Copenhagen Fashion Week is the world’s most sustainable

Copenhagen Fashion Week is coming to an end. A week, that has increasingly become known for its efforts to reduce the industry’s enormous impact on the planet.

Copenhagen Fashion Week’s Sustainability Action Plan, was developed in collaboration with the Danish Ministry of the Environment and unveiled back in 2020. According to the plan all brands scheduled have to meet 18 minimum requirements.

The plan cover areas like: strategic direction, design, smart material choices, working conditions, consumer engagement and show production.

This fashion week was the first where the requirements were fully implemented.

“It’s a very significant milestone for Copenhagen Fashion Week,” Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week, said.

The brands have to document that at least 50 per cent of their collection is made from upcycled or recycled materials and that they fulfil their obligation concerning the supply chain. It’s worth noting that the process relies on self-reporting from the participating brands – a criticism that has been directed.

The environmental footprint of Fashion

Copenhagen Fashion Week has also set targets to reduce its own environmental impact.

There has been a long-standing debate about whether fashion weeks should be held at all, given the environmental footprint, eventhough the emissions produced by a fashion week is minor compared to the emissions created by producing the garments.

It has earlier been emphasized, that the biggest problem in fashion is the overconsumption. This is primarily linked to overproduction – an area the plan has failed to address.

Spreading the message of sustainability

Copenhagen Fashion Week has become part of the newly-formed European Fashion Alliance. With the alliance, the organization hopes that the sustainable plan will be adopted by other fashion weeks globally.

According to the Danish Ministry of the Environments website, the sustainability plan will be expanded to include Norway, Sweden and Finland, while Copenhagen Fashion Week states, that they will publish a continuation of the plan, In the spring of 2023.

Source:
https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/copenhagen-fashion-week-sustainability
https://copenhagenfashionweek.com/about