Cigarette butts are the most littered item worldwide. Over 4.5 trillion cigarette butts pollute our environment every year. They do not easily biodegrade and are full of chemicals that are toxic to the wildlife that may ingest them. They are small individually, but they add up to a big problem. A waste management company in Bratislava, Slovakia, has found a new way of recycling cigarette butts, and that is by transforming cigarette butts into asphalt.
The environmental effect of cigarettes
More than 6 trillion cigarettes are smoked yearly around the world. You are probably familiar with how cigarettes cause air pollution due to the burning of tobacco, which releases harmful chemicals into the air. But did you know the butts from cigarettes are the most common form of personal litter in the world?
In the world total, cigarette butts make up more than one-third of litter. While cigarette butts may look like cotton, they are made of plastic fibers which are tightly packed together. And because they are made from man-made materials, they won’t organically break down into the environment.
Moreover, because cigarette butts are made of toxic chemicals when they are disposed of improperly, these chemicals (such as nicotine, lead, cadmium, and arsenic) will leach into the environment. The toxic chemicals can find their way into rivers, lakes, and oceans, harming aquatic life and contaminating water sources. There is also a risk of wildlife mistaking cigarette butts for food, accidentally injesting them.
Transforming cigarette butts into asphalt
A municipal waste management company in Bratislava, Slovakia, is pioneering a new way of recycling cigarette butts. At the end of 2023, the company trialed special containers designed to collect standard cigarette filters and those found in modern heated tobacco devices like vapes. And placed them around the city.
In collaboration with companies SPAK-EKO and EcoButt, the Bratislava City Council will be recycling cigarette butts to use the discarded materials to create asphalt for roads. Once the filters have been collected from the specialized bins, they will undergo a cleaning process to remove toxins and any residual tobacco. The cleaned filters are composed of cellulose acetate from the filters, which are then transformed into fine fibers. The fibers are mixed with traditional asphalt materials, which help with the asphalt’s durability and longevity.
The final product can be used just like conventional asphalt for creating new roads or repairing existing ones.
This isn’t the first time Slovakia is recycling cigarette butts into asphalt to be used on their roads. Their first cigarette filter road is located in Ziar and Hronom and was the first in the world.
With this program, cities in Slovakia can encourage people not only to stop throwing their cigarette butts on the ground, where they will do harm to the environment. But this project can also show people how they can participate in sustainable urban development.
Recycling cigarette butts into asphalt can also help reduce the environmental impact of the construction industry. The production of asphalt involves heating and mixing aggregates with bitumen, a petroleum-based binder. This process releases greenhouse gases and other air pollutants, contributing to air quality issues and climate change.
Rainwater runoff from asphalt surfaces can carry pollutants, such as oil, heavy metals, and chemicals from vehicle exhaust, into waterways, potentially contaminating aquatic ecosystems. Recycling cigarette butts in the asphalt may help absorb and reduce many of these environmental harms and could change how we construct our roads.
Cigarettes might not be disappearing in the very near future, but we can find ways to make them less damaging to our planet and help cities be a little cleaner. Providing users with these specialized cigarette butt bins is one way to keep cigarette butts off the ground and out of our waters. And repurposing these butts is one way we can support a circular model and reuse and repurpose our resources.
Slovakia has a very innovative plan, and we hope it catches on around the world.
Solar farms help bees: Solar farms emerging as sanctuaries for declining wild and honey bee populations.
In an unexpected turn, solar farms help bees and are emerging as potential sanctuaries for declining bee populations, providing a secondary purpose beyond clean energy generation. A recent study reveals that strategically planting native flowers and grasses around solar installations significantly enhances the population and diversity of crucial pollinators like bees, offering a promising avenue for both clean energy expansion and environmental conservation.
Research conducted by scientists from the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Lab, in collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Lab, focused on assessing the impacts on insects from two large solar installations situated on retired farmland in Minnesota. Enel Green Power North America, the operators of these solar sites, undertook the initiative to plant wildflower mixes alongside the panel arrays during construction in 2018. The researchers then conducted comprehensive year-round insect surveys at these facilities from 2018 to 2022.
The findings from the study are nothing short of remarkable; solar farms help bees. Over the five-year observation period, both native bee and monarch butterfly populations increased more than twenty-fold. The areas surrounding the solar panels transformed into thriving, prairie-like habitats abundant with essential flowering nourishment. The overall insect populations tripled, surpassing initial expectations. Additionally, these flourishing hubs of pollinators are extending benefits to vegetation in nearby agricultural areas, as evidenced by satellite imaging.
Dr. Lee Walston, an ecologist at Argonne and the lead author of the study, expressed enthusiasm about the scale of positive influence managed solar landscapes can have on insect biodiversity and abundance. The strategic integration of natural ecosystem elements adjacent to renewable projects, as demonstrated in this study, could potentially offer a win-win scenario, supporting the expansion of clean energy infrastructure while addressing the decline in insect populations.
The research underscores the concept of “solar sharing” – a departure from the traditional approach of isolating solar infrastructure from its surroundings. By allowing vegetation to thrive around solar facilities, solar farms help bees, and a new haven is created to support fragile bee colonies. The collapse of global bee populations poses a severe threat to agriculture, as over $500 billion in crop production relies on natural pollination annually.
But it doesn’t have to be only about the bees. Agrovoltaics refers to co-locating agriculture and solar photovoltaic systems on the same land. The solar panels are elevated and spaced out to allow crops to be grown underneath while allowing sunlight to reach the crops. The partial shade created by the solar panels can benefit certain crops by providing shelter, reducing evapotranspiration, and lessening weed pressure. The crops benefit the solar infrastructure by reducing heat under and around the panels.
