Future Thinking Report - Sustainability

Page 1

SUSTAINABILITY Future Thinking Report N0668833


Fig 1.

ETHICS CLAUSE

This submission is the result of my own work. All help and advice other than that received from tutors has been acknowledged and primary and secondary sources of information have been properly attributed. Should this statement prove to be untrue, I recognise that right and duty of the board of examiners to recommend what action should be taken in line with Nottingham Trent University’s regulations. Signed ........................................................ Name ......................................................... Date............................


CONTENTS

2

Methodology

1 3

What is Sustainability?

4

Trend Drivers

5

Consumer Landscape

6

Industry Implications

Future Thinking

8

Bibliography

Introduction

7


4


“Let us face it, there is no plan B.�

5


1


Fig 2.

1

INTRODUCTION

This report discusses the sustainability macro trend, which has been identified to be influencing society and a vast range of industries such as fashion, technology, retail and food and drink. Sustainability has come to the forefront of today’s consumers conscious, as a landmark report by the UN warned that there is only a mere twelve years for global warming to be kept to a maximum of 1.5C -beyond which even half a degree will significantly worsen the risks of drought, floods, extreme heat and poverty for hundreds of millions of people. The report aims to explore how sustainability has shaped various industries and discuss how companies and innovators are responding to this. Other topics discussed will include the origin of the trend, its evolution and development, and the key drivers of the trend including consumer change as a result of the prevalence/relevance of sustainability today. This report will also address the reversibility of the current global crisis, including discussions on industry implications versus the opportunities that this cultural shift may prompt. Brands in this report are described as one practical and effective way forward to develop the market for sustainable products further. At the same time this report will assess the long-term effectiveness of a purely brand-focused approach to sustainable market exchange and whether collaborative solutions are pathing the way to the most promising means for safeguarding our future. 2


Fig 3.

2 AIMS This report aims to act as a spring board to assist in generating ideas and insights for the Stage One Report. This repot will scrupulously deconstruct the sustainability macro-trend and discuss its origin and evolution, as well as the trends influence over several industries. The report also aims to discuss how the consumer landscape is shaping the trend in addition to its key drivers, to gain an in-depth prehension of the cycle of the Sustainability and predict its future progressions. The evaluations of the trend will provide the report with a developed and well-rounded debate. 3

OBJECTIVES In order to meet the aims of the report and develop a balanced argument, a variety of secondary research will be undertaken to critically explore the Sustainability macro-trend. The secondary sources will include: ‘ eports undertaken by market experts and trend forecasters; credible news articles and academic articles. Thought provoking Ted Talks and podcasts will also be considered. Insights developed from secondary research will allow for identification of gaps in the fashion, technology and food and drink industries to form a basis for idea generation.


METHODOLOGY To analyse Sustainability as a redefining trend, the use of accurate and insightful secondary research is crucial in assessing the current progression of the trend: which is heavily supported by vast amounts of data provided by years of academic research. As a trend, Sustainability has been a topical issue for over thirty years, modern day reports can be compared to reports such as Brundtland Commission (Brundtland, 1987) to compare how it continues to shape our society. This would suggest the research referred to in this report has high validity, as we can see consistency between the previous and current data. Collecting information from trend forecasting and data websites such as TrendOne, Mintel, Forbes and WGSN can give reliable insights into the trend and surrounding sub-topics, as graphs and figures are often used to substantiate forecasts and theories. News articles and reports have provided knowledge of new issues and debates surrounding Sustainability and has yielded varying counterarguments which is required to create a well-rounded understanding of the trend. Nevertheless, news articles can have an element of bias therefore this report will only refer to reliable broad sheets such as The Independent and The Guardian. Ted Talks and Podcasts have provided the report with the most significant insights, as they are often published by industry experts in the Sustainability field, leading to thought-provoking arguments and ideas. In particular (Acaroglu, 2013) which discusses tightly-held green myths and the creation of bigger systems and products that could ease strain on the planet.

4


3

Sustainability noun

Avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance. Fig 4.

5


DEFINING SUSTAINABILITY “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without comprising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs.” Our Common Future (Brundtland, 1987) In essence, sustainable development is a process of change in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development; and governmental change are all in harmony and enhance both current and future potential to meet human needs and aspirations. Whilst, Brundtland’s definition resonates accurately in today’s society, brands have continuously made sustainable choices with a tendency to put imminent economic gain before longer-term environmental losses (Taylor & Francis, 2012) which has consequently led us into the current global crisis. Defining Sustainability in 2018 and beyond, transcends further than the environment and ‘being green’, with the concept of sustainability now influencing a wide variety of global debates and industries. The entire economy, power generation, production, agriculture and consumer goods sectors are continuously scrutinized for their degree of sustainability, particularly as consumer decisions are becoming more frequently made with an ethical perspective, consequently brands who fail to operate to such standards run the risk of becoming unpopular amongst consumers (TrendOne, 2018). Fast fashion and sustainability are incongruous to each other, with fast fashion focusing on speed and low costs to deliver frequent, new collections inspired by the latest runways and celebrity styles (Perry, 2018). This is the unglamorous side to fashion which is in fact having a devastating impact across the world from toxic chemical pollutants used in dyes, imperishable polyester and severe poverty for factory workers. The fashion industry is the world’s second most polluting industry, after oil: 25% of the world’s chemicals are used for textile production; around 10% of the world’s global carbon emissions result from the apparel & textile industry; the textile industry uses more water than any other industry apart from agriculture (Rehman, 2016). Whilst, retailers must ensure that style and value for money is adhered to in order to drive demand and it is also their responsibility to tailor operations to suit ethical and sustainable initiatives in order to resonant with conscious consumers and continue to succeed in the future (Griffin, 2018). On the other hand, consumers are creatures of habit which is often overlooked by brands seeking to operate ethically and sustainably. Contemporary design is not used to making things troublesome. We are used to making things convenient. We are used to meeting the needs of our clients whether it is good for them or not. But what we need to instil change is ‘friction’ (Hollingworth and Barker, 2018). 6


