How Can Fashion Become Truly Circular? | BoF VOICES 2021

Summary

The Allen Cath Foundation's book on circular design highlights the importance of transitioning from a linear to a circular economy in fashion. The three core principles of circular design include eliminating waste, extending product and material life cycles, and regenerating natural systems, all powered by renewable energy. This shift is crucial for sustainability, as the current economy results in significant GHG emissions and biodiversity loss. The potential economic opportunity in circular fashion is vast, estimated at $700 billion by 2030. Challenges remain, including systemic change, design innovation, and infrastructure for recycling, but the transition is necessary for a sustainable future.

Takeaways

• 🔄 **Circular Design Principles**: The concept of circular design in fashion revolves around three main principles - eliminating waste and pollution through design, circulating products and materials for as long as possible, and regenerating natural systems.
• 🌱 **Renewable Energy Integration**: For a circular economy to be sustainable in the long term, it must run on renewable energy, affecting not just the fashion industry but also the technology and automotive sectors.
• 🚫 **Waste Reduction**: The fashion industry, known for its creativity, has a significant opportunity to reduce waste by rethinking its business models and product lifecycles.
• 🌐 **Economic Impact**: Shifting to circular business models could create a $700 billion economic opportunity by 2030, highlighting the potential for systemic change in the fashion industry.
• 🔄 **Product Lifecycle**: The importance of designing products that can be easily reintegrated into the system at the end of their useful life is emphasized, to prevent them from ending up in landfills or being incinerated.
• 💡 **Innovation and Collaboration**: The transition to a circular economy requires innovation, collaboration across the entire value chain, and a mindset shift from traditional linear models.
• 🛍️ **Consumer Behavior**: The way the economy functions can influence consumer behavior, making them part of the solution rather than the problem in terms of waste and pollution.
• 🌿 **Regenerative Agriculture**: The fashion industry can contribute to regenerative agriculture by using cotton grown in ways that enhance biodiversity and enrich the soil.
• 🔧 **Challenges in Implementation**: The complexity of designing for a circular economy is acknowledged, with the need for a holistic approach that considers cultural and territorial differences.
• 🎯 **Education and Material Science**: The role of education and material science in developing innovative materials that fit within a circular system is crucial for the success of the circular economy.
• 💼 **Investment and Policy**: The availability of funds for circular economy initiatives is mentioned, with the need for these investments to be directed towards the right projects and for policy changes to support the transition.

Q & A

What are the three principles of circular design mentioned in the transcript?

The three principles of circular design are: 1) Eliminate waste and pollution through design, 2) Circulate products and materials for as long as possible, and 3) Regeneratively restore natural systems, all while running on renewable energy.

How does the circular economy approach differ from the traditional linear economy?

The circular economy approach focuses on designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems through renewable energy. This is in contrast to the traditional linear economy, which is based on a 'take-make-dispose' model that often leads to resource depletion and environmental degradation.

What is the significance of renewable energy in the context of circular design?

Renewable energy is crucial in the context of circular design because it ensures that the entire system, including the fashion, technology, and automotive economies, can operate sustainably in the long term without depleting finite resources or causing environmental harm.

How does the circular economy relate to tackling the climate crisis?

The circular economy addresses the climate crisis by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the way products are made and used, which accounts for approximately 45% of all GHG emissions. By transforming the economy to be circular, it can contribute to mitigating climate change and preserving biodiversity.

What is the potential economic opportunity in the global fashion market through circular business models?

The potential economic opportunity through circular business models in the global fashion market is estimated to be between $700 billion to $3,700 billion by 2030, representing 23% of the global fashion market.

Why is it important for products to be designed for circularity?

Designing products for circularity is important because it ensures that products can be reused, repaired, and recycled, thus keeping materials in use and reducing waste. This aligns with the principles of circular design and contributes to a sustainable and regenerative economy.

What challenges does the fashion industry face in implementing circular business models?