Some bee-friendly crops and flowers that could thrive under the partial shade of solar panels include potatoes, cabbage, kale, carrots, Brussels sprouts, celery, spinach, onions, garlic, lettuce, arugula, strawberries, asparagus, leeks, swiss chard, parsley, oregano, green beans, sunflowers, cosmos flowers, marigolds, clovers, borage, and many varieties of wildflowers. These provide nutrient-rich pollen and nectar that support diverse bee populations.
These findings open the door to a new perspective on the relationship between solar power and ecological conservation. Instead of erecting barriers, solar infrastructure can be designed to coexist harmoniously with the environment. The success observed in this study suggests that solar farms help bees and can play a crucial role in aiding declining bee populations, offering hope for preserving essential pollinators.
As the world grapples with the urgent need for sustainable practices amid the climate crisis, the authors hope these groundbreaking findings will inspire further research. Exploring habitat-friendly solar blueprints to integrate nature into the urgent climate transition could be a transformative step forward. Dr. Walston emphasized the potential symbiosis between solar power and ecological conservation, envisioning bees flocking to blossoms beneath solar panels, which may reveal surprising pathways to advance sustainable energy and agriculture concurrently.
In conclusion, solar farms help bees. Once seen solely as agents of clean energy, they are now emerging as potential allies in the crucial mission to preserve and protect bee populations. This unexpected synergy between renewable energy infrastructure and environmental conservation opens doors to innovative solutions that could redefine the future of sustainable energy and agriculture.
In this thought-provoking article, Benjamin Western, Head of Sustainability at certification, assurance, and expert trainer LRQA, explores the surprising synergy between non-profits and large-scale enterprises in the pursuit of sustainability.
In the Greek island of Lesvos during the refugee crisis, thousands of people forced into the life of being a refugee, found temporary shelter before moving on to somewhere more permanent. Many were provided with blankets provided by large global non-governmental organisations (NGOs). It was here, while working with a charity I was part of founding called Indigo Volunteers, that I saw a grassroots idea that has impacted how I see the world.
As people moved to other locations, most were unable to take their donated blankets with them due to having such limited space to carry belongings. Add to that the fact the blankets were not designed for reuse, and the vast majority ended up going to landfill, despite only being used a handful of times. Thankfully, we came across a remarkable grassroots charity that tackled this challenge head on.
The group called themselves “The Dirty Girls” and had a mission to help those in need while reducing the amount of waste that went to landfill. They did this by collecting abandoned blankets and cleaning them for redistribution. It’s a story of how a group of independent volunteers, without the funds or infrastructure of large NGOs, built something from the ground-up that saved significant money, and prevented further waste going to landfill. The lesson here is about collaboration, innovation, and integrity.
Integrity is doing the right thing, not finding the easiest solution. In this situation it is far easier to distribute single use blankets. This is what the large NGOs did. This is what almost all corporations would do. But the team knew it needed to address the infrastructure to find a solution that was cheaper and had a lower environmental impact.
The Dirty Girls did this through collaboration with the dozens of other grassroot organisations on the Island, as well as large NGOs. They built a network with small businesses who were willing to help at a reduced price, and of course, in understanding the reality and context of people forced into the life of a refugee.
Honesty and transparency: key to progress
In the corporate world, the work I am part of drives meaningful action on sustainability, in large part by finding those overlapping areas between environmental and business goals. I’ve seen how internal transparency can help avoid accusations of wrongdoing and accelerate corporate progress on environmental issues.
Honesty within business is required to better understand what’s working well, what’s not, and why that might be. Proactively sharing knowledge and experiences in an interdepartmental setting are fundamental for working towards a collective goal, and transparency, even in cases of failure, must become standard practice. In these cases, transparency about why shortcomings have happened – and the thought processes and decisions that led to that outcome – is key to progress.
Best practices
It’s impossible to properly consider a company’s ESG progress as if it exists in a vacuum. Every company has suppliers, and there’s a level of interdependency when it comes to sustainability. If one company can reduce its own emissions to zero, the reality is that, without helping the supply chain make progress, we’ll barely scratch the surface.
We can lead the way, though. Establishing best practices internally can set a company up for environmental success. These best practices include establishing a means of sharing successes and failures – and the thinking that lead to them – so good ideas can spread and less helpful ones can be avoided.
My hope is that departments and leaders can learn from one-another when it comes to reducing their impact on the environment. As one sub-team figures out what works, they can share that knowledge, and others within the business can follow suit. Similarly, if a particular practice is found to be ineffective, others can learn from them and work towards finding methods that advance their environmental goals.
Collaboration is the cornerstone of the approach that we take at LRQA. Our stance is clear: in a connected world, integrity, innovation and collaboration are vital. Companies must pool their insights to navigate global challenges. To do that, there needs to be a shift in corporate mindsets – one that recognizes transparency as a step toward stronger businesses rather than a reveal of vulnerabilities.
Long term thinking
Another practice that helps is taking a long-term view. Many of us think in three-month cycles, as that’s when quarterly reports are due to shareholders. If we have a bad quarter, it can be easy to move sustainability down the list of priorities as we extend all efforts to make sure the next quarter is better.
Playing the long game can mean persuading shareholders that changing from quarterly to annual reporting is better as it allows staff to focus on long-term progress in business and sustainability, and not get distracted by one underperforming period.
This long-term view is one way that I’ve seen the benefits of from a business perspective. It’s the same principle I learned from the Dirty Girls on Lesvos, and I try to apply it in all discussions about business practices.
With increased internal transparency and the proactive sharing of what works and what doesn’t, businesses can make better progress on emissions and energy reduction than they can by keeping their ideas siloed. Thinking longer term helps us stay focused on environmental and business goals, rather than periodic reports which can ultimately be a barrier to success rather than a tool.
Ultimately, the way we do business needs to change. The health of the planet is not something that we can take for granted and if we allow ecosystems to be damaged, it won’t be long until it impacts our supply chains and makes it impossible for many companies to stay afloat. Good environmental practice is good business practice, and we must make that part of our common thinking at every level of business.