Fig 5. 7


TREND ORIGIN Sustainability isn’t a new word, it isn’t even a new idea. Humans have been practicing sustainable methods of agriculture and food storage thousands of years. But industrial advances that dramatically increased our control of the environment made sustaining it a far more urgent issue.Due to humans tapping into the potential energy from fossil fuels or coal to power engines and generate electricity, for instance, while at the same time advancing medicine and our sanitation systems, human population exploded in way that is not sustainable. It is worth going back to the original identification and definitions of the concept, beginning naturally with the Brundtland report of 1987. “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Brundtland Commission, 1987, p. 44).Pages 9-10 explores the evolution of the Sustainability trend, reviewing significant landmark events, which have shaped how the trend exists today.

8


1987 Our Common Future report is published by Brundtland Commission. The mission of the report was to unite countries to pursue sustainable development together.

2000

2007 The first Earth Hour event is held in March of 2007, more than 2,000 businesses and 2.2 million individuals turned their lights off for one hour in the first event. Earth Hour aims to to encourage an interconnected global community to participate in opportunities and challenges of creating a sustainable world (Earth Hour, 2018).

Toyota first introduce the Prius in the UK and USA. The high-tech car introduced the hybrid trend to many consumers helping kick off a movement toward greater fuel efficiency. Within a few years, almost every car company began offering hybrid models. In 2017, sales of fully-electric and hybrid cars reached record levels with 140.5% more hybrid vehicles sold compared to 2016 (Griffith,2018).

.

2015 As of October 5th 2015, the law requires large shops in England to charge 5p for all single-use plastic carrier bags. This law was enforced to reduce the use of single-use plastic carrier bags, and the litter they can cause, by encouraging people to reuse bags (GOV.UK,2018)

9

2017 Veganism is predicted to be the biggest food trend of 2018, what was once a fringe movement is mainstream, with the demand for meatfree food increasing by 987% in 2017 (The Vegan Society, 2018).


1994 The Fairtrade Foundation becomes mainstream in the UK, introduced into supermarkets originally focused on chocolate, tea and coffee. The foundation has been at the forefront in advocating a better deal and price for farmers and workers around the world. It has since grown to 450 companies licensed to trade 4,500 Fairtrade products in the UK, raning from commodities to flowers and jewellery.

2015 The Paris Agreement, is drafted within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), dealing with greenhouse-gas-emissions mitigation, adaptation, and finance, starting in the year 2020. With ratification by 55 UNFCCC parties, accounting for 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The agreement includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the SDGs are part of Resolution 70/1 of the United Nations General Assembly: “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” That has been shortened to “2030 Agenda.

2018 UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) say urgent and unprecedented changes are needed to reach the target, which they say is affordable and feasible although it lies at the most ambitious end of the Paris agreement pledge to keep temperatures between 1.5C and 2C. Fig 6. 10


4

TREND DRIVERS

11


In order to gain a thorough understanding of Sustainability as a macro-trend, it is essential to identify key drivers that influence the trend. In turn, creating insightful consideration into how it could continue evolve in the future. Furthermore, it is crucial to identify the underlying external factors surrounding the macro-trend in order to gain a thorough understanding of why Sustainability exists as a trend. Appendix 1 illustrates a PESTLE analysis, which provides insight into the reasons why this trend emerged and assessing which factors affect its application the most.

Fig 7.

12


4

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Circular economy is a key driver of sustainability as it is model which considers consumption in both biological and technical cycles beyond the current take-make-dispose industrial model. (Ellen Macarthur Foundation,2018). The model aims to redefine growth, focusing on positive society-wide benefits based on three principles: design out waste and pollution; keep products and materials in use; regenerate natural systems. Circular economy has become extremely relevant in the last decade as consumption has sky rocketed, with the average consumer purchasing 60% more clothing in 2014 than in 2000, but each garment had half the lifespan (Drew, 2018). Moreover, waste is rising, researchers predict that the amount of food that is wasted each year will rise by a third by 2030, of which 2.1bn tonnes will either be lost or thrown away (Hegnsholt et al., 2018). Aside from the environmental benefits of circular models’ brands can financially benefit by utilising these waste materials and by-products into new products, without the added costs of virgin materials. For example, members of The Closed Loop Fund a recycling development infrastructure, has predicted returns on investment to be multi-dimensional including: more consistent channels of recycled content into packaging; maximised efficiencies and reducing their own environmental footprint along with their customers (Elks, 2015).

13

“The aim of the circular economy is to no longer allow products to become waste after their use and instead reintroduce them into the production circle.” Furthermore, circular economy will be crucial in helping meet The United Nations’ 2030 agenda for sustainable development, particularly for goal 12 which aims for “Responsible consumption and production’, which will require nothing less than a complete overhaul of our linear economy and even our re-use economy which we have seen grow in the last 10 years (Elks, 2015). Consequently, we can expect a radical shift in business models and policies around the world in order to support the circular system producing sustainable and society positive products. Fig 11.


Fig 8. Fig 10.

Fig 9.

