water (rainwater, chlorinated showers, perspiration, etc.), it oxidizes in the air to form a patina of green-blue copper sulfate. Cheap brands prefer zinc, which is much cheaper.

Copper, the cause of an environmental and human disaster

Although the copper and zinc required for brass are far from the energy costs and CO2 emissions associated with the production of gold, silver or platinum – which are breaking all records – the fact remains that these two metals are not without consequences.
Copper, whose extraction has exploded in recent years – more in connection with the need for semiconductors for electronics than for jewelry – has caused an environmental disaster, particularly in Chile. Indeed, the economy of this country depends heavily on its copper exports. However, the copper content of the ore, which was 1.34% in 1990, gradually fell to 0.61% in 2018. This phenomenon, which explains why it is necessary to extract more and more and deeper to obtain the necessary quantity, is only increasing with the energy transition. Mining waste is accumulating. Arsenic and sulfuric acid, which are used for the extraction of copper, are dumped into the fields, water and air. They kill plants, livestock and even humans. This mining industry, which is very important for Chile, causing water pollution and the drying up of rivers, leads to the displacement of the population. Hence the appearance of ghost towns which have been multiplying in a worrying way over the last 20 years.

Plastic, not fantastic

Costume jewelry is often made of colored plastic. We will not go back over the enormous environmental impact of plastic, both in its production as a derivative of petroleum, and by its pollution at the end of its life. These small-format jewels, which end up in the trash, are not currently recyclable. A huge economic and environmental waste.

The only sustainable jewelry: recycling and upcycling

Beware of false sustainability

Indeed, we can see many small jewelry brands displaying statements that are close to "greenwashing". One of the most common is the statement "handmade" which in no way qualifies the traceability and non-polluting origin of the raw material, nor even the production in decent conditions. In addition, "handmade", in China or India, in no way guarantees a decent salary and good working conditions. Moreover, apart from industrially produced junk items, the majority of jewelry is "handmade".

Recycling of raw materials

However, more and more retailers and brands have made efforts by making commitments on their supply chains by joining initiatives such as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition , Greenpeace Detox Campaign or by adopting FSC packaging. Furthermore, as with gold and silver, we see a growing interest among young brands for recycled materials: wood, zinc or bioplastics.

Upcycling, a unique jewel

Here again, it is generally artisanal brands that offer it. We can see upcycled jewelry from jewelry or branded objects, like at Gigiparis , a collective of antique dealers and designers, who offer jewelry from buttons from major brands (Chanel, Saint Laurent) found. The same at Les Trouvailles de Romy , HLife Création or Herez Paris . Between recycling and upcycling, we then create from what already exists without chemical processes. And we obtain a unique piece of jewelry.

But we are also seeing an explosion in the range of jewelry made from "waste." In addition to earrings made from upcycled Nespresso capsules, we can mention the pretty earrings from the Cohbo brand, created in Le Havre from marine waste recovered from the beach and peeling graffiti paint that has fallen on blockhouses. Fanny Inserra, a young designer from Lille, imagines models created from scraps of plexiglass from a local company, and from second-hand and salvaged pieces. There are many examples.

Costume jewelry has followed the same path as fashion with the emergence of Fast Jewelry, products quickly produced, at low prices, quickly consumed and quickly thrown away. But as in fashion, a new trend is emerging, with young brands having a more sustainable and responsible vision and interesting initiatives.

Fast fashion, that is to say the unbridled production of clothing by large global chains, is causing ecological havoc that urgently needs to be reduced. Faced with the giants of disposable fashion, only our consumer choices can make a difference. Resistance to fast fashion, instructions in 5 steps for a virtuous fashion.