The importance of whale poop to maintain healthy oceans
Here are some fun facts about whales that I bet you didn’t know. There are two main groups of whales: baleen whales (which include humpbacks and blue whales) and toothed whales (which include orcas, belugas and sperm whales). The difference? One has teeth, and the other has fibrous ‘baleen’ plates. Another fun fact is that the Antarctic blue whale is the largest animal on the planet, weighing up to 200 tons and reaching up to 30 metres in length. These big blue whales can consume about 3600 kg of krill daily.
What I bet you didn’t know is how important whales and their poop are in sustaining marine life and minimizing the impacts of climate change. The ocean is full of whale poop which floats on the uppermost layer of the ocean’s water. Although whales will feed in deeper waters, they will poop when they swim up to the surface to breathe. Whale poop can help with the growth of phytoplankton, the tiny plants that are the foundation of the aquatic food web. Small fish and invertebrates will eat the plant-like organisms, and then the smaller animals are eaten by bigger ones.
The phytoplankton not only contribute at least 50 percent of the world’s oxygen, but they do so by capturing more than 37 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide produced. When the phytoplankton die, the carbon they captured will sink into the deep ocean, where it won’t return to the surface for thousands of years. Unfortunately, with the rise in ocean temperatures, an increase in pollution and the rise of microplastics found in the ocean, phytoplankton levels are dropping in certain parts of the world.
How do whales contribute to nutrient recycling, help to maintain healthy oceans and even increase phytoplankton levels? The process is called the “whale pump”. Whale’s poop contains nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and iron, which phytoplankton need to grow. Whales benefit the entire ocean ecosystem by creating conditions encouraging fish populations to grow.
University of Alaska Southeast researchers are testing this relationship between whale poop and climate change. They are testing whale poop and comparing, in a lab, how well phytoplankton grows in different types of feces compared with plain seawater.
To date, they have tested whale poop samples from humpbacks, harbour porpoises and grey whales and found that there was more growth in some conditions that contained whale poop. With climate change intensifying and the physical and chemical characteristics of the ocean changing, the whale pump may become even more important for bringing nutrients up from the deep.
Unfortunately, many species of whales (including the blue whale, vaquitas, the grey whale, etc.) from around the world are at risk of disappearing. Some things impacting whale populations include ship strikes, bycatch (whales being trapped in fishing nets), habitat degradation and climate change. Conservation efforts, such as international agreements, marine protected areas, and efforts to reduce entanglement in fishing gear, are helping to protect and recover some whale species.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the impact animal poop can have on climate change. Elephant dung, which sometimes has seeds in it, is helping to grow trees and restore the forest’s role as climate sinks. Whale poop has a very similar impact. It not only helps feed the entire marine ecosystem but also significantly contributes to maintaining the ocean’s role as a carbon sink. Without whales pooping in our oceans, the health and balance of the ocean’s ecosystems will be compromised. We need the oceans, the whales, and the phytoplankton to help fight against the challenges of climate change.
Mats W Lundberg is the Head of Sustainability Strategy for Sandvik, which is delivering a strategy to decarbonise raw materials to cut supply emissions
According to figures from Sandvik’s 2022 Annual Report, the business of sustainable manufacturing and mining machinery is booming. The high-tech engineering group supplies new solutions to industries to support their actions in these areas, which will also help them reach their sustainability goals.
However, it’s about more than just machinery as the company is now delivering a new sustainability strategy that will allow further impact in the future while also ensuring commercial success for Sandvik and the users of its solutions.
In September 2023, the company made a significant update to its sustainability shift strategy, which was originally brought to public attention in 2019. This also aligns with how the structure of the organisation has evolved as Sandvik Materials Technology was separated from the Group and listed on Nasdaq Stockholm as a business called Alleima. Alongside this further businesses were acquired by the company, making sustainability a crucial strategy for its growing business.
“We are leaning on the good work that has already been done,” says Mats W Lundberg, Head of Sustainability, Sandvik.
“But the field of sustainability is evolving. It is becoming more mature with new legislation and increasing customer, shareholder and employee expectations. We need to evolve with it and meet the new demands.”
The Key focus areas of Sandvik Group’s sustainability strategy include:
Sustainable solutions – An emphasis on closely aligning with customers and their businesses, pioneering change through engineering
Ecosystem regeneration – Sandvik’s innovative approach to collaborating with partners throughout the value chain, focusing on revitalising diverse ecosystems, promoting responsible water management, and mitigating pollution
Circularity and resource optimisation – The objective encapsulates the aspiration to achieve greater output with fewer resources and to embrace resource efficiency as a fundamental mindset
Net Zero Commitment – Sandvik pledges to attain science-based net zero targets, which received approval from the Science Based Targets Initiative in September 2023
People and Communities Engagement – Sandvik’s approach to its interactions with the communities in which it operates and provides its products
Responsible Business Practices – commitment to conducting ethical and responsible operations across the entire value chain.
Sandvik solutions for the sustainable industry
As an organisation that covers a number of industry practices, and is heavily involved in early-stage supply chain activities, Sandvik is digging deeper to create more value for businesses through its mining and machinery solutions. Taking a leading role in decarbonising its supplies from the top, Lundberg explains how the business will generate value across multiple facets.
“We have focused much more on our contribution and how our businesses create value”, says Lundberg. “The new strategy is connected to the Sandvik purpose of advancing the world through engineering, it is forward leaning and shows that Sandvik wants to be a positive driving force.”
Lundbergy is also correct in saying that raw material is one of the primary components of all value chains, whether that involves the production of goods or machinery to ensure services are provided sustainably.
“For any product to be truly sustainable, the entire value chain needs to be sustainable, from raw material sourcing to the manufacturing and usage of the products,” says Lundberg. “And we operate in important and relevant areas here; the mining and processing of raw materials and the machining. If we can contribute with sustainable solutions in these areas we can have a massive impact on sustainability outside of our own operations.”
