T HE R E SPO N SI B L E & SU STA I NA B L E
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Nยบ 01 DECEMBER 2020 โ ข
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he Conscious Fashion Campaign, in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships, is an awareness-driven initiative that engages leading global fashion industry events to accelerate collective action in support of the Sustainable Development Goals. The campaign facilitates high-impact partnerships that advocate sustainable solutions and innovations for the fashion sector to address the world’s most pressing social, economic and environmental issues. The Conscious Fashion Campaign actively supports the Decade of Action by bridging together United Nations agencies and fashion industry stakeholders to enable the Sustainable Development Goals to scale. The Conscious Fashion Campaign partners collectively represent over $4.7 billion revenue, 800 events in 40 countries, 136,000 exhibiting businesses, 11.9 million industry attendees and 14,700 employees.
KERRY BANNIGAN FOUNDER OF THE CONSCIOUS FASHION CAMPAIGN
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DISCOVER THE SDGS TO POWER THE DECADE OF ACTION Convened by the Conscious Fashion Campaign in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships Virtual learning experience: 1 to 30 December 2020 Discover the SDGs - To Power the Decade of Action, convened by the Conscious Fashion Campaign in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships, delivers a virtual learning experience December 1 - 30, 2020. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere. Adopted by United Nations Member States in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The Decade of Action, launched by the UN Secretary-General at the beginning of 2020, right before the pandemic crisis, calls for all national and local governments, civil society organizations and the private sector to accelerate sustainable solutions to the world’s major challenges from poverty and gender to climate change, inequality and closing the finance gap. As this year marks a critical period to advance a shared vision, Discover the SDGs - To Power the Decade of Action delivers a virtual experience to advance knowledge and strengthen engagement from the global fashion industry to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals. Discover the SDGs will provide informational tools and on-demand content on the Sustainable Development Goals and the interconnected framework highlighting the intersection of the SDGs and the fashion sector; underlining the importance of enhanced collaboration to achieve the SDGs as a critical step towards a better COVID-19 recovery. Ranked as one of the world’s most polluting industries, the fashion, apparel, and textile sector has a significant impact on the SDGs. With the pervasiveness of the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry has seen unparalleled disruption to its operations and supply chains. Now is the time to ensure that this disruption can serve as the catalyst for a new sustainable era for all stakeholders involved. Discover the SDGs is powered by Arch and Hook, Artistic Milliners and Lenzing; and supported by Interwoven, ITL Group and Orta.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Speaker auditorium: Watch on-demand remarks, panels and fireside discussions from United Nations key representatives and advocates, leading fashion industry figures and sustainability experts. Exhibition hall: Browse interactive digital booths to learn about each of the Sustainable Development Goals with useful facts, figures, infographics, videos and artwork. Business insight: Learn how to implement practical actions to shift business models towards a more sustainable economy to address the world’s most pressing social, economic and environmental issues. Digital briefcase: Save and download documents, reports and information about the Sustainable Development Goals from United Nations agencies, initiatives, and industry leaders.
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Ultimately it's about defining how we care and act. RawAssembly works closely with our partners to select fibres, fabrics, packaging, and other alternative materials based on the following criteria and view these as both reassurances to our visitors and also a framework for educating all.
Our Guiding Framework
The United Nations has defined the following ten years as the Decade of Action, which calls upon organizations and industries to accelerate specific action towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. For RawAssembly to pre-select and filter sustainable producers that we feel are players in this process of shared development and action, the following criteria have been developed to select our producers. RawAssembly focuses on both quantitative and qualitative evidence for commitment in these areas and will take both into account when approving our partner producers. Quantitive evidence comes in the form of certifications and standards that a partner holds for organizational, manufacturing processes, or specific products or finishes. Qualitative evidence relates to additional commitments, projects, advocacy, and research that our partners are involved with, which defines their commitment towards action and RawAssembly feels should be promoted.
14 Water Consistent with the Targets set out under SDGs 6 & 14, RawAssembly works with partners who have systems and policies that improve water quality through reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing the release of hazardous chemicals and materials into fresh waterways and oceans. They increase water-use efficiency and ensure sustainable withdrawals to address water scarcity, reducing the proportion of untreated wastewater and increasing the recycling and safe reuse of water.