Buy less

Quite simply. Fast fashion is based on the irresistible attraction of new models at knockdown prices, offered almost every week in stores. Cheap for us, the price is nevertheless high for those who manufacture them on the other side of the planet, in conditions sometimes close to slavery. In addition to the men and women exploited, nature also pays a high price: inevitably to have such low prices, the production processes are not clean, especially in producing countries where the legislation is less strict. This is as much waste and harmful and chemical products that are dumped into nature, as many synthetic fibers from oil (acrylic, polyester, polyamide) that are used and astronomical quantities of cotton fibers, whose very water-intensive cultivation depletes the soil . So before buying, we think: do I need it? Do I already have one? How many times will I wear it? Can I wait?

Buy second-hand and vintage

For every piece of clothing that is not purchased new, there are as many raw materials, packaging, chemicals and polluting dyes that are not used. And what a saving! This is also true for vintage clothing to be purchased in thrift stores that also exist online today. Overconsumption allows you to find second-hand clothing that is very little worn, or even new. And if you sell your clothes in turn, you also avoid waste and the excessive production of textile waste, which is among the most significant in the world. However, be careful of the perverse effect of easy second-hand sales: do not buy without thinking on the pretext that you can always resell the item later.

Buy ethically

You have to buy less, and better. Select French brands that cost more, yes, but are of better quality. It is an ethical choice that allows you to acquire one or two beautiful pieces where, for the same price, you would have had 5 or 6 of poor quality. Also buy clothes from sustainable and ethical fashion brands that display their manufacturing processes in complete transparency: fair pay for workers, ethical sourcing of their raw materials, eco-designed products and ecological processes. Fashion from small designers is a more virtuous and more original fashion. Also promote companies that donate part of their profits to organizations or associations in favor of the planet and sustainable fashion.

Promote recycling and upcycling

Some brands have made recycling their trademark and produce exclusively from recycled fabrics or materials. Others will claim upcycling , that is to say the transformation of already existing items into new models. In this case, synthetic fibers are a way of recycling plastic which, once melted, can easily be transformed into threads that are woven. This committed approach has the double merit of responding to both the problem of textile waste since they are reused, but also of a less polluting production since it does not require the production of virgin materials. Still a little confidential, these fashion brands, which you can easily find on the internet, are on the way to becoming the new standard of tomorrow's fashion.

Organize a clothing swap

The concept is simple: gather friends, neighbors, acquaintances, at one of your homes. Each person brings clothes that they no longer want. The clothes are pooled, sorted by type (jackets, pants, etc.). Each person in turn can go and help themselves - for free - in one of the categories and take an item. You can use numbers to draw at random to designate who starts. The first person can choose from the jackets, the second can choose first from the skirts, etc. Finally, when everyone has been able to take what they wanted, it's time to try them on: you put back what doesn't fit you and you can start again. If you took an item that someone else wanted, you just have to exchange it. The atmosphere is good-natured. The clothes that no one wants are donated to charity. It's hard to compete with these exchanges that allow you to redo your wardrobe for free!

Fast fashion may still have a bright future ahead of it because consumers are still in the whirlwind of overconsumption, but the giants have feet of clay. Indeed, more and more people have become aware of their production methods and are now turning to cleaner solutions. You are lucky to have the choice, so make the choice of slow fashion , ethical, clean and sustainable fashion.

If you hear that fashion is addicted to oil, you probably think of the millions of kilometers traveled by textiles, harvested in Africa/Latin America, processed in Asia and resold in Europe/United States. Well, that’s far from the worst, according to a report from the Changing Markets Foundation published in February 2021. This 45-page report, entitled “Fossil Fashion: The Hidden Reliance of Fashion on Fossil Fuels”, highlighted the dependence of the fashion industry – and especially fast fashion – on oil. It warns of the increasing share of synthetic fibers in our clothing, particularly polyester, and its environmental consequences.

So much so that this study renames Fast Fashion as Fossil Fashion .