14


TRANSPARENCY TRIUMPH Consumers have evolved to demand that brands proactively offer more, they hold a huge amount of spending power over brands who do not adhere to these needs, consequently choosing alternative products and services that start dialogues and make their messaging truly participatory. To gain the trust of consumers, organisations will need to shift their emphasis from ‘touch points’ to ‘trust points’ when carving out their sustainable strategies, as truth become the new currency (Underscore, 2018). A report by Unilever in 2017, suggests an estimated £744 billion in untapped market potential exists for brands that are clearer about their sustainability credentials. Evolving technology has assisted consumers greater need for transparency, with it now easier than ever to source readily available information. Information overload and the age of mobile first social networks concurrently work together causing information, such as scandals, shareable at a rapid speed. Additionally, as a media source, networks such as Twitter or Instagram feel reliable because they are composed of peers. A report found that consumers trust information created by their friends and relatives (84%) on social networks more than information created by the companies they use (81%) or by a company CEO (59%) (Edelman Trust Barometer, February 2015).

A long history of bad brand behaviour has led to an increase in consumers distrusting every aspect of a brand, from pricing, production, distribution, brand heritage and material sourcing (Trend Watching, 2017).

15

In 2016, car manufacturer Volkswagen installed illegal software in over 11 million diesel vehicles to cheat emissions test, regulators found that VW engines in fact emitted 40 times the allowed levels of air pollutants in real-world driving conditions. As a result of this, VW recorded its first annual loss in 15 years and faced more than £14.2 billion in potential fines for violating clean air regulations (Kollewe, 2016). This illustrates that brands must create stakeholders’ value, in a way that aligns not only with consumer demand but society’s interests too.


4 Fig 12. Fig 13.

16


4

POLARISED WORLD

Many consumers today feel alienated with capitalism and political leadership, as they begin to question decisions made by them (Wharry, 2018). President Donald Trump and some members of the Republican party have dismissed global warming and in 2017 it was announced that the United Sates would be withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. Opinion polls have since shown that 49% of the public now “extremely” or “very sure” that global warming is happening (Leiserowitz et al, 2018) thus creating partisan polarisation. Moreover, there is an increasing concern has been recognised in the scientific community regarding whether the various examples of sustainability development documents are comprehensive and achievable, such as the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN and objectives set in the Paris Agreement (Ciuffo et al, 2012). Studies undertaken by researchers in Switzerland writing in the journal Climatic Change, found that limiting global temperature to 1.5C is only possible when using direct air capture (DAC), suggesting that the aspirational goal set by the UN is unrealistic and has not taken technological factors into account (Johnston, 2017).

17

These factors are causing consumers to take their own action, through ethical living and purchases made easier through the wide spread of social media. Conscious coffee is a brand that has taken to help protect the coffee industry, continuously improving its production pipeline to benefits growers, farmers and suppliers across South America. The brand was set up with a mission to minimise disruption wrought by climate change, as half the words coffee farming land could by lost by 2050 (The Climate Change Institute, 2016). Brand such as Conscious Coffee are paving the way for more brands to become civic forces, filling in where governments are failing and are no longer trusted. As we begin to see an increase in polarisation brands should be part of the conversation in order to meet the demands of their consumers (Wharry, 2018). Fig 15.

Fig 14.


18


Fig 16.

Fig 17.

19

Fig 18.


DESIGN FRONTIERS

4

Technology and science have allowed for brands and designers to re-think and explore the way in which products are made, paving the way for design frontiers, who embrace ‘The Fourth Industrial Revolution’, designing intelligent products and brand activations that complete us rather than control us (Wharry, 2018). Whilst, many of the products themselves are not new ideas, it is often how and what they are made of that is simple yet innovative. For example, Lush cosmetics have repurposed single-use coffee cups into containers for products that cannot be sold without packaging (McQuarrie, 2017).

Fig 19.

Fig 20.

More complexly, scientists and biodesigners are exploring the ways in which to reduce the mass dependency we have on fossil fuels, such as engineering highly sophisticated synthetic biology. In fact, this complex science has since allowed biodesigners to engineer a bacteria that produces pigment using just 200 millimetres of water, thus addressing the ecological harm caused by textile processing at the finishing and dying stage (Chieza, 2017). There are other biodesigners who are building in this capacity in this field, such as MycoWorks aiming to replace animal leather with mushroom leather and Bolt Threads who have engineered yeast to produce a silk protein that can be spun into yarn. Consequently, to harvest such innovative and inspiring modes of nature and create infrastructure to support them, requires large amounts of funding as these innovations are only ran on a small laboratory scale and are yet to reach economies of scale. Whilst, smaller brands can mimic smaller innovations such as biodegradable packaging, governments and large corporations should work simultaneously with biodesigners and invest in order to make bio-based industries a reality.

20


5 Fig 21.

CONSUMER LANDSCAPE Gen-Z As Generation Z is expected to become the largest consumer market by 2020, their buying choices are beginning to affect the market (Turk, 2018). The exact age range of Generation Z is up to debate, it is clear is that the generation is unique in that many of its members have grown up using the internet since a young age. Most sources agree that Gen Z encompasses those born after 1995 and sometime before 2009.

Fig 22.

21

A report by GreenMatch states “Generation Z is continuing the trend set by millennials in choosing to spend more money on products from sustainable or ethical companies”. The report found that 72% percent of Gen-Z would spend more money on a service if it was sustainably produced and that the Gen-Z population isn’t as concerned with brand loyalty as their millennial predecessors. Furthermore, GreenMatch’s findings show that Gen Z is more willing to boycott companies who do not meet their values. Therefore, it is clear that the buying habits of Generation Z will change the landscape of many industries, as there is a greater trend of consumer activism and brands should consider this if they wish to succeed in the future, as there is strong evidence to suggest future generations will continue to spend with brands that operate using sustainable initiatives.


Fig 23.

