Japanese historic textiles, as much as their modern version, are famouse for their distinct colour ranges. What few know: all 1052 of these shades are created with natural dyes (only!), and each has its own distinct name.
At the Copenhagen Fashion Summit 2012 the NICE Code of Conduct and Manual was, in collaboration with the UN Global Compact, officially launched. A review of this document, and the impact it may, or not, have onto the fashion industry it is targeting.
Sahel 2010 is a déjà-vu of the year 1984: Again a food crisis is just around the corner. Sebastião Salgado pictures show the horror of this reality - hauntingly beautiful.
"The Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy" takes the exemplary T-shirt, and takes us on a journey to discover its origins. From Texas, to China, to the US again, and then to the second-hand trade in Africa.
Fairy tales are typically something for kids. Particularly young kids. Over the centuries they have been used to convey fundamental social mores, warnings from danger, and to inoculate a shared understanding of what ‘good’ and ‘bad’ looks like. These characteristics though make fairy tales an ideal, if very uncommon, vehicle to convey information and learnings also in management literature. This book hence is a rare find.
On December 14th, PPR published the expert review report on Puma’s Environmental Profit and Loss Account (E P&L). The panel of experts that had been commissioned to undertake the review brought some of the most eminent names in the industry together, among them John Elkington, Peter Bakker, or Pushpam Kumar.
The book explains key factors in doing successful business with the poor, profitably as well as with a positive social impact. Numerous case studies show the how-to.
Book Review: In Second Skin India Flint analysis the sustainable fashion challenge from the practicalities of a consumer. She makes it clear that our choices have a direct impact. Sadly, many of the practical examples she provides will push consumers away, rather than towards, improving their track record.
“100 Ways to Save the World” is an entertaining, beautifully illustrated book with 100 super-simple tips that will make a difference to the planet.
'Clean clothes' is THE German eco fashion book, already published in 2009. It is pragmatic yet radical, with plenty of hands on tips and explanation you need to understand how and why to change your wardrobe.
'Fashion & Sustainability: Design for Change' is a worthy successor to Kate Fletcher's first book. Not only does it document the state-of-the-art as we encounter it in the present, but for the first time designers have both: a hands on manual of how they can hands-on change their practise, and what new concepts and technologies will be at their disposal in the near to mid-term future.
Uncertainty is widespread in the cotton market: Textile Exchange published organic cotton production figures. The current Farm & Fiber Report shows a drastic decrease. Simon Ferrigno on the current developments of the organic cotton sector and about his predictions for the future of the eco fashion market.
'Amelia's Compendium of Fashion Illustration' tackles 2 topic at once: Ethical fashion and its designers, and the promotion of fashion illustration as a discipline.
That textile waste – in the shape of garments as well as in other incarnation – has increasingly a commercial value in an area of globalised markets was a topic here in Shirahime on more than one occasion. This book takes on a larger perspective: Each chapter of the this book offers insights into the recycling economy of a distincly different industry.
As companies and countries around the world pursue net zero targets, one big question is: How do you ensure the carbon removal technologies we will need 20 to 30 years down the road are available, affordable and easily scaled?
S&P Global recently published a podcast mini-series on emerging climate technology.
The series not only introduces a range of much hyped about, CO2 saving or CO2 removing technology, but also looks at scaling, the truth of potential impact, and financial viability.It is for this reason that I would like to list the three episodes in this post – and invite everyone to spend the 3 x 20 minutes to wrap their head around these insights.
In 'To Die For', Lucy Siegle jumps head on into her very own wardrobe full of hidden skeletons - the results of her love for fashion and shopping. In 15 chapters she tells the story of why that is so - and how to do better.
"Sustainable Fashion & Textiles" makes it - beautifully - clear why the fashion industry, from the field to the consumer, needs change. And why design is key.
"Eco Fashion" introduces us to 62 fashion brands from all over the world, that happen to be 'eco'. The pictures show the work of true master designers.
The textile supply and production chain is complex. With this in mind, the ‘Handbook of sustainable textile production‘ is a unique resources: bit fosters knowledge acquisition across the different disciplines and specialities in the textile production chain, it prepares the ground for a factual, holistic discourse, and dissemination of best practise.
This book emerges itself into how clothing is bought, worn, discarded and recycled within India. In other words, it tracks down how Indian citizens (primarily women) manage their wardrobes, and the strategies and criteria of how they do it.