Polyester, in more than half of our clothes

This report, which is based on more than 150 references from consulting firms, institutions and non-governmental organizations, reveals that the fashion industry is increasingly dependent on synthetic fibers, and therefore on oil. While these textiles are used in shoes, carpets and furniture, clothing is by far the largest outlet for synthetic fiber manufacturers (70% of the global synthetic fiber market in 2019). However, with the rise of Fast Fashion, which produces low-cost clothing, the use of synthetic fibers has doubled over the last twenty years. And when we talk about synthetic fibers in clothing, we are talking above all about polyester. Take a look in your closets and look at the labels: it is a safe bet that you will find polyester on half of the compositions. Valued for its strength, elasticity, low absorbency and anti-UV properties, polyester is found everywhere: in sportswear, swimsuits and summer clothing.

Today, polyester is in more than half of the textiles produced in the world. The year 2020 was a milestone: for the first time, the volumes of polyester used in clothing exceeded those of cotton. And this share is expected to increase further: synthetic fibers (which also include acrylic, elastane, Lycra) could represent 70% of global fiber production in 2030 and polyester would then represent 85% of this share.

Polyester, a material that consumes a lot of oil

Polyester is a derivative of petroleum, a non-renewable fossil fuel. It takes 1.5 kg of petroleum to create 1 kg of polyester. 45 million tonnes of polyester were produced in 2020.

In 2015 for COP21, the Huffpost published an article on the environmental impact of the textile industry in which we could read that 70 million barrels of oil are needed each year for the manufacture of polyester fibers by the textile industry.

So much so that the fashion industry alone consumes 1.35% of global oil production for the production of synthetic fibres.

Urska Trunk, Campaign Director at Changing Markets Foundation, said: “Few consumers are aware that fast fashion is actually ‘fossil fashion’. Fashion brands’ addiction to cheap polyester and other petroleum-based fibres comes at a time when the world is moving away from fossil fuels. But instead of abandoning synthetic fibres, which are an environmental disaster, brands want you to think they have it under control and can keep producing more and more clothes.”

An expanding carbon footprint

In addition to the environmental consequences – microplastics dumped into the oceans with each wash, in particular – the association points out that in 2015, the carbon footprint linked to the production of polyester represented 700 million tonnes of CO2, “the equivalent of the annual emissions of Mexico or 180 coal-fired power plants”. And this carbon footprint is expected to double by the end of the decade. Indeed, the production processes for these synthetic fibres are increasingly polluting, with raw materials derived from gas obtained by hydraulic fracturing. In addition, Hengli, one of the main Chinese polyester producers, announced in June 2020 that it wanted to invest 20 billion dollars in the manufacture of polyester yarns from coal.

Fashion, not inclined to use recycled synthetic fibers

While some responsible brands are now producing from recycled polyester to reduce their carbon footprint, the phenomenon remains very marginal, and for good reason! “Currently, less than 1% of clothing is recycled to make new clothing, and the share of recycled polyester is declining,” states the report. The latter represented 14% in 2019, according to the Textile Exchange Preferred Fiber & Materials Market Report 2020. It would increase to 7.9% of total polyester production by 2030, according to 2021 data from the Tecnon OrbiChem firm. More generally, according to Changing Markets Foundation, the sector does not take sufficient account of the circular economy in its production, continuing to use very little recycled and recyclable blends.

Competition on PET

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the resin used to produce polyester fiber (but also water bottles), is now highly sought after in its recycled version. Regulatory constraints linked to the end of the use of single plastic in Europe, force multinationals producing beverages and consumer goods (particularly cosmetics) to source this recycled resin, leading to a price increase. Faced with these dissuasive prices, the textile industry is opting for virgin PET, which is much cheaper.

In conclusion, this report calls on the European Union to put a stop to the overproduction of "fast fashion". The solution could be the establishment of regulations concerning the production of synthetic textiles, similar to those concerning single-use plastics?

A priori, we don't think of the fashion industry when we talk about the deforestation of the Amazon, but rather of Jair Bolsonaro's diatribes and the burning of land to expand palm or soybean crops. And yet, a study by Stand.earth, released in December 2021, establishes an indirect link that reveals a major impact.

Deforestation caused by cattle ranching in the Amazon Rainforest is equivalent to 2% of global annual CO2 emissions , the equivalent of all air traffic!