McKinsey & Company research states the mining industry generates between 1.9 and 5.1 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2) every year. These emissions originate from all of the major resources required to sustain consumer product industries, but also those that are critical for providing sustainable electricity and clean-energy-driven solutions to transport. An example of this being the use of cobalt, nickel, and lithium in the electric vehicle (EV) sector as major components in platform batteries.
As the global demand for raw materials grows, the pressure on mining, rock excavation, drilling, and cutting processes is forever impactful to the emissions embedded in their supply chain. Understanding how crucial this stage is to the reduction of overall emissions in the atmosphere, therefore the ability to reach net zero, will allow greater impact on the environment moving forward.
Fresh-out-of-the-ground produce is every chef’s dream, and here in urban Singapore, that’s usually a bit of a challenge.
But now, in the middle of the Central Business District, there’s an urban farm in the sky working with two connected restaurant concepts to bring herbs and vegetables directly through the kitchen and onto the plate.
1-Arden is a multi-concept development by 1-Group comprising Kaarla Restaurant and Bar, serving coastal Australian cuisine and helmed by chef John-Paul Fiechtner; Oumi, a modern Japanese kappo restaurant headed by chef Lamley Chua; and a 10,000 sq ft Food Forest where a multitude of edible plants are cultivated, all on CapitaSpring’s 51st floor.
In the same building, other 1-Arden concepts include Spanish-Italian-French-Portuguese bistro Sol & Luna and the cafe Bee’s Knees Urban.
The Food Forest is overseen by 1-Arden’s head farmer, Christopher Leow of Edible Garden City. Leow works closely with Fiechtner, who is also 1-Arden’s executive chef, to grow crops that the restaurants and bar can use across the Food Forest’s five themed gardens: The Singapore Food Heritage Garden, the Wellness Garden, the Mediterranean Potager Garden, the Japanese Potager Garden and the Australian Native Garden.
Whatever’s in season or ready to be harvested on any particular day will go to the chefs for their creations. And, in return, food waste from the restaurants, such as fish trimmings and vegetable scraps, get turned into different targeted fertilisers to keep the garden lush, healthy and biodiverse.
While the fresh herbs and vegetables are used in most of the dishes, the Kaarla Closed Loop Salad showcases the best of the garden, featuring the day’s harvest of more than 20 edible leaves and flowers. You might find, for instance, red shiso, warrigal greens, hyacinth bean leaves, wild watercress or French marigold on your plate.
“Having a garden at our fingertips is inspiring every day,” said Fiechtner, who has worked all over the world and was previously V-Dining’s executive chef. “To go out at any time of day and pick something fresh from the garden – it’s really exciting for the guys in the kitchen to see something grow from scratch, and then to the final product that we get to serve.”
One of the things he wanted to grow was the tiger nut, a superfood from Africa dating back thousands of years, he shared. “It’s amazing for the soil, the reward in terms of yield is amazing, and the flavour suits the menu very well.”
At Kaarla, he uses tiger nuts in various ways, from a curd for the salad to an ice cream to top a dessert of tiger nut nougatine, white Chitose corn, calamansi jelly and poached oranges.
As for the produce he imports from Australia, such as beef and seafood, sustainability is at the forefront as well. “We know all the producers’ names, how they harvest and how they grow,” Fiechtner said.
“If not for the 1-Arden Food Forest being just steps away from Oumi, we wouldn’t have been exposed to the micro-seasons and micro-climates, and discovered the use of plants in the different stages of their life cycle,” said Lamley Chua, head of Japanese Culinary Development.
“For example, when available, we use bua long long buds in our Gyutan Yaki dish; otherwise, to lend the same citrusy flavour, we add thinly sliced bua long long leaves. Without the Food Forest, only the fruits are usually used. The Food Forest continues to inspire us every day as it’s up to our imagination what we can grow and what would thrive in the farm.”
“Potentially, what we can achieve here has no limits,” Fiechtner said.
1-Arden is at 88 Market Street, CapitaSpring #51-01. For more information, visit https://www.1-arden.sg.
Can sustainable and luxury fashion really go hand in hand?
When we think of the term ‘sustainable fashion’, words like cruelty-free, ethical, organic, and recycled spring to mind. The word ‘luxury’ however isn’t an idiom we tend to associate with the phrase ‘sustainable fashion’. Thankfully, spurred on by consumer demand and in part the pandemic, this is all set to change.
In fact, a whole host of luxe sustainable fashion brands are sashaying their way down Paris Fashion Weeks (albeit virtual) runways, making themselves known as champions for our planet’s dwindling resources, opting instead to use sustainable threads and manufacturing processes that have less of an impact on the world and the people in it.
This guide features everything you need to know about sustainable luxury fashion today, as well as the low-down on the latest luxury lines to embrace ethical fashion and the new eco-luxe labels who have seized sustainability from the start.
Can High-end Fashion truly be sustainable?
There are many ways in which the fashion industry impacts the environment. From fabric sourcing to manufacturing, to distributing, sales, and dealing with returns. Sustainable fashion brands must ensure their design journey is one that avoids exploiting the planet and the people in it.
Despite what many think, with the right motivation from designers, sustainability and high-end can go hand in hand. Top luxe brands, including the famed Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood, are just a handful of the high-fashion houses producing ethical clothing ranges today – creating trends that not only complement our wardrobes, but our planet too – focusing on embracing quality working standards, organic materials or the latest sustainable fibre inventions.
This isn’t purely down to a luxury brands’ good nature, of course. A greater percentage of high-end shoppers are beginning to ask questions about the sustainability and ethics behind their favourite labels. If they are paying a premium, they want to know brands are also paying the appropriate premium to the people and planet they profit from.
Joining the dots between luxury and sustainability
If, like many, you’re failing to join the dots between a high-end brand and it’s sustainability credentials, you’re not alone. Research shows that more and more of us are willing to pay a premium for sustainable clothing, but many of us don’t know what the word sustainability now entails.
