Levi’s Recycles Old Jeans Into New Ones
In a bid to reduce the company’s carbon and water footprint, Levi Strauss & Co has partnered with Swedish tech company Renewcell to launch a new line of up-cycled Levi denim jeans. The jeans will be comprised in part of someone’s old jeans, recycled, owing to the addition of a new material called Circulose; made from reconstituted cotton from old jeans combined with wood pulp. When the jeans wear out, this material can be recycled into new material once again, whilst retaining the same quality and durability as the original fibre. With Americans throwing away 26 billion pounds of textiles each year, this circular economic model aims to save water, reduce pollution and naturally minimise waste.
Lebanon’s Fashion Industry Hit By Triple Crisis
On the 4th August 2020, two lethal explosions blasted through the Lebanese port of Beirut; believed to be caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, which had been stored unofficially at the city’s docks for six years. Killing over 150 people, injuring thousands and wreaking widespread destruction, the explosions struck Lebanon’s fashion industry hard.
Many fashion houses were impacted, including Zuhair Murad, Rabih Kayrouz and Elie Saab. Zuhair Murad tells Business of Fashion ‘we lost everything’. Jreissati, founder of fashion label ‘Boyfriend’, says the blast obliterated three quarters of his precious stock.
With the country in the midst of an economic crisis due to rising rates of inflation, and having been recently overwhelmed by the coronavirus epidemic, this explosion- the third crisis, is bringing the Lebanese fashion industry to its knees.
Here are some of the ways you can help support the people in Lebanon during this trying time.
Google Issues Largest Corporate Sustainability Bond In History
As part of a $10 billion debt offering, Google's parent company Alphabet Inc. has issued $5.75bn in sustainability bonds, in what has been claimed to be the largest sustainability bond, or green bond, in history. Where green bonds predominantly focus on the environment, such as through mitigating carbon emissions, minimising water use and investing in sustainable design, sustainability bonds aim to additionally tackle social issues. Projects that are eligible to receive support from the bond must fall into one of the eight following priority areas: energy efficiency, renewable energy, green buildings, clean transport, circular economy and design, affordable housing, racial equality, and support for small businesses in the wake of Covid-19.
Veja Launches New Sustainable Laboratory for Repairing & Recycling Shoes
French sustainable footwear brand Veja has opened its latest store ‘Veja x Darwin’ in the former military barracks of Bordeaux. The barracks have been deemed Veja’s ‘store of the future’; showcasing never-before-seen prototypes, sneakers with minor defects and pairs from previous collections. The store will also operate as a sustainable laboratory, where customers can get their Veja shoes cleaned, repaired and recycled.
Decline In Plant Breeding Programs Could Impact Food Security
Research from a new study reveals public plant breeding programs are declining across the U.S.A; a concerning truth, owing to their direct impact on food security. Horticulture professor Kate Evans from Washington State University explains plant breeding is fundamental to long-term food security: ‘plant breeding is a long-term, sustainable way to address concerns over having enough food and keeping our food sources secure’ in response to any number of factors, including climate change, pests or disease. However, funding such programs require sufficient investment, of which, is currently lacking.
Dubai Design District Launches d3 Architecture Festival
Dubai Design district (d3) has officially announced the launch of the UAE’s first ever architecture festival, in partnership with the Royal Institute of British Architects Gulf Chapter (RIBA Gulf Chapter). From the 11th-13th November, 2020, the festival will showcase landmark regional architecture projects, sustainable development plans and host a series of talks, inviting designers and architects to envision a sustainable future for the Middle East.
Grass stop: Warsaw’s First Environmentally Friendly Bus Stop
The Popiełuszki 05 stop in Żoliborz has just been unveiled as the first eco-friendly bus stop in Warsaw. Featuring lawn of its roof, comprised mostly of sedum plants tolerant to drought, barren soils and temperature drops, this eco-friendly shelter is able to store 90 litres of rainwater, reduce dust in the surrounding area and absorb up to 7.3 kg of carbon dioxide per year. In addition to this, the bus stop is animal-friendly, complete with special marking to protect birds from colliding with the grass. Councillor Porębski campaigned for the introduction of green bus stops in Warsaw, and hopes to add a further 20 green stops by the end of the year.
Chipotle Launching Sustainable Apparel Line Dyed With Avocados
Mexican fast food chain, Chipotle has announced the launch of its limited ‘Avo Dye’ Collection; a responsibly sourced goods and clothing line, dyed with old avocado pits. Chipotle buys more avocados than any restaurant in America, accumulating up to 300 million pits each year. A Chipotle spokesperson told CNN ‘we started brainstorming ways we could use our avocado pits for good, and natural dye was something that kept coming up’, thus the sustainable collection was born. The avocado pits when boiled in water produce a pinkish dye, that darkens over time if continually boiled; offering a wide range of fabric colours throughout the t-shirts, jackets and sweatshirts on sale.