Crash Course Fashion

Balancing Sustainability with Profitability in Business Models and Operations. May 07, 2024

At the 2024 Sustainable Fashion Forum, Bridget Bauman, Senior Consultant for Sustainability of Energy and Climate Change at WSP, sat down with Amelia Eleiter, co-founder and CEO of Debrand, Ann Cantrell, FIT, Kathryn Danielsen, eBay, and Sarah Haworth, Circular Commerce Strategist, to discuss addressing the challenges and capitalizing on the opportunities.

Debrand

Lanyard Project

The Honest Journey of Scaling a Changemaker Brand with Adam Taubenfligel of Triarchy Apr 25, 2024

In today's episode, we delve into Triarchy's journey as a sustainable denim brand, exploring its commitment to ethical practices and environmental integrity, the partnerships involved in scaling sustainably, and the challenges of what it takes to walk a different path.

Cracking the Code: Why Resale Succeeds for Some and Eludes Others with Trove's Andy Ruben Aug 02, 2023

The resale industry is witnessing significant growth.

According to thredUP's annual resale report, the global secondhand market is projected to nearly double and reach a value of $350 billion by 2027, outpacing the global apparel industry by threefold. As consumers increasingly seek more responsible ways to engage with fashion, resale platforms and secondhand marketplaces have gained momentum, prompting fashion brands and retailers to launch their own resale initiatives to attract new customers, enhance their brand image, create an additional revenue stream, and boost their sustainability credentials all while catering to evolving consumer preferences and demands.

As a result, various resale options have emerged, from resale-specific websites to plug-and-play solutions like Trove, enabling brands and retailers to seamlessly integrate resale into their operations. However, the soaring success of the secondhand market does not guarantee automatic success for brands and retailers that simply adopt a resale model. While some have seamlessly integrated resale into their business models and thrived, others have struggled to find the right formula for success.

In today’s episode of the Crash Course Fashion podcast, host Brittany Sierra chats with Trove’s Founder and Executive Chairman, Andy Ruben. Together, they delve into key strategies for success in the secondhand market, exploring how companies can make resale a profitable part of their business model while navigating the industry's nascency.

Additional Resources:

Check out Trove
Read Trove’s Brand Resale Index
Read thredUP’s 2023 Annual Resale Report
Make your next career move with the SFF Job Board
Follow SFF on Instagram ⁠@thesustainablefashionforum⁠

Connect with Brittany on LinkedIn

Circularity 23 Debrief: Waste as Resource, GenZ Leadership, Perception-Driven Demand, and the Pursuit of Sustainable Growth Over Sacrifice Jun 15, 2023

In this solo episode, host Brittany Sierra reflects on her learnings from the Circularity 23 conference, including the idea of waste as a valuable resource and the importance of integrating the material story into products via tech to turn anonymous waste into an asset with a known value and a clear pathway for reuse and recycling. Brittany discusses the necessity of intergenerational thought diversity and the value in recognizing that each generation brings its unique set of values, knowledge, and cultural context to the table, which can significantly enrich decision-making processes, problem-solving, and innovation. Brittany discusses the power of perception-driven demand and the rise of consumerism in the 20th century. Finally, she shares a powerful message from the Descendants Project about the pursuit of sustainable growth over sacrifice.

Connect with Brittany @BrittanySiierra

Watch The Descendants Project founders speak at Circularity 23

Balancing Profitability and Responsibility: Navigating the Complexities of Sustainable Fashion Jun 01, 2023

This week on the Crash Course Fashion podcast, SFF founder and CCF host Brittany Sierra speaks with Raz Godelnik, Assistant Professor of Strategic Design & Management at Parsons School of Design - The New School, Jan Lo, CEO of Lo & Sons, Kohl Crecelius, Co-Founder of Known Supply, and Nina Ahuja, Head of Business Development at Trove — to explore sustainable fashions path to profitability, shedding light on the delicate balance between growth and sustainability, profit and purpose, in a world of economic uncertainty and changing consumer behavior.

Follow the Sustainable Fashion Forum: @thesustainablefashionforum

Connect with Raz for a FREE digital copy of his book, Rethinking Corporate Sustainability in the Era of Climate Crisis: A Strategic Design Approach.

