OP-ED
The company has stated that it is replacing
coal at the Vasteras power plant north of
Stockholm.
In March, H&M announced
that the stockpile of
unsold stock had grown
7% from last year and is
worth nearly $4.3 billion.
H&M is not the only business to face
criticism over resource absorbing supply
chains and contributing to the swells of
clothing in landfills. However, technology
is what enabled fast fashion and has
accelerated growth in the fashion industry.
Seattle-based startup Evrnu is attacking the
issue of textile waste with its new patent
pending technology that takes old clothing
and creates new fibers for new clothing.
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Another fashion technology startup Bionic
Yarn is creating denim from plastic found
polluting the ocean. They have partnered
with brands like Kheil’s, G-Star and Pharrell
Williams to introduce their new technology
and vision.
The future of fashion has always been tech,
since its inception. I can hardly remember
the time before e-commerce or social
media apps that connect us and help
disseminate fashion to the masses. I think it
is quite possible that history will repeat itself
with another economic breakdown, but I
think there is so much technology can offer
the fashion industry.
While tech companies that tackle fashion’s
sustainability issues are not new, it’s time for
them to ramp up their businesses in order
to instill large scale change. Technology still
has more to do when it comes to fashion
and it is not slowing down by any means.
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