It's good news that most fashion brands, large and small, are looking at how to incorporate sustainable or "eco-friendly" practices into their businesses. The British Fashion Council's London Fashion Week is particularly good at taking the lead in social issues. LFW was the first main fashion week to go fur-free last year. This year the BFC launched the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design to recognise a fashion designer focused on sustainable and community practices. The first award winner in February 2019 was Bethany Williams. And this month, the designer showrooms at LFW became a "positive fashion" exhibition, showcasing new brands new brands with a focus on sustainability, craftsmanship and ethics. The British Fashion Council has been a leader in eco-friendly fashion inititatives for many years, starting with Estethica launched by Fashion Revolution founders Orsola de Castro and Filippo Ricci in September 2006, to promote sustainable fashion during London Fashion Week.
According to Vin+Omi, "fast fashion has had its day and fashion companies that ignore the planet have had their day." Since 2004, Vin+Omi have developed twenty new textiles and a meeting with Prince Charles led to the designers transforming the Prince's nettle plants from Highgrove Estate into woven material. Garments made from this new fabric and colored with plant dyes were featured in their runway show this month. Recycled plastic waste from art supplies company Daler Rowney was turned into fabric for their printed outfits. Also on show were colorful bags made from discarded vinyl outdoor advertising posters donated by Ocean Outdoor.