After reading this, you will never look at your boots or your handbag in the same way again.

The lungs of the planet have become a CO2 emitter

Between fires and intensive agricultural activities, the world’s largest rainforest has been in dramatic decline in recent years. Logging in the world’s largest rainforest expanded to 13,235 km2 in 2020-2021, according to data from the Prodes deforestation monitoring system of Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE). Since President Bolsonaro came to power in 2019, thanks in part to the support of the powerful agribusiness lobby, the annual average of deforestation has exceeded 10,000 km2 – the equivalent of the area of ​​Lebanon – compared to around 6,500 km2 in the previous decade. Already, a study published in April 2021 in Nature Climate Change showed that between 2010 and 2019, the Brazilian Amazon had emitted around 18% more carbon than it had absorbed. This is equivalent to 4.45 billion tonnes rejected, compared to 3.78 billion tonnes stored. Identified as a "breaking point" by experts, the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest could ultimately lead to a "dramatic and irremediable" disruption of the climate.

Cattle farming, the leading cause of deforestation in the Amazon

It is a little known fact, but a large part of the leather in our shoes, bags and other leather accessories actually comes from cows raised in the Amazon rainforest. And this cattle ranching is actually the leading cause of deforestation in the Amazon, due to the thousands of trees destroyed to transform these regions into pasture areas. Contrary to popular belief, the cattle industry is far ahead of palm oil, soy or cocoa, making it the leading cause of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, as determined by a report by the World Resources Institute. 36% of the 45 million hectares of forest destroyed between 2001 and 2015 were destroyed to install cattle.

Brazil, the world's leading exporter of bovine leather

Brazil has the world's largest cattle herd, with 215 million head. In addition to its meat, these cattle provide vast quantities of leather, which floods global markets, since 80% of Brazilian bovine leather production is exported, mainly to China (41.6%), Italy (27.3%), Vietnam (9.6%) followed by many other countries. The Brazilian leather industry generated $1.1 billion in 2020, with the main producers being JBS – by far the largest – followed by Minerva and Fuga Couros. To meet consumer demand for leather wallets, handbags and shoes, the industry will have to slaughter 430 million cows per year by 2025, recalls an article in the English newspaper The Guardian.

Many major brands are said to have direct or indirect links with these skin suppliers.

Stand.earth analyzed millions of data from public or customs data. The analysis reveals a great deal of opacity throughout the supply chain (deforestation, felling, leather tanning, clothing manufacturing). In the end, many links were established between subcontractors, brands and the six main Brazilian leather exporters.

To speak only of JBS – the largest exporter of Brazilian leather, known for its impact on the deforestation of the Amazon, and whose illegal practices have been recognized – this would involve more than 50 brands linked to it. While the study does not demonstrate a direct link between each brand and the deforestation of the Amazon, the researchers nevertheless found multiple connections in the global supply chains of the fashion industry . These links do not constitute absolute proof, but demonstrate that brands are highly likely to use leathers from deforestation.

In total, around a hundred brands are said to be affected. These include big names in sportswear (Reebok-Adidas, Puma, New Balance, Nike, Converse, Vans, Dr Martens, Camper, Caterpillar) as well as fast fashion brands (Zara, H&M, Gap or Marks&Spencer) or even high-end labels such as Coach, Ralph Lauren, Chloé, Lacoste, Fendi (LVMH), DKNY or Michael Kors.

Certification does not promise leather not derived from deforestation

Two thirds of the companies potentially concerned have no CSR commitment policy on the sourcing of leather from deforestation, others (22 out of 74) have nevertheless made commitments, which they risk contravening, sometimes unknowingly, through intermediaries and suppliers. Some are even grouped together in the Leather Working Group (LWG) which has promised to make commitments soon on leather from deforestation, and which, for the moment, only evaluates tanneries on their ability to trace leather to slaughterhouses, and not to farms. As a result, LWG certification does not guarantee, for the moment, in any way that a leather does not come from deforestation.