There is so much noise in the industry now, such as false sustainability claims and contradictory data on a brands eco-credentials that it can be overwhelming. Many consumers who try to do their research end up with analysis paralysis. Even Stella McCartney said recently in her latest Spring presentation that she ‘Barely knows what sustainability means anymore’. So it’s not just consumers that are getting confused!
“I barely know what sustainability means anymore” – Stella McCartney
However, whether you’re a luxury shopper embarking on a greener journey, or a seasoned sustainability pro entering the luxury market, we can all do our part to ensure this segment of the fashion industry leads the way in the fashion revolution.
Be it learning more about the latest initiatives or lobbying our favourite eco-luxe designers to embrace their ‘green game’ in the most effective manner. As consumers, we hold the power.
Sustainability Issues Facing Luxury Brands Today
High-end fashion brands are now, more than ever, facing a plethora of challenges. External stakeholders in the industry have expanded their attention from fast fashion to include designer brands. Challenging them to address sustainability issues through experience, innovation and collaboration.
Because of this, more and more of the big-name brand designers are getting on the sustainability train, fashioning garments that promise to outlive the fast-fashion pieces in our current wardrobes. The top improvements in luxury sustainable fashion brands is either through an amalgamation of innovative textile inventions, progressive production techniques or taking it back to the roots of traditional slow fashion production.
However, ensuring the wellbeing of customers, employees, and supply chain communities isn’t an easy feat, especially amidst a pandemic. The pressures to seem like a sustainable brand can lead to claims that are not 100 percent honest.
With high-end fashion comes power and money, and some brands will use their ample resources on campaigns to make them appear philanthropic and eco-friendly, while often cutting corners. This is when knowing what to look for is key to a sustainable investment.
Greenwashing
Put simply, greenwashing is a method used by many luxe brands to convey misleading information about how their products are manufactured and distributed. In a nutshell, companies using this method are making you believe that they are doing more to safeguard our planet than they are.
With a huge amount of greenwashing going on, it can be almost impossible to know which ethical clothing brands are 100 percent ‘ethical’, and which high-quality labels are putting what they preach into practice.
From clothing that features eye-catching labels to clever wording that suggests the threads you are about to buy are ethically sourced – words like clean, earth-loving, quality, happy, and green are being used to trick consumers into thinking they’re doing their bit for the planet.
Misconceptions of luxury vs sustainable fashion
When it comes to high-end clothing, many shoppers are under the misconception that the higher the price, the more ethical the attire. This is far from the truth. In most cases, you are paying for the label and not the quality or quantity of the fabric.
Other factors used by powerful labels to delude buyers into thinking they are sustainable is the introduction of small sustainable ranges to make them look like they are doing their bit for the environment.
Similarly, using recycled bags or packaging is a great sustainable incentive, but of little use, if the garments being housed in this packaging are made from a poly fibre or other non-degradable material.
Many ethically-created sustainable luxury fashion brands believe one of the biggest issues preventing their growth is this sustainable smoke-screen that large powerful labels create. This leads to a lack of understanding among consumers or an unwillingness to pay more for sustainable brands if a high-street brand is selling at a lower price and also (wrongfully) claiming sustainability credentials.
However, even though the majority of eco-labels’ price margins are slightly higher, these products are likely to last a lot longer, meaning you’ll spend less in the long run on replacement garments.
Before we go into our list, it’s important to remember that the most sustainable option is to not buy anything at all! If you are in need of a new purchase however, here is some advice on keeping your carbon footprint down when buying fashion.
How do I reduce my carbon footprint through buying fashion?
So, what can we do to lower our carbon footprint? Even if you’re already shopping for ethical and sustainable labels, there are several other things you can do to lower your footprint.
These include:
Supporting ‘circular’ or zero-waste labels
Investing in labels who support social and environmental organisations
Opt for in-store pick-up options if locally based and opt-out of speedy shipping
Prolong your favourite purchases by following aftercare guides, hand washing clothes and using eco-detergents
Pick clothing created from high-quality materials like organic cotton or community silk, which cause less harm to the planet
Try to reduce your clothing consumption in general by making your clothes last longer through repair and/or upcycling
So now to the list! One more quick point, if you find the majority of luxury brands on this list a little over your price limit, don’t worry, be sure to check out our article on how to shop ethically on a budget.
Top Luxury Sustainable Fashion Brands
From low luxe to high-end, many companies are doing their bit for the environment, incorporating innovation into their manufacturing and distribution methods to embrace brand sustainability in the fashion industry.
Thanks to these sustainable luxury fashion brands, who have taken it upon themselves to tackle flaws within the industry’s manufacturing methods, it’s easier than ever to keep sustainability firmly on our radars and invest in designer, conscious attire. Change starts at the top, and these guys are definitely at the top of their games!
As well as manufacturing clothing and products that are kind to the environment and sustainably sourced, a number of these green brands also support environmental organisations and fair trade working conditions.
By investing in these eco-luxe labels, you too are doing your bit to support the environment, ensuring we’re on the right track to embracing a more sustainable fashion industry in the future.
When it comes to sustainability, this is a designer label that won’t compromise on quality, constantly pushing boundaries and embracing new technologies to create an on-trend brand that is as stylish as it is sustainable.
In 2014, Stella McCartney launched Clevercare, an easy-to-understand, five-step labelling method, helping to educate consumers on clothing care and how to prolong the life of their favourite pieces. The result? A lot less waste, and probably the reason many fashionistas own at least one vintage Stella McCartney item.
To ensure the brand is always ahead of the game, regular audits are conducted to measure environmental impact.
In addition, the McCartney label is a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative, which ensures the careful selection of ethical-renowned suppliers, as well as collaborations with several environmental conservation organisations and NGOs, including Parley for the Oceans and Wildlife Works.