22


6

INDUSTRY IMPLICATIONS: RETAIL

Sustainability is shaping the retail landscape, as consumers are increasingly opting for brands that act consciously and offer more than just a traditional sale, they demand experience, “Experience is becoming a highly soughtafter commodity, especially among the young. People don’t just want to simply acquire more possessions; they want to make memories.” (BrandZ, 2017). Consequently, consumers now expect product and service innovation to deliver sustainablity without compromising their experience. Brands that create that compromise are often left targeting niche groups of consumers that ‘buy green’. By targeting the inherent interest of experience alongside conscious consumption to growing consumer groups, such as the generation-z, marketers have an ideal opportunity to build brand equity, create business models, new revenue streams and engage new consumer groups but importantly also to encourage more sustainable behaviours with consumers.

23

Fig 24.


Fig 25.

Campaigns High-street retailer H&M created a collection Conscious Exclusive, every item in the whole collection is made from either recycled or organic materials and is released every spring. The aim of the collection is to provide consumers with beautiful, sustainable clothes. The brand has ran several conscious campaigns over the year, including Garment collection which rewards customers with vouchers after donating their unwanted clothes. This is an innovative way for the brand to gain free resources and builds on customer engagement, providing the consumer with an experience and the incentive to return to purchase. Outerwear brand Patagonia follow a similar business model, in which they offer a reapir service to consumers, which encourages consumers to preserve their clothes by mending and updating garments.

Fig 26.

24


6

INDUSTRY IMPLICATIONS: FASHION

The notion of sustainable fashion seems to be paradoxical, an oxymoron – how can fashion ever be sustainable, with its focus on the novelty and inbuilt obsolescence? The business of fashion is full of contradictions: the craftsmanship of couture against high volume cheap fashion; the luxury of Bond Street contrasted with the poverty of many producer communities or the victims of the Rana Plaza collapse. The transience of fashion styles and its reinvention of the past into new incarnations, inherently cause wasteful cycles of seasonal change but in turn sustains livelihoods and economic prosperity. To the obsession of the new and the valuing of vintage. Whether involved in the creation, production, communication and representation of fashion or simply as its consumer, everyone is implicated in the thorny issues inherent in this globally unsustainable system. Due to heightened awareness of issues such as climate change and depletion of natural resources, there is a growing consensus that over-consumption in developed countries through faster fashion cycles must stop.

25

Fig 27.


Biodesigning

Fig 28.

Italian fashion brand Salvatore Ferragamo launched a capsule collection made with Orange Fiber fabrics, the first fabric in the world made with citrus fruit. The collaboration coincided with the 47th edition of Earth Day. Brands are recognising the demand for sustainably conscious products, study by Unilever reveals that a third of consumers (33%) are now choosing to buy from brands they believe are doing social or environmental good. Brands that fail to meet these demands are missing out on sales from an estimated £744 billion in untapped market.

Stella McCartney

The Stella McCartney brand is now synonymous with eco fashion, being the first luxury fashion brand to advocate anti-leather and fur. The McCartney brand has a dedicated platform researching into sustainable practices from: exhibitions and visual concepts to materials and innovation. The first-mover brands has pathed the way for brands to follow suit, the likes of and Versace Burberry to phase out “all remaining fur items”(Conlon, 2018). Moreover, the British Fashion Council (BFC) announced London has become the first main fashion week to ditch fur – brands and organisations are identifying with consumers needs for sustainable and ethical fashion.

Fig 29.

26


6

INDUSTRY IMPLICATIONS: FOOD AND DRINK

Fig 30.

Whether it’s products containing microbeads, items sold in unnecessary singleuse packaging, or consumers opting for plastic bags at the checkout, Britain’s supermarkets are at the epicentre of the plastic and waste problem. However, since the introduction of the 5p carrier bag charge the seven main supermarkets have received plenty of positive press for investing into technology and innovations combating waste. The majority of England’s year-on-year decrease in bag sales was due to Tesco, which sold 333 million bags in 2017 compared to 637 million the previous year. This dramatic decline is due to the group last year discontinuing 5p single-use bags and instead only offering sturdier bags for life. Other supermarkets have committed to phasing out unnecessary plastic packaging, including the removal of polystyrene pizza bases, which took four years to develop.

27


Deposit Schemes

Fig 31.

Supermarket chains such as Tesco and Morrisons are trialling machines for the return of single-use plastic bottles and packaging. The campaign encourages customers to deposit the plastic bottles in return for points and coupons. The incentive of vouchers means customers are far more likely to engage in the scheme , whilst securing future sales from the supermarkets. A quarter of all domestic waste is packaging, which can be difficult or impossible to recycle, much of which comes from the food and drink industry.

Smart Labelling

Fig 32.

Sainsbury’s has launched a “smart” packaging label on its ham to alert customers when it is about to expire. The ‘smart fresh’ label changes colour from yellow to purple the longer the pack has been open, in a bid to cut back on the estimated 1.9 million slices of ham wasted in the UK everyday. The smart-label packaging forms a part of the supermarkets £10 million Waste Less, Save More project to reduce household food waste. Other supermarkets propose to remove the sell-by date o many of their items such as fruit and vegetables, as they found consumes were wasting perfectly edible food.

28


7

FUTURE THINKING As the generation of mass consumption, consumers today have become habitual in excessive use of a multitude of products including power, technology, clothing and food. According to Habits: The Holy Grail of Marketing ‘we as consumers mindlessly and needlessly waste energy‌ design can help by alerting our conscious minds to neglect our behaviour’. Therefore, if brands wish to disrupt these habits, they need to do it in a way that meets the demands of consumers modern lifestyle. Technological advances have allowed brands to develop innovative ways to combat pressing issues, such as toxic chemicals from dying textiles, to reducing emissions using hybrid cars. The reactions from brands across many industries illustrates that brands that incorporating sustainable values and initiatives with innovative products and business models will continue to succeed. Brands should consider collaborating with each other in order to create new and innovative solutions through sharing resources, to maximise the potential success associated with using sustainable iniatives.