13 Climate Consistent with the Targets set out under SDGs 7 & 13, RawAssembly works with partners who are actively seeking to substantially increase their use of renewable energy sources, reduce their emissions and actively implement climate change mitigation into their organizational policies and strategies. These commitments are more specifically defined in the United Nations Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Change. RawAssembly seeks to work closely with partners who use this charter to support their decarbonizing journey. RawAssembly works with partners who value and invest in transparency and traceability in their supply chains, which is reflected in their policies, reporting, and a commitment to developing traceability technology.
15 Animal Welfare Consistent with the Targets set out under SDG 15 and drawing on the 5 Freedoms defined by the Responsible Wool Standard, RawAssembly works with partners who ensure animals are free from hunger & thirst, discomfort, fear & distress, pain & injury and are free to move and behave normally. In addition to a zero-tolerance for the use of products from poached or trafficked species of flora and fauna, RawAssembly only works with non mulesed wool growers and is a fur and leather-free organization.
Regenerative Agriculture & Biodiversity Consistent with the Targets set out under SDG 15, RawAssembly works with partners whose sources, manufacturing processes and policies ensure conservation and restoration of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. They promote and/or implement the sustainable management of forests, restore degraded forests and support global efforts towards increasing afforestation and reforestation. In particular, RawAssembly seeks to work with agricultural partners (growers) who engage in regenerative agricultural practices that combat desertification, restore degraded land and soils, ultimately aiming to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.
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CH STEN & LI
COONONG STATION, URANA, NSW AUSTRALIA PREMIUM 20.6 MICRON MERINO WOOL
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oonong station is owned and operated by Tom and Sophie Holt with their son Thomas and has been in the Holt family since 1971.
Situated in the Australian Riverina, Coonong Pty Ltd own and operate a total of 71,000 acres in Southern NSW consisting of the main property of Coonong Station, Urana NSW, then additional properties of Coolbaroo Station, Jerilderie Walteela, Urana and Glencairn, Jerilderie. The incredible team at Coonong are committed to ethical and sustainable livestock and wool production utilising environmentally sustainable land management practices. Certified RWS and just recently on the 12th November 2020, Coonong also became the first wool producer outside of the USA to be Humane Raised and Handled Certified by the HFAC, which is amazing. The team have worked incredibly hard to achieve this and were excited to add this additional certification to their RWS and wildlife accreditations. Coonong respect and value their native vegetation and wildlife in their ecosystem, and are committed to manage livestock production in a way that does not damage or impeach on native habitats.
At Coonong, their team is an extension of their family. They have built a community of committed, passionate individuals who not only work there, but live there. They have an incredible team of both local and Argentinian full time staff, who work side by side with seasonal staff from around the world. With them, they bring experience and knowledge from their family farms and local areas and combine it with the Holts family knowledge of the Australian country. Their teams are all invested in not only working at Coonong but looking after the land and animals they live with.
Coonong Station Extra fine Merino Wool Fibres The team at Coonong pride themselves in producing beautiful, high quality wool , which is the end result of years of hard work and dedication. They produce a 20.5 micron merino wool that is processed and spun into premium yarns at some of the leading global yarn mills, that can be discovered within our Rawassembly directories. Their yarns are used in both circular knitting next-to-skin premium products as well as flat bed knitted sweaters and can be found in some of the leading fashion brands around the world. In addition to this they have their own range of products, some of which are 100% Australian owned, grown and made, include no dyes, acids or chemicals and are completely natural. Their range also includes and others luxurious products that have been spun and knitted by their incredible RWS certified partner, Xinao. - Discover their Ethical Outback products here
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MEET THE GROWERS "COONONG S TATION RECOGNISES AND VALUES THE SENTIENCE OF ALL ANIMALS"
S O P H I E , T H O M AS & T O M HO L T 17
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FULL CIRCLE FIBRES & AUSTRALIAN SUPER COT TON "IT'S LIKE THE "EVERYTHING IN MODERATION" IDE A WE OFTEN USE FOR DESCRIBING A HE ALTHY DIET NEEDS TO GET TRACTION WHEN LOOKING AT NATURAL AND NATURAL BASED FIBRES, THERE ARE WAYS TO DO ALL OF THEM WELL, AND IN EQUILIBRIUM, BUT WHEN WE GET GREEDY THE WHEELS FALL OFF."
