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Globalisation

The state of the (fashion) world as it happens in Australia

August 21, 2013

Australia is a little bit like a big blank spot of knowledge as far as many of us here in Europe (and the US) are concerned. The recently launched ‘Australian Fashion Report‘ is the first piece of work that looks very specifically at the sustainability and ethical trade practises of brands that are retailed in Australia, both local Australian as well as global brands.

Globalisation

Insights into the ethical fashion scene in Japan

November 14, 2010

Is Japan ready for ethical fashion? We suffer from a strictly hierarchical fashion industry. Insights from a conversation with a top leaders for ethical lifestyle in Japan.

Future Tech Globalisation

The Japanese textile and fashion industry – between tradition and high-tech

December 15, 2011

Cotton as an attractive alternative in tsunami regions. Leading textile manufacturers promoting the cultivation of organic cotton. New technologies and methods for natural dyeing processes and recycling. And five categories of Green Fashion in Japan.

Consumer-ism Globalisation

The Better Consumer in China: Status quo of research insights

August 21, 2013

China is the set to be the next big consumer market. Brands and retailers – hoping in this way for a few more loops of ongoing growth without reconsidering their business model – are scrambling to get their foot down in the country. The most exclusive retail addresses in Shanghai, Bejing, Hong Kong and many other metropolitan areas sell out in record time and at record prices.

Globalisation Labour Supply Chain

Sustainablity & the UK textiles industry: Historically speaking

July 13, 2012

The developments in the British Midlands of the industrial revolution have coined the textiles industry possibly like no other. It was is this area that we find the roots to the modern textile industry, including case studies that (nearly) could be dated from our modern times. From archives and historical records the industrial revolution left behind in the area, we can gain many an insight that will trigger a simple ‘déjà-vu’ when taking note of news about textile factories from the Far East that with regularity hit our headlines.

Future Tech Globalisation Governance

Scenario Planning: How useful is it, practically speaking?

January 28, 2014

As part of a workshop given at the Textile Exchange 2013 conference, we ran a small survey among workshop participants in order to find out more about their perception of and experience with Scenario Planning. Here the survey results.

Book Reviews Globalisation

The better consumer in Europe – summary of new report

March 28, 2013

The “Better Consumer” report aims to be a source of reliable information to those executive saying “Show me there is demand, and we'll be happy to cater to it” when asked why their fashion brand is not producing better, more sustainable products.

Biz Strategy Consumer-ism Globalisation

Consumers know where their clothing is coming from. Or do they?

March 6, 2013

Recently, my colleague Ilaria Pasquinelli and I had the opportunity to participate in a, generally speaking, consumer facing product showcase and trade show. For the purpose of this research, we built an interactive task which required the visitors to cut off one of their garment labels (i.e. the washing instructions), and then pin it to a map attached to a cork board according to 2 dimensions: – ‘Made in‘: Where the garment was manufactured. – ‘Made from‘: What the primary material the garment was made of.

Globalisation

Beyond growth: Innovation and Stability

August 2, 2012

Resting the case for innovation. “Globalization presumes sustained economic growth. Otherwise, the process loses its economic benefits and political support.” (P. Samuelson). There is an evident illogic, impossibility, of the traditional 'economic growth' lemma.

Biz Strategy Finance Globalisation

Apparel Industry & Carbon Trajectory: Throw in the Towel?

December 15, 2020

Carbon – together with biodiversity – is one of THE most critical dimensions among the Planetary Boundaries. Because the already existing overshoot is putting our civilisation at risk. So far nothing new under the sun. The big elephant in the room is of course: How do companies perform right now in terms of their carbon footprint? And: Do they have at the least commitments to work on a Paris Agreement trajectory? I answer these questions. Spoiler Alert: Some 'villains' are doing rather well. So well in fact that they are leading the pack.

Biz Strategy Globalisation Governance Opinions

Deep Policy Responses: Could it happen again?

April 7, 2020

It is end of March / early April 2020 as I write this. Corona (Covid19) increases its grip onto the world. Draconian, tough policy measures are being put in place limiting people's lives ... and rattling the global economy. Could it hall happen again in the future? And if so - in what way?