29


“The blight of plastic bags takes a devastating toll on our streets, our water and our natural resources, and we need to take action to protect our environment. As the old proverb goes: ‘We did not inherit the earth, we are merely borrowing it from our children.” Andrew Cuomo

30


REFERENCES Websites Drew, D. (2017). The Apparel Industry’s Environmental Impact in 6 Graphics. [online] World Resources Institute. Available at: https://www.wri.org/blog/2017/07/apparel-industrys-environmental-impact-6-graphics [Accessed 5 Nov. 2018]. Elks, J. (2015). Why a Circular Economy Is Key to Sustainable Development (and Why Business Must Lead the Way). [online] Sustainable Brands. Available at: https://www.sustainablebrands.com/ news_and_views/next_economy/jennifer_elks/why_circular_economy_key_sustainable_development_why_busin [Accessed 5 Nov. 2018]. Ellen Macarthur Foundation (2018). What is a Circular Economy? [online] Available at: https://www. ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy/concept [Accessed 5 Nov. 2018]. Earth Hour. (2018). EarthHour FAQs. [online] Available at: https://www.earthhour.org/earthhour-faqs [Accessed 6 Nov. 2018]. Griffin, E. (2018). Sustainability 2018: Adapting to a new ecosystem. [online] WGSN Insider. Available at: https://www.wgsn.com/blogs/sustainability-adapting-new-ecosystem/ [Accessed 31 Oct. 2018]. Griffiths, H. (2018). UK electric and plug-in hybrid car sales hit record levels. [online] Auto Express. Available at: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/102226/uk-electric-and-plug-in-hybrid-carsales-hit-record-levels [Accessed 6 Nov. 2018]. Johnston, I. (2017). World has missed the chance to avoid dangerous global warming – unless we start geo-engineering the planet. [online] The Independent. Available at: https://www.independent. co.uk/environment/world-global-warming-avoid-geo-engineering-planet-climate-change-manmade-a7904966.html [Accessed 2 Nov. 2018]. Kollewe, J. (2016). VW profits down 20% after diesel emissions scandal. [online] The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/may/31/vw-volkswagen-profits-down-20-dieselemissions-scandal [Accessed 4 Nov. 2018]. Lehner, M. and Vaux Halliday, S. (2014). Branding sustainability: Opportunity and risk behind a brand-based approach to sustainable markets. [online] Ephemerajournal.org. Available at: http://www.ephemerajournal.org/contribution/branding-sustainability-opportunity-and-risk-behind-brand-based-approach-sustainable [Accessed 26 Oct. 2018]. McQuarrie, L. (2017). Recycled Coffee Cup Packaging : bath oil packaging. [online] TrendHunter.com. Available at: https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bath-oil-packaging [Accessed 20 Oct. 2018]. Perry, P. (2018). The environmental costs of fast fashion. [online] The Independent. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/environment-costs-fast-fashion-pollution-waste-sustainability-a8139386.html [Accessed 2 Nov. 2018]. Rehman, H. (2016). Fashion is the World’s 2nd Most Polluting Industry After Oil. [online] LinkedIn. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fashion-worlds-2nd-most-polluting-industry-after-oilheidy-rehman/ [Accessed 2 Nov. 2018]. The Vegan Society. (2018). Statistics. [online] Available at: https://www.vegansociety.com/news/ media/statistics [Accessed 1 Nov. 2018]. 31


TrendWatching. (2017). Transparency Triumph. [online] Available at: https://trendwatching.com/ trends/transparency-triumph/ [Accessed 1 Nov. 2018]. trendone.com. (2018). Mega-Trend: Sustainability. [online] Available at: https://www.trendone.com/ en/trend-universe/mega-trends/mega-trend-detail/sustainability.html [Accessed 8 Sep. 2018]. Turk, R. (2018). New study shows that Gen Z will strengthen sustainability trend. [online] Fashionunited.uk. Available at: https://fashionunited.uk/news/fashion/new-study-shows-that-gen-z-willstrengthen-sustainability-trend/2018092139068 [Accessed 6 Nov. 2018]. Reports Ciuffo, B., Miola, A., Punzo, V. and Sala, S. (2012). Dealing with uncertainty is sustainability assessment. [online] Available at: http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC68035/ lbna25166enn.pdf [Accessed 4 Nov. 2018]. Hegnsholt, E., Pollmann-Larsen, M., Gerard, M., Unnikrishnan, S. and Askelsdottir, B. (2018). [online] Boston Consultancy Group. Available at: https://www.bcg.com/publications/2018/tackling-1.6billion-ton-food-loss-and-waste-crisis.aspx [Accessed 5 Nov. 2018]. Hollingworth, C. and Barker, L. (2018). Habits the holy grail of marketing. [online] London: The Marketing Society, pp.10-13. Available at: https://www.marketingsociety.com/sites/default/files/thelibrary/Habits%20-%20The%20Behavioural%20Architects_2.pdf [Accessed 20 Oct. 2018]. Wharry, G. (2018). The Age of Sentiment 2019/2020 Insights. London: Future Trends Consultancy, pp.16-19. Taylor & Francis (2012). Is sustainable development sustainable? Journal of Integrative Sciences. [online] Taylor & Francis, pp.1-8. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/194381 5X.2012.666045 [Accessed 1 Nov. 2018]. The Climate Change Institute (2016). A brewing storm: The climate change risks to coffee. [online] New South Wales, p.1. Available at: http://fairtrade.com.au/~/media/fairtrade%20australasia/files/ resources%20for%20pages%20-%20reports%20standards%20and%20policies/tci_a_brewing_storm_final_24082016_web.pdf [Accessed 3 Nov. 2018]. Underscore. (2018). The future of Sustainability Trends 2018. [online] Available at: https://www.underscore.co.uk/uncovered/future-sustainability-trends-2018/ [Accessed 4 Nov. 2018]. Wharry, G. (2018). The Age of Sentiment 2019/2020 Insights. London: Future Trends Consultancy, pp.16-19. Ted Talks Acaroglu, L. (2013). Paper beats plastic? How to rethink environmental folklore. [video] Available at: https://www.ted.com/talks/leyla_acaroglu_paper_beats_plastic_how_to_rethink_environmental_ folklore [Accessed 21 Oct. 2018]. Chieza, N. (2017). Fashion has a pollution problem - can biology fix it?[video] Available at: https:// www.ted.com/talks/natsai_audrey_chieza_fashion_has_a_pollution_problem_can_biology_fix_it [Accessed 5 Nov. 2018]. 32


