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The 10 best sustainable luxury fashion brands for 2021

Posted on June 3, 2021 by dishanth

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.

Even though Paris Fashion Week has been a quieter, more virtual, affair this year, the sustainable message has been at its heart. Photo by Dimitri Kuliuk from Pexels

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.

A greater number of shoppers are starting to ask questions about sustainability and ethics when shopping. Photo by Heidi Fin on Unsplash

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.

Consumers hold the power to influence the fashion industry through their purchases. Photo by kyonntra on Getty Images Signature (Canva)

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.

1. Stella McCartney

Eco-Luxury Values | Ecosystem protection, social responsibility, measuring impact, cutting-edge sustainable technologies

Sustainable Materials | Re-engineered cashmere & silk, fibres from forests, recycled nylon & polyester, vegetarian leather, organic cotton.

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

Sustainable Materials | Silk, organic cotton, hemp, coir, tencel

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.

4. Eileen Fisher

Eco-Luxury Values | Transparent supply chain, non-hazardous dyes, workers rights, sustainable fibres

Sustainable Materials | Organic cotton, Recycled fibers, responsible wool, lyocell

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

Sustainable Materials | Natural cotton, organic cotton, community silk, handwoven fabrics

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.

Find out more about all of Reformation innovations and materials they use here.

7. Dai

Eco-Luxury Values | B-corp certified, Living wage guarantee, waste reduction

Sustainable Materials | Eco-certified textiles, recycled fabrics

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

Sustainable Materials | Recycled and repurposed fabrics, organic silk, organic linen, lyocell

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.

9. Re/Done

Eco-Luxury Values | recycling and repurposing, heritage marketplace, free repairs, waste reduction

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.

10. Maggie Marilyn

Eco-Luxury Values | Sustainability strategy, locally produced, transparent supply chain, circular production

Sustainable Materials | Organic cotton, ethical silks, FSC viscose

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)

Source Rare and Fair

Ibstock green lights plans for ‘world’s first’ net zero brick factory

Posted on April 28, 2021April 28, 2021 by dishanth

Ibstock, a leading UK manufacturer of clay bricks and concrete products, has confirmed a major investment in a new pathfinder project designed to put it on track to deliver the world’s first net zero emission brick factory.A combination of rapidly reduced process emissions and greater thermal efficiency is expected to cut the carbon intensity of bricks produced at the Ibstock Atlas site in the West Midlands by 50 per cent. The efficiency improvements are to be coupled with on-site renewable electricity generation and renewable energy procurement, while the remaining emissions will be offset through investment emission reduction projects.

As such, the company said it expects the Atlas project to deliver net zero emissions for its direct Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.

The investment, which was announced at the Group’s AGM Trading Update on Earth Day last Thursday, marks the next stage of the company’s well-documented sustainability journey.

The Atlas re-development will receive part of a £60m fund, which will also support substantial wider investments in the company’s West Midlands Aldridge plant.

“The Net Zero journey is one we share with our customers,” said Ibstock chief executive Joe Hudson.

“We have seen a transformational shift in attitudes from all of our key stakeholders; and there is a ‘sea-change’ in how our customers, and, in turn, their customers, view environmental issues. As the UK’s leading brick manufacturer we recognise that we have to adapt and respond – and this is reflected in our Sustainability Roadmap to 2025.

“We have been leading the way for some time within our sector, with our investments in new production capacity at our Throckley, Chesteron, Eclipse and Lodge Lane plants all reducing the carbon intensity of the manufacturing process, and as the recipients of multiple sustainability awards. However, we can do more, and we can go further. Our plan to invest in Atlas is at the heart of this.”

The company’s goal is to establish the Atlas project as one of the most operationally efficient brick factories in the world and an exemplar for the industry in terms of environmental performance.

Ibstock intends to markedly increase brick production to meet demand for greener bricks and support government objective’s to deliver new homes and infrastructure at scale. Once the development is complete, the Atlas factory will produce more than 100 million bricks per annum, more than doubling its previous capacity.