The fashion industry faces challenges such as skepticism from traditional luxury brands, the complexity of designing for circularity across different products and territories, and the need for systemic change that involves coordination across the entire value chain and policy landscape.

How can the fashion industry's interaction with its customers or users change under circular economy principles?

Under circular economy principles, the fashion industry's interaction with its customers can shift from a transactional model to a relational one, where customers engage in rental, resale, or subscription services, and become part of a system that values product lifecycle and sustainability.

What is the role of digital transformation in enabling the circular economy?

Digital transformation plays a vital role in enabling the circular economy by facilitating the tracking, sharing, and management of product lifecycles, as well as enabling new business models like online platforms for rental, resale, and other circular services.

How does the concept of 'access over ownership' fit into the circular economy?

The concept of 'access over ownership' is central to the circular economy as it encourages business models that provide access to products and services without the need for consumers to own them. This reduces the overall demand for new resources and extends the life of products, aligning with the circular design principles.

What are some of the barriers to implementing circular design in the fashion industry?

Barriers to implementing circular design in the fashion industry include the need for new material science innovations, challenges in designing products that can be easily recycled or repaired, the cultural and logistical complexities of product recovery systems, and the need for systemic change in business models and policy frameworks.

Outlines

00:00

🌿 Introduction to Circular Design

The Allen Cath Foundation is launching a book on circular design, which aims to clarify the concept of circularity in the fashion industry. The speaker discusses the importance of understanding the industry's jargon and the three principles of circular design: eliminating waste and pollution through design, circulating products and materials for as long as possible, and regenerating natural systems. These principles, when combined with renewable energy, can create a sustainable economy in various sectors, including fashion. The speaker emphasizes the role of design in achieving circularity, from business models to product lifecycles, and the potential impact on the climate crisis.

05:02

🔄 The Shift from Linear to Circular Economy

The speaker highlights the need to transition from a linear economy to a circular one, where economic growth is decoupled from finite resources. The automotive and fashion industries are undergoing this transformation, recognizing the importance of recycling materials and adopting new business models like access over ownership. Digital technology plays a crucial role in facilitating this shift. The speaker also discusses the economic opportunity in circular business models, citing a study that estimates a potential value of $20-30 billion and the potential to capture 23% of the global fashion market. The rise of rental and resale platforms is noted as a significant development in this direction.

10:05

🌐 Addressing Industry Skepticism and Barriers

The speaker addresses skepticism within the fashion industry towards circular business models, particularly at the luxury end of the spectrum. The conversation delves into the systemic change required within industries and the need for a collective effort to redefine success. The importance of correctly designing products for a circular economy is emphasized, along with the challenges of ensuring that products fit back into the system at the end of their life cycle. The complexity of creating a circular garment is discussed, highlighting the need for collaboration across the entire value chain.

15:06

💡 Overcoming Barriers and Envisioning a Sustainable Future

The speaker discusses the barriers to implementing circular design, including material science challenges and the need for financial innovation. The potential of education and material science to develop materials that fit within a circular system is highlighted. The conversation touches on the role of the finance industry in supporting this shift and the importance of communication in driving the circular economy. The speaker concludes with a call to action for the industry to unite and advocate for a circular economy based on the three principles of regenerating natural systems, eliminating waste, and keeping products and materials in use, all powered by renewable energy.

Keywords

💡Circular Design

Circular design refers to an approach that aims to eliminate waste and pollution through thoughtful design, circulate products and materials for as long as possible, and regenerate natural systems. It is a key concept in the video, emphasizing the need for a sustainable and regenerative fashion industry that operates on renewable energy. The video discusses how this design philosophy can transform the economy and make it work for the environment, with examples such as clothing that can be recycled or reused.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability in the context of the video pertains to the ability to maintain economic, social, and environmental health and productivity indefinitely. It is a central theme as the discussion revolves around the need for a sustainable fashion industry that addresses climate change and biodiversity loss. The video highlights that the current economy, including fashion, contributes significantly to environmental degradation, and a shift towards circular design is crucial for sustainability.

