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- Credit to Lauren Lamar
At the end of last month, a handful of virtual industry events and conferences focused heavily on what “circularity” means in terms of production and design. By definition, the word means a state of “constantly returning to the same point.” What could this possibly mean for brands who must always follow the trends and keep up with their customers? The Ellen MacArthur Foundation clarifies this for us by defining it as “designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems.” In short, circularity and the concept of the circular economy urges companies to reuse and recycle the materials already out there, rather than constantly starting from scratch . This transition to sustainable practices can be pretty challenging, but that’s exactly why Vivify is in business.
As a global supplier of organic, natural, and recycled textiles, it’s extremely important to be as transparent to our customers as possible. Our sister company, Phoenxt, allows us to do just that. Phoenxt does most of the dirty work; after receiving the raw materials (old textiles, old garments, etc), its technology transforms it into fibres that will then be manufactured into yarns, then the fabrics. The relationship we maintain with Phoenxt is a textbook example of the circular economy at work. We are able to trace our products from beginning to end without generating new waste. Although this feat is difficult to achieve, we hope to see the industry at large embrace this before it’s too late.
It’s not just the environmental experts demanding a change, it’s the customers too. In fact, 8 out of 10 customers will take a company’s CSR (corporate social responsibility) strategy into account before purchasing. Shifting away from the current linear model that rules fashion toward a circular model could not only save brands money by reusing preexisting materials, but it would significantly boost their sales as well. The COVID-19 crisis has only exposed the dire need for change, especially as sales decline and sustainability becomes a larger concern. With that in mind, Vivify Textiles will continue to persist and offer solutions for designers looking to make the ultimate transition.