The company said the investment will also bring crucial benefits to the local economy in terms of employment, training, and opportunities for local suppliers with the project expected to both support the future of the brick factory and create highly-skilled local manufacturing and engineering jobs.

Source Business Green

Sri Lanka returns first batch of imported waste from the UK

Posted on December 11, 2020 by dishanth

The first batch of 21 containers out of a total of 263 was labeled for recycling, but has been uncovered to be medical waste. This constitutes a violation of the Basel Convention that regulates the global movement of hazardous waste.

Sri Lanka has sent back the first batch of hundreds of containers of waste to the UK., becoming the latest nation in the Global South to push back against abuses of a worldwide recycling framework by exporters in the West.

An initial consignment of 21 containers arrived back in the UK., the county of origin, in late November, according to the ship-tracking data. There are still another 242 containers waiting to be shipped back, according to Sri Lanka Customs.

Sri Lanka, like many other countries in the Global South, routinely imports waste from the West to recycle. The country is also a party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, which means exporters must obtain its consent to send medical or other biohazardous waste.

But the exporters behind the containers in question appeared to have flouted that rule by packing their containers with suspected medical waste, according to a customs inspection in July 2019. Officials reported finding discarded mattresses, carpets and rugs that appeared to be soiled.

“In this case, Sri Lanka hasn’t received any request from the UK., so this is an illegal shipment,” Ajith Weerasundara, director of chemicals and hazardous waste management unit at the Central Environment Authority (CEA), told Mongabay. “We have officially requested the UK. to recall the hazardous waste.”

Sunil Jayarathne, a spokesman for Sri Lanka Customs, told Mongabay that the containers were imported by a Sri Lankan company between 2017 and 2018 for the stated purpose of recycling, mainly to extract any metal contained in the waste items. A hundred and thirty of the containers were released to a metal recycling company, and some of the waste subsequently processed, but the rest were impounded in a free-trade zone.

In the meantime, a leading local environmental NGO, the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), filed a petition seeking a court order to re-export the waste containers to the UK. and prosecute those responsible for the illegal shipment. In its petition, the CEJ highlighted possible damage to environment and threats to the health of the general public, as the waste appeared to be discarded hospital waste.

Responding to Sri Lanka’s formal request, the UK.’s Environment Agency agreed to recall the dumped garbage.

“UK is committed to tackling illegal waste exports, with individuals found to be exporting incorrectly described waste can be punished with a two-year jail term and an unlimited fine,” it said in a statement.

Following the agreement, the CEJ withdrew its petition, according to its executive director, Hemantha Withanage.

“It is also important to track the movement of the waste back to the country of origin as there had been instances of such garbage being dumped elsewhere,” he told Mongabay, adding that the CEJ continues to track the ships’ movement through online vessel-tracking portals. “We should also get the numbers of the individual containers as we can drill down to that level now,” he added.

Global South as a dumping site

Jayarathne of Sri Lanka Customs and Weerasundara of CEA said they are investigating the matter and those responsible for importing the hazardous waste can also be punished under the law.

Sri Lanka is also claiming 1.6 billion Sri Lankan rupees ($8.7 million) from the UK. as compensation under the provisions of the Basel Convention.

There are several recent examples of individual countries taking waste-exporting countries to task for violating the global treaty and attempting to use countries in the Global South as their waste dumps without obtaining consent.

Malaysia sent back 150 containers of plastic waste to their countries of origin in January 2019, and the Philippines returned 1,500 metric tonnes of garbage to Canada in June 2019. Cambodia also sent back 1,600 metric tonnes of plastic waste to the US and Canada in July 2019.

Sri Lanka is pushing in the same direction, according to Samantha Gunasekara, a former deputy director of Sri Lanka Customs. A 37-year customs veteran, Gunasekara told Mongabay there have always been attempts to dump foreign waste in Sri Lanka, and that an absence of specific legislation prevented the full prosecution of the perpetrators.

