UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion
At the UN Environment Assembly this spring, the UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion was launched. They have released a video of the event and we are pleased to share it with you here.
The Alliance addresses the need to end the social and environmental consequences of the fashion industry as it is the 2nd leading cause of global carbon emissions. By harnessing the industry as a driver for change, the Alliance hopes to improve the world’s ecosystems.
Michael S. Jones, Co-Secretary of the Alliance, Chair of the Alliance Steering Committee and Programme Management Officer with UN Environment, tells us that more than 80 fashion leaders, professionals, and artists attended the UN Environment Assembly. The assembly began the day after the Ethiopian Airline Flight 302 disaster, which took the lives of citizens from 35 nations. Five aboard the flight were sustainable fashion leaders and guests, including staff of UN, Member State, and partner institutions. In the wake of the tragedy, the assembly convened with a memorial for those who lost their lives.
Elle L, music artist and environmental advocate opened the assembly. Also present were UN Environmental Goodwill Ambassadors, Nadia Hutagalung and Karry Wang. Parisian ecotrepreneur Camille Jailant, Founder of Olistic the Label, introduced her sustainable designs. Heron Preston, NY DJ, and Fashion designer, was also present. Lianne Trobridge with Sustainable Angle introduced a sustainable fabric. Max Gilgenmann, Neonyt Content Producer from Berlin produced the Fashion Pop-Up installation during the launch, through sponsorship from Messe Frankfurt. Simone Cipriani, Co-Secretary of the Alliance, is also Head of Ethical Fashion Initiative at the International Trade Centre.
Naoki Ishii, CEO, and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility states, “In the face of growing environmental threats, there is an urgent need to radically change our consumption and production systems. In this regard, a more sustainable fashion industry has a critical role to play.”
According to the UN, “The UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion creates a common platform and dialogue for a host of UN agencies that are working to make fashion sustainable: The Food and Agricultural Organization is promoting Blue Fashion, which uses sustainable marine materials and protects arable land; the International Trade Centre has set-up the Ethical Fashion Initiative to spotlight artisans from the developing world, and UN Environment is pushing governments to foster sustainable manufacturing practices.” They will soon be hosting events in Indonesia, Belgium, and New York, to focus awareness on the efforts needed to make fashion sustainable by presenting identified solutions to government representatives. Not only does the Alliance work to solve environmental issues, but it also addresses cost-cutting and the unfair labor practices it causes.
Spawning new partnerships between ‘fashion agents of change’ is another component of what the Alliance for Sustainable Fashion is all about. There are many change makers around the world. As individuals, we have a choice! Many have already made a decision to avoid fast fashion, as the stories behind these pieces emerge. Who really made it? Did they earn enough for a sustainable life? What chemicals were used to make this “wrinkle-free”? Consider supporting the sustainable fashion designers who want you to look good and feel good while doing what’s right for the health of our planet and the well-being of our fellow man.
Share this video as an international #CallForCollaborativeAction in support of the #UNFashionAlliance mission to push global policymaking. It is truly up to each of us as individuals to make an effort and to make decisions that benefit the collective whole of mankind. In addition to buying from designers using sustainable fabrics, we can embrace vintage, recycle and upcycle to ‘trend’ some existing pieces, and dare to find our own unique style by ‘shopping’ our wardrobes for fun, new combos. Because after-all…when it comes to fast fashion, when has it ever been fun to see someone else wearing the exact same outfit you are wearing?
Video by VEPSI, Paris Media Consultant, published in partnership with @CandAFoundation.