How the Digital Wardrobe App, Indyx is Disrupting the Future of Consumption and Resale May 24, 2023

In this episode of the Crash Course Fashion podcast, host Brittany Sierra sits down with Yidi Campbell, founder of the innovative tech startup, Indyx. With a background in investment banking and retail strategy, Yidi is using her intimate, behind-the-scenes knowledge of the retail industry to reshape our relationship with our wardrobes. As an avid reseller who has observed the pain points of the resale industry firsthand and understood the disconnect between the contents of consumer closets and the sustainability goals of fashion brands, Yidi conceived Indyx. This unique digital wardrobe app unifies cataloging, styling, and reselling under one virtual roof, addressing issues from multiple angles in the fashion industry.

Indyx aims to challenge rampant overconsumption in the fashion industry by fostering a more sustainable relationship with clothing. By unlocking the hidden potential of existing wardrobes and helping users understand their unique style, Indyx promotes mindful consumption. It's not just about buying less; it's about making the most of what we already own. Moreover, Indyx seeks to breathe new life into the 'grey inventory' hanging in our closets, creating a continuous stream of quality inventory for the resale industry from our own wardrobes, thereby reducing reliance on brands' overproduction.

In this candid conversation, Yidi discusses the business realities brands face on their sustainability journey. Drawing on her experience with brands like Gap Inc. and Athleta, she explores the challenges posed by thin profit margins and the difficulty for brands to commit to sustainable practices. Yidi shares insights into the operational metrics and strategic approaches that Indyx uses to align business growth with sustainability goals.

True to the spirit of our show, this episode delivers an in-depth look into Indyx's business model that merges sustainability with technological innovation in the fashion industry and how Indyx can join the flexible gig economy offering jobs to women around the globe. Yidi's first-hand experience and unique insights not only shed light on the future of sustainable fashion, where technology and business acumen lead the way but also offer practical advice for those looking to make a tangible difference.

Join us as we explore how Indyx is shifting the fashion landscape towards sustainability and tune in to Yidi's insightful perspectives on why consumers, not brands, must be at the forefront of leading change.

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Follow Yidi

Check out Indyx

A Business Case for Sustainability: Lessons from HanesBrands Chief Sustainability Officer, Chris Fox May 16, 2023

In today's fast-paced world, sustainability is not just a buzzword, but a business imperative. More than ever, companies are being tasked with balancing profitability with responsibility while also considering the environmental, social, and economic impacts of their decisions. But as many of us have seen, it's all too easy for sustainability initiatives to become siloed and disjointed from a company's overall strategy. So, how can brands effectively integrate sustainability into their business operations in a way that's good for the planet, drives growth, and satisfies consumer demand?

In this episode of the Crash Course Fashion Podcast, we're joined by Chris Fox, Chief Sustainability Officer at HanesBrands, who shares insights from his 25-year career on integrating sustainability into the core of business operations. We delve into how HanesBrands aligns environmental responsibility with profitability, exploring the challenges and complexities of implementing global sustainability initiatives. Chris offers an inside look into how HanesBrands meets evolving consumer expectations while prioritizing transparency, authenticity, and data-driven strategies to avoid the pitfalls of greenwashing. We also discuss the company's future sustainability goals, including technical innovations and its evolving role in shaping the industry's sustainability landscape. This episode is a deep dive into the realities of corporate sustainability, offering practical examples and valuable lessons on flexibility, learning, and adaptation for long-term success.

Integrating Bio-Based Materials into Existing Supply Chains May 23, 2022

In this week’s episode of Crash Course Fashion, DuPont Biomaterials Global Business Director Mike Saltzberg; Material Innovation Initiative’s Thomasine Dolan; and Prime Movers Lab’s Gaetano Crupi discuss the challenges and opportunities of integrating bio-based materials into existing supply chains led by Glossy reporter, Zofia Zwieglinska. This discussion first aired during the 2022 Sustainable Fashion Forum and was powered by DuPont Biomaterials.

What *Really* Makes a Sustainable Material? Industry Insiders Weigh In May 19, 2022

A large portion of a garment's environmental footprint is determined at the raw material level, so for many designers and brands, the easiest first step on their sustainability journey is to begin by replacing existing materials with sustainable alternatives. However, sustainable material sourcing is no easy task.

Whether plant-based, animal-based or synthetic manmade fiber, every material choice comes with trade-offs. The extraction, processing, and manufacturing of materials is inherently accompanied by challenges that can have short-term and long-term implications on people and the planet.