💡Renewable Energy

Renewable energy refers to energy sources that can be replenished naturally and are considered sustainable, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. In the video, it is mentioned as a critical component of the circular design principles, emphasizing the need for industries to run on renewable energy to ensure long-term sustainability and to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

💡Economy

The term 'economy' in the video refers to the system of production, consumption, and distribution of goods and services. The discussion focuses on the need to transform the current linear economy, which is wasteful and contributes to environmental degradation, into a circular economy that is regenerative and sustainable. The video suggests that by doing so, we can create an economy that works for the environment and future generations.

💡Biodiversity Loss

Biodiversity loss refers to the decline in the variety of species, ecosystems, and genetic diversity. In the video, it is highlighted as a significant environmental issue that is exacerbated by the current economic model, particularly in the fashion industry. The discussion emphasizes the importance of changing business practices to preserve and enhance biodiversity, which is integral to the health of our planet.

💡Fashion Industry

The fashion industry is the focus of the video, which discusses its role in contributing to waste, pollution, and biodiversity loss. The conversation revolves around the potential for the industry to transform through circular design principles, creating economic opportunities while addressing sustainability and climate change. The video also touches on the challenges and opportunities for the fashion industry in adapting to these new models.

💡Circular Economy

A circular economy is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. It is a core concept in the video, where it is presented as a solution to the unsustainable practices of the linear economy. The circular economy model is integral to the discussion on how the fashion industry can evolve to become more sustainable and regenerative, with the potential to unlock significant economic opportunities.

💡Climate Crisis

The climate crisis refers to the ongoing, significant changes in global weather patterns and the Earth's ecosystems due to human activities, particularly the emission of greenhouse gases. In the video, it is emphasized as one of the biggest challenges facing humanity, and the fashion industry's role in contributing to it through its production and consumption processes. The discussion highlights the urgency of transitioning to circular design and renewable energy to mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis.

💡Waste Reduction

Waste reduction is the process of minimizing the materials that are wasted and instead reusing or recycling them. In the context of the video, waste reduction is a critical component of circular design principles, aiming to eliminate waste and pollution through thoughtful design. The video discusses the importance of designing products and systems that can be reused or recycled, thereby reducing the fashion industry's contribution to environmental degradation.

💡Business Models

Business models refer to the strategies and processes by which a company creates, delivers, and captures value. In the video, the discussion around circular design principles extends to the need for innovative business models that support sustainability and waste reduction. Examples given include access over ownership models, such as rental and resale platforms, which are seen as transformative for the fashion industry and contribute to a circular economy.

💡Material Science

Material science is the study of materials and their properties, and it plays a crucial role in the video's discussion on circular design. It is highlighted as an area where innovation can lead to the development of materials that are more suited to a circular economy, such as those that can be easily recycled or that improve the environment when they degrade. The video suggests that advancements in material science are key to overcoming some of the barriers to implementing circular design principles.

Highlights

The Allen Cath Foundation is launching a book on circular design.

Circular design is based on three principles: eliminating waste and pollution, circulating products and materials, and regenerating natural systems.

A circular economy, powered by renewable energy, can lead to a sustainable long-term economy in various industries including fashion and technology.

The current economy is responsible for 45% of all GHG emissions and over 90% of biodiversity loss due to the linear model of making and using things.

Circular design is not just about the product but also how it fits within the system and relates to the user.

A shift to circular business models could create a $700 billion economic opportunity and capture 23% of the global fashion market by 2030.

Business models like rental and resale are becoming more popular, especially during the pandemic, showing a potential shift in consumer behavior.

There was initial skepticism in the luxury fashion industry towards circular business models like rental and resale.

The transition from a linear to a circular economy is vital for addressing the climate crisis and biodiversity loss.

Circular design involves designing products to be repaired, reused, and recycled, ensuring they fit back into the system at the end of their life.

A study on circular business models shows the significant economic opportunity in transforming the fashion industry.

