Fashion Takes Action

Passed in early 2024, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation ("ESPR") will officially come into effect in the EU on July 18, 2024. This is exciting news, but what exactly does it entail? We've gone ahead and summarized it in one of our Industry Briefs. Key takeaways: • ESPR will be replacing the previous Ecodesign Directive which was put in place in 2009. • ESPR widens the scope of products from being purely energy related to include parameters for essentially all physical products in EU markets. • ESPR is not in itself a set of legally binding sustainability requirements. Rather it is a ""framework legislation"" that facilitates the later adoption of specific parameters and empowers EU delegrates to pass acts which fulfill the ecodeisgn requirements. • ESPR includes four core aspects: Circular design requirements, Implementation of a digital product passport (DPP), Ban on destruction of unsold textiles (apparel, footwear and accessories), and Green public procurement (GPP). Read the full brief here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gmHKYXdd #EcoDesign #ESPR #EcoLegislation #EULegislation

Evidence shows multifaceted risks posed by fibre fragmentation in relation to biodiversity loss, environmental pollution, and climate change. Our CCTC partner, The Microfibre Consortium identified a need for updated understanding and industry alignment in where/how to address the issue of microfibre pollution within sustainability strategies. Their latest webinar - Fibre Fragmentation & The Triple Planetary Impact - promotes organisational awareness, integration, and engagement on fibre fragmentation action to mitigate triple planetary impacts. We encourage you to give them a follow and check out the recording of this important session 👉 https://lnkd.in/gCWzEKC2

We are thrilled to announce some new faces that have joined our Board of Directors! Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Cynthia Lucar Diaz of the Region of Peel, Drummond Lawson of Anthesis Group, Laura McClure Educator with Toronto & Durham District School Boards, and Nicki McClung of PepsiCo to the team! FTA's success is closely tied to their expert guidance and commitment to our cause (no pressure, folks!), and we're grateful for it! We look forward to the work we will accomplish together! 👏👏 #SustainableFashion #CircularFashion #EthicalFashion #BoardofDirectors

One of the key pillars at Fashion Takes Action is our educational programming – for all ages, industry and citizens. My Clothes My World was developed 10 years ago to support teachers with curriculum aligned programming on climate change, that touches on deforestation, biodiversity loss, climate justice and more. Most important, it was developed for young people to learn about the impacts of the fashion industry - in a fun and relatable way. After all, they wake up every day and get dressed, but they do not own cars, or decide to install solar panels on their homes. Fashion is an excellent entry-point for people to learn about the impacts of climate change and at the same time empowers people to take action immediately. While we continue to build more substantive unit and lesson plans, we highly encourage anyone looking to educate students on the topics of climate change to check out our workshops! The topics we cover include: Who Makes our Clothes, Lifecycle of a T-Shirt, 7R's of Circular Fashion, and How to Spot Greenwashing! Check them out now 👉 https://lnkd.in/eFqka2u Interested in learning more? Email education@fashiontakesaction.com, and let's chat! #YouthEducation #ClimateChange #EnvironmentalEducation #HumanRightsEducation #SustainableFashion

Employee engagement has been noted as one of the most important factors in overall company success. It has become a way not only for CSR departments to help further their sustainability efforts and ESG goals, but also for HR departments to drive engagement which we know is linked to employee retention, morale and satisfaction. With incoming legislation here in Canada and abroad there is even more reason to engage your employees in climate education in the workkplace today. What better format for climate education than through the lens of fashion? We don't all drive cars or own homes but we all wear clothes (!) which makes fashion a great way to connect people with dialogue around climate. Don't believe us? Check out this testimonial from our recent employee engagement workshop with Microsoft 👇 “I’m the last person anyone would call fashion-savvy, but our Lifecycle of a T-Shirt and 7R’s of Circular Fashion sessions really landed with me – it was informative, fun and thought provoking. I was sharing facts and thoughts with my family for days after. And it impacted how I went about a clothing purchase, actually changing my behavior – I think that’s the highest praise possible. Everyone who attended was felt it was one of the best learning sessions they had had in a while.” -Microsoft Inquire about setting up a workshop with your organization, fashion brand or otherwise by emailing nikki@fashiontakesaction.com Learn more by visiting 👉 https://lnkd.in/gM-cAcvr #EmployeeEducation #EmployeeEngagement #ClimateChange #SustainableFashion

In case you didn't know – we have a newsletter for industry professionals that that goes out every month. Our Industry Insider includes timely & relevant information about #Circularity, #Climate, #Labour, #Traceability, and #Greenwashing, delivered straight to your inbox every month. Not on the list? Here's a sneak peak of what we shared in May👇 News 🗞️ The lack of fashion regulation globally is significantly contributing to climate change, creating a public health issue of (still) unknown scale, and is uncompetitive for local industry who are trying to do the right thing. As a proud supporting partner of the NY Fashion Act, we are encouraging our network to take action! Sign the petition now 👉 https://lnkd.in/gHus6kEs #ActOnFashion Circularity ♻️ Vestiaire Collective found that fast fashion costs more to wear than pre-loved designer. Via their consumer survey, they found that fast fashion items are worn less on average, kept for less time, and have a lower resale value. Read all about their cost-per-wear method via their circularity report 👉 https://rb.gy/h04o3e Climate ☀️ Earth Day 2024: Fashion's Role in Climate Change by Global Fashion Agenda. Why progress towards protecting and preserving our planet, its resources, and communities, is far from where it needs to be 👉 https://rb.gy/0qlo2l Labour 🧍♀️Model alliance rallies for fashion workers act ahead of met gala. The group rallied to show support for a bill proposal that hopes to regulate New York’s model management agencies. Read more 👉 https://rb.gy/whu0lh Traceability 👚 How brands are preparing for new regulations on products and processes. There is a slew of incoming legislation around transparency & traceability, due diligence, deforestation, forced labour, etc. What should retailers know? 👉 https://rb.gy/84mfk7 Greenwashing 🤑 Canada's competition bureau opens greenwashing investigation of Lululemon. This investigation further advances a complaint lodged by climate-advocacy group Stand.earth. Read all about it 👉 https://rb.gy/8yshu6 Interested in seeing more ? Sign up now for the Industry Insider 👉 https://rb.gy/3trr7b #CircularFashion #FashionLegislation #IndustryNews

