{"id":10168,"date":"2020-05-26T11:40:51","date_gmt":"2020-05-26T09:40:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expressionumea.se\/?p=10168"},"modified":"2020-08-28T09:43:38","modified_gmt":"2020-08-28T07:43:38","slug":"business-intelligence-several-swedish-initiatives-in-focus-for-a-sustainable-fashion-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expressionumea.se\/en\/omvarldsbevakning-flera-svenska-initiativ-i-fokus-for-en-hallbar-modeindustri\/","title":{"rendered":"MONITORING THE WORLD - SEVERAL SWEDISH INITIATIVES IN FOCUS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FASHION INDUSTRY"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong broadcast a seminar on \"The Future of Innovative Materials\" on Tuesday morning. The seminar touched on crucial aspects of how we create a sustainable fashion industry, examples of new materials and companies working towards this end.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fashion industry is one of the sectors with the greatest negative impact on the climate and many changes are needed to achieve a sustainable future. One of the seminar's participants Edwin Keh, CEO of HKRITA, a research centre in Hong Kong, says that three of the most important aspects to achieve a sustainable fashion industry are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Sustainability over time, how we maintain the value of materials for longer.\u00a0<\/li>
  2. Changing the way we use clothes and materials.\u00a0<\/li>
  3. That we think beyond the previously sustainable expression\u00a0reuse and recycle<\/em>.\u00a0\"We need to re-imagine, re-purpose and re-think the industry\".<\/em>\u00a0The fashion industry needs to be a force for making the earth and water cleaner, not just climate neutral.\u00a0<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The seminar participants, made up of researchers, innovation leaders, entrepreneurs and creators in the fashion industry, agreed that the work to achieve a sustainable fashion industry needs to be collaborative and that it is crucial that startups work with other startups, small and large companies.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Although the task of achieving a sustainable future may seem overwhelming, there are many companies that are taking important steps towards such a future. These include Jenny Fredricsson's Swedish company, Re:newcell, which has developed a new material, \"Circulose pulp\". By upcycling used garments with a high cellulose content (such as cotton and viscose), they are creating the new material\u00a0Circulosis pulp<\/em>\u00a0that can be used in the production of new clothes. Their only current factory is based in Kristinehamn, but by the end of the year they plan to open a new facility to increase production.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Peter B\u00e4ckstr\u00f6m, head of the H&M Foundation's Global Change Award competition, also took part in the seminar. Their competition supports companies that develop new products for a sustainable fashion industry. Some of the recent winners are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n