As surprising as it may seem, our shoes are actually responsible for the deforestation of what was once the lungs of the planet. So, even if we have no intention of becoming vegan or giving up leather, it's time to demand that our favorite brands make an extra effort when sourcing their leathers.

Because the way we dress can also be an act of activism, many eco-responsible fashion influencers are flourishing on Instagram. Committed girls, inspiring accounts and good ideas to steal! Quick, let's follow!

The fashion industry is by far one of the most polluting. But the "good news" is that there are many levers for action. Indeed, following the ecological awareness , many initiatives have emerged to limit the impact of fashion on the planet. We have seen many brands decide to better choose their raw materials, but also new gestures appear on the part of consumers.
Lacking ideas? Here are the Instagram accounts to follow to stock up on good eco-responsible ideas in the fashion sector.

Among the many responsible fashion influencer accounts, @ chamellow is considered a reference in clean fashion. This very fresh account combines looks to steal, clean brands to discover and photos… of art!
We also really like the account @elenasansh , an eco-bobo who loves ethical fashion and who shares her tips, her fashion selections, her favorite brands with us.

As for vintage fashion pros, we definitely follow @claravyctoria for her inspired looks, @odael_vintage for the super colorful pieces that this bargain hunter finds for us and@rosabohneur for all her offbeat ideas!
For official accounts, we recommend @ clearfashionapp to learn how to decipher the underside of our tops, and for bilinguals the account @ fash_rev , "fashion revolution", a whole program to become an expert on human rights and the moral obligations of the brands we buy.

Ideas for adopting Eco-responsible Fashion on a daily basis

Buying second-hand, sorting out your cupboards, checking the origin of the cotton… all of this is very good. But to go even further, here are 3 ideas to follow:

• To become an outstanding vintage buyer, Aurélie Vassy, ​​@shine_a_lot_aurelievassy , ​​author of "Les 1001 vies du vintage" (Éditions Kiwi) advises, among other things, learning how to buy at online auctions. Particularly on sites like drouotonline.com, interencheres.com or auction.fr. An original way to find THE piece that will make your friends salivate with envy without denying your principles or emptying your PEL account!
• To avoid parting with your outdated clothes, Mathilde Lepage, from @MakeMyClothesGreatAgain , and author of "Changeons de mode" (Éditions Eyrolles) encourages you to discover upcycling or the art of making new from old. From an old shirt, a skirt or a top... nothing goes to waste if you have a little imagination (and a pair of scissors!).
• To find your style in ethical fashion, Charlotte Msellati, personal shopper, shares her favorites on her insta account @charlottemsellati . In her book, "Du changement dans mon dressing" (Améthyste Éditions), the committed fashionista gives advice on how to dress consciously. To follow in particular, her personal theory: opt for minimalism in your wardrobe. One item of clothing, several options. To know whether or not you should keep a piece, it's simple: you must manage to wear it ten times a year... otherwise it has no place in your wardrobe.
• Against the grain of fast fashion, Anne Montecer from the account @anne_dressingideal , gives in her book "Le dressing idéal" (Éditions Leduc) her tips for finding the right pieces according to the seasons and gives many ideas for creating "powerful" outfits. Outfits, in clean materials of course, in which we feel simply invincible and completely outside the dictates of fashion!
• Finally, an original idea to hide stains on baby diapers and especially on all cotton t-shirts imagined by Aline Gubri of @consommonssainement and author of "La récup' facile" (Éditions Leduc): dyeing. But especially not with chemical dyes, hyper-polluting and so feared by the planet. Aline Gubri had the good idea of ​​naturally dyeing fabrics with peelings (yellow or red onion skin, beetroot or carrot tops) and white vinegar. The idea is to recover the natural pigments of fruits and vegetables! A practical and eco-friendly initiative.