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MERI EL CHAMBERLI N,REBECCA LINDERT & GLENN ROGA N
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IN CONVERSATION WITH MERIEL CHAMBERLIN FOUNDER, FULL CIRCLE FIBRES | AUSTRALIA
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eautiful, Ethical, Traceable – it’s all any of us want to say about our products right?
We now want to say ‘regenerative,’ too, we must work in a way that we could do it forever. This is the entire reason Full Circle Fibres began. After 20 years as a Textile Technologist in global and local supply I wanted to work with products where I knew the whole story, locally grown and made. We know where it’s from, where it’s processed and that by being a natural fibre we know where it can safely end its life too. Right now, when we consider fibre shedding in use, as well as safe disposal, natural based fibres are the only option we could describe as forever possible. It is truly a blessing to work with Glenn Rogan and Rebecca Lindert at AUSTRALIAN SUPER COTTON, not only is it a pleasure to bring their fantastic fibre to life, our families have got to know each other too, our whole family loves getting out to the farm, it’s a partnership. Our passion and knowledge together has forged this single origin supply chain, making it available to makers and designers alike, we’ve done the homework for them, we know the whole chain. Genuine best practice, care and continuous improvement we can implement throughout the system, moves us to a world where we can be in balance with our resource use. Replenishment isn’t just about accounting inputs and outputs, it’s about slowing it down, and valuing the people and place at every stage. For a high quality item, the lifetime as well as the stewardship, is a key factor as we work to regenerate our planetary ecosystems. Farming at AUSTRALIAN SUPER COTTON is a labour of love, constantly striving to improve the fibre quality and consistency while reducing their impact on the land.
We could write a book about the detail of what happens on farms and in our supply chains, the precision of moisture probes throughout the paddocks, the laser levelling to ensure even and just enough irrigation, the deeper sectioned water storage for massive evaporation reduction, the organic fertiliser applied in variable precision dosing systems, the refuge crops for insects to breed away from the cotton, the fibre is carbon positive at farm gate, with solar panels replacing fossil fuels on the farm, or the satellite linked monitoring that alerts about soil moisture to ensure continuous perfect fibre growth isn’t impacted and the quality remains top notch. Checking through all the quality data referring back from the bale to the field position, what went well and should be repeated next year, or what could be improved? Or the automated systems at the spinning mill removing any contamination by superfine air-jets, or that by changing spinning methods we added 50% to the cloth lifespan, or the right first time rates at our dye-house keeping water use to a minimum. But really, at the end of the day unless it ends up in a well designed and thought out product, put together with skill and care, it’s just another supply chain in the churn of our global industry. Dear designers, it’s over to you, as when a customer loves the fit, finish, colour and style, they will cherish an item forever & launder it with care. Then our collective story of regenerative and sustainable practice comes to life! We are ready to collaborate at many levels, from forensically verifiable bale supply, or yarn through to cloth by the roll.
www.fullcirclefibres.com
TRACE ABILTY & TRANSPARENCY
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COT TON PRODUCTS ORG ANI C C OT T ON
ORGANIC COT TON COLOURS Organic Cotton Colours is a vertical manufacturer that has its own cotton-growing project in Brazil involving more than 450 growers and their families in order to control the entire production process and the total purity of the cotton. Their goal is to generate a real social impact, ensuring that all the families involved can subsist on their produce and make profits from their cotton. Organic Cotton Colours sell fibres and fabrics as well as manufacturing your finished products for you using their materials. They also produce our RawAssembly team t-shirts that everyone loves. Learn more about them within our sourcing directory.
ORGAN I C C OT T O N CHARLE BERLIN
Charle Berlin have developed the world's first proven ecologically sound elastics made from Organic cotton and natural rubber. Many Geddert joined forces with an Austrian ribbon manufacturer, to develop her biodegradable elastics. After a good yet intensive six-month period, Geddert was able to produce her first organic cotton + natural rubber 18mm-wide elastic ribbon. What was initially designed to solely meet her own brands label requirements at the time, soon turned out to be a solution that could bridge a gap in the market. A number of different designers and haberdashery shops became aware of the sustainably produced ribbon and ordered their first 100m lengths. Brands all over the world today source their trims from Mandy.
