Since our inception in 2010, FASHIONOTES has been a publication dedicated not only to fashion and technology, but the future of fashion.
Today, on April 22, 2016, we celebrate Earth Day and our fashion future with a publication-wide pivot we’ve been preparing over the past few months, whereby our content moving forward at FASHIONOTES will be dedicated to FASHION + TECHNOLOGY + SUSTAINABILITY.
Through the years we’ve seen our industry evolve in new and exciting ways. Season after season trends come and go, and then… come back again. But an undeniably important movement, that is much more than a trend, has emerged to become arguably one of the most significant in fashion history – we’re talking about sustainable and ethical fashion.
For big brands like H&M, Stella McCartney, Levi’s and Adidas, as well as, newer startups like Reformation, Warby Parker, RE/DONE and Everlane, sustainability has become more than a major buzzword, it’s a lasting mission. Even brands such as Inditex (Zara), ASOS, Nike, and Uniqlo have begun to investigate ways in which they can become more sustainable.
But what is sustainable/ethical fashion exactly? The Ethical Fashion Forum defines it as an approach to designing, sourcing and manufacturing clothing, which maximizes benefits to people and communities while minimizing impact on the environment. We think that sounds about right. But if you’ve done any reading whatsoever into this topic, you’ll know that it comes with much complexity, controversy, criticism, and opposing opinions, see BOF, EcoCult, VOGUE & Esquire to name a few. We recognize that this is a big undertaking and we’re taking it seriously. But keep in mind, we’re also learning too. Our approach is simple: we have some questions and we’re going to do our best to find out the answers in the most informed and responsible way.
We’ll continue to cover all the awesomeness happening in the fashion and technology space from wearables to ecommerce, but in addition to those great things, we’ll be looking at issues such as environmental impact, fair trade/living wages, recycling, and the conundrums of fast fashion.
We’re just getting started and cannot wait to learn more. We hope you’ll continue with us along this exciting journey towards a better fashion future!
Julia Che
Founder & Editor-In-Chief
