On the 19th of February 2019, Bocconi Students for Fashion held an event on corporate social responsibility (CSR) hosting Stefano Bassi (Enviro-Coordinator at Patagonia Milano), Matteo Marzotto (President of Dondup), Chicco Barina (Head Designer of Dondup), and Simon Giuliani (Marketing Director at Candiani Denim). The discussion was moderated by Professor Francesca Romana Rinaldi of Bocconi University.
The issue of sustainability and CSR in fashion and luxury was discussed extensively this evening. Being a matter of ever-growing importance in the industry, points brought up included the main challenges and trends in sustainable fashion. It was noted that despite the fact that clothing sales have increased since the year 2000, clothing utilisation had instead fallen. Things are beginning to change however, what with the average consumer being more socially aware these days. Many brands now too are starting to adopt methods to reduce their global footprint. Even fast-fashion brands like Zara and H&M have made an attempt to follow in Patagonia’s footsteps, creating garment-collection programs that mirror that of the brand’s famous ‘Worn Wear’ initiative that seeks to close the loop in the fashion industry. Customers are able to drop off old or damaged clothes and textiles at certain stores and have them recycled in exchange for vouchers.
When asked if the industry is doing enough to tackle this problem at the moment however, Marzotto of Dondup seemed more sceptical than positive – there were still feelings of uncertainty surrounding the issue. He noted that for some large brands, CSR initiatives looked to be more of a publicity ploy than anything truly substantial in terms of change. “We’re at the edge of an era, however,” he said. Sustainable fashion is at the moment still a niche, but he expects things to grow in the coming years.
Going beyond just circular economy initiatives, some brands are also starting to turn to technology in an attempt to face environmental issues. Dondup in collaboration with Candiani Denim in particular have developed a sustainable jeans capsule – the D/Zero collection – set to launch this year. “It’s hard to really understand sustainability,” says Giuliani of Candiani Denim, “but we need to start small and aim for the best.”
To sum up, for there to be a real difference in this industry, Barina of Dondup says that consumers would need to want and ask for sustainability. Going back to basic economics, if there is a demand for something, companies would naturally be willing to supply it.
by Sabrina Shahnaz