“Things have improved in the legal sphere since then with new regulatory mechanisms being improved, especially under the Imports and Exports Act,” Gunasekara said. “Sri Lanka, however, should introduce domestic laws to enable the application of Basel Convention provisions to advance our interests.”

Sri Lanka signed the Basel Convention in 1992, but the enabling legislation has yet to be introduced, he added.

He also warned about the growing trend of electronic waste, or e-waste, being dumped in Global South countries.

“There are a number of schemes where developed countries send their used computers to be distributed to students in poorer countries. This looks like a generous gesture, but computers have a limited lifespan, and when the machines turn into e-waste, this happens in the developing countries and add to their e-waste records,” Gunasekara said.

Managing local hazardous waste

Notwithstanding the influx of foreign waste, Sri Lanka needs to develop its capacity to handle hazardous waste, said Ajith de Alwis, a professor of chemical and process engineering at the University of Moratuwa.

The Covid-19 pandemic has shown the importance of having an industry-based economy as it is more resilient than a service-based one. But more factories would mean the generation of more waste. Across Sri Lanka, much of this waste is incinerated, but this is a process that’s nether desirable nor sustainable, de Alwis said.

“Sri Lanka needs to secure landfill sites to effectively handle such hazardous waste,” he said.

By Malaka Rodrigo, Mongabay.com

Source Eco Business

Heeding the call for a green recovery

Posted on October 11, 2020October 11, 2020 by dishanth

It announced a big commitment to source clean energy at the height of the pandemic. How else is global nutrition, health and sustainable living company DSM ensuring this moment for change is not lost?

As many companies scrambled to respond to disruptions arising from the coronavirus pandemic earlier this year, nutrition, health and sustainable living company Royal DSM signed its largest renewable energy agreements covering about a quarter of its total annual electricity consumption.

The two power purchase agreements, inked in April, were with major wind energy producer EDPR in Europe, and with global solar firm Origis Energy in the United States. They put DSM on track to source 75 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030, an increase from the 50 per cent it achieved last year.

Besides helping to improve DSM’s own carbon footprint, the long-term agreements enable EDPR and Origis to secure financing for the construction of their new renewable energy parks.

“Our first priority is always the health and safety of our people, something which has been especially critical this year. But our long-term approach to building back better is to accelerate our own sustainability, as well as enable others in the value chain and to advocate for stronger green initiatives because the problems faced by the world are too complex to be solved alone,” said Dimitri de Vreeze, co-chief executive officer and chief operating officer of DSM.

Calls began months ago for the world to build back better from the worst crisis of a generation. Environmentalists and sustainability advocates urged countries to take advantage of drops in energy demand, and changes in work and consumption patterns, to recalibrate for a low-carbon future.

Some have stepped up to the plate, but a recent analysis shows that few countries are living up to their “green recovery” pledges.

For DSM, a green recovery from the pandemic means systemic changes that will move the world towards net zero carbon and a more circular economy where resources are used in an endless loop, instead of ending up in landfills or being incinerated as waste.

Since 2015, the Dutch-headquartered multinational has set an internal carbon price of €50 per tonne of carbon dioxide-equivalent. This helps to incorporating the cost of emissions into decisions that require significant capital expenditure.

DSM’s diverse portfolio of products includes plant-based protein, feed additives to reduce methane belched by cows, an algae-based oil that replaces fish oil to feed farmed fish such as salmon, and coatings for solar modules that enable more power to be generated.

Faced with disruption from Covid-19, a vital part of the green recovery for businesses must be the integration of sustainable production. – Dimitri de Vreeze, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Board Member, DSM

Boosting immunity and resilience

Much of its operations, such as those related to food and medical supplies, were deemed essential by governments, so production sites were not impacted by widespread lockdowns to contain the virus outbreak. Nonetheless, de Vreeze said it is looking at ways to enhance supply chain resilience. About 96 per cent of Asia Pacific enterprises are small and medium firms, and DSM is exploring ways to collaborate with partners to enhance their sustainability and innovation, he said.

