Apparel Online India Magazine January 1st Issue 2019 | Page 30

SUSTAINABILITY
ROUNDUP
2018
SUSTAINABILITY IN FOCUS
SCORED HIGH ON AGENDA… B UT STILL MORE GR OUND TO COVER
With regard to sustainability, the year 2018 was full of action right from circular economy, transparent supply chain, to women empowerment,
water saving and much more focus areas. Many companies across India were upbeat throughout the year as they focused on various sustainable
activities. Some of them celebrated the success or positive results of these activities – Orient Craft, Modelama Exports, Pratibha Syntex,
Richa Global and Freudenberg to mention few… Apart from achievements of companies, Apparel Online covered many events dedicated
to sustainability, analysed sustainability and corporate responsibility reports and kept abreast with global trends. However, amidst all this
positivity, it was also observed that the SMEs are struggling as far as real sustainability is concerned.
TRANSPARENT SUPPLY CHAIN
May 1-15
C&A Foundation working to address concerns
in organic cotton supply chain
“Brands and retailers recognise that for the organic cotton
sector to thrive, there needs to be a clear business case for the
farmers. We at OCA (Organic Cotton Accelerator) are trying out
various business models that create most value all across the
supply chain – including the organic cotton farmers. Madhya
Pradesh is the global leader for organic cotton production and
will lead the way for this change.”
Crispin Argento,
Executive Director of the Organic Cotton Accelerator
August 1-15
Collective industry initiative towards
cotton’s growing challenges
“Today any company, no matter how large or small,
has the opportunity to convert all its products over
to a sustainable footing and mainstream for more
sustainable cotton. The supply and marketing
opportunities are both there, and the CottonUP guide
will make it a lot easier and quicker for brands and
retailers to radically increase the amount of sustainable
cotton they source than it was for M&S 10 years ago.”
– Phil Townsend, Sustainable Raw Materials
Specialist, M&S
“The apparel sector is under huge pressure to reduce
its social and environmental impacts and increasing
demand for more sustainable fibres is the key to
secure future supply. The CottonUP guide addresses
the long-standing need in the industry for clarity
around cotton sourcing options by providing brands
and retailers with the resources to help them go
further and faster. It can be a key enabler for systemic
change in the industry and could be a blueprint for
other commodities in the future.”
– Sally Uren, CEO, Forum for the Future
30 Apparel Online India | JANUARY 1-15, 2019 | www.apparelresources.com