BIBLIOGRAPHY Websites Clark Howard, B. (2018). 48 Environmental Victories Since the First Earth Day. [online] National Geographic. Available at: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/04/160422-earth-day-46-facts-environment/ [Accessed 6 Nov. 2018]. Drew, D. (2017). The Apparel Industry’s Environmental Impact in 6 Graphics. [online] World Resources Institute. Available at: https://www.wri.org/blog/2017/07/apparel-industrys-environmental-impact-6-graphics [Accessed 5 Nov. 2018]. Elks, J. (2015). Why a Circular Economy Is Key to Sustainable Development (and Why Business Must Lead the Way). [online] Sustainable Brands. Available at: https://www.sustainablebrands.com/ news_and_views/next_economy/jennifer_elks/why_circular_economy_key_sustainable_development_why_busin [Accessed 5 Nov. 2018]. Ellen Macarthur Foundation (2018). What is a Circular Economy? [online] Available at: https://www. ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy/concept [Accessed 5 Nov. 2018]. Earth Hour. (2018). EarthHour FAQs. [online] Available at: https://www.earthhour.org/earthhour-faqs [Accessed 6 Nov. 2018]. Fairtrade. (2018). Celebrating 20 years of the FAIRTRADE Mark in the UK. [online] Available at: https:// www.fairtrade.org.uk/Media-Centre/News/January-2014/Celebrating-20-years-of-the-FAIRTRADEMark-in-the-UK [Accessed 6 Nov. 2018]. Griffiths, H. (2018). UK electric and plug-in hybrid car sales hit record levels. [online] Auto Express. Available at: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/102226/uk-electric-and-plug-in-hybrid-carsales-hit-record-levels [Accessed 6 Nov. 2018]. IISD. (2018). Sustainable Development. [online] Available at: https://www.iisd.org/topic/sustainable-development [Accessed 2 Nov. 2018]. Johnston, I. (2017). World has missed the chance to avoid dangerous global warming – unless we start geo-engineering the planet. [online] The Independent. Available at: https://www.independent. co.uk/environment/world-global-warming-avoid-geo-engineering-planet-climate-change-manmade-a7904966.html [Accessed 2 Nov. 2018]. Lehner, M. and Vaux Halliday, S. (2014). Branding sustainability: Opportunity and risk behind a brand-based approach to sustainable markets. [online] Ephemerajournal.org. Available at: http://www.ephemerajournal.org/contribution/branding-sustainability-opportunity-and-risk-behind-brand-based-approach-sustainable [Accessed 26 Oct. 2018]. Griffin, E. (2018). Sustainability 2018: Adapting to a new ecosystem. [online] WGSN Insider. Available at: https://www.wgsn.com/blogs/sustainability-adapting-new-ecosystem/ [Accessed 31 Oct. 2018]. Hancox, D. (2018). The unstoppable rise of veganism: how a fringe movement went mainstream. [online] The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/apr/01/vegans-are-coming-millennials-health-climate-change-animal-welfare [Accessed 1 Nov. 2018]. 33


