EMA's April Sustainable Fashion Roundup: Coachella, Travis Kelce's Shirt, and Toxic Fast Fashion Brands
April is Earth Month, the month when Fashion Revolution Week takes place. It is the perfect time to double down on ethics and sustainability in the fashion industry. Here are some of the top sustainable fashion stories from April:
The new "Brandy Hellville" documentary is exposing toxic culture and unsustainable practices at Brandy Melville
Released April 9th on HBO, the documentary film "Brandy Hellville & the Cult of Fast Fashion" exposes allegations of fatphobia, antisemitism, sexual assault, inappropriate conduct with minors, and environmental pollution against teen fast fashion retailer Brandy Melville. Directed by Academy Award winner Eva Orner, the documentary follows the reporting of Business Insider's Kate Taylor and features former Brandy Melville employees. Among the film's findings was the overproduction of fast fashion, with many articles of Brandy Melville clothing being dumped in secondhand markets in the Global South. The power of documentaries to expose the harm of fast fashion will be a topic at June's EMA IMPACT Summit!
Coachella's Fast Fashion Problem
Coachella may be a music festival, but it is also a fashion event for many. In recent years, the festival has made strides in eliminating waste by offering compostable utensils, utilizing food waste, and providing recycling and compost bins on-site. However, there is still progress regarding fashion: according to a UK study, festivals account for 7.5 million single-use outfits annually in the UK alone. As one of the world's largest festivals, Coachella must still address its single-use outfits problem.
Lululemon is Highly Dependent on Fossil Fuels and Needs to be on track to Meet its Climate Targets
While Lululemon has set bold targets to improve its sustainability practices, a six-month investigation into the company's supply chain reveals that the athleisure retail giant has a pattern of failure to prevent adverse environmental impacts. Environmental concerns surrounding the brand's production include:
Increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
High reliance on fossil fuels.
Penalties for pollution violations.
Negative impacts on surrounding communities and ecosystems.
The study recommends that Lululemon publicly disclose more information about environmental impacts, set renewable energy and absolute emissions reduction targets, establish a credible decarbonization strategy, and provide financial and technical support to aid suppliers in the green transition. Overall, Lululemon must do more to stay on track and meet its climate targets.
Chanel has Started a Lawsuit over Travis Kelce's Upcycled Shirt
Upcycling, creating new products out of old materials to give them a second life, has increased in popularity recently, but some brands aren't pleased. As the upcycling phenomenon has made its way to luxury fashion, several designer brands are initiating lawsuits against companies that create reworked garments and accessories using their brand name pieces. One of the most well-known legal actions involves an upcycled shirt worn by NFL Super Bowl winner Travis Kelce: the brand behind the shirt, J. Logan Home, received a cease-and-desist letter from Chanel for the use of the brand's scarves in its upcycled design. These lawsuits are typically made on the grounds of trademark infringement or brand dilution but could hamper the growth of upcycling as a sustainable fashion solution.
About the author:
Katy Ho (she/her) is a Chinese Canadian writer, activist, and daughter of refugees who explores the intersections of gender, climate, and pop culture through her work. When she’s not writing about feminism and climate justice, you can find her hosting book club meetings, visiting her local thrift store, and coaching the next generation of climate leaders.