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BFW adopts Copenhagen Fashion Week's sustainability requirements

11 Jun '24

4 min read

BFW & CPHFW partner to enforce sustainability at Berlin Fashion Week

Pic: Copenhagen Fashion Week

Insights

Berlin Fashion Week (BFW) has partnered with Copenhagen Fashion Week (CPHFW) to introduce the CPHFW-developed Sustainability Requirements at BFW.
This initiative, supported by the Berlin Senate and executed by Fashion Council Germany and Studio MM04, aims to enhance BFW's commitment to sustainability and establish Berlin as a leader in responsible fashion.

BFW and CPHFW have announced a new partnership to roll out the Sustainability Requirements at Berlin Fashion Week. By implementing the Sustainability Requirements framework, developed by CPHFW, Berlin Fashion Week commits to making the Minimum Standards a mandatory criterion for show brands at Berlin Fashion Week. Joining forces, the parties align their efforts to accelerate the industry’s sustainability actions across the Nordic and German fashion markets. Funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises and executed by Fashion Council Germany in cooperation with Studio MM04 this decision means a further step for BFW toward a responsible fashion platform.

Michael Biel, state secretary for Economic Affairs: “By implementing the Sustainability Requirements, Berlin will become one of the leading international locations for a responsible and innovative fashion industry. With the financial support of 180,000 euros until 2025, we are once again investing in Berlin's future as a pioneer in sustainability. Through sustainable practices such as upcycling and the use of recycled materials, social and ecological responsibility go hand in hand with fashion Made in Berlin and Germany. With these standards, Berlin will set an example in comparison with other global fashion metropolises.”

"We are proud to announce this partnership with Copenhagen Fashion Week, a valuable partner and trailblazer for sustainability in fashion. By adopting the Sustainability Requirements at Berlin Fashion Week, we are not only committing to higher standards but also setting an example for responsible practices. This collaboration presents a significant opportunity to leverage our combined expertise and resources, fostering innovation and encouraging brands to meet the evolving demands of society and the industry.” - Scott Lipinski, CEO of Fashion Council Germany.

“With the Minimum Standards being a mandatory admission criterion for Copenhagen Fashion Week’s show brands for three seasons now, we are thrilled to achieve greater industry alignment through our partnership with Berlin Fashion Week. Not only does our partnership trigger much needed alignment – it also emphasises fashion weeks’ and councils’ opportunities to be part of transitioning the industry for the better. It’s a big milestone for us to see the Sustainability Requirements gain global recognition and we hope it will inspire more actors to collaborations.”- Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week.

The partnership includes the implementation of the Sustainability Requirements framework to approximately 35 brands on the official Berlin Fashion Week show schedule where the Minimum Standards will be established as a mandatory criterion. The implementation is to see a phase of onboarding and piloting before coming into effect fully by February 2026.

Background

The Sustainability Requirements were introduced by Copenhagen Fashion Week in close collaboration with their Knowledge Partners In Futurum and Dansk Fashion & Textile in January 2020. Since then, they have been updated in March 2024 to reflect industry developments and changes in the EU policy landscape. The framework represents an essential part of CPHFW’s sustainability strategy to drive comprehensive change in the fashion industry and was reviewed by their Advisory Board and an international panel of experts.

Since its launch, the largest fashion trade fair in Denmark Copenhagen International Fashion Fair as well as the Norwegian Fashion Hub and Oslo Runway have embarked on the implementation of the Sustainability Requirements framework. In May 2021, the government funded programme “Fremtidens Tekstiler” selected the Sustainability Requirements as the framework to provide a gap analysis to 50 SMEs to lead to further action.

Specific adaptations for BFW

In addition to the existing guidelines of the Sustainability Requirements, BFW will implement specific adaptations aligning with BFW’s strategy. The Sustainability Requirements are a framework developed by Copenhagen Fashion Week.