With the fashion industry being considered one of the world’s most polluting businesses-sectors, collaborating and knowledge sharing are key in finding solutions for a better future. Fully aware of this scenario, for the second year running, ISKO was the headline sponsor at Drapers Sustainable Fashion Forum, the authoritative event bringing together the most responsible players to discuss what can be done to tackle the industry’s environmental and social issues through innovation and creativity.
Sharing knowledge, collaborating for change
As evidence of its pioneering Responsible Innovation approach, ISKO shared its founding values of creativity, competence and citizenship by showcasing the R-TWO program, its latest responsible achievement, in a dedicated stand. Stemming from the mill’s holistic vision, R-TWO represents a great example of how reducing, reusing, and recycling strategies can be implemented in a textile business to improve its environmental performance. With the goal to create fabrics that can provide both quality and responsibility, ISKO has developed this platform, which deals with the most critical issue that apparel supply chains are currently faced with: using more than what actually needed. To this end, R-TWO reduces the amount of raw material sourced by using a blend of reused cotton and recycled polyester – both certified –, improving sourcing efficiency throughout the entire field-to-fabric production. This cutting-edge program effectively tackles over-sourcing – the leading issue when it comes to waste hierarchy. Reused cotton is certified with the Content Claim Standard – or CCS – from the Textile Exchange. As for recycled polyester, it can be either Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) or Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified, depending on the content percentages. Together with this cutting-edge and fully responsible program, ISKO also uses automated laser technology developed in partnership with Jeanologia. At the event, ISKO incorporated this forefront solution into its stand, where guests could receive a personalized denim apron, showcasing this entirely responsible innovation.
How technology can help make the fashion industry more sustainable”: a special panel featuring ISKO
On March 11th, ISKO hosted a power talk on the event’s main stage. The discussion explored some of the pioneering advancements in technology that are making the fashion industry more responsible. From automated laser technology to integrated waste management processes and field-to-garment tracking systems, a selection of speakers illustrated how these achievements are reshaping the fashion industry. The panel was moderated by David Shah, internationally renowned consultant on design and marketing development, Publisher and CEO at Metropolitan Publishing BV and Associate Professor at ARTez (Arnhem, the Netherlands) and Associate Professor at Renmin University, (Beijing, China). The talk involved Keith O’Brien, ISKO Marketing & Business Development Manager, Victoria Soto, Jeanologia Custom Technology Consultant and Filippo Ricci, Fashion Open Studio Program & Partnership Manager. “Stepping up together is essential, when it comes to the development of better practices,” claimed Keith O’Brien, ISKO Marketing & Business Development Manager. “This is not something we can deal with alone, we need to rise up as one and be consistent in our quest for new, responsible solutions.”