The fashion industry has an opportunity to reinvent itself and change the system from linear to circular.

Circularity in fashion is not just about business models but also about the design of the products and how they are communicated to the consumer.

Designers are excited about being part of the solution and the creativity involved in circular design.

Barriers to circular design include challenges in material science, financing, and the need for systemic change across the entire industry.

The fashion industry needs to coordinate with policymakers and other sectors to establish a circular system.

The potential for a circular fashion economy is vast, with the right combination of design, business models, and systemic change.

Transcripts

the allen cath foundation is launching

its book on circular design and you gave

a little teaser in that video of of what

circularity really means but i've been

covering sustainability in this industry

for some time now and i know we throw

around these very big words that mean

very big things and we don't drill into

what it really means and that's

important that we understand what we're

talking about so i wondered if you could

just lay down

what fashion is really aiming for here

circular design is about three

principles the first principle is to

eliminate waste and pollution through

design

the second is to circulate products and

materials for as long as possible and

then the third is to regenerate natural

systems if you do that all running on

renewable energy you effectively build a

fashion economy a technology economy an

automotive economy which can really run

in the long term it's a completely

different approach and it all begins

with design design of the business

models design as a product design of the

the way the product flows through the

system it's all really about design

right from the outset and just to

contextualize what what this could mean

when you talk about you know how we

could run this on green energy

what is the impact in in terms of

tackling

the crisis that i think imran laid out

the start of today as being the biggest

one facing us the climate crisis how

important is this well when you look at

some of the statistics it's quite

surprising you know we when we talk

about climate we hear a lot of

conversation around energy the switch to

renewable energy is vital but actually

the way the economy functions you know

the way we we make and use things

including food that's responsible for 45

of all ghg emissions and over 90 of

biodiversity loss just because of the

way we do things so if you change the

way we do things you change the way the

economy functions to enable all the the

users i love the word user we use that

as well you know the users the actors

within the economy to make the economy

work for you so that you have designed

out waste there is no waste there's no

pollution products cycle for as long as

they need to and then they they feed

back into the system and then you

regenerate natural systems then actually

through the way the economy functions

you're making the world a better place

and it's not just the energy question

it's actually how the economy functions

and that's really fascinating today our

economy is so wasteful and yet we're

innovative and creative and you see the

presentations here and you think you

know we can do anything this is you know

we have this world of opportunity we

have digital we can share in seconds why

are we making stuff that becomes waste

when we have finite materials and then

you put that in line with the statistics

around ghd emissions from the way we

make and use things it's crazy we can do

so much better with this if we have that

goal yeah and i think it's one of the

great ironies of the fashion industry in

particular as you say it's such a

creative industry absolutely has an

opportunity to take such a creative

stance to find solutions and yet the

waste in this industry

as dave vivian han outlined yesterday i

think she if i'm remembering the

statistics she used correctly 12 of all

fibers just never used completely

wasteful so the scale of opportunity

here in terms of transforming the

industry

how much of a difference to fashion

could we make oh we've just done a study

on circular business models which is how

the products fit within the economy how

they can cycle within the economy notice

the design of the materials but this is

actually the business model and we

reckon up by 20 30 700 billion us

dollars worth of economic opportunity

and 23 percent of the global fashion

market when you see companies like you

know the real real and rent the runway

coming from nowhere and grasping a

sector of the market that really wasn't

there and it you know billion dollar

businesses you know in a heartbeat

really when you look at the timeline

it's really interesting to see and i

think this this

this conversation around the users and

the way that the fashion industry

interacts with their customers or their

users or the participants within it i

think there's some really big

opportunities here because when you look

at that circular economy and you look at

cycling those products and how those

products fit this can become a

relationship with an organization or a

company that makes the products this

isn't just about the design of the

product but it's also so important how

that product relates to the user how

that product fits back within the system

there's no point in building the perfect

circular item of clothing if once it

