Fast Fashion and Sustainability: Will the Two Ever Get Along?

April 12, 2023 |

Globally, the fashion industry is an economic powerhouse responsible for at least $1.7 trillion dollars of production. However, much of this production is linear. To make products, manufacturers take new raw resources, create their goods and sell them to consumers, who then use them for a short time and dispose of them. After the Ellen MacArthur Foundation developed the Circular Fashion Framework (CFF), many fashion manufacturers sought to change to a circular instead of a linear model.

The Unique Group has recycled and biodegradable products, which can help fashion manufacturers make this change and increase the power of the industry as a whole to adopt a more sustainable model.

What is the Circular Fashion Framework?

The CFF is an alternative production and consumption model which seeks to insert sustainable practices at every step in the lifecycle of an apparel product. For manufacturers, the most important elements of this model are the resources and design process.

Resources: Choose a material made wholly or partially from recycled materials. This includes recycled clothing and by-products from other industries.
Design: Make design decisions to enable the reuse (upcycling, repurposing) or recycling of the product once its typical lifespan is over.

Manufacturers may also make major changes to the production and end-of-life stages of manufacturing to support CFF. Major brands, including Patagonia, The North Face, Nike, and Levi’s, have all invested in different stages of the CFF for their products. Brands of all sizes may face challenges choosing to do the same, but the Unique Group has label solutions which can help.

Solution: Recycled Polyester Labels

The Unique Group’s recycled polyester yarn labels allow fashion manufacturers to include more recycled materials in their products. We offer labels made from 100% recycled post-consumer polyester which is processed by the Global Recycled Standard (GRS). Through GRS, you can trace and verify the content of recycled polyester labels from source to store.

Solution: Biodegradable Polyester Labels

The Unique Group offers biodegradable labels which break down without compromising the garment. These labels have the same look, feel and tensile strength as regular polyester labels. Producing them releases less carbon than producing typical labels.

Solution: Packaging and More

The Unique Group also offers a range of sustainable packaging that is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. That include hangtags, boxes and shopping bags. The FSC verifies sustainable sourcing from forest to consumer.

Supporting Circular Fashion

Of all global production waste, 20% is from the fashion industry. This represents an opportunity for fashion manufacturers. Those who invest in CFF have a competitive advantage, cut costs, improve creativity and develop a sustainable brand identity. Choose the Unique Group’s sustainable labels to further your investment in a circular fashion framework.