Circularity Globalisation Opinions

Is the industry going down the drain? The stats tell a story insiders don’t want to see

December 12, 2012

ntil the late 80s, fashion retailers and brands would typically have two main collections a year: spring/summer and autumn/winter. Then, in the 90s things changed dramatically. Increased competition saw retailers incentivising customers to visit their stores more frequently.

Globalisation Supply Chain

Made In … close to home: Yet Another Fashion Paradox

March 29, 2012

'Make it British', or the equivalent: French, Italian, German, Spanish ..., is often talked of as the ultimate panacea to address the lack of sustainability in the fashion industry. A few reasons why it all is slightly more complicated than it sounds.

Brand Review Globalisation

What is Uniqlo’s CSR track record? Part 1: Hiring System

September 17, 2010

Uniqlo's novel hiring system, and it's impact on Japan. Second of an article series that analyses Uniqlo and why it joint forced with Bangladesh's Grameen Bank.

Biz Strategy Circularity Globalisation

Global pandemic and resistant economies: The time is now

April 28, 2020

As I write this, it is late April. And our lessons from the last few weeks in Corona lock down and the impact of the pandemic on our communities and societies, all over the world, have thrown an even harsher light onto some of the realities we either assumed as a given, or worked hard to change for years already. And the lessons have been truly tough medicine.

Circularity Globalisation Opinions

Better business models will be circular

May 4, 2013

Circular economy is the antonym of linear economy. Linear economy has been the dominant industrial model in our history and postulates production is followed by consumption that then ends up with the disposal of used products. As opposed to this, circular economy seeks to rebuild capital, whether this is financial, manufactured, human, social or natural and sees products having a longer or a never-ending life that are either re-used as new inputs to create new products or shared and co-owned by different consumers.

Future Tech Globalisation Supply Chain

2045: Fashion Industry Scenarios

July 24, 2013

2045: scenarios for the textile and fashion industry: How will the industry look like in 5, 10 and 30 years time? Scenarios offer research-based insights, and potentially can show how realistic a world is, that looks rather quite different from what we're used to. What if Asia become today's Europe? What if we did not buy to own? What if everyone was a maker?

Globalisation Labels

Spotlight on labels: Indian Standard for Organic Textiles (ISOT)

July 19, 2013

India, the largest producer of organic cotton in the world is all set to have an Indian Standard for Organic Textiles (ISOT) of its own. The unique selling proposition (USP) of this standard is that it will cover the life cycle of the cotton fibre right from crop to clothing. This is different to GOTS which is primarily concerned with the growing stage of cotton, and only includes minimum regulations for the subsequent manufacturing stages. From the Indian perspective, GOTS does not permit to maintain traceability and integrity of organic textiles.

Biz Strategy Brand Review Globalisation

What is Uniqlo’s CSR track record? Part 2: Diversity & Inclusion

September 27, 2010

Uniqlo's corporate Diversity and Inclusion policy in number. 2nd of an article series that analyses Uniqlo and why it joint forced with Bangladesh's Grameen Bank.

Globalisation

Winds of change in the Japanese fashion industry (II/II)

December 4, 2010

When looking underneath the surface of the Japanese fashion industry, a fundamental shift is taking place: Production is shifted back to the Japanese home land.

Future Fit Industries of 'Stuff': Governance, Responsibility, and the Age of Doughnut Economics

Globalisation

The state of the (fashion) world as it happens in Australia

Insights into the ethical fashion scene in Japan

The Japanese textile and fashion industry – between tradition and high-tech

The Better Consumer in China: Status quo of research insights

Sustainablity & the UK textiles industry: Historically speaking

Scenario Planning: How useful is it, practically speaking?

The better consumer in Europe – summary of new report

Consumers know where their clothing is coming from. Or do they?

Apparel Industry & Carbon Trajectory: Throw in the Towel?

Deep Policy Responses: Could it happen again?

Is the industry going down the drain? The stats tell a story insiders don’t want to see

Made In … close to home: Yet Another Fashion Paradox

Global pandemic and resistant economies: The time is now

Better business models will be circular

2045: Fashion Industry Scenarios

Spotlight on labels: Indian Standard for Organic Textiles (ISOT)

Winds of change in the Japanese fashion industry (II/II)

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