Redress Companions With UN Fashion and Lifestyle Network

Asia-focused NGO Redress has partnered with the United Nations Fashion and Lifestyle Network to name on the worldwide vogue manufacturers to work towards attaining UN Sustainable Development Goals.

At a panel dialogue held in New York City final week, representatives from each teams mentioned the challenges in sustainability and social duty that have to be addressed by the higher international vogue business. Those points embody intersectional environmental justice, cultural identification, social inequality, gender inequality, overconsumption and textile waste colonialism.

“Fashion must be more than just creativity and commerce,” stated Dr. Christina Dean, founding father of Redress. “Fashion needs more of an ethical heart and soul to address our planetary challenges. There are countless inspiring brands globally making more than just clothes; they are making positive impacts at various Sustainable Development Goals. From consumers to investors, we must spotlight and empower these businesses to give them a rightful seat at the global fashion table.”

During the delegation assembly, Redress and the UN Fashion and Lifestyle Network referred to as for assist of established moral and accountable vogue and way of life manufacturers that already work to realize a number of UN Sustainable Development Goals, typically in far-reaching, growing world provide chains.

While supporting those that are doing the work, the teams additionally pointed to Asia as a market ripe for stronger efforts to enhance sustainability and social duty. According to Redress and the UN Fashion and Lifestyle Network, Asia accounts for some 60 p.c of worldwide exports of clothes and textiles, and roughly 60 million staff are employed in garment manufacturing throughout the continent. Asia has been hit laborious by local weather change, with the area heating sooner than the worldwide common.

“The Philippines is awash with a modern textile waste colonialization, from post consumer to industry waste,” stated Jann Christian Lim Bungcaras, founder, artistic director and designer of Jann Bungcaras Fashion House within the Philippines. “And as a developing country, we should not be seen as a dumping ground for waste.”

Redress—which leads a worldwide community of moral vogue designers who’re alums of its sustainable design competitors—marked the occasion as its official entree into the UN Fashion and Lifestyle Network. Individual Redress competitors alumni designers Bungcaras, Damini Mittai, Isabella Li Kostrzewa, Aashita Jain, Ruyin Tian, Aarushi Kilawat, Ruwanthi Gajadeera, Livia Aguiar de Castro, Louise Boase, Rachel Clowes, Rose Brown, Magdalena Malbran and Silvia Acién Parrilla additionally joined the group.

The UN Fashion and Lifestyle Network was established to allow collaboration between industries and the United Nations system to speed up innovation and knowledge-sharing, whereas elevating the contributions of members driving constructive affect worldwide which have important international traction.

“As the United Nations Secretary-General reminded us on the International Day of Zero Waste, fashion must make good sense for both people and planet,” stated Kerry Bannigan, co-founder of the UN Fashion and Lifestyle Network and president of the board, PVBLIC Foundation. “Fashion significantly influences numerous aspects of society, from employment and gender equality to innovation and cultural expression. The choices we make in this sector today profoundly affect the world we live in tomorrow.”