This Friday, our very own Kelly Drennan will be moderating a panel at the Indigenous Fashion Arts Festival in #Toronto #Sustainability: A Double-Edged Sword brings together Haus of Dumont, and Merdi Sihombing who will discuss a critical dichotomy facing #Indigenous people working in fashion, craft and textiles and those who purchase their works. The sustainable fashion movement offers immense promise for Indigenous designers, as it aligns with traditional values of #EnvironmentalReciprocity. Yet, it also poses challenges, as sustainability measures can sometimes lead to increased costs, limiting access to materials, resources and markets that are integral to Indigenous fashion. Increased costs create barriers for Indigenous designers in reaching their own communities, with consequences impacting local #EconomicSovereignty. This panel provides a platform to navigate this complex terrain, addressing how to maintain #EcologicalStewardship while ensuring equitable access to sustainable materials and consumer access to Indigenous-made works. Panelists will explore pathways for creating equitable access to industry platforms and consumer goods within the context of sustainability. Be sure to catch it this Friday, May 31st at 11AM, on the Toronto Metropolitan University campus (Sheldon & Tracy Levy Student Learning Centre, 6th Floor)! Grab your FREE ticket now – https://lnkd.in/gxAtX_MC #IndigenousFashion #InclusiveEnvironmentalism #IntersectionalEnvironmentalism

This week Kelly Drennan and CCTC member Jerret Paquette, CEO of Sic Sox Circular Ltd., will be speaking at the 2024 Municipal Waste Association Spring Workshop! This panel will cover the Disparities in Textile Waste Management in Rural and Remote Communities in Northern Ontario. The Municipal Waste Association's Spring Workshop serves as a gathering place for municipal members, industry professionals, corporate partners, and policy experts alike. Visit the MWA event page for registration information and the full in person and virtual schedule https://lnkd.in/gYpDtJrk #MWA2024SpringWorkshop #OntarioWaste #MunicipalWasteAssociation #TextileWaste

🚨Alerte d'Annonce 🚨 Nous annonçons notre collaboration avec Circular Economy Leadership Canada et Circular Innovation Council pour apporter une programmation dédiée aux Textiles & Vêtements lors du prochain Sommet Canadien de l'Économie Circulaire, en lieu et place de notre conférence annuelle World Ethical Apparel Roundtable (WEAR)! 🎉 FTA est actif dans le domaine de la circularité depuis 8 ans, avec des travaux incluant la Collaboration pour la Diversion des Textiles de l’Ontario, notre Rapport de Faisabilité sur le Recyclage des Textiles, suivi par le premier Pilote de Recyclage des Textiles au Canada et enfin, la création du Consortium Canadian des Textiles Circulaires (CCTC) en 2023. Nous ne pourrions pas être plus enthousiastes à l’idée de poursuivre ce travail important à côtés de l'industrie tels que le CELC et le CIC. Voici ce que vous pouvez attendre : 👗 Des discours inspirants de la part des leaders de l'industrie et des pionniers de la durabilité. 🌍 Des tables rondes abordent des enjeux clés tels que le gaspillage textile, le recyclage et l'avenir de la mode durable. 📈 Des opportunités de réseautage avec des professionnels et des leaders d'opinion passionnés par la volonté de faire une différence. Rejoignez-nous au Sommet Canadien de l’Économie Circulaire, du 15 au 17 avril 2025 au Fairmont Reine Elizabeth, Montréal, QC, pour mener des changements significatifs et inspirer l'action dans l'industrie textile et au-delà! Restez à l'écoute pour plus de mises à jour et de détails sur l'inscription. Nous avons hâte de vous voir! circulareconomysummit.ca #ÉconomieCirculaire #Durabilité #RévolutionTextile #CCES2025

🚨Announcement alert 🚨 We are thrilled to announce that in lieu of our annual World Ethical Apparel Roundtable (WEAR) Conference, we’ve partnered with Circular Economy Leadership Canada and Circular Innovation Council to bring a dedicated Textiles & Apparel Track to the upcoming Canadian Circular Economy Summit! 🎉 FTA has been active in the circularity space for the past 8 years with work spanning from the Ontario Textile Diversion Collaborative, to our Textile Recycling Feasibility Report, followed by Canada’s first Textile Recycling Pilot and finally, the establishment of the Canadian Circular Textiles Consortium (CCTC) in 2023. We couldn’t be more excited to be continuing this important work alongside industry leaders like the CELC and the CIC. Here's what you can look forward to in the Textiles and Apparel Track: 👗 Inspiring Keynotes from industry leaders and sustainability pioneers. 🌍 Panel Discussions addressing key issues such as textile waste, reuse, innovation in textile recycling, policy, consumer education and the future of sustainable fashion. 📈 Networking Opportunities with professionals and thought leaders passionate about making a difference. Join us at the Canadian Circular Economy Summit, from April 15-17 2025 at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth, Montréal, QC, to drive impactful change and inspire action in the textiles industry and beyond! Stay tuned for more updates and registration details. We can't wait to see you there! circulareconomysummit.ca #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #TextileRevolution #CCES2025