Common Threads Round Up #14
Trump, tariffs, Shein and some up-and-comers in the sustainability space.
🗓️ Wednesday, February 5th 2025
Source: Serrah Galos for The Guardian
👨⚖️ What the Trump Administration Means for Sustainability Efforts - MIT Sloan Review
We’ve had our first few weeks of the Trump administration and are getting hints as to what the next 4 years will look like. While a lot has been threatened (or promised depending on who you ask), it’s unclear as to what will actually happen. This article takes a look at what’s expected across the broader ESG industry which will obviously have implications for the fashion world.
💚 Bloomberg commits to funding UNFCCC after Trump pulls US out of Paris Agreement - Edie
Again, not directly fashion-related, but as the headline suggests, Bloomberg Philanthropies announced it will finance the UN’s climate change body after Trump withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement, thus halting financial contributions to the UNFCCC. This makes us wonder - will brands follow suit and start stepping up to fill in the gaps of funding for sustainability initiatives that will inevitably arise? It’s an interesting comparison to Europe where the government is leading the charge for brands to adapt and be more sustainable. In the US brands will need to regulate themselves as the government will surely not be doing much of it. Here’s an article from Vogue Business on how Trump’s Executive Orders he signed on the first day of office, including withdrawing from the Paris Accord, complicate sustainability initiatives.
🚩How fashion and beauty are preparing for triple-threat tariffs - Vogue Business
Trump’s new tariffs are expected to impact over 1/3 of goods shipped into the US. This Vogue article dives into how the fashion industry is coping and what can be done next.
♻️ Sustainable fashion’s new guard - Vogue Business
Okay now onto some more cheerful news! Vogue did a spotlight on some up-and-coming sustainable fashion designers across the world. They’re all approaching sustainability in different ways which is nice to see - there’s no one correct way to do sustainable design.
🇺🇸 62 Clothing Brands from the USA Making More Ethical and Sustainable Fashion - Good On You
If you’re looking to refresh anything in your wardrobe secondhand is a great option always or these brands listed on Good On You’s site. (thanks for including unspun on this list!)
🌱 ‘People want clothes that match their values’: sustainability takes centre stage at Nairobi fashion week - The Guardian
In the midst of fashion month, it’s great to see Nairobi fashion week get international coverage. This article spotlights how designers in Africa are up-cycling clothing found at flea markets or landfills.
🗑️Chinese fashion giant Shein re-enters India five years after ban - BBC
Speaking of clothing going into landfills…Shein is once again selling in India.
🌎 Can Brands Still Make the Case for Sustainable Fashion? - BOF
This article uses an Allbirds shoe as a case study to look at whether the consumer’s appetite for sustainable products has changed and if the demand is still there.
That’s it for now! Until next week 🤙
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