Hilton, J. (2016). Clean Label, Sustainability & Transparency: The Trends Behind A Movement. [online] Nutraceuticals World. Available at: https://www.nutraceuticalsworld.com/issues/2016-12/view_features/clean-label-sustainability-transparency-the-trends-behind-a-movement [Accessed 1 Nov. 2018]. Kollewe, J. (2016). VW profits down 20% after diesel emissions scandal. [online] The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/may/31/vw-volkswagen-profits-down-20-dieselemissions-scandal [Accessed 4 Nov. 2018]. Mackay, M. (2018). 35 Recycled Material Innovations. [online] Trend Hunter. Available at: https:// www.trendhunter.com/slideshow/recycled-material-innovations [Accessed 20 Oct. 2018]. McQuarrie, L. (2017). Recycled Coffee Cup Packaging: bath oil packaging. [online] TrendHunter.com. Available at: https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bath-oil-packaging [Accessed 20 Oct. 2018]. Perry, P. (2018). The environmental costs of fast fashion. [online] The Independent. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/environment-costs-fast-fashion-pollution-waste-sustainability-a8139386.html [Accessed 2 Nov. 2018]. Petter, O. (2018). Tesco is paying shoppers to return their plastic bottles. [online] The Independent. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/tesco-plastic-bottles-paying-10p-money-back-recycling-a8593361.html [Accessed 21 Oct. 2018]. Rehman, H. (2016). Fashion is the World’s 2nd Most Polluting Industry After Oil. [online] LinkedIn. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fashion-worlds-2nd-most-polluting-industry-after-oilheidy-rehman/ [Accessed 2 Nov. 2018]. Smithers, R. (2018). England’s plastic bag usage drops 85% since 5p charge introduced. [online] The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jul/30/england-plastic-bagusage-drops-85-per-cent-since-5p-charged-introduced [Accessed 4 Nov. 2018]. The Vegan Society. (2018). Statistics. [online] Available at: https://www.vegansociety.com/news/ media/statistics [Accessed 1 Nov. 2018]. Trend One. (2018). Mega-Trend: Sustainability. [online] Available at: https://www.trendone.com/en/ trend-universe/mega-trends/mega-trend-detail/sustainability.html [Accessed 8 Sep. 2018]. Trend Watching. (2017). Transparency Triumph. [online] Available at: https://trendwatching.com/ trends/transparency-triumph/ [Accessed 1 Nov. 2018]. Wilkinson, H. (2017). Is Eco-Wellness The industry Trend To Watch In 2017?. [online] Well To Do. Available at: https://www.welltodoglobal.com/eco-wellness-industry-trend-watch-2017/ [Accessed 23 Oct. 2018]. Watts, J. (2018). We have 12 years to limit climate change catastrophe, warns UN. [online] The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/08/global-warming-mustnot-exceed-15c-warns-landmark-un-report [Accessed 8 Oct. 2018]. Books Black, S. (2008). Eco-Chic: The Fashion Paradox. London: Blackdog. 34


Journals Mora, E., Rocamora, A. and Volonte, P. (2014). On The Issue of Sustainability in Fashion Studies. International Journal of Fashion Studies [online] 1(2). Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267876015_On_the_issue_of_sustainability_in_fashion_studies [Accessed 22 Oct. 2018]. Reports Ciuffo, B., Miola, A., Punzo, V. and Sala, S. (2012). Dealing with uncertainty is sustainability assessment. [online] Available at: http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC68035/ lbna25166enn.pdf [Accessed 4 Nov. 2018]. Deloitte (2012). Sustainability for consumer business companies. A story of growth. [online] London: Deloitte Global Services. Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/ Documents/Consumer-Business/dttl_cb_Sustainability_Global%20CB%20POV.pdf [Accessed 23 Oct. 2018]. Hegnsholt, E., Pollmann-Larsen, M., Gerard, M., Unnikrishnan, S. and Askelsdottir, B. (2018). [online] Boston Consultancy Group. Available at: https://www.bcg.com/publications/2018/tackling-1.6billion-ton-food-loss-and-waste-crisis.aspx [Accessed 5 Nov. 2018]. Hollingworth, C. and Barker, L. (2018). Habits the holy grail of marketing. [online] London: The Marketing Society, pp.10-13. Available at: https://www.marketingsociety.com/sites/default/files/thelibrary/Habits%20-%20The%20Behavioural%20Architects_2.pdf [Accessed 20 Oct. 2018]. Leiserowitz, A. (2018). Climate Change in the American Mind. [online] Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Available at: http://climatecommunication.yale.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Climate-Change-American-Mind-March-2018-1.pdf [Accessed 4 Nov. 2018]. Taylor & Francis (2012). Is sustainable development sustainable? Journal of Integrative Sciences. [online] Taylor & Francis, pp.1-8. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/194381 5X.2012.666045 [Accessed 1 Nov. 2018]. The Climate Change Institute (2016). A brewing storm: The climate change risks to coffee. [online] New South Wales, p.1. Available at: http://fairtrade.com.au/~/media/fairtrade%20australasia/files/ resources%20for%20pages%20-%20reports%20standards%20and%20policies/tci_a_brewing_storm_final_24082016_web.pdf [Accessed 3 Nov. 2018]. Underscore. (2018). The future of Sustainability Trends 2018. [online] Available at: https://www.underscore.co.uk/uncovered/future-sustainability-trends-2018/ [Accessed 4 Nov. 2018]. Well To Do (2018). Global Wellness Industry Trend Report. [online] Well To Do. Available at: https:// www.welltodoglobal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/WelltodoTrend-Report.pdf [Accessed 23 Oct. 2018]. Wharry, G. (2018). The Age of Sentiment 2019/2020 Insights. London: Future Trends Consultancy, pp.16-19.

35


Ted Talks Acaroglu, L. (2013). Paper beats plastic? How to rethink environmental folklore. [video] Available at: https://www.ted.com/talks/leyla_acaroglu_paper_beats_plastic_how_to_rethink_environmental_ folklore [Accessed 21 Oct. 2018]. Chieza, N. (2017). Fashion has a pollution problem - can biology fix it?. [video] Available at: https:// www.ted.com/talks/natsai_audrey_chieza_fashion_has_a_pollution_problem_can_biology_fix_it [Accessed 5 Nov. 2018].

