What does sustainability look like?

Welcome to the latest edition of ‘What Does Sustainability Look Like?’

In this series, Edge Impact's Brand and Communications team showcases the purpose-driven designs, sustainable brands, and impactful ideas that have recently inspired them.

This month, we’re diving into the world of fashion and sustainability. Discover a brand that empowers consumers to understand the true cost of their consumption, explore the Indigenous-owned Magpie Goose that blends reconciliation and conscious fashion, and gain candid insights into ethically navigating the billion-dollar wedding industry.

Written by Stephanie Lau, Communications Manager

While Asket first launch their ‘Impact Receipt’ in 2020, my recent projects in ethical procurement got me thinking what brands I think are smashing it out of the park. Asket instantly came to mind.

As a consumer, bringing together ‘sustainability’ and ‘fashion’ in the same conversation can be quite dizzying. On the one hand, we see ultra-fast fashion giants such as Shein attempting to rectify the damage from selling $5 T-shirts by investing millions in launching a circularity fund. Then we get luxury brands like Stella McCartney pioneering sustainable textiles - but being able to spend thousands on dollars on a vegan leather bag made from graphes is very much reserved for the privileged.

I think what Asket is striving for in the space of creating timeless essentials and advocating for radical transparency is quite remarkable. The ‘Impact Receipt’ completely shifted my perception that it would be near-impossible to capture the full supply chain traceability and environmental cost of a piece of clothing. In Asket’s perspective, ‘impact’ is defined from production (e.g. sourcing natural fibres to turn into yarn, ensuring non-toxic dyes are used) right through to end-of-life (e.g. how the garment can be repaired or donated instead of going to landfill). The receipt is emailed alongside the regular order confirmation, and breaks down the emissions, water and energy consumed for every garment purchased, alongside the emissions of the packaging and shipping method.

Based on lifecycle assessment data captured from every stage of production, their goal is to empower consumers to understand the true cost of their consumption, beyond just the price tag. However, rather than relying on us to search for and interpret this information ourselves, it distils the data and presents it directly to us in a way that’s clear, simple and accessible. When you learn that one T-shirt uses the same amount of water to keep an adult human hydrated for 30 years, you can’t help but to rethink the true cost of the clothes we buy.

Written by Layla Valinoti, Content Writer

Sometimes, it's easy to get stuck in a narrow view of sustainability. One that only thinks about recycling or carbon footprints. And while these facets are super important, it's always a delight when you come across a brand that makes you think about sustainability differently. Aboriginal-owned social enterprise Magpie Goose is such a brand.

Magpie Goose is part social impact, part clothing, with an approach to design centred on sustaining community, tradition, and a connection to Country. The vibrant brand focuses on three impact areas, including creating economic opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, storytelling and reconciliation, and conscious fashion.

Taking a show-don't-tell approach, all of Magpie Goose's designs are hand screen printed on biodegradable natural fibres and made into clothing by Australian manufacturers. They use production offcuts to create accessories, donate fabric to Second Stitch, and wrap items in plastic-free packaging.  And their many awards prove their commitment.

But, the most striking thing about this social enterprise is that every garment they design is exclusively in partnership with Aboriginal artists and art centres in regional and remote