Climate change is the largest-looming issue of our time, and it’s going to take more than reusable grocery bags and meatless Mondays to curb the damage. Entrepreneurs across industries need to come together to disrupt common practice and forge new techniques that are sustainable and efficient—and fashion is no exception.
We’re all aware of the dangers of fast fashion, but did you know upcycling could be chic? This Earth Day, leaders of the industry are making bold statements toward sustainable fashion without sacrificing any of the look.
From Tommy Hilfiger’s limited-edition capsule collection to Maison Margiela’s patchwork cool, these Earth Day 2021 drops will keep you cool and karma free.
See also: Ermenegildo Zegna Celebrates 110 Years By Turning To Sustainability
Recycling is totally in fashion with this limited-edition line of organic cotton basics and essentials. Live your most comfortable life in the “One Planet” recycled sweats, wear your heart on your sleeve in a bright tee that’s all about “spreading love,” or make a big splash in the cheeky, recycled one-piece bathing suit. You can even teach environmentalism to the younger generation with a “One Planet” baby diaper bag.
The Italian luxury goods legends at Salvatore Ferragamo are giving you two ways to honor Mother Earth this season. Strut your stuff in the eco-friendly Earth Top Handle bag. Crafted with renewable, FSC-certified cork, this water-treated polyester bag taps out at 500 pieces. It’s part of Ferragamo’s Creation collection, which recreates classic house designs in limited numbered editions. The F-80 Skeleton sustainable watch is also a limited re-release, celebrating one of Ferragamo’s most popular timepiece designs. It, too, utilizes FSC-certified cork and is internally lined with hemp, and externally in post-consumer recycled PET fibre fabric. The support cushion is made of 100% sugar cane-based bioplastic material—and only 200 will ever be made.
Stella McCartney knows more than a thing or two about cultural relevance, so of course she’s not missing the chance to make her fashion mean something. Her brand has been vegetarian from the beginning, and this Earth Day, she teams with Greenpace on a capsule of graphic tees and sweats made from organic cotton. The pale blue and white marble colourways are inspired by vintage eco activist designs, and the collection, part of her Summer 2021 line, helps Greenpeace’s campaign to stop Amazon deforestation. It just so happens it also marks McCartney and Greenpeace’s 20th and 50th anniversaries, respectively.
Maison Margiela was hit hard by COVID-19 like everyone else, but the famed French house fashioned its own silver lining. When access to material went down, the MM6 Collective grabbed the scraps and crafted one-off patchwork pieces inspired by some of Margiela’s most iconic looks. These upcycled items include bags, boots, open-toed mules and sliders; made from nubuck, nappa, suede and calf leather in neutral tones from alabaster to chestnut. The Upcycled Patchwork collection is currently on sale as part of MM6 Maison Margiela’s Spring/Summer 2021 collection.
After 110 years leading the luxury fashion industry from its home in Trivero, Italy, Zegna CEO Ermenegildo Zegna is proud to take a reflective eye to his family’s brand. In Fall/Winter 2019, the company launched its #UseTheExisting collection, which crafts fine suits and garments from upcycled materials while cutting back on its waste production. “This is Zegna’s answer to responsibility,” Zegna's Artistic Director Alessandro Sartori is quoted in a press release, “making the dream of zero waste possible.”
Photography by: Courtesy Tommy Hilfiger, Salvatore Ferragamo, Stella McCartney, Maison Margiela, Ermenegildo Zegna