ILLUSTRATIONS Front Cover. Olson, R (2017) National Geographic - Planet or Plastic. [Image] Available at: https:// www.mensjournal.com/features/national-geographic-launches-planet-or-plastic-campaign/ [Accessed 5 Novemeber 2018] Fig 1. Greenpeace (2015) Hot Air Balloon. [Image] Available at: https://www.greenpeace.org/international/values/ [Accessed 5 November 2018] Fig 2. Woodhouse, D. (2018) The Modern Beach. [Image] Available at: https://unsplash.com/photos/ RUqoVelx59I [Accessed 31 October 2018] Fig 3. Williams, S (2017). Methodology Banner. [Image] Available at: https://www.lucidchart.com/ blog/process-improvement-methodologies [Accessed 2 November 2018] Fig 4. Fuentes, D. (2017) Sustainability in Slovenia. [Image] Available at: https://unsplash.com/photos/TyLw3IQALMs [Accessed 31 October 2018] Fig 5. Grantham Institute. (2017) Plastic waste floating in a canal in Amsterdam. [Image] Available at: https://granthaminstitute.com/2017/09/19/when-it-rains-it-pours-how-can-cities-save-the-oceanfrom-plastic-pollution-during-heavy-rainfall/ [Accessed 30 October 2018] Fig 6. Barrios, L. (2018) Under the microscope. [Image] Available at: https://unsplash.com/photos/ G0n_D4MptQ4 [Accessed 31 October 2018] Fig 7. Remake World. (2018) Are Our Clothes Doomed for Landfill? [Image] Available at: http://remake.world/uncategorized/are-our-clothes-doomed-for-the-landfill/ [Accessed 30 October 2018] Fig 8. Orange Fiber. (2018) Promotion Box. [Image] Available at: http://www.orangefiber.it/home/ [Accessed 1 November 2018] Fig 9. Orange Fiber. (2018) Sewing Kit. [Image] Available at: http://www.orangefiber.it/home/ [Accessed 1 November 2018] Fig 10. Orange Fiber. (2018) Oranges. [Image] Available at: http://www.orangefiber.it/home/ [Accessed 1 November 2018] Fig 11. Fig 12. Krochet Kids (2017) Fashion Revolution Week. [Image] Available at: https://www.krochetkids.org/2017/fashion-revolution-week-is-here/ [Accessed 1 November 2018] 36


Fig 13. We Are ZRCL. (2015) Cotton Fields – I made your clothes. Available at: https://www.wearezrcl.com/auf-den-spuren-von-zrcl-die-textilfabrik/ [Accessed 2 November 2018] Fig 14. EcoWatch (2013) There is no planet B. [Image] Available at: https://www.ecowatch.com/ there-is-no-planet-b-1881704065.html [Accessed 2 November 2018] Fig 15. Williams P (2012) Peaceful Protest [Image] Available at: https://cornellsun.com/2017/02/07/ no-ban-no-wall-protest-fills-ho-plaza/ [Accessed 3 November 2018] Fig 16. FabTextiles (2018) Algea-based bioplastic samples dyed with bacteria pigments. [Image] Available at: https://clara-davis.com/albums/bacteria-dyes/ [Accessed 3 November 2018] Fig 17. FabTextiles. (2017) Bacteria Dying Textile. [Image] Available at: http://fabtextiles.org/tag/ bacteria-textile-dyeing/ [Accessed 3 November 2018] Fig 18. Chieza, N (2017) Patterned. [Image] Available at: http://mentalfloss.com/article/504090/artist-screen-prints-fabrics-bacteria [Accessed 3 November 2018] Fig 19. Waag (2018) Petri Dish. [Image] Available at: https://waag.org/en/event/workshop-extracting-colours-bacteria [Accessed 3 November 2018] Fig 20. Faber Futures (2017) Bacteria dyes fabric. [Image] Available at: https://fashionista. com/2017/10/fashion-design-technology-sustainable-textiles-2017 [Accessed 3 November 2018] Fig 22. Kourkounis, J (2018) Young, Angry and Ready for Change. [Image] Available at: https:// www.refinery29.com/en-us/2018/03/194611/march-for-our-lives-best-posters [Accessed 5 November 2018] Fig 22. Happen.com (2018) Gen-Z and Technology. [Image] Available at: https://www.happen.com/ blog/defined-digital-4-ways-tech-makes-gen-z-different/ [Accessed 5 November 2018] Fig 23. Harnik, A (2018) March for Our Lives. [Image] Available at: https://www.globalcitizen.org/ en/content/young-activists-parkland-emma-gonzalez-yolanda-kin/ [Accessed 4 November 2018] Fug 24. O’Reilly, M (2014) Technology in Retail. [Image] Available at: https://www.trendhunter. com/slideshow/recycled-material-innovations [Accessed 5 November 2018] Fig 24. H&M (2017) Conscious Collection. [Image] Availavle at: https://www2.hm.com/en_gb/life/ culture/inside-h-m/everything-you-need-to-know-about-conscious-exclusive.html [Accessed 5 November 2018] Fig 25. Patagonia (2014) Don’t buy this coat. [Image] Available at: https://businessofstory.com/patagonias-director-of-philosophy-to-share-storytelling-secrets-with-new-executive-masters-for-sustainability-leadership-program-at-asu/ [Accessed 5 November 2018] Fig 26. Vivienne Westwood (2014) Africa Colletion. [Image] Available at: http://www.dazeddigital. com/beauty/fashion/article/37938/1/exhibition-sustainable-fashion-victoria-albert-london-vivienne-westwood [Accessed 1 November 2018] Fig 27. Orange Fiber. (2018) Salvatore Ferragamo. [Image] Available at: http://www.orangefiber.it/ home/ [Accessed 1 November 2018] 37


Fig 28.Williams P (2012) Supermarket [Image] Available at: https://cornellsun.com/2017/02/07/noban-no-wall-protest-fills-ho-plaza/ [Accessed 3 November 2018] Fig 29. Waag (2018) Deposit Scheme. [Image] Available at: https://waag.org/en/event/workshop-extracting-colours-bacteria [Accessed 3 November 2018] Fig 30. Harnik, A (2018) Smart Labelling. [Image] Available at: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/ content/young-activists-parkland-emma-gonzalez-yolanda-kin/ [Accessed 4 November 2018]

Appendix App 1. Pestle Analysis of the Sustainability Trend

38


Word Count: 3287 39


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.