2022 is here, and so are countless opportunities to make further progress in the development of initiatives that promote sustainability in all areas, but especially in fashion. One of the highlights for sustainable fashion is the Fashion Revolution Week, which is back every year in mid to late April. Fashion Open Studio 2022 is the way in which this organization wants to focus on the actors of the sustainable fashion industry; above all, on those who are making an effort to build a more responsible production, marketing, and sales system.
What is Fashion Open Studio?
The first edition of Fashion Open Studio was held in 2017; since then, a large number of emerging designers, manufacturers, and brands have been encouraged to apply to its calls and events. All those interested in sustainable fashion can get to know more closely and celebrate the people who are part of this new way of understanding the production and consumption of fashion. Giving a face and a voice to those who create fashion is the perfect way to raise awareness about sustainability.
What will the 2022 call be like?
The more years go by, the more aware people become about ethical fashion consumption. At the same time, the issues that Fashion Revolution addresses during Fashion Open Studio are also becoming more and more diverse. In 2022, we will hear about topics as different as circular fashion, sustainable and profitable production models, or waste management.
Waste management, one of the most neglected areas
For a brand to be considered truly sustainable, it is essential that the professionals in charge of it have thought about all the possible ways in which they can reduce the environmental impact of their production activity. Marketing techniques tend to focus only on what has to do with the final product, such as the material from which a garment is made, but there are many aspects of production that are not seen in the final product, but which are equally important to take care of, and waste management is one of them.
Brands like SKFK already design their patterns to fit as closely as possible to the amount of fabric they have available. They also make sure that what little waste is left over is either reused or recycled in the right way. In addition, more and more emerging designers, who try to combine sustainability and economic savings, ask other brands to give them leftovers from their collections so that they are not discarded.
Of course, it is virtually impossible not to generate any waste during the production of an entire fashion collection. So, it is important to choose biodegradable or compostable fabrics to produce these garments; this allows both the manufacturer and the consumer to dispose of these textiles without causing great harm to the planet. Cotton and linen are two of the most easily biodegradable fabrics; they only take a few months to disappear completely. However, if they are dyed, they can be environmentally polluting.
Luckily, brands like Freitag have decided to develop their own compostable fabric, F-Abric, for use in their garments. In less than six months, the garments are completely decomposed and become part of the humus, which is then used to provide nutrients to the soil. “The materials are made from bast, hemp, and flax fiber, as well as Modal. All these resources are grown in European soil and do not harm the environment, nor do they require large amounts of water to grow”, says Freitag’s management. “In addition, it is a product of proximity, as all stages of production take place within a 2500-kilometer radius from our factory in Zurich”.
Many people may find it curious that the garments decompose so easily. Some might even think that such a fabric cannot be durable, but Freitag has ensured that their garments are very durable: “Our F-Abric has been tested for many months for strength, comfort and many other qualities. The test results have been optimal”.
A must-see event
The Fashion Open Studio organization is already selecting all those new actors who wanted to apply for the 2022 call. Very soon we will be able to find out the full schedule of events that Fashion Revolution will prepare for its biggest week. Among the brands that have already joined the ranks of Fashion Open Studio, there are several Latin American brands such as Anciela, Caralarga and Munay Sisters.
The best way to stay updated on all the news of Fashion Open Studio 2022 is to follow Fashion Revolution’s social networks. All fashion and trend lovers mark in their calendars the last days of April; in this way, they won’t miss any great event that will be organized during one of the most important weeks of the year for the fashion industry.