Instagram: @organiccottonco Website: www.organiccottoncolours. com/en/
Instagram: @charle.berlin Website: www.premium-haberdashery. de/CHARLE-Berlin_1
R EC Y C L ED C OT T ON RECOVER
The Ferre family have been producing up-cycled cotton yarns since 1947. They use textile waste as a raw material resource and turn it into new premium recycled fibres, diverting it from landfill and incineration. They are not dependent on virgin materials, they don't use water or chemicals and by doing so they are able to reduce their CO2 emissions and energy use. “The Ferre family has been innovating for generations to perfect the Recover process. We are proud to offer the highest-quality and lowest-impact fiber available in today’s market”. A Circular System Their range of Recover yarns allows for a closed-loop and truly sustainable fashion industry. Textiles made from Recover Fiber can flow through the recycling process for many life-cycles. Their yarns are long-lasting and high-quality. Learn more about Recover here Website: www.recovertex.com/ Instagram: @recoveryarns
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SMALL PART OF OUR DIGITAL SOURCING PLATFORM. WITH OVER 75 SUSTAINABLE INTERNATIONAL SUPPLIERS FEATURED AT ANY ONE TIME. WE HELP HIGHLIGHT WHATS AVAILABLE TODAY THROUGH TO WHATS ON THE HORIZON FOR TOMORROW. OUR GUIDES HELP YOU TO SOURCE RESPONSIBLY AND SUSTAINABLY BY DISCOVERING NEW LONG TERM PARTNERS FROM FIBRE GROWERS THROUGH TO FABRIC MILLS AND GARMENT MANUFACTURERS
MAT ERIAL GUIDE S
OUR FABRICS GUIDES ARE JUST A
SUBSCRIBE TO RAWASSEMBLY HERE AND DISCOVER OUR MATERIAL AND SOURCING GUIDES
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BIOFAB RI CATED
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"IT'S A FUTURE IN WHICH WE FIND OURSELVES BEING A PART OF THE ECOSYSTEMS INSTE AD OF EXPLOITING THEM. UNDERSTANDING NATURE'S PROCESSES AND CO-CRE ATING WITH IT." M A RÍA JO S É BE S O A I N N . C O - F O U N D E R L AB V A P HO T O C RE D IT: RA MÓN V Á S Q UEZ @R . V A S Q UEZL EM U S
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DOCUMENTARIES TO WATCH
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n the 75th anniversary of the United Nations and the 5th anniversary of the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals – in the midst of a pandemic radically transforming our economies and societies – this 30-minute film tells the story of the world as it is, as it was, and as it could be. Directed by renowned filmmaker Richard Curtis and produced by the documentary film company 72 Films, “Nations United” presents the facts, data, and opportunities we have as a human family to reimagine and reshape the future. The film will be broadcast on numerous television channels, radio stations, and streaming services around the world. Nations United – Urgent Solutions for Urgent Times” sets out what must be done to tackle the world’s biggest issues, from COVID-19 to poverty, inequality, gender discrimination, climate change, justice and human rights. The broadcast will also mark the UN’s 75th anniversary, as well as the 5th anniversary of the Sustainable Development Goals. Watch Here
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LIFE ON OUR PL ANET avid attenborough recounts his life, and the evolutionary history of life on Earth, to grieve the loss of wild places and offer a vision for the future.
In his 93 years, David Attenborough has visited every continent on the globe, exploring the wild places of our planet and documenting the living world in all its variety and wonder. Now, for the first time he reflects upon both the defining moments of his lifetime as a naturalist and the devastating changes he has seen. Produced by WWF and award-winning wildlife film-makers Silverback Films, David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet is a first-hand account of humanity’s impact on nature and a message of hope for future generations. Starring: David Attenborough Watch Here Website: www.ourplanet.com
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THE FUTURE IS CIRCUL AR WHAT BIODIVERSITY RE ALLY ME ANS
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iodiversity affects just about every aspect of human life, from job security and basic health to saving the planet for future generations. More than half of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) is dependent on nature. Three-quarters of all food crop types – including fruits and vegetables and some of the most important cash crops, like coffee and almonds – require animal pollination. About half of the global population relies mainly on natural medicines and most of the drugs used to treat cancer are either natural or modelled after nature. So there is a direct and relationship between biodiversity and some very basic aspects of survival. There is also an important long-term, preventive aspect – which we are experiencing very acutely today. Where native biodiversity is high, for example, the infection rate for some zoonotic diseases is lower. So protecting natural habitats and wildlife is also a way to help protect ourselves. Biodiversity is the basis for healthy ecosystems as well, and healthy ecosystems capture and store greenhouse gases and mitigate climate change, whereas damaged ecosystems release carbons and add to it. Read the full article here
KISS THE GROUND
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cience experts and celebrity activists unpack the ways in which the earth's soil may be the key to combating climate change and preserving the planet.