Oil, coal, gas… we don’t think of these raw materials when we think of fashion. And even less so since fashion has been adorning itself with “clean” assets to convince us that it has changed. And yet…

How many brands now talk to us about their (good) ecological conscience? These are houses that oppose fast fashion, claim eco-design and circularity with organic raw materials, produced without exhausting the soil and workers, or recycled or upcycled materials (lyocell, recycled cotton, linen , recycled polyester), and plastic-free packaging .

Fashion gives itself a clear conscience

The 200 brands united in the Fashion Pact, born in August 2019 in the G7, want a zero carbon impact by 2050. But for now, in terms of energy, the goal is to use 50% renewable energy by 2025, and 100% by 2030, for their own operations. These brands also want to encourage their supply chain partners to do the same. For now, these brands are creating eco-designed boutiques, with noble materials, low-energy LED lighting and a zero carbon impact. They are doing the same in their offices. And we welcome all these improvements, but they may seem like a pretty facade in front of a reality that is still far from being totally virtuous. Because the majority of polluting emissions due to the textile industry are not located there.

Fashion, a major emitter of greenhouse gases

According to ADEME, the fashion industry emits 1.2 billion tons of greenhouse gases each year, or about 2% of global emissions. Other sources even put forward figures of 4 to 8% of the planet's greenhouse gas emissions. A figure that could rise to 26% by 2050, if current consumption growth trends do not change. These emissions are largely linked to livestock farming (cows, sheep), for the production of raw materials (wool, leather ) but also to the transport of textiles and raw materials that travel thousands of kilometers before becoming finished products.

The rise of polyester, linked to oil

As revealed in a report by the Changing Markets Foundation published in February 2021, entitled Fossil Fashion : The Hidden Reliance of Fashion on Fossil Fuels, the use of synthetic fibers has doubled over the past twenty years in the fashion industry. The largest is polyester: 45 million tons produced in 2020 (compared to 24.2 million tons of cotton produced that same year, source: International Cotton Advisory Committee). That's almost double! However, 70% of the synthetic fibers produced in the world come from oil. Since it takes 1.5 kg of oil to make 1 kg of polyester, the calculation is quick: nearly 70 million barrels of oil are needed each year to manufacture polyester fibers by the textile industry. Therefore, the fashion industry alone consumes 1.35% of global oil production for the production of synthetic fibers . Will the recent surge in oil prices dissuade fast fashion groups from using polyester, which would then become less profitable? Time will tell.

Production strongly linked to electricity from fossil fuels

Beyond petroleum-derived polyester, it is mainly the manufacturing of textiles and clothing that consumes a lot of energy. As the Loom brand points out in an article on its blog entitled " Coal in Cotton ", it is the machines that transform the raw material (cotton, linen, wool, polyester) into clothing that are big consumers of electricity. The article cites machines that spin fibers into reels, carding machines, huge looms, knitting machines, dyeing vats and even machines that send water vapor onto textiles to prevent them from shrinking when used by the consumer. So many huge machines that require a lot of energy, often run 24 hours a day, and are located in the production countries, therefore in Asia, where electricity is produced almost exclusively by coal or gas power plants, therefore fossil fuels that emit greenhouse gases.

This same article gives the distribution of emissions from a garment throughout its life cycle (excluding use and end of life), by cross-referencing Quantis and McKinsey studies:

• Machines: 69%
• Raw materials: 26.4%
• Stores: 2.5%
• Transport: 2.1%

We can therefore better understand why the fashion industry is a big consumer of fossil fuels, and that transportation is not the main problem. Whether the raw material is natural, artificial, synthetic or recycled, the vast majority of clothes that we can buy are made with electricity from coal and gas.

Electricity production via coal, gas and oil plants represents approximately 65% ​​of the total electricity generated. It is the leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions in the world. Without strong action at this level of production, all the good actions of fashion brands to reduce their impact seem like a drop in the ocean.