gets to the end of its useful life you

can't do anything with it or the person

who ends up with it doesn't know the

materials and it's been really really

interesting to see particularly during

the pandemic how those business models

like rental and resale have begun to

take off more but

there was a lot of hesitancy within the

industry towards these business models

when they first came onto the scene

particularly particularly at the luxury

end of the spectrum there was a lot of

skepticism a lot of concern

why do you think that was and do you

do you think we've got past that barrier

i think you know in some

if you're in a traditional linear system

which really we've inherited since the

industrial revolution where the way you

make your profits is to take a material

turn it into something and sell it i

mean one of my earliest conversations

was in the automotive sector this was

nearly 10 years ago

where raw material prices had gone up by

500 million euros in 12 months half the

operating profits wiped away like that

and that that business had no control

over it that's because they're tied to

that linear system and you only make

money when you sell stuff that's now

transforming in automotive as it's

transforming in fashion as we realize

actually we need to decouple our

economic growth from the use of finite

resources we need to feed those

resources into a system so they become

not virgin resources but they're

recycled materials how do you do that

well you can do that through design

through the cycling of materials but

through just different business models

you know access over ownership this is

all changing and digital makes this

happen that's why this the digital

transformation is so vital to to

bringing this all to life so get on

board or miss out

yes

but it's really interesting because you

know i was at cop last month and i sat

on a panel with philip hildebrand who's

the number two in blackrock you know

if anybody knows about global investment

it's him and he was challenged by the

moderators saying but this is about

sacrifice you know this transition is

going to cost this is down to us as the

users the consumers whatever you want to

call them we're going to pay for this

and he just said do you know what he

said if we continue with business as

usual gdp goes down by 25 in the next

two decades business as usual doesn't

work it's not the solution and i think

that's where we need to begin

the process from is realizing that

actually carrying on as we are is not a

solution it it's never going to work we

have a growing world population we have

finite resources we have the climate

crisis we have we have to change the

system can't we change the system from

linear to circular so it works for us so

consumers make the world a better place

through their choices through the fact

that the cotton that they're buying is

grown in a regenerative way and it's

enhancing biodiversity and it's making

the topsoil richer not poorer because

we're at the moment we're locked in a

race to the bottom and that's about

making a product with a little bit less

for a little bit cheaper so people can

buy it a little bit cheaper and it's and

you're kind of racing down how can we

make a bit more profit from this this

turns all of that on its head this is a

race to the top this is to build better

to design better to change the system to

enable access over ownership to let

people have these products and

participate in the solution not feel

like every time they're making a choice

they're actually part of the problem and

that's why the sys the sys the system

has to change and systemic change within

the fashion industry in the automotive

industry and the plastic packaging

industry it has to be

the entire system shifting towards that

regenerative model let's talk a little

bit about our basic instincts as human

beings here though as well

because what we're seeing interestingly

in fashion is

business as companies test out things

like rental and resale which is very

exciting and potentially transformative

is you're also seeing companies spot an

opportunity to

drive more consumption so you know come

to my resale site get a voucher to buy

new things yeah other side so

do do we get to a do we run the risk of

being in a position where we have this

opportunity transform but because

the there is a higher value near term by

doing it in a way that doesn't

absolutely shift the system we don't

take advantage exactly yeah

there's always a risk but what we're

beginning to see and this you know

we see this in the fashion sector

beginning but there are some fascinating

things going on in other sectors like in

faster moving consumer goods food

production we're beginning to see some

of the biggest

food retailers in the world you know

producers of product compete over nature

positive food

now imagine that when you walk into a

supermarket at the moment we're thinking

you know if you're a conscious

individual and you can afford

the choice because not everyone can

you're trying to make an informed

decision with not a lot of data what do

you buy you know what do you choose

what's

if the companies involved in that sector

are then competing over nature positive

food you know that what you're buying is

making the world a better place

and you don't have to understand

circularity or the circular economy to

do that this is nature positive this is

hunter's biodiversity this builds up the

natural capital in farmland this is a

good thing i think in the fashion