Whether a fiber is better or worse depends on the numerous factors influencing the life cycle of fabric – from the cultivation of the crop through to processing, assembly, transportation, use, and the subsequent disposal of the garment by the consumer. Adding another layer of complexity, just like "sustainability" can mean many different things depending on personal ethos, the same can be said for determining sustainable materials. A sustainable material could refer to it containing no animal byproducts, or it can mean no plastic (not even recycled). It could be defined as less water use, fewer carbon emissions, or fewer chemicals.

How should brands approach material sustainability with so many contradicting and differing perspectives? What makes a sustainable material? What questions should brands ask when determining what materials to use? How should data be used to compare and contrast materials? What is the role of third-party ranking systems and certifications?

During the 2022 Sustainable Fashion Forum, Dr. Amanda Parkes, Chief Innovation Officer at PANGAIA, Diana Rosenberg, Sr. Manager, Product Sustainability at GAP Inc, Adam Taubenfligel, Creative Director at Triarchy Denim, and Tara St James, Founder of Re:Source(d) and Vice President of Supply Chain and Sustainability at Another Tomorrow, hit the SFF digital mainstage for an industry roundtable moderated by Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal's Sourcing and Labor Editor, exploring the nuances layers of material sustainability.

Unpacking the 'Fashion Act' with New York State Senator Alessandra Biaggi May 11, 2022

In January, the Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act (or the Fashion Act) was unveiled: a bill many are calling a "groundbreaking" and "historic" step towards bringing accountability to the fashion industry and holding the biggest brands accountable for their environmental and social impacts.

If signed into law, the Fashion Act would require all major apparel and footwear companies that generate $100 million in global revenue and do business in the state of New York to map their supply chain, engage in mandatory due diligence, identify and address risks, and set and meet science-based targets.

What does the Fashion Act mean for the fashion industry? Is disclosure enough to truly hold the industry accountable? Now that the bill has been introduced, what happens now? New York State Senator Alessandra Biaggi joined SFF founder Brittany Sierra during the 2022 Sustainable Fashion Forum to discuss. Hear their convo here.

Signup for Earthday.Org's webinar: Fitting Fashion For the Future: How New York State's Historic Fashion Act Hopes to Change the Fashion Industry for Good.

Join The Act on Fashion Coalition.

Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Laura Balmond: ‘Circularity Isn’t a Product, It’s a System’ Mar 08, 2022

Motivated by the threat of limited resources and a growing concern among consumers about the environmental impact of their purchases, the fashion industry is embracing the idea of circular fashion. However, without an industry-wide, agreed-upon definition, the concept of a circular fashion system has become distorted as more and more brands apply the term in their marketing.

In this episode of Crash Course Fashion, hear SFF founder Brittany Sierra in conversation with Laura Balmond, Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Fashion Initiative Lead, to discuss what makes a circular product, the government’s role in accelerating the industry’s transition to a circular economy, what's needed to enable circular systems across markets, and more!

Grab tickets to our annual conference

Neiman Marcus Group’s Ali Mize on the Role of Multi-Brand Retailers in Leading Sustainable Transformation Jan 14, 2022

Sustainability is no longer optional. Environmental concerns have exponentially grown over the past few years resulting in sustainability increasingly becoming a deciding purchasing factor for customers — both fueling brand loyalty and determining spending habits. Shoppers want sustainable products, and heightened competition has put pressure on brands and retailers to respond by championing the causes that matter most to their customers. Engaging in the sustainability conversation for many multi-brand retailers has meant adding curated “edits” of items created with more sustainable materials and methods o their sites and expanding additional services that cater to the circular economy. Multi-brand retailers occupy a unique position in that they sit between producers and consumers. As ‘gatekeepers,’ how can retailers go beyond curated edits to accelerate industry-wide change and raise sustainability standards across the industry by using their power to encourage the development and manufacturing of more sustainable products? How can they use their influence and interactions with consumers to promote mindful consumption and end-of-use strategies How can multi-brand retailers go beyond curated “edits” to accelerate industry-wide sustainable change? In this episode of Crash Course Fashion, hear SFF founder Brittany Sierra in conversation with Ali Mize, Director of ESG, Belonging, & Corporate Philanthropy of Neiman Marcus Group, to discuss how retailers can use their power and influence to encourage the development and manufacturing of more sustainable products while promoting mindful consumption and end-of-use strategies.

Luxury Fashion's Resale Playbook with Fashionphile's Sarah Davis Jan 06, 2022

For Fashionphile’s founder and president, Sarah Davis, selling pre-owned luxury isn’t new. An integral player responsible for pioneering the re-commerce approach to luxury, Davis began selling handbags on eBay as a law student in 1999. Now, more than two decades later, Fashionphile is the largest online platform for buying and selling luxury handbags and accessories in the U.S.

