Textile Exchange

Promoting the increased use of fabrics, such as organically produced cotton, with a lower environmental impact amongst fashion experts was the primary goal of the Future Fabrics Expo hosted last week by the London College of Fashion. The Expo showcased innovative and commercially viable fibres and fabrics that embody a range of sustainable principles and new technologies and demonstrate that there are more sustainable alternatives to the widely available conventional fabrics that currently dominate the market.

My recent trip to India proved just how rewarding organic cotton farm ‘projects’ can be. I saw and learnt many things during this short trip but one of the biggest impressions must have been the smiles on the faces of the school children I met. Lives were being transformed in remote rural villages, where formal education has been introduced for the first time. It’s also evident that investment in a child’s education goes way beyond the classroom, having a ripple effect throughout the entire community.

Sustainability is not just a catch phrase to be tossed around the farmer’s market anymore. All over the world, consumers are choosing to adopt more environmentally and socially conscious lifestyles. People are not only taking notice of unethical business practices and destructive natural resource extraction techniques, they are taking a stand against them. Consumers are willing to pay slightly higher costs to ensure that the products they purchase... continue reading...

It's an odd thing to reflect on how long I've been in the world of apparel sustainability. From my early days in Esprit's Ecollection circa 1992 to my ten year tenure in various Nike CSR / Sustainability positions to now, it's been nearly twenty years.

Agriculture is as much about the social, political, cultural, and economic systems

Wouldn't it be nice if you had a whole list of pre-screened links, blogs, and resources you could access for references and inspiration? Data, stories, images, and previously unpublished information you could integrate into projects or use to develop curricula?

A new report from consultants PwC, shows that for the first time in a decade

Having recently returned from a meeting of the Roundtable on Organic Agriculture and Climate Change (RTOACC) led by Andreas Gattinger (FiBL) and then discovering that the New Scientist has just released a special report on the definite effects of climate change it is clear that we know a whole lot more about both. Organic agriculture has a significant role to play in an ‘age of climate change’.

The European Commission has published a new policy on corporate social responsibility that aims to create conditions for sustainable growth and employment opportunities. The Commission has redefined corporate social responsibility as "the responsibility of enterprises for their impacts on society."

For more details, visit the European Commission website: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sustainable-business/corporate-s....