The company has also responded to the trend of greater health consciousness. It distributed millions of immunity-boosting products containing essential vitamins and minerals to all 23,000 of its employees and their families in recent months. It also conducted webinars to enhance their understanding of healthier lifestyle choices that can optimise their immunity.

And in Singapore, DSM has partnered with innovation catalyst Padang & Co to establish a collaborative workspace called the Bright Science & Technology Innovation Hub. The hub aims to connect tech start-ups and other partners that seek to address Asia-Pacific’s nutritional, health and sustainability challenges, and provide them with access to DSM’s network, technical expertise and laboratories.

‘Now is the time for change’

DSM has also joined many of the most prominent global green recovery efforts to “ensure this moment for change is not lost”, said de Vreeze, who is a member of DSM’s managing board. They include the European Union (EU) Green Recovery Alliance, the World Economic Forum CEO Action Group, and the United Nations-backed “Uniting business and governments to recover better” campaign.

Asked what lessons the EU’s €750 billion coronavirus recovery fund—which will devote a significant portion to green projects such as low-carbon steel production—offers to other regions, de Vreeze noted that some countries in the Asia Pacific are also working towards a similar goal.

The South Korean government has included a Green New Deal as part of its US$110 billion stimulus package, he noted. Japan’s government has announced an online platform to facilitate the exchange of views and insights on how best to use carbon-cutting measures to reboot the economy sustainably.

“Elsewhere in the region, such as in Malaysia and Myanmar, we see a renewed interest in solar energy too,” he said.

“However, Asia Pacific still relies heavily on non-renewable energy and fossil fuels are still the dominant source of energy for Southeast Asia in particular. Worryingly, not only will coal continue to be the primary fuel source for power generation in the region, it is expected to grow in use over the next few years.”

Companies must act now by aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and reporting environmental, social and governance (ESG) data, de Vreeze said. Investors can also help to change industry behaviour.

“Faced with disruption from Covid-19, a vital part of the green recovery for businesses must be the integration of sustainable production. A large and growing number of manufacturers are rethinking their inputs and turning to materials which can minimise the environmental impact without compromising performance,” said de Vreeze.

To promote transparency across the value chain—which is essential to ensure sustainable production—DSM has introduced Imp’Act Cards for an increasing number of ingredients used in personal care products. The cards quantify the environmental impact, traceability, social impact and identity of each product according to key standards, and are available for ingredients such as D-Panthenol, a moisturiser for skin and hair, and Vitamin E, an anti-oxidant.

By prioritising a faster and fairer transition from a grey to a green economy, and by aligning policies and recovery plans with the latest climate science, it is possible to achieve a business environment that encourages a resilient, zero carbon economy, said de Vreeze.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted humanity’s interdependence with the natural environment, and how our current system makes us all vulnerable to challenges like climate change and resource scarcity,” he said.

“The time for change is now. A pivot towards a green recovery and circular economy must be high on the agenda of business leaders and governments alike.”

Source: Eco-Business

Food and drink giants urge UK government to strengthen deforestation laws

Posted on October 6, 2020 by dishanth

Firms including Tesco, Nestle and Waitrose want UK government proposals expanded to encompass all deforestation, not just that defined as illegal

More than 20 major supermarkets, food manufacturers and restaurant chains have called on the UK government to strengthen plans to tackle deforestation in supply chains, urging ministers to expand proposed restrictions to encompass all deforestation, not just that which has been defined as illegal.

Proposed new legislation announced in August would see UK firms fined for using products sourced from illegally cleared land in the tropics, in a bid to tackle deforestation worldwide fuelled by the supply chains of British companies.

The government’s proposals would see large companies operating in the UK obligated to show where forest risk commodities including cocoa, soy, rubber and leather, originate. It would then be illegal to use products that fail to comply with laws to protect nature in those origin nations.

