How can you reduce the environmental impact of raw materials sourcing?

Always think about product elevation and how you can source materials responsibly but always with product elevation at the center of your focus. Challenge reasons why some materials that are environmentally damaging are used and work toward developing better, more elevated, more responsibly sourced materials. Create the story along the way as it will be helpful with your marketing team to maximize the ROI once the new product is adopted and produced.

How to do ? - Study the possibilities of using materials that generate less waste. - Use comparative analyzes of materials and techniques to select those allowing the best compromise - Predict and evaluate the quantities of materials that will be wasted (offcuts, surplus, etc.) and optimize them. - Choose materials that are adaptable, repositionable, removable and reusable. - As part of demolition/reconstruction projects, assess the potential for deconstruction and material recovery When preparing? - Check with suppliers if it is possible for them to take back surpluses. - Study the possibilities of renting equipment for site operations or on-site reprocessing - Evaluate the possibilities of recovering surpluses on site or on another site.

Create multi function materials that can be platformed. It has to be done skillfully and again, with product elevation in mind. Implement advanced platforming initiatives Find ways to utilize the same materials using different applications or finishes so that you still offer diversification. This will dramatically shorten lead-times, allowing more informed garment order placements as garment orders can be placed much later based on same item same period selling data. Apparel is one of the largest industry polluting the planet. If we are able to reduce production by reducing inventory the impact is huge.

Top 9 ethical sourcing how to source materials and suppliers ethically and responsibly 1. Understand ethical sourcing 2. Evaluate supplier practices 3. Establish ethical guidelines 4. Carrying out supplier audits 5. Promote fair trade 6. Support local communities 7. Ensure environmental sustainability 8. Collaborate with ethical certifications 9. Communicate ethical sourcing efforts

You need to know your supply chain, preferably all the way to level 5. Certifications need to be in place, use suppliers that share your sustainability goals. Ultimately you find yourself aligned with the best in class suppliers which provide best service, best product and use most ethical practices. Sustainable and responsible sourcing is the best tool for risk mitigation. And of course use origin verifications to validate your claims and to offer complete transparency to both suppliers as well as the final consumer

This goes back to the first comment related to finding better alternative and more responsibly sourced materials. You will need to use technology to create required performances on some materials that are more responsibly sourced but that they do not provide some of the performance requirements in certain garments ( i.e. durability, weaking, water repellency etc etc ). For instance there are ways to develop cotton fabrics with the same performances that polyester fabrics have. Cotton is a far more responsibly sourced fiber than polyester. Your need to pick the right partners and the right technologies. Marry all to the product and always aim at elevating the product ( you see we are coming to a full circle again! )