An open letter to the designers of the 21st century
Next week I’ll be going to The Power of One Breakfast meeting to discuss the future of fashion and new insights on sustainability and the circular economy. It’s a collaborative event between Pure LONDON AND the United Nations Conscious Fashion Campaign. The campaign is highlighting the simple changes that can make a big difference.
“If fashion were a country, it would be the fourth largest CO2 emitter in the world”
Guided by the United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDG’s) and with their partners the Conscious Fashion Campaign and Common Objective, Pure London aims to educate on key issues, highlight existing and future solutions, spark much-needed conversations, and encourage the industry to take small yet powerful steps towards a sustainable future for fashion and beyond.
Common Objective have written an open letter to the Fashion Industry in Make Magazine challenging brands to rise up to the environmental crisis. A few short and very disappointing weeks ago the Government failed to implement regulations that could have changed the fashion industry forever, restricting fast fashion outlets from polluting people and planet.
Read the open letter to the Fashion Industry on the Make Magazine website
Extract from Common Objective’s open letter to the fashion industry
Qiulae Wong from Common Objective says; “We're incredibly excited to be partnering with Pure London and offering brands and buyers insight into how they can use Common Objective's (CO) technology to develop and execute on their sustainability strategy. Our main aim at the show is to understand the sustainability challenges of suppliers and buyers at the show and connect them with the solutions we have on site - be it data, case-studies or a new supplier.”
Pure London show’s own pledge to be Fantastic NOT Plastic aims to cut down on single use plastics encouraging visitors to bring their own reusable water bottles and hot drinks containers on site and installing extra water stations.
Pure London is also inviting visitors to make their own pledge and take a sustainable selfie, sharing on social using #PowerofOne. The Power of One wall is back for SS20, positioned at the heart of the show. The ideal spot for an Insta-perfect selfie, as well as a communal place for everyone to make a pledge. I’ll be proudly taking one in my OLD clothes having signed the XR52 challenge.
Pure London aims to disrupt the fashion industry
Power of One, Pure London sets to drive small individual yet powerful steps towards a sustainable future, doing so by giving others the power to speak up and to focus on long term changes in the fashion industry.
With the launch of Pure Conscious, Pure London will work closely with industry leaders and connect buyers with sustainable brands, as well as offering support and advice for a sustainable future for all. Together with the Power of One, Pure London will offer a platform to spark conversations and take action towards creating a better and more sustainable and forward-thinking supply chain.
Pure London, guided by UN’s Global Goal 12 for Responsible Consumption and Production, has developed five easy-to-adopt pledges and would like everyone to share their pledge and the power of their voice across social media.
The Pledges
TURN IT DOWN - covering temperature control and washing clothes on a lower setting
GET DIRTY - wear more and wash less, showers over baths to reduce water and wastage
PASS IT ON - recycling and upcycling, donating clothes and participation in acts of kindness (kindness is contagious)
ETHICOOL - pledges positioned towards creating a more ethically and environmentally friendly world
ACTUALLY I CAN - empowerment to make a stand and make a change. No voice is too smalls
Pure London take place at Olympia London from the 21st – 23rd July 2019. Visit www.purelondon.com for further information and highlights from the latest show.
It’s great to see the fashion industry beginning to make change. The pure london pledges above are a good start but here at Monkey Wrench we like more radical action so we’ve put together our own acts of planetary fashion kindness.
The Monkey Wrench Fashion Pledges
SHOP YOUR WARDROBE - YOU be the creative, rediscover what you own and fearlessly upcycle or redesign it to exactly suit you
MAKE FASHION FUN AGAIN - Go to a mate’s house with a bottle of wine, bring your unloved clothes and get swapping
BORROW OR RENT - see our blog about vintage and renting clothes
BUY IT ONCE - if you decide to buy find the best possible quality so you can keep it for absolute ever
LOVE WHAT YOU OWN - Let the clothes become a part of YOUR story instead of buying clothes that impose other’s story on you