Despite the pandemic, the luxury resale sector was estimated to be worth $25-$30 billion in 2020, proof that the stigma once associated with buying pre-owned items is fading fast. Ripe with opportunity, some luxury brands see resale as a vehicle to attract younger customers, boost sales, access data, and reinforce their sustainability credentials.

However, for some, the rewards of the secondhand market don’t outweigh the challenges. While there’s a good case for luxury brands to embrace resale, many are reluctant to capitalize on the booming pre-owned market, concerned that resale could cannibalize the sale of new products. Fakes and stolen goods being smuggled into the resale market are also a concern as this could lead to market saturation that brands worry could dilute their exclusivity. For others, the potential financial rewards of resale don’t outweigh the complexity of implementing the logistics necessary to own their customer experience.

As sustainability continues to grow as a priority for both consumers and companies, it’s clear that luxury resale is here to stay and those who don’t actively engage are missing out on business and brand-building opportunities.

In this episode of the Crash Course Fashion podcast, SFF founder Brittany Sierra speaks with Sarah Davis about the future of luxury resale and how high-end brands can capitalize on the booming market by creating a comprehensive, data-driven strategy that brings meaningful value to the customer resale experience.

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Short on time? Here are a few timestamps to get straight to the goods:

12:02 How the pandemic has impacted luxury resale.
15:50 Why brands are reluctant to get into resale.
18:50 Why luxury brands shouldn’t be concerned with market cannibalization.
24:30 How Fashionphile uses tech to accurately authenticate products.
34:47 How luxury brands can get started with resale.
44:17 When does a Chanel bag ever end up in a landfill?
51:20 What’s needed to encourage customer participation in luxury resale
52:35 Today’s shopper buys investment pieces/what it means for a brand if your brand doesn’t do well in the resale market

Why Psychology and Human Behavior Are Key to Enabling Customer Participation in the Circular Economy with For Days Founder Kristy Caylor Nov 23, 2021

At the root of fashion’s most pressing problems like climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution sits overproduction and overconsumption. Each year, an estimated 100 billion garments are purchased, and 92 million tonnes are thrown out. The truth is, we’re making and buying more than the earth can sustain. Motivated by the threat of limited resources and a growing concern among consumers about the environmental impact of their purchases, brands are looking to circular fashion as a solution to fashion’s most pressing problems.

If fashion could achieve a closed-loop system, nothing would ever go to the landfill. Clothes would just be endlessly looped through textile and garment factories, stores, your closet, secondhand retailers, textile recyclers, and then back to textile factories again. The problem, however, is that we currently can’t do that.

According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, less than 1% of the fiber used to produce clothing is recycled to make new clothing. Garments that are recycled are mainly downcycled (recycling something so that the resulting product is of a lower value than the original item) into items like insulation, mattress stuffing, and industrial wipes, which surprise, surprise, ultimately ends up in the landfill. Recycled clothing typically comes from plastic water bottles, not old textiles.

In this episode of the Crash Course Fashion podcast, SFF founder Brittany Sierra chats with industry vet and For Days founder Kristy Caylor about the root of overproduction, whether durability or recyclability is more important when designing for circular systems and, why understanding the psychology of human behavior is key to customer participation in the circular economy, how For Days engages its customer in the conversation without greenwashing. And, true to the name, Kristy also shares crash course lessons on how to connect and effectively market to Gen Z in a way that aligns with your values, communicates your message, and speaks to the digitally-savvy consumer group.

How to avoid greenwashing and create honest marketing claims based on accurate data with Elizabeth Cline and Marzia Lanfranchi — Part 2 Nov 11, 2021

How can the fashion industry increase its data literacy to make informed decisions on sustainability, create honest marketing claims, and avoid unintentional greenwashing?

In part one of this conversation, host Brittany Sierra spoke with Elizabeth and Marizia to understand why misinformation matters and how becoming critical data consumers will help the industry create actionable change. In this weeks episode, and part two of the conversation, Elizabeth and Marzia share advice to journalists covering sustainability, explain whether or not legislation will truly be a solution to greenwashing and misinformation and outline where the fashion industry should go from here.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3HfAhgG

How to increase data literacy to make informed sustainability decisions with Elizabeth Cline and Marzia Lanfranchi — Part 1 Nov 02, 2021

Fashion has a serious and growing misinformation problem.

