Real environmental and social sustainability and regenerative principles are place/situation based
Regenerate Fashion is an international consultancy focused on integrating sustainability in fashion, from corporate strategy to product design. Its end goal is to transform the way fashion is designed, produced and consumed, from being less harmful to being regenerative across the value chain. Co-founders Ricardo Garay & Larissa Roviezzo speak to Fibre2Fashion how they wish to bring long lasting change in the industry by aligning their work with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Why is it important to integrate sustainability in fashion, from corporate strategy to product design?
A product’s sustainability is contingent on the system in which it is produced. One cannot isolate one of the principles; sustainability does not exist in a vacuum. To create responsible products, one must interrogate the systems in which they are intended to be consumed. This endeavour often begins with a rewrite of the business model and corporate strategies.
What does the fashion industry need to do to align its work with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
First, fashion companies must understand how the SDGs are related to the fashion industry, which can be very specific. For instance, which SDG is most affected when considering the impacts of a cotton t-shirt? After mapping the SDGs, we develop measurement systems and implement continuous reporting strategies to increase accountability, verification, and transparency.
What is ‘SDGs for Better Fashion’? What are its aims and objectives?
The SDGs for Better Fashion are a voluntary and independent commitments made by Regenerate Fashion to reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Our voluntary commitment #28041 ‘SDGs for Better Fashion’ has allowed us to direct our mission and the work of those who we engage with, into tangible actions where we ‘Leave No One Behind’.
Please explain the term ‘circular product’ with examples. Is it different from ‘circular fashion’?
They are both following the principles of Circular Economy. However, circular fashion refers to the whole system in which products are circulated and reused for as long as they can be, before being decomposed safely. While a circular product is a product designed from the very beginning to be recyclable or compatible with the biocycle. In addition, the product can be designed to be deconstructed, with durability in mind, with minimal use of resources and based on mono-material design.
What exactly does Regenerate Fashion do? What are your areas of expertise?
Regenerate supports fashion companies and brands to integrate sustainable and circular economy strategies that have a regenerative effect on people, development, and ecosystems. We offer tailored consulting and training services such as Corporate Sustainability Assessments, Material Strategy & Product Development, Standards & Certifications Preparation.
Which are the main problems in terms of sustainability in the fashion industry? Which of these does Regenerate Fashion solve?
We all wear clothes. Whether from high-end brands or mass-produced, the production of this clothing represents a tremendous negative impact on the environment and society. Textile waste and excess usage of resources are among the main challenges the industry faces. Companies submit to an ESG questionnaire diagnostic; immediately following, we develop tailored solutions to both challenges. These can include establishing a circular design and waste strategy and training companies to design with holistic sustainability in mind, from corporate impacts to greenhouse gas emissions along their value network.
Who are your clients? In which countries/regions are they based?
Our clients are global fashion brands, retailers and textile producers in Europe, the US, and Latin America.
Can you list some best practices of socio-environmental responsibility and circularity that textile and apparel companies must follow?
There is no silver bullet. Real environmental and social sustainability and regenerative principles, for that matter, are place/situation based. One must focus on creating resilient supply chains that deliver to the people and environments in which they are intended – the rest emerges from the exercise.
Looking at the future, how long will it take for the entire global textile-apparel industry to become carbon neutral?
Reaching carbon neutrality is difficult to estimate, but if we want to stay within our planetary boundaries and deliver to the Paris Agreement, the industry needs to take its carbon goals seriously in the coming decade. By 2030, we need to show meaningful progress. By 2050, it may be too late.
How can Regenerate Fashion help companies achieve complete carbon neutral status?
Regenerate focuses on supporting organisations in shifting the design perspective away from minimising harmful impacts and reframes them to focus on driving positive outcomes. Although carbon accounting and striving for carbon neutrality are critical priority areas, Regenerate focuses on integrating regenerative design principles within supply chains. We do not directly support companies in achieving carbon neutrality as some consultancies address; instead, we focus on mapping opportunities, identifying risks, and implementing strategies that will drive towards intended positive outcomes. These outcomes include increasing biodiversity and rebuilding soil health.
Even big companies require a long period of 15-20 years to achieve carbon neutral status. Can this time period be decreased, especially for small and medium sized companies, with guidance and support from Regenerate Fashion?
Regenerate hopes to play an active role supporting companies of all sizes achieve climate targets. The Regenerate team is diverse, and their experience spans all aspects of textile production from fibre to point of sale and back again.
Any new countries/regions where Regenerate Fashion wishes to expand in the coming years?
We would love to support fashion companies with capacity-building projects and continue to explore on the ground regenerative agricultural development in Asia and Africa.
Published on: 16/03/2022
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.