industry we're going to see something

similar we know business as usual

doesn't work we know we need to reinvent

the system it's not just about different

business models and access over

ownership it's the design of the

products that are sold no we're not

going to have access over ownership for

underwear you know there are products

that that won't work for we have a whole

range of things there are some really

high value items like things that i've

been given by my parents i'm going to

keep those forever they're incredibly

valuable to me

but then you also have the things that

just quite frankly aren't or technology

that has to cycle because technology

moves on

all of these opportunities need to fit

within a system and need to be correctly

designed so when that thing that you

won't rent and you actually have to buy

or access in a different way when that

goes back into the system it's designed

for that system and what does that mean

correctly designed what is a product

that is designed for a circular model

well it's interesting we ran a big

project on the jeans redesign right

getting together the biggest genes

manufacturers in the world and saying

what do circular genes look like and how

do you make this happen you know what do

you put in them

what level of um

what level of uh

quality do you have to look at when you

grow the cotton in the first place um

how do you extract the material and make

sure that when those genes if they're

not resold or repaired reach the end of

their life that they can be fed back

into the system and that's really hard

and it's actually very rare to get the

biggest competitors and this has been

mentioned at this conference we need to

work together to make this happen this

is not a question of competing you know

100 innovations in 100 directions

doesn't add up to a solution you need to

work out what success looks like for

that for the you know the jeans industry

or for the fashion industry and then

orientate everybody towards it so that

every step takes you one close one step

closer to that goal and we know we can

identify what that goal looks like and

that's where the circular design comes

in looking at what is circular design

well it's making sure you can take the

materials out of those products you can

repair the garments you can keep them in

the system but if it's something that

can't stay in the system and make sure

it fits within the system when it gets

to the end of its life make sure there's

there's a system there that enables that

product to be fed back into the system

because there's no point in designing a

circular t-shirt if it just ends up in

landfill 87 of textiles ends up you know

incinerated or landfill and only one

percent currently globally gets recycled

into the same quality material i mean

the statistics are

really shocking so we can do better than

that we can build products that can fit

within a cycle and we won't always get

it right but that goal gives the

direction of travel which is so

important were you surprised when you

started digging into this about the

complexity

involved in figuring out how to make a

circular garden garment

um it it is incredibly complex

and there are and it's interesting you

need the entire

value chain in the room this is not just

a design question

it's obviously a design question but

it's everything that sits around that

and everyone needs to get their heads in

the room to get their heads around it

and then you actually need to do it to

learn more about it as you put

everything in process and in a way

it sounds crazy to say but to design a

circular pair of jeans is fairly

straightforward because the criteria is

clear but then when you look at the

fashion industry this is not about one

product in one territory it's about

multiple products in multiple

territories and different countries have

different recovery systems for garments

so if you design that perfect circular

garment how do you guarantee it fits

back into that system so the cotton is

you know ultimately the very end of its

life you know by degraded and put back

on agricultural farmland how do you

build that and that's different

everywhere so it's a very culturally

specific as well as design orientated

and value chain conversation and so it's

about taking a really holistic point of

view at the point of design and i know

that you and the macarthur foundation

consulted when you were putting together

the circular design but did you get

pushback from designers

in saying you know this isn't realistic

this is too restrictive

you're telling us how we should design

it's it's not creative i would say

that's not the vibe at all i think there

was and it's really interesting

genuine excitement

to be part of

the solution but from a real it's a book

for creatives from a real creativity

perspective and there's some really

interesting points of view in the book

about values

you know

do you have pride in a designer at

making multiple garments that are sold

multiple times that you know 87 of which

you know are going to be on landfill or

incinerated or is there pride in

building something that people value

that is valuable and even if it's you

know underwear that underwear at the end

of its life still has a value because

today it doesn't

you know

things are made to be worn and then

they're not really valuable at all so

they they end up being incinerated or

landfilled i mean that's what happens to

things that don't have value so i think

there's a real

excitement around being part of the