A difficult transition

In its first report, the Fashion Pact writes: “We also promise to incentivize the implementation of renewable energy production methods in all high-impact manufacturing processes along the supply chain, generally grouped under Scope 3 (…) But, historically, it has always been a challenge, even for the largest players (in fashion), to make progress at the level of Scope 3, where they lack sufficient influence and purchasing power to shift energy production systems to renewable energy in producing countries.” Note: Scope 3 is the broadest scope for calculating greenhouse gas emissions linked to production.

Yet companies that produce huge quantities of clothing in Asian countries, which are still largely dependent on fossil fuels, have the power to impose or at least encourage change.

The RE100 group

RE100, which stands for "Renewable Energy 100 Percent", is an initiative of the Climate Group to bring together the most influential international companies committed to 100% renewable energy. More than 300 fashion companies have already joined this initiative, including Burberry, Chanel, Decathlon, H&M, Kering, Nike in the textile and fashion sector. In addition to applying this standard for their own factories and facilities (offices, stores), this group, which also includes large industrialists (automotive, food, biotech, cosmetics, etc.), is trying to put pressure on the countries where their items are produced to change their energy production policies and develop renewable energies.

The example of Nike

The sportswear manufacturer has launched a program to install photovoltaic panels on the roofs of its premises. The equipment manufacturer has already equipped its American offices and factories with them, including its factory in Oregon. Its facilities in the United States and Canada have been using 100% renewable energy since 2020. The group now aims to influence its service providers, and the governments of the countries where they are located, to do the same. An initial phase was initiated in Vietnam with two programs. In 2018, four factories located in Brazil, Turkey and India had signed up to supply themselves with electricity from renewable sources. And 30% of the electricity consumed by its logistics center in Taicang, China, comes from solar panels.

In Vietnam, brands are putting pressure on

Vietnam is the third largest textile exporter. At the end of 2020, a consortium of 29 brands, including Nike, H&M, Mulberry, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and the American retailer Target, sent a letter to the Vietnamese Prime Minister asking him to authorize direct power purchase agreements (DPPAs) between private sellers and buyers of renewable energy. Indeed, in this communist regime, the state still has a monopoly on electricity distribution, except for a few small-scale solar panel programs. However, Vietnam is already – along with Thailand – one of the few Asian countries committed to an energy transition. According to Electricity Planning VIII, over the period 2026-2030, Vietnam will not install any new coal-fired thermal power plants. Some are even expected to close. In addition, solar and wind power are expected to account for 28% of national production by 2030, and 41% in 2045. This letter hopes to put pressure on people to accelerate the movement. Another, with the same request, was sent shortly before to the Cambodian government.

How to limit the use of fossil fuels?

Self-production of solar electricity by factories

Following Nike's example in Vietnam and China, groups could encourage, force or financially help their partners (spinners, weavers, dyers, etc.) to invest in solar panels to self-produce electricity and reduce dependence on national production based on coal and gas.

Building more efficient machines that use less energy.

There are promising avenues , particularly for dyeing machines. But for the others, we are not there yet. Furthermore, who says that a more profitable machine would not lead to even greater overproduction? Finally, this would represent enormous costs and investments for the textile industry, which could not change its entire fleet of machines at once.

Practice energy relocation

Choosing production partner countries taking into account the energy mix or gradually relocating production to countries where electricity is less carbon intensive: France, Portugal, Eastern Europe. But this again requires restructuring and additional costs, not to mention the creation of infrastructure that sometimes no longer exists. Many brands are working on this, and the industrial autonomy that Europe has been moving towards since the pandemic crisis is moving in this direction.

Another positive argument: the cost of renewable energy has fallen considerably.

In recent years, on the contrary, we have seen a sustained surge in oil and gas prices over the past year, so much so that they can now compete with fossil fuels.

It is true that the fashion industry – like all manufacturing industries – is still very largely dependent on fossil fuels, which make up the bulk of energy production in the world (65%), and even more so in countries where subcontractors and factories are located. But fashion will not be able to engage in its energy transition, and therefore its carbon reduction, without an alliance with other large industries, which is tending to emerge through projects such as RE100.