Narrated and featuring Woody Harrelson, Kiss the Ground is an inspiring and groundbreaking film that reveals the first viable solution to our climate crisis. Kiss the Ground reveals that, by regenerating the world’s soils, we can completely and rapidly stabilise Earth’s climate, restore lost ecosystems and create abundant food supplies. Using compelling graphics and visuals, along with striking NASA and NOAA footage, the film artfully illustrates how, by drawing down atmospheric carbon, soil is the missing piece of the climate puzzle. This movie is positioned to catalyse a movement to accomplish the impossible – to solve humanity’s greatest challenge, to balance the climate and secure our species future. Watch it on Netflix Website: www.kissthegroundmovie.com Instagram:@2040film 87
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DISCOVER OUR
At o u r last ev e nt T he p a r t ne r s hi p we ha d wi th L e nz i ng re f l e c te d the e tho s o f the e ve nt as a place w h e r e cr eati vi t y , i nd us t r y , r e s e a r c h a nd c o mme rc e c ame to c o l l abo rate i n ways that po si t ively im p acte d v alue a nd s up p l y c ha i ns . A g re at e xampl e o f thi s, and so me thi ng bo th RawAsse mbly an d Le n zi n g w e r e b o t h p r o ud o f , wa s t ha t R awAsse mbl y Me l bo urne saw the o f f i c i al l aunc h o f Len zin gs’ ECO VER O ™ f ib r e i nt o t he A us t r a l i a n m a rke t.
EX H IB T O R S X Since 2018 RawAssembly has been curating the leading responsible sourcing events for the Asia Pacific region, showcasing responsibly produced sustainable fibres, fabrics and materials from the leading innovative, regenerative and future thinking producers. Last year saw us present 85+ companies from over 20 countries with over 3000 individually selected sustainable materials, packaging solutions and new fibre-2-fibre circular solutions. In addition to delivering the leading sustainable textile sourcing events in the Asia-Pacific region, RawAssembly hosts a variety of specialist showcase experiences for sustainable textiles and material innovations to businesses and universities.
F ABR I C & INNO V AT IO N S HO W C AS E X RawAssembly‘s showcase section allows sustainable textile mills from all over the world to have their fabric ranges presented without being there in person. This creates opportunity to meet new clients and have a wider global reach. For Melbourne we welcomed a few companies from both the Fashion for Good and Plug & Play accelerator program, allowing our visitors to discover products from disruptive ‘global change award’ recipients. Resortecs showcased their heat dissolving thread, which can help brands to dissemble and re-engineer clothing at the end-of-life stages. Dimplora showcased their biodegradable water- proof, fluorine free membrane for the outdoors industry, which replaces hazardous fluorine laminates that have been used up to now. PureWaste showcased their range of fabrics and finished products that are produced using only materials that would otherwise go to waste.
S PE A KE RS - L IV E & DIGITA L L INKS X Kicking off our Melbourne event, a panel discussion facilitated by Clare Press, Vogue’s sustainability Editor and founder of the Wardrobe Crisis podcast, focused on ‘Searching & Sourcing for Change, perspectives on the challenges, opportunities and frontiers of future materials’ Facilitated by Press, the panel set the stage for not only the tone of RawAssembly Melbourne, but reinforced the range of sentiments that exist in the current industry regarding sustainability. On stage, Press was joined by Kit Willow, founder of KitX and Harold Weghorst, VP of Global Branding at Lenzing Group.
T HE SUSTA I NA BL E D EVEL OPMENT G O A L S The United Nations has defined the following ten years as the Decade of Action, which calls upon organisations and industries to accelerate specific action towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. 92 C L A RE PRE S S & KIT W ILLOW, KITX
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