2. The Social Outfit
Eco-Luxury Values | Social responsibility, community engagement, waste reduction
Sustainable Materials | Repurposed and reused fabrics, donated deadstock
Australian-based brand, The Social Outfit, are a social enterprise and charity with an amazing mission. The label provides employment and training to refugees and migrant communities in all aspects of the fashion world, from clothing production to marketing. In many cases, working at The Social Outfit will be their first paid job and the first step of integrating into the Aussie way of life.
They also take their sustainability seriously. With a focus on waste reduction, they have saved tonnes of waste from landfill, through their goal to repurpose and reuse fabrics destined for the skip. So far they have partnered with over 28 Australian brands in this mission, including Alice McCall and Bec & Bridge!
3. Vivienne Westwood
Eco-Luxury Values | Environmental and human rights campaigns, cutting-edge sustainable technologies
Practising exactly what she preaches, Vivienne Westwood’s legendary label is setting an example to fashionistas across the globe by slowly transforming her brand into a sustainable masterpiece. How? Through adopting recycled and eco-friendly fabrics and using the label’s voice to educate people on Human Rights and Climate Change.
Her latest initiative is one that embraces modern-day sustainability, using collaborations and catwalk events as platforms to create awareness, encouraging ethical fashion fans to protect Mother Earth. The campaign focuses on three areas; Quality V Quantity, Gaia and Arts & Culture.
Eileen Fisher has been creating elegant and ethical womenswear since 1984. She designs luxury sustainable pieces with a focus on minimalism and inclusivity, that flies in the face of constantly changing fashion trends.
Always leading from the front, her company started their first recycling programme back in 2009, taking back old purchases to repair, clean and sell at discounted prices. Now a Certified B Corp corporation, the brand has a strong focus on supporting women, the fair treatment of workers and creating a circular fashion economy that reuses and replenishes the resources involved.
5. Rare & Fair
Eco-Luxury Values | Sustainable natural fibres, social responsibility, community engagement, transparent supply chain
This boutique slow fashion brand focuses on the promotion of handmade clothes and accessories, created by artisans using sustainable, raw materials. Their aim? To embrace the ethical treatment of workers, use planet-friendly materials and reduce waste.
Their hand-loomed, natural clothing and products come straight from the hands of the artisans, then directly to you. Opting for this method allows Rare & Fair to fully back artisan communities and handloom weavers.
The styles, despite embracing traditional methods, boast modern designs, allowing customers to look and feel great, knowing that they’ve done their bit towards supporting these ancient production techniques.
6. Reformation
Eco-Luxury Values | Local production, carbon neutral, waste reduction
Sustainable Materials | Repurposed clothing, upcycled fabrics and salvaged deadstock
LA based contemporary fashion label, Reformation, was doing sustainable before sustainable was…well, fashionable! All of their production stages, from design to shipping and everything in between, takes place at their innovative eco-facility in downtown Los Angeles.
Each collection is made using salvaged deadstock, offcuts, upcycled fabrics, repurposed vintage clothing or new sustainable materials. Their gorgeous new leisurewear, Ref Active, is produced using recycled plastic bottles.
It’s always been a problem finding sustainable office wear, especially that also ticks the comfort box as well. Dai’s creator, ex investment banker Joanna Dai, was so unimpressed with her workwear that she decided to create her own. Setting out on collections that delivered performance, versatility and function but which she was as comfortable to wear as her yoga pants!
The brand is also big on the sustainability front. 88% of their textiles are eco-certified and their Eco Luxe Essentials range is made from trees certified sustainably managed forests, meaning biodegradable and compostable. On top of that, they pay all of their staff above the London Living Wage.
8. Acne Studios
Eco-Luxury Values | Sustainability targets and reporting, External monitoring of labour conditions
Celebrated for their contemporary, uber-cool style, Acne Studios increased their collection in 2020 with the addition of a sustainable line titled ‘Repurposed’. Using a series of discarded offcuts and recycled fabrics, which otherwise would have gone to waste, the Swedish brand has created a variety of capsule lines, which have since been launched quarterly.
Acne Studios have been a member of the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) since 2008, who supports the brand to monitor and improve labour conditions, including an external and independent ‘Brand Performance Check’. This means the brand is open to their faults and constantly trying to improve year on year, all of which can be found in their annual sustainability report.
Sustainable Materials | Recycled and repurposed demin, cotton and upcycled mixed fabrics
Re/Done, another guilt-free, sustainable brand, offers on-trend pieces made from recycled materials. They first hit the scene in 2014, and have been renowned for upscaling worn Levis into bespoke, contemporary styles ever since.
The eco-conscious brand is extremely focused when it comes to adopting the latest tech to create the best sustainable fashion results. Since its launch, their offering has grown in a big way. On top of their celebrated jeans, they now design high-quality t-shirt styles, sweats and dresses, as well as a select few suits.
Often seen hanging off celebs, this cult sustainable brand is a must buy if you’re looking for a guilt-free, chilled vibe with affordable price points.
Maggie Marilyn is a New Zealand based designer who creates glamorous luxury designs using organic cottons and ethically produced silks. All manufacturing is done in her home country of New Zealand. She is on a mission to transform the fashion industry to one that is “transparent, circular, regenerative and inclusive”.
What we love about this brand is that they don’t just talk the talk. They produce their own sustainability strategy in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as well as a suppliers code of conduct. This isn’t a box ticking exercise for the brand, with regular updates on the performance of their strategies and new targets set annually.
Hopefully you’ve managed to find your next perfect ethically-made luxury item within this list. It would be great to hear from you what is your favourite eco-luxe label or the latest sustainable initiatives from your favourite brand. Comment below!
By Maxime Ducker (Founder and Chief Editor, Our Good Brands)
The Pacific Ocean is the deepest and largest ocean on the planet, the ocean is located between a number of continents as depicted by the image below, these include the Australian, Asian, North and South American continents. Interestingly, the Pacific Ocean derives its name from the Latin phrase ‘Mar Pacifico,’ meaning a peaceful sea. The name was coined by the first European explorer to reach the Pacific, Ferdinand Magellan in the early 1520s, after sailing through a patch of calm waters on the ocean.
