Luxury, Not Landfill — the Waste-Free Future of Fashion | Joon Silverstein | TED

Summary

This transcript discusses the concept of waste in human society, contrasting it with nature's cyclical systems. It highlights the environmental challenges of waste, particularly in the fashion industry, where 85% of materials end up discarded. The speaker introduces Coachtopia, a new sub-brand of Coach designed to revolutionize fashion with a circular model, turning waste into valuable raw materials. Through innovation, the brand is reimagining waste, using scraps to create sustainable luxury products. This shift challenges traditional notions of beauty and aims to reduce fashion's environmental impact, offering a vision for a sustainable future.

Takeaways

• 😀 Waste is a concept invented by humans; in nature, there is no such thing as waste, as one organism's byproduct fuels another.
• 😀 Human progress has been driven by the invention of waste, from disposable diapers to space travel, yet this model is now threatening our environment.
• 😀 Fashion is a major contributor to waste, with 85% of materials produced ending up in landfills or incinerated, and fashion being the third most polluting industry in the world.
• 😀 Despite some progress in sustainability, few fashion companies challenge the core linear system of production and consumption.
• 😀 During the COVID-19 pandemic, the speaker realized that to address the waste problem in fashion, a complete reinvention of the system was necessary.
• 😀 Coachtopia, a sub-brand of Coach, was created to pioneer a circular fashion system, using waste materials and designing products for multiple lives.
• 😀 Coachtopia's approach focuses on making waste visible and using it as a valuable raw material rather than a byproduct.
• 😀 The traditional design process in fashion starts with ideal materials, but Coachtopia designs backwards, using existing waste materials to create new products.
• 😀 Embracing imperfection is a key part of Coachtopia's approach, challenging the conventional idea of 'perfection' in luxury goods.
• 😀 Coachtopia aims to design out waste from the beginning, not just reimagine it after it is created, creating products that are both sustainable and lower in cost and carbon footprint.

Q & A

What is the main issue the speaker addresses in the video?

The speaker addresses the environmental impact of waste, particularly in the fashion industry, and how the traditional linear model of production and consumption is unsustainable.

How does the speaker describe the concept of waste in nature versus human society?

In nature, there is no waste as the remains of one organism fuel another. However, humans have created the concept of waste, where products are used once and discarded, leading to environmental harm.

What are some examples of how waste has driven human progress?

Examples include disposable diapers, which enabled women to join the workforce, disposable syringes, which facilitated mass vaccination, and single-use rocket boosters that have powered space travel.

How much plastic waste is projected to be in the oceans by 2050, according to the speaker?

By 2050, it is projected that there may be more plastic waste in the oceans than fish.

What problem does the fashion industry contribute to in terms of waste?

The fashion industry contributes to significant waste, with 85% of produced materials ending up in landfills. It is one of the most polluting industries in the world, responsible for 38% of its greenhouse gas emissions.

What is Coachtopia, and what is its purpose?

Coachtopia is a new sub-brand created by Coach, designed to revolutionize fashion by embracing a circular model, where products are made from waste, are designed for multiple lifecycles, and have clear circular pathways to keep materials in circulation.

How does the design process in Coachtopia differ from traditional fashion design?

In Coachtopia, the design process starts with existing waste materials, rather than designing for ideal products and materials. This backward approach allows for creative reuse and transformation of waste into beautiful, functional products.

What role does the checkerboard pattern play in Coachtopia's design process?

The checkerboard pattern was created to help manage the unpredictable nature of using waste materials. It allows for flexible color swaps while maintaining a consistent production system, helping to scale production using available scraps.

What did the speaker learn about the fashion industry's approach to imperfections in materials?

The speaker realized that imperfections, such as uneven leather grain, are often discarded in favor of aesthetic uniformity. This contributes to waste, and Coachtopia aims to challenge these beauty standards by embracing natural imperfections.

How does Coachtopia aim to design out waste from the very beginning?

Coachtopia aims to design out waste by planning for it before production begins. By analyzing the waste produced by their existing products, they create new products, such as bags, from the leftover materials, reducing both environmental impact and costs.

What impact does the new approach to waste in Coachtopia have on the carbon footprint and cost of products?

The new approach reduces the carbon footprint by 59% compared to similar products made from new materials and lowers the price by 46%, passing on savings to consumers.