COVER STORY
The Shift Towards Sustainability :
Bayo ’ s Journey in Creating a Circular Economy in the Fashion Industry
In the past decade , the fashion industry has experienced a reckoning . According to a 2021 study , the fashion industry creates up to 92 million tons of waste per year . From climate activists and ordinary citizens , there came a call to acknowledge and remedy the environmental damage that comes with making clothes .
In 2020 , Bayo became an official participant member of the United Nations Global Compact , UN ’ s 14,000-company-strong initiative for sustainable business management . It was a defining moment for the brand , as it gave a blueprint for the company ’ s green initiatives . “ Because of the UNGC , we have an amazing source of guidance – a clear-cut framework for our projects and policies ,” shares Lagon .
Bayo ’ s first step was looking inwards , back to the company ’ s position as a proudly homegrown brand . With 90 % of the
For Bayo ’ s co-CEO Anna Lagon , answering this call was imperative . “ The reality of climate change can ’ t be ignored , so we felt a responsibility to ask how our company can be part of the solution to the growing problems related to the environment brought about by the fashion industry .” For Lagon , garment-making can be a creative medium to contribute to a greater solution –“ we can revolutionize the way we make clothes ,” muses Lagon , “ transforming our business to be as kind to the planet as possible .”
This meant reshaping Bayo ’ s entire business model to one that is circular – thus ensued their # JourneytoZero , an overarching initiative towards sustainability . The goal was to reduce Bayo ’ s waste at the time , which was at 35-40 %, to more manageable levels . Currently , the company ’ s waste level is at 5-7 %.
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