The size of the Pacific Ocean
The Pacific covers an estimated area of 165.25 million square kilometers ( 63.8 million square miles), covering about 30% of the earth’s surface. The size of the Pacific exceeds the total expanse of all the world’s seven continents. The Pacific also represents about half of the planet’s total water surface area.
Economic importance
Although its name refers to a calm and peaceful sea, the Pacific is a massive body of water teeming with life. Every year, the Pacific Ocean contributes billions of dollars to different countries across the world through multiple economic activities, as an example fishing from the Pacific contributes over 70% of the world’s catch.
Additionally, the Pacific is a great source of natural resources, including metal, sand and minerals. Even with the large quantities of mineral resources, only a few have been exploited, such as magnesium, bromine, and salt. The ocean also contains large deposits of oil, gas, and petroleum.
The Pacific is responsible for providing some of the key shipping and trade routes globally, including the North and South Pacific routes. The North Pacific route connects North America (specifically the West Coast) to East Asia. In terms of trade volumes per route and distance, the North Pacific route is the longest and the largest compared to other channels. The South Pacific route, on the other hand, interconnects Western Europe, North America, New Zealand, and Australia. Worldtradia released some stats back in 2017 that saw the North Pacific trade route see traffic volumes (number of vessels) of 30.5 million. The next busiest route being the North Atlantic with volumes just over 22.3 million.
The depth of the Pacific
The Pacific is the deepest ocean on earth, with an average depth of 13,000 feet (4,000 meters). Scientifically, the deepest points of any ocean are known as deep trenches. Out of the 20 major trenches worldwide, 17 of them are found in the Pacific, with the Mariana Trench being the deepest of them all. The Challenger Deep (which is the deepest point in the Pacific and on earth) measures at 10,994 meters (or 36,040 feet). In 2012, it took James Cameron, a National Geographic explorer and film producer, 2 hours and 36 minutes to reach the bottom of the Challenger Deep.
The Pacific is shrinking by 1cm a year
Scientists have discovered that the Pacific is shrinking at a rate of 1cm per year due to tectonic plates. Let’s put the academic hat back on and explore the why, tectonic plates are pieces of the earth’s crust and uppermost mantle, commonly referred to as the lithosphere. As an estimate, the plates are around 100 km (62 mi) thick and mainly consist of two types of material: oceanic crust and continental crust. This crust is always in a state of flux i.e. constant motion. The movement of these plates occur at a rate of a few centimetres per year, causing a collision known as subduction. As a result, the Pacific plate pulls away from the North American plate at about 1cm per year, causing the ocean to shrink in the same proportion.
What Is the Pacific Ring of Fire?
The largest volcano on earth is located in the Pacific, with over 75% of the world’s volcanos coming from the ocean’s basin. The volcanoes and earthquakes that originate from the Pacific occur from an area in the ocean known as the Ring of Fire. The occurrence of earthquakes and volcanoes here are as a result of heavy volcanic activity and the movement of tectonic plates. It is reported that over 80% of the world’s tsunamis also occur in the Pacific’s Ring of Fire.
Islands of the World
There are hundreds of thousands of islands across the world, some of which are yet to be inhabited. Among the endless list of ocean islands found on the planet, the Pacific has the highest number. With about 25,000 islands, the Pacific Island countries have become home to millions of people. This total equates to their being more islands in the pacific than in all the other oceans put together, why? The reason being is because the Pacific experiences the highest volcanic activity compared to all other oceans, thanks to the vigorous movements that occur in the Ring of Fire. Following oceanic crust movements that happen at the floor of the ocean, this can lead to a series of oceanic or volcanic islands being formed.
The El Nino Climate Cycle
El Nino is the Pacific’s climate cycle that impacts weather patterns globally. The pattern consists of unusual warming of the waters on the surface of the Eastern Pacific. El Nino influences local weather, the strength of ocean currents, and temperatures across South America, Australia, and beyond. This cycle has a significant impact on the global climate, and to some extent, can cause some lasting changes. The 2016 El Nino saw severe droughts in Africa and South-East Asia, catastrophic coral bleaching in the Great barrier reef and wildfires in Indonesia and Canada.
The La Niña Climate Cycle
The impacts of a La Niña climate cycle tends to be the exact opposite of the impacts of an El Nino Cycle. La Niña represents a period of cooling for the surface ocean waters across the tropical west coast of South America. During a La Niña year, winter temperatures in the US will be cooler than normal in the Northwest and warmer than normal in the Southeast.
The Birthing of Hurricanes
Hurricanes, also known as typhoons when formed over the Pacific, are the most violent storms experienced on earth. Evidence in the past has proven that the Pacific can stir extremely strong hurricanes. Hurricane Patricia, for example, was the strongest Pacific typhoon ever recorded in history, affecting Central America, Texas, and Mexico. Typhoon Nepartak is another Pacific storm that significantly affected Taiwan.
Hurricanes and cyclones are fuelled by warm sea surfaces (the Pacific being warmer than any other ocean on earth). The warmth of the Pacific waters can be persistent for a year, allowing a hurricane to last longer. This is why La Niña and El Nino are never ignored.
Increased marine pollution
Being the largest ocean on earth, the Pacific extends to several continents and a significant number of countries. Consequently, the ocean is more exposed to high levels of pollution. The Pacific is particularly prone to plastic, which comprises over 90% of the visible pollutants and debris covering the ocean. Studies indicate that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (the ocean’s garbage collection site) has grown 100 times bigger than it was 40 years ago. Nuclear waste and ocean dumping have also contributed to marine pollution significantly.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the ocean’s collection of debris (caused by human activity). A lot of plastics are pushed by the ocean currents into floating patches of debris, forming the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP). Today, GPGP is the largest plastic accumulation zone in the world’s oceans, covering an estimated area of 8 million square kilometres. The patch is so huge that it is estimated to be 2.3 the size of Texas. There are collective efforts by international organisations and individuals to control GPGP from growing.