But in an open letter released today – which comes as a government consultation on the proposed new deforesation law comes to a close – firms including Tesco, Nestle, Greencore and Waitrose warn current provisions are “not currently envisioned to be enough to halt deforestation”, and are urging the government to expand the restrictions.

“Restricting action to illegal deforestation only would not achieve halting the loss of these natural ecosystems, especially when producing country governments have discretion to decide what is legal or have inadequate enforcement mechanisms, and local land title and clearance records can be unreliable or absent,” states the letter.

Among the 22 signatories to the letter are a host of supermarkets such as Asda, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer; livestock producers Moy Park and Pilgrim’s Pride; as well as restaurant chains McDonald’s and Nando’s.

Chris Brown, sustainable sourcing director at Asda, said he welcomed the government’s moves to combat supply chain deforestation, but that the current plans “will not do enough to protect the fragile ecosystems that will reduce the risk of catastrophic climate change”.

“We can’t solve this problem on our own and we need legislation that ensures comprehensive and standardised reporting up and down the supply chain, alongside incentives for suppliers who move towards more environmentally-responsible production,” he said.

Recent decades have seen deforestation become a major global driver of climate change and biodiversity loss, particularly in tropical regions. World Bank statistics suggest 1.3 million square kilometres of forest were lost between 1990 and 2016, an area bigger than South Africa. As a result, deforestation is estimated to be responsible for around 11 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

The vast majority of clearances are undertaken to make space for agricultural commodities, whether to create plantations for soy, oil palm, cocoa or rubber, or pasture for beef and leather. Numerous studies have shown the huge role played by UK and EU consumers in driving deforestation, with EU’s own calculations estimating that its demand (along with that of the UK) lies behind 10 per cent of global deforestation.

Numerous studies have traced these connections: last week, an investigation by British NGO Earthsight exposed how leather from illegally cleared land in Paraguay inhabited by one of the world’s last uncontacted tribes is entering the supply chains of some of Europe’s biggest auto firms, including BMW and Jaguar Land Rover.

A spokesperson for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the government commended the business community’s leadership on seeking to combat climate change, but argued illegal deforestation accounted for around half of global deforestation, and that if Brazil’s existing forest laws were properly enforced it could increase forest cover by 10 per cent.

“The UK government is committed to tackling deforestation, and the consultation we have launched to introduce a due diligence requirement is just one part of a much bigger package of measures that the government is taking,” Defra said in a statement. “We look forward to continued dialogue with UK businesses who are using these commodities in their supply chains, including through the Soy and Palm Roundtables, which we actively support.”

By Toby Hill

Source: Business Green

Jaguar Land Rover turns to recycled aluminium to cut manufacturing CO2

Posted on August 24, 2020 by dishanth

The firm’s £2m REALITY project is developing high-grade aluminium from a blend of waste cans, bottle tops, and scrap vehicles

Jaguar Land Rover has developed an innovative process enabling it to recycle old aluminium cans, bottle tops, and end-of-life vehicles into brand new, premium cars, in a move it estimates could cut CO2 emissions from its manufacturing by more than a quarter.

Co-funded by the government’s innovation agency Innovate UK, the process was developed in partnership with Brunel University as part of a £2m project called ‘REALITY’, the British carmaker announced on Friday.

Engineers mixed recycled aluminium parts with a reduced amount of primary aluminium to form a new prototype alloy, which it said matches the quality of the materials currently used by the firm in its car manufacturing.

The project involved establishing a system for the recovery of the automotive-grade aluminium used to manufacture its products, the firm explained. Vehicle scrap is typically exported overseas, but the project drew on new separation technology to upcycle material from old cars so it could be blended with aluminium waste, thereby reducing the need for virgin aluminium.

Jaguar Land Rover said it was using pre-production of its Jaguar I-PACE electric vehicle prototypes to test the process, estimating it could potentially reduce alloy production CO2 emissions by up to 26 per cent compared to the current automotive grade.

