BEYOND THE BRANDS: FIVE NONPROFITS QUIETLY BUILDING FASHION’S CIRCULAR FUTURE
By: Prachi Khatri
Sustainable fashion often honours companies that are at the forefront of low-impact collections. Brands pioneering recycled fabric, resale platforms, and luxury circular fashion are the most talked about. However, non-profit organisations that make so many great things happen are often left behind and don't get the spotlight they deserve.
Behind innovation are the organisations working to create a circular economy all over the world - without making it to news headlines because let’s face it, there’s not as much glamour. Non-profit organisations are fashion’s most influential architects, reminding industry leaders of the emphasis on sustainable fashion, spreading awareness, raising funds for innovations, and developing the framework for circular fashion.
It is only because of the efforts of non-profit organisations that the industry is not only creating better clothes not harmful to the environment but also redesigning the system as a whole to save resources for future generations.
As the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has consistently advocated, today’s “take-make-waste” model is not sustainable. As per the data from a new textile economy, less than 1% of clothes are recycled back into new clothes. The remaining majority of 99% of clothes get discarded, filling up landfills and creating environmental pollution. These statistics reflect the scale of challenges we are facing as an industry. Every second, a truckload of clothes is burnt and buried, not only making the environment unstable but also economically fragile.
There are many non-profits that are deserving of recognition in the fashion industry for technology, innovation, and initiatives around circular fashion. We have put together a roundup of five that we think you ought to know.
Global Fashion Agenda (GFA)
GFA is a not-for-profit group that unites brands, fashion enthusiasts, and leaders to make the fashion industry fair and sustainable. The main goals of this organisation are to reduce pollution, cut carbon emissions, and ensure fair wages for garment workers. GFA hosts major events where industry leaders share new ideas and learn ways to reduce fashion waste. This organisation works with innovators, helping the industry learn new laws and policies to ensure the clothes it makes are safe and produced fairly.
The annual global fashion summit hosted by GFA has become the fashion industry’s most important meeting place for researchers to discuss practical solutions and influence decision-making. As quoted on its website, the vision of GFA is to “make a net positive fashion industry by 2050, with a mission to accelerate transformation by mobilising, convening and influencing the fashion ecosystem.”
Ellen MacArthur Foundation
This organisation pushes the fashion industry towards a circular economy. The foundation of this organisation is based on the fact that the way we design clothes can eliminate waste and pollution and regenerate the economy that benefits people, business, and the natural world. The foundation uses its position at the interface of business and policy to accelerate change.
Fashion Revolution
This not-for-profit organisation emerged after the tragic Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh in 2013. The incident took 1100 lives and exposed the human cost of opaque supply chains. The organisation has been campaigning for safe, clean, transparent, and accountable fashion for the last 10 years. A simple question of “who made my clothes?” became one of the most recognisable campaigns.
Empowering consumers with transparent and accessible information, Fashion Revolution has demonstrated that accountability begins with visibility.
Remake
Remake focuses on the fair pay and climate justice initiatives for women who make our clothes. The organisation's motto is "wear your values". This non-profit organisation shares stories about people behind our clothes to help shoppers learn about the makers rather than just focusing on the trends.
Textile Exchange
This organisation is redefining what wearable materials mean. More often, consumers focus on finished garments than the textile itself. Textile exchange focuses on the motto that “climate action starts from the materials we choose”. The organisation emphasises the source and supply chain of the textile. Most apparel we wear is derived from farms, fossils, or forests. Textile exchange works to ensure these resources are treated with respect and production is completed using responsible sourcing and credible materials.
The future of sustainable fashion will not be determined by groundbreaking innovation or an ultra-sustainable fabric, but it will depend on organisations bringing the industry together, making them accountable for the choices they make, and influencing policies and consumer behaviours. These nonprofits are doing precisely that. These organisations may not be at the forefront, but they are helping build the playing field and deserve to be celebrated loudly.