Articles by Simone Preuss
Living wage report finds “limited progress" among garment and footwear companies
The 2023-2024 Annual Report from the Platform Living Wage Financials (PLWF) has taken a look at progress when it comes to living wages and incomes in the garment and footwear sector. Thirty-three companies were assessed, among them Adidas, Asics, Esprit, Fast Retailing, H&M, Hugo Boss, Inditex, Kering, LVMH, Marks & Spencer, Nike, Primark, Puma...
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Cotton vs. polyester - why the recent cotton ban rumour managed to create such ripples
The text that probably triggered the rumours of an alleged EU-wide cotton ban by 2030 was a partner article. The article stressed that cotton was still an ‘environmental problem’, with the conclusion suggesting that an EU ban on cotton was in the offing if the fashion industry itself did not take action because European regulations made it so....
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Why an EU-wide cotton ban would not make sense
The New Year is just a few days old and an interesting debate already ensued – a supposed ban on cotton that the EU wants to enforce by 2030. One might indeed think April Fool’s Day had fallen on January 1st this year, because an EU-wide ban on cotton is neither feasible nor advisable. “There is no EU legislation banning cotton, and there are no...
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Ian Berry exhibits in Turkey for the first time
For the first time, renowned denim artist Ian Berry is exhibiting in Turkey. The show “Beyond Denim” opened its doors at the beautiful art centre Kalyon Kültür in the Şişli neighbourhood of Istanbul and will be on view until February 2025. The exhibition consists of some the artist’s most known works as well as those especially prepared for the...
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Organic textiles brand Cotonea: “We need to overcome the throwaway mentality”
The German manufacturer of organic textiles, Cotonea, has long been committed to greater transparency in the textile supply chain. For example, through the blockchain-based platform Textile Trust, which it developed together with IBM and the supplier of sustainable workwear, Kaya&Kato, back in 2020. Or the Textile Tracker, a joint project with...
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New report suggests 33 sustainable targets for a just fashion system
Industry watchdog Public Eye proposes 33 concrete targets for a just fashion system in its new report “One-Earth Fashion”. It highlights the fact that while the Earth is facing a climate emergency, the fashion system is simply adding fuel to the fire. “This leaves us in a situation where small, positive steps – for example, reducing plastics in...
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The great luxury reset: challenges and opportunities for luxury brands
The Independents Group, a collective of communications agencies, together with brand building agency Karla Otto has published a white paper that looks at the shifting drivers behind the luxury market. While historically, luxury items have served as markers of status and shaping consumers' identity, today consumers are seeking out brands that...
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“Status of German Fashion 2024”: Between tradition and digitalisation
The Fashion Council Germany (FCG) and eBay Germany recently published the study “Status of German Fashion 2024”, which, in conjunction with the research institute Oxford Economics, examined the economic significance of the German fashion industry (clothing, footwear, accessories, bags and jewellery). The study also looked at the key challenges...
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Circularity Gap Report: Six circular economy strategies examined
In collaboration with the H&M Foundation, Amsterdam-based organisation Circle Economy has published the latest edition of its Circularity Gap Report. For the first time, the organisations have conducted an in-depth examination of the textile industry, revealing that it is only 0.3 percent circular, compared to an overall global average of 7.2...
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Reju CEO Patrik Frisk: 'There is very little that you can’t reuse'
“I’ve spent decades working for brands (Under Armour, The North Face, Timberland, Jansport, Smartwool, Reef, Peak Performance, Gore-Tex, Vans) that make clothes that people love. Yet, too many of these garments have ended up in landfills or incinerated. And increasing global consumption and fast fashion are only accelerating this problem,” says...
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