“This project has allowed us, for the first time, to recover premium automotive-grade aluminium from scrapped vehicles and re-use its unique properties,” said Gaëlle Guillaume, REALITY lead project manager at Jaguar Land Rover. “The potential of this on the production process is a reduction in CO₂impact as well as helping us re-use even more aluminium. As we move into an autonomous, connected and electrified future, with the potential of shared fleets being de-commissioned en masse, it could allow Jaguar Land Rover to engineer this closed loop recycling alloy into tight production schedules to further improve efficiency and environmental benefits.”

Post-consumer recycled aluminium is widely used in products such as cans, food trays, bottle tops, and foil, but is has only more recently started to be utilised in automotive manufacturing. Recycled aluminium uses around 90 per cent less energy to produce compared to raw material production, according to the Aluminium Association.

The REALITY project forms part of Jaguar Land Rover’s recently announced sustainability strategy Destination Zero, through which it is aiming to become a zero emissions, zero accidents, and zero congestion company.

By Toby Hill

Source: Business Green

New study finds $3.8 billion in food wastage each year due to faults in the Cold Food Chain

Posted on June 28, 2020 by dishanth

A study has reported an estimate of 2,183,500 tonnes of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, seafood and dairy products is wasted each year due to breaks and deficiencies in the cold food chain.

A report prepared for Refrigerants Australia and the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment has shown that poor temperature management is the greatest risk for perishable food. During transportation and handling between mobile and stationary refrigeration points, there are sometimes huge temperature variations between truck or trailer, loading docks and storage facilities. This results in significant amounts of food waste before items get to the supermarket or restaurant.

Preliminary and conservative estimates put the cost of food waste within the cold food chain at $3.8 billion at farm gate values in 2018. This is comprised of:

• 25% (1,930,000 tonnes) of annual production of fruit and vegetables worth $3 billion
• 3.5% of annual production of meat (155,000 tonnes) worth $670 million, and seafood (8,500 tonnes) worth $90 million
• 1% (90,000 tonnes) of annual dairy production valued at $70 million

The greenhouse gas emissions from food waste, attributed to sub-par refrigeration technology, practices and processes in the cold food chain, are estimated at 7.0 Mt CO2-e in Australia. Globally, if wasted food was viewed as a country, it would be the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter on the planet.

The transportation and storage of food in this country is big business. In 2018, more than 23 million tonnes of foodstuffs, worth $42 billion based on farm gate values, passed through the Australian cold food chain. This number is predicated to get bigger with production and transport of food and is projected to grow strongly in Australia over the next 20 years as export capacities expand.

Dr Greg Picker, Executive Director of Refrigerants Australia, says whilst industry was aware there was a problem, the report shows the true size and the implications this has on business and the environment.

“The numbers in this report are truly astonishing,” said Picker. “We always thought there were issues, which has now been confirmed for us in a big way. And it’s alarming as the faults are mainly behavioural which could be changed through educating those involved. Leaving food on the loading dock for too long, not closing truck doors, incorrectly stacked crates, these are small things that are resulting in temperature changes and food being spoiled.

“The cold food chain in Australia is long and complicated, and innocently each company, each link in that chain, would think a little bit of waste at their point wouldn’t matter. However, when you collate that waste across the entire chain the end figure is mind blowing.

“There is also the environmental consequence to consider. Think of all the water that would get used to grow and produce this food, or the emissions emitted during the farming, packaging and transporting of this food that gets tossed out. There are far too many people hungry people in Australia and starving across the world for this amount to be wasted unnecessarily,” said Picker.

Mr Mark Mitchell, Chairman of the Australian Cold Food Chain Council, forecasts that Australia will need to adopt training and education programs so that those responsible for moving food and pharmaceuticals around the country can get the best out of available technology.