opportunity and i think also the opening

of the conversation from the creatives

in the design space to the creatives in

the marketing space in the online space

in the in the in the communication space

you know how we're going to communicate

circular business models what what's the

message and that's a fascinating

challenge to have and an opportunity to

seize

to to to be ahead of the game and to

think of the future because as we know

business as usual can't run so we need

to be creative as to how we build that

that future economy and so and what are

the barriers

that we're facing here you know 700

billion opportunity 23 of the market

potentially by 2030

what is it going to take to get there

well mindset change

you know you said yourself sarah some

people resist this some people are more

up for this some people realize they

might actually do this themselves you

may have a service with a luxury goods

provider whereby you don't actually own

what you're wearing at all and you're

just clothed by them like the stars are

why not you know why not everybody do

that there's no

there are certain items you wouldn't do

that with

for but actually the majority absolutely

you can and we've you know seen

companies appear and provide this so i

think there is there's a massive

opportunity there and there's there's an

opportunity to communicate in a

different way i'd say some of the

barriers around design you know we don't

have all the answers around design it's

the same with plastic packaging it's the

same with automotive you know how do you

design this in a different way

some of the challenges sit with material

science but then the opportunities sit

there too and you know we work a huge

amount in education globally with

universities around the world and it's

fascinating looking at new materials the

material science innovation making

materials that fit within a system it's

it's you're being part of the solution

and it's all about innovation and

creativity so for me there are barriers

and they sit in different areas you know

the financing if you're if you're

renting your clothing or providing it as

a service how does that sit on the books

how are you invested but then

the the other side of that is that there

is you know as again to go back to the

conversation with blackrock and

about the finance industry the money's

there

the money's there to be invested but it

needs to be connected to the right

investments

and this isn't a conversation about um

the csr part of the business this isn't

a conversation about um you know

environmental and social governance this

is a conversation about how the they're

vital but this is a conversation about

the industry and how the industry

functions and how that industry plays a

role in the switch from linear to

circular and that's not clear and that's

not measured very clearly yet but the

money's there waiting to back it up so

the communication of how this will

unfold

is really really interesting

it's and i think that is a really

interesting barrier to talk about

because

when i talk to people in the industry

about this there's a lot of

excitement about it there's a lot of

experimentation there are a lot of pilot

projects

there's not much scaling and there's a

lot of challenges still in play around

how you figure out getting products back

to recycle them what the infrastructure

is who is meant to put that in place as

you said changes from country to country

yeah

the industry

can't do this alone

who does it need to be coordinating with

and

how quickly does do we all need to get

our acts together i think that's a

really good question and

i think what's interesting is

the industry

from our perspective and the work we've

done with you know the players and

organizations we work with there's a

there's a real feeling that the system

has to change that the fashion industry

has to change not just a feeling you

know the pilot project in place

um such as we're next in new york where

there's a we you know worked with new

york state to put a system together so

the clothing could feed back in as a as

a pilot as a trial to see how do we get

this clothing back how do we build this

system that can cycle but because

because it is so different in all the

different territories and and that

really is a channel but the most

important point comes back to the fact

that

if some of the biggest players in the

world and we've we've seen this and done

this with plastic packaging globally

we've got 20 of the global plastic

packaging industry signed up to a global

commitment with unep which is now

changing policy if the biggest players

in the world say do you know what this

is what success looks for our industry

you know with the jeans or with the

fashion industry as a whole which is a

really big goal but if that that

direction of travel is fixed that makes

it so much easier for policymakers to

change so what what should everyone in

this room be getting together to ask for

abs well absolutely a circular economy

for fashion based on three principles

that regenerates natural systems that

designs that waste and pollution and

keeps products and materials in use you

run that on renewable energy we have a

fashion industry that can run forever

and build the most beautiful things

because they sit within a system that

ultimately make the world a better place

what an amazing place to get to

i feel like there is no more to say on

this

thank you so much

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