Overfishing of the Pacific
Overfishing is the primary contributor of decline to aquatic life worldwide. Research shows that large quantities of fish are removed from the Pacific (every year) , far exceeding the rate they are able to reproduce. An estimated 1.6 million pounds (over 725,000 kgs) of fish are removed from the reefs of Pohnpei each year. Generally, over 30% of the species found in the coral reefs of Oceania are threatened with extinction.
In 2013, there was a recorded decline in the population of Pacific bluefin tuna. The Pacific bluefin tuna is one of the rarest fish species found in the Northern Pacific. The same trend has continued to date. In 2018, the value of a Pacific bluefin tuna was ranging at above $320,000. This is due to the continued decline in the Pacific bluefin tuna stocks. Why? The answer is simple, overfishing! And what promotes overfishing? Overfishing can be as a result of the increase in illegal fishing, lack of fishing regulations and increased human activity in the ocean.
Summary
This Ocean is a lifeline to almost everyone on this planet, we therefore, need to respect it. The ocean doesn’t belong to us, we don’t own it, we shouldn’t see it as a trash can!! Instead, humanity should consider ourselves as “stewards”, protecting the ocean and its inhabitants, so it can support future generations of life, both sea life and human life. Our mindset has to change!
Nature provides $125 trillion per year worth of ecosystem services to humans, which we cannot afford to lose, writes Enric Sala, National Geographic’s explorer-in-residence.
By 2030, we must protect twice as much land and four times as much ocean just to secure essential ecosystems and avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change.
The world is at a crossroads. The future of life on our planet – and thus our own – is in jeopardy. Humanity has overreached in its pursuit of affluence. Research shows that we have altered more than 75% of the world’s ice-free land. Over half of the planet’s habitable surface is now used to produce food, with wildlands constituting less than 25% of Earth. The ocean has fared no better. In the last hundred years, 90% of large fish have been removed from the sea, with 63% of stocks overfished.
Making matters worse, greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions from industry, agriculture, and deforestation have increased significantly since 1970. With human-driven global warming accelerating, we can no longer ignore the loss of natural areas or the threat of climate change.
We already know that if land conversion and GHG emissions are not reduced by 2030, it will be impossible to limit global warming to 2°C above pre-industrial levels, as envisioned in the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Moreover, even warming of 1.5°C would pose a grave threat to the planet’s biology, accelerating a sixth mass extinction that is already underway. As ecosystems unravel, the quality of life for all species, including humans, will diminish.
When ecosystems are compromised, the natural goods that they provide – clean air and water, crop pollination, and storm protection – inevitably will decline. Studies show that declining access to clean water and intensifying storms and droughts related to climate change could displace 100 million people just in the next 30 years.
Humans will not be the only ones to suffer in a warming world. After all, we share the planet with around nine million species of plants and animals. As ecosystems falter, species large and small will come increasingly under strain, and will need to adapt or perish. Many will go extinct, whereupon it will take millions of years for Earth to recover its breadth and depth of biodiversity. With the planet fundamentally and irreversibly changed, the implications for humanity itself would be immediate and far-reaching.
To prevent such a scenario, we first must remember that the 2015 Paris climate accord was always a half-deal: it addresses the causes of global warming, but not the threat to natural systems upon which all life depends. Today, only 15% of land and 7% of our oceans are protected. Yet studies show that by 2030, we must protect twice as much land and four times as much ocean just to secure essential ecosystems and avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change. Protecting natural areas, then, is the missing link to maintaining prosperity in a warming world.
In anticipation of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity summit in Kunming, China, later this year, scientists and other stakeholders have developed the Global Deal for Nature. As a time-bound, science-driven plan to protect 30% of land and water by 2030, the Global Deal is a stepping stone to conserving 50% of the Earth in a natural state by 2050. In the next decade, we need to achieve more in terms of conservation than we have accomplished over the past century. Reaching this goal requires a rapid and collective acceleration of conservation efforts worldwide.
Just as important as the amount of protected land and water is the diversity and health of natural areas. Land-based protections must safeguard the ecosystems required to support threatened species, mitigate climate change, and safeguard biodiversity. And in the ocean, avoiding species collapse and maintaining sustainable fisheries requires comprehensive protections for critical habitats, threatened species, and migratory corridors.
Although the task is daunting, protecting 30% of land and water by 2030 is eminently achievable. Skeptics will argue that we need to use the land and oceans to feed the projected ten billion people who will share the planet by 2050, and that the proposed protections are too expensive or challenging. But research already shows that the 30% goal is attainable using existing technologies within existing consumption patterns, provided that there are shifts in policy, production, and expenditures by governments and businesses.
Moreover, the demand for food to sustain our growing population can be met with our current agricultural lands, simply by reducing food waste. But we also need to restore near-shore artisanal fisheries, and develop regenerative agriculture that provides local and healthier food while rebuilding the soil and absorbing much of the carbon pollution we emit into the atmosphere. If we redirect a portion of the government funding that subsidizes unsustainable fishing and agricultural practices each year, we can protect the natural areas that provide $125 trillion per year worth of “ecosystem services” to humans. By identifying and mitigating nature-based risks to businesses, we can create a sustainable economy that benefits both humanity and the natural world.
We have one chance to get this right. Protecting a much larger share of the natural world is an ambitious goal. But it is one that will secure a vibrant future for humanity and all the species with which we share this planet. The Global Deal for Nature, together with the Paris agreement, can save the diversity and abundance of life on Earth. Our very future depends on rising to the challenge.
Enric Sala, Explorer-in-Residence, National Geographic Society