“The best way for Australian food and refrigerated transport businesses to celebrate World Refrigeration Day would be to promise to do a great deal more to limit horrific food waste through better management of their refrigerated spaces and transport processes,” said Mitchell.

“While this is an opportunity to remind the world of the great benefits and opportunities provided by refrigeration, it also provides us with an opportunity to call to account those industry sectors in Australia that are misusing refrigeration through abuse of temperature controls and poor food handling processes in refrigerated transports, loading docks and cold rooms.

“Due to the vast distances in this country, food transport is a series of refrigerated events, in the hands of a range of stake holders, many of whom don’t understand how it all works. As an example, mangoes picked in the Northern Territory may be handled through stationary and mobile refrigerated spaces as many as 14 times by multiple owners on a 3,400 km journey to Melbourne. If temperature abuse through poor refrigeration practices occurs in just one of those spaces, the losses at the consumer end are compounded, and shelf life can be either drastically reduced, or result in the whole load being sent to landfill,” said Mitchell.

Kylie Farrelley, General Manager of Refrigerants Reclaim Australia, says this report highlights how the refrigeration industry and those organisations involved in the food cold chain can make improvements to reduce waste.

“The refrigeration industry is a crucial part of the cold food chain which, considering the volume of food that moves through it, has been extraordinarily successful,” said Farrelley. “However, there is room for improvement, both in how refrigeration technology is used and improved practices in the cold food chain. If everyone in the cold food chain works together, we can reduce the amount of food that is wasted, which will have positive impacts on everyone involved, from farmers, to the end consumer and the environment.

“While there are many and varied causes of food loss and waste, this study identifies many simple practices that would cost-effectively reduce perishable food waste, which would be of benefit to the whole community,” said Farrelley.

David Appel, President of Refrigeration Carrier (Global), of which Carrier Transicold is a sub brand, says the cold chain is in greater demand now more than ever.

“Carrier technology plays a leading role in the safe transport of medicine and the global effort to reduce food loss and waste, and greenhouse gas emissions,” said Appel. “COVID-19 shines an even brighter spotlight on the cold chain and getting food and medicine to those most in need. Cold chain system resiliency has proven to be an essential element to supply availability. We see that in the life sciences segment, monitoring strict temperature compliance is mission-critical to the delivery of diagnostic test kits, clinical-trial materials and vaccines.

“Greater connectivity is an essential piece of the future for the entire cold chain. We envision and are working to build an end-to-end cold chain that will reduce cost and waste in today’s cold chain network,” said Appel.

Source www.ecovoice.com.au

Sustainable freight: Oatly partners with Einride to electrify Swedish logistics

Posted on May 19, 2020May 17, 2020 by dishanth

Oat drink pioneer Oatly will soon ship plant-based drinks from its factory in Sweden on electric trucks developed by EV start up Einride.

The two Swedish sustainability innovators announced the new partership today, predicting the electrification initiative would shrink the carbon footprint of journeys between the Oatly factory and intermediary destinations by 87 per cent.

Simon Broadbent, the drink company’s supply chain director, said: “Sustainability is at the core of everything we do and we are committed to driving change across the food industry through embracing new sustainable solutions in every area of our business. Electrical transportation is a key part of our supply shain strategy globally.”

The partners claim that the deal, which is set to come into effect in late 2020, will make Oatly “one of the world’s first companies to electrify transportation on commercial routes”.

The deal gives Oatly access to Einride’s freight mobility platform, which provides insights into shipping volume, distance driven, and associated emissions.

Robert Falck, chief executive and founder of Einride, said that the firm was “proud” to be partnering with a “pioneer in sustainable food production”.

“Road freight transport as it currently exists is a system that drastically needs to change,” he said. Nearly seven per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions come from this road freight, a figure that will only increase if we do not switch to more sustainable solutions like Einride’s freight mobility platform, which enables both a sustainable business and environment.”

Einride, which is best known for its autonomous haul freight vehicles, raised $25m in a funding round in October that it said would fund its expansion into the US. The company also signed a deal to provide electric trucks to Lidl Sweden in April.