As customers demand sustainability, fashion is responding by making a pointed effort to prioritize people and the planet. However, as brands increase sustainability ambitions, rampant misinformation leads brands to make pivotal business decisions based on unsubstantiated claims, outdated facts, and flawed data.

While there have been many efforts to address fashion's misinformation disorder, a new report commissioned by the Transformers Foundation is taking it a step further. The report, co-authored by Elizabeth Cline and Marizia Lanfranchi titled "Cotton: A Case Study on Misinformation," not only debunks four of the most common false claims in the cotton industry but also lays down a roadmap for accurate data research and industry-wide data transparency.

How can the fashion industry increase its data literacy to make informed decisions on sustainability, create honest marketing claims, and avoid unintentional greenwashing?

This week's episode of the Crash Course Fashion podcast is part of a two-part series where Brittany Sierra chats with Elizabeth and Marizia to understand why misinformation matters and how becoming critical data consumers will help the industry create actionable change.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3wb63Gw

How to Deliver on Transparency to Meet Customer Demands and Avoid Greenwashing with Gordon Renouf Oct 26, 2021

The fashion supply chain is infamously opaque, but brands and retailers are increasingly working to meet customer demands for greater transparency and reducing their negative social and environmental impacts. However, considering how intricate and nuanced the fashion supply chain is and that sustainability can mean something completely different from customer to customer and brand to brand — where should the industry focus its sustainability efforts? In this episode of the Crash Course Fashion podcast, Brittany Sierra talks with Good on You co-founder Gordon Renouf about what it means to be a truly transparent fashion brand including, how brands and retailers can authentically engage in the sustainability conversation and avoid the greenwashing trap to meet customer demands for sustainability. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/2ZqC5lz

Purpose vs. Profit: Cuyana Co-Founder Shilpa Shah on Why Sustainability Has to Make Business Sense Oct 19, 2021

How do you navigate the opposing forces of business and sustainability? How can you stay true to your values while profitably building and scaling a purpose-driven fashion brand that's good for people, planet, and profit? In this episode of the Crash Course Fashion podcast, Brittany Sierra talks with Cuyana co-founder Shilpa Shah about why the Cuyana's ethos of "fewer, better" is more than a marketing message, the key to scaling a profitable purpose-driven fashion brand, her thoughts or greenwashing and critics, and why Cuyana doesn't lean on sustainability when communicating with their customer.

Jake Disraeli on why fashion is betting big on resale + how to make resale profitable Oct 12, 2021

Is the growth of resale enabling fashion brands to continue to overproduce? In this episode of Crash Course Fashion, Brittany Sierra talks with Jake Disraeli, the co-founder, and CEO of Treet, about all things resale and how brands can create a profitable secondhand model that ensures the greatest ROI and the most significant impact—for people and planet. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3BDBew6

How to stand out as a purpose-driven brand with WWD's Kaley Roshitsh Oct 06, 2021

In this episode of Crash Course Fashion, Brittany Sierra chats with WWD sustainability reporter Kayley Rotish about the future of resale, if brands will move away from growth-based businesses models, and how to stand out as a purpose-driven brand when everyone is talking about sustainability.

BPCM’s Carrie Ellen Phillips on why community is a crucial part of marketing sustainability Sep 28, 2021

What would happen if sustainable fashion took a page from fast fashion's marketing playbook and embraced strategic marketing strategies to deliver sustainability to the masses? In this episode of Crash Course Fashion, Brittany Sierra chats with BPCM co-founder Carrie Ellen Phillips about all things sustainability, fashion, and marketing and why building a strong community around your fashion brand is key to marketing sustainability. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3jxEPoP

Media's Role in Cracking Down on Greenwashing with Julia Gall Sep 21, 2021

As consumers increasingly want to align their spending with their values, brands are responding by making sustainability commitments, setting climate goals, and vowing to minimize their environmental impact. However, as interest in sustainability has increased, so has greenwashing.

Diluted by vague claims and untraceable statistics, greenwashing is unknowingly spread in media by journalists who lack the training to spot greenwashing when it finds its way onto their desk.

In this episode of the Crash Course Fashion podcast, Marie Claire style director Julia Gall explains how media can become a positive force in fashion through greater education of fashion’s supply chain.

Trailer Sep 06, 2021

Tune into Crash Course Fashion, hosted by Brittany Sierra — premiering September 21st! Produced by The Sustainable Fashion Forum