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Making something new from something existing is 'in': This is upcycling

Which fashion designers are upcycling? How big is the upcycling movement? And how popular is it actually with the general public, i.e. the consumer? You can find more about upcycling in this background article. As always, we start at the beginning. Click on the icons in the text for more information. Contents • The meaning of upcycling (and how...

How (not) sustainable is the fashion industry?

Fashion and 'sustainability' don't actually go together. A garment is usually made in such a way that it quickly goes out of fashion. In the fashion industry there is not only stylistic obsolescence, but also technical obsolescence. Some clothing is of such low quality that it tears, pills or loses its colour after a few wears and washes. Ideal...

Retail

Why re-commercing may be the new retail revolution

Excess inventory is not a new problem, but for retailers now, finding stock exit routes for SS20 collections is an absolute priority. It has changed from an accounting afterthought to a critical role in retail supply chains. Covid-19 has given the fashion industry the unique opportunity to entirely reset its value chains into more sustainable,...

Retail

Managing unsold products: what happens to surplus stock?

Across the globe, stores are being affected by country-wide lockdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the situation presenting fashion stores with several challenges, including the dilemma of what to do with unsold stock. While the issue has been particularly significant in the fast-fashion sector, small businesses have also been impacted,...

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Business

France to prohibit the destruction of unsold stock: who is going to pay for that?

Paris - The French government wants to prohibit the destruction of unsold non-food products in the next two to four years. Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, made the announcement in June and also hailed it “a world first”. The measure is the logical continuation of a roadmap established last year; a roadmap for a sustainable economy aiming to...

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Business

ThredUp offers to resell Burberry’s unused goods and donate proceeds to charity

Burberry has come under fire after revealing it destroyed over 28. 6 million pounds (37.6 million US dollars) worth of unsold goods in the financial year 2017/2018 -- a desperate measure to avoid markdowns, which would hurt the brand’s image of luxury and exclusivity. The latest criticism has come from ThredUp, one of the world’s largest online...

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Business|OPINION

The fashion industry at a dead end: New products worth millions destroyed

Another fashion company that intentionally destroys its goods: Burberry announced in its current annual report that it destroyed finished goods worth 28.6 million pounds (32 million euros) in the financial year 2017/18. Destroying one's own products is a desperate step, but above all, it shows in which dead end the fashion industry has meanwhile...