UN Network Facilitates Collaboration to Further SDGs
Creating sustainable change in the fashion and lifestyle industries relies on collective action. We can all learn from each other’s best practices and wins to move the needle forward.
This concept of community is central to the Conscious Fashion & Lifestyle Network, a new platform for sharing work and achievements related to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The network—a joint initiative of the UN Office for Partnerships, the Division for Sustainable Development Goals – UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the Fashion Impact Fund—aims to facilitate a sustainable and inclusive pandemic recovery. In addition to an online portal with scores of projects to discover, the network will be hosting events and reporting on the fashion and lifestyle sectors’ impact on the SDGs.
To get inspiration, companies, industry stakeholders and governments can search projects by region, entity type and the SDG goal it is addressing. For instance, Mara Hoffman’s work with the Renewal Workshop to rescue and repair damaged apparel for resale covers both Goal 12 on responsible consumption and production, as well as SDG 17 on partnerships for the goals. The Kingpins Show also relates to goals 12 and 17, but it additionally impacts Goal 4 on education, Goal 8 on employment and economic growth and Goal 13 on combatting climate change.
Lenzing’s director of global business development denim and Americas Tricia Carey has joined the advisory committee for the Conscious Fashion & Lifestyle Network. You can visit the platform to learn more about a few of our initiatives.
One of the projects featured is our TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™ fibers, which use textile waste as a feedstock for lyocell. Since this technology debuted in 2017, we’ve been growing the portion of recycled material in REFIBRA™, and we aim to reach 50 percent post-consumer waste content by 2024.
Another material innovation is our carbon zero TENCEL™ fibers, which have no net carbon impact. This is accomplished by first reducing the carbon footprint of the product, then offsetting what cannot be avoided. These fibers are in service of Lenzing’s goal of being full carbon neutral by 2050.
Also featured are projects that Lenzing is partnering on. For one, we are a part of Accelerating Circularity’s trials in commercial textile-to-textile recycling. We’re also spotlighting The Circle Book, which we cofounded with Meidea and Officina+39 to foster more circular design and product development. Lenzing is also involved in Kingpins’ Transformers ED program that focuses on educating students, consumers and those in the industry about denim sustainability.
We invite you to add to this resource by sharing your own work in support of the SDGs. If you’re interested in joining the Conscious Fashion & Lifestyle Network, you can register a project here.