Source: https://www.businessgreen.com/

Cecilia Keating

Coke, Nestlé and Pepsi top plastic polluter audit again as green groups slam recyclable packaging as ‘false solution’.

Posted on November 1, 2019August 12, 2020 by dishanth

Food and beverage firms Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and PepsiCo are the world’s biggest plastic polluters, a study of litter found on beaches, streets, homes, and parks in 50 countries has revealed.

The same firms have topped the global plastic polluter audit, conducted by a collective of environmental groups running cleanup operations, for the second year in succession.

This is despite initiatives the multi-national consumer goods companies have launched to address the chronic plastic pollution problem they have contributed to.

Coca-Cola has launched recyclable bottles made entirely from renewable plant-based materials, aiming to use it in all its packaging by next year. Nestlé has a plan to make all of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025, while Pepsi has pledged to develop bottles made from renewable resources.

Coke uses PlantBottle packaging, which are bottles made from plants, saves the equivalent annual emissions of more than 315,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide, Coke estimates.
Image: Coca-Cola

But these measures do not address the root of the problem – the overuse of plastic by consumer goods firms – and so have not affected their standing in the global litter audit, the campaigners noted.

“Commitments by corporations like Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and PepsiCo to address the crisis unfortunately continue to rely on false solutions like replacing plastic with paper or bioplastics and relying more heavily on a broken global recycling system,” said Abigail Aguilar, plastic campaign coordinator for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, the lead group for the Break Free From Plastic campaign, in a media briefing on Wednesday.

“We call them false solutions because they perpetuate the throwaway culture that caused the plastic pollution crisis, and will do nothing to prevent these brands from being named the top polluters again in the future.”

As part of Break Free From Plastic, a global movement of non-governmental organisations advocating against new plastic production, Greenpeace orchestrated 4,384 cleanups in over 50 countries from August 1 to September 30, picking up 476,423 pieces of plastic. Almost half of the plastic waste was marked with a clear consumer brand.

Other companies identified in the study included Mondelez International, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, Philip Morris International and Perfetti van Melle.

The world’s top 10 biggest plastic polluters in 2019.
Image: Break Free From Plastic.

Von Hernandez, global coordinator of Break Free from Plastic, called on corporations to reduce their production of single-use plastic, instead of using recycling or recyclable packaging as a solution.

He cited a 2017 study that found that 8.3 billion metric tonnes of plastic trash have been produced since 1950, but only 9 per cent of it has been recycled globally.

“Even if all plastic packaging were collected to be recycled, it would only be down-cycled or transformed into another inferior product that inevitably becomes waste, ending up in incinerators and landfill, polluting our oceans,” Hernandez said.

“Over the next 30 years, the amount of plastic waste is set to quadruple,” he warned.

A call for ‘alternative delivery systems’

Environmentalists urged the consumer goods companies to invest in different ways to package their products that do not create pollution.

Unilever’s hair refilling station in a mall at the Makati Central Business District in the Philippines.
Image: Unilever

Unilever, which ranked as the fifth largest polluter in the audit, launched a shampoo and conditioner refilling station in three high-traffic malls in Metro Manila, Philippines in March.

The hair and skincare giant, which owns brands such as Dove, Sunsilk, and Lux, sells many of its products in single-use plastic sachets in developing countries like the Philippines and Indonesia to make its products more affordable.

While environmentalists lauded Unilever’s intiative, they said consumers in the lower income bracket who mostly use single-use sachets will not use the refilling stations.

“It’s a step in the right direction, but malls especially in the central business district are not that accessible to the common Filipino. In our dialogue with the companies, we told them that if they are to invest and introduce an alternative [to plastics], they need to position them where they are easily accesible, like in sari-sari (retail) stores or public markets,” Aguilar said.

“Solutions must be affordable, simple, convenient, durable, and non-toxic,” he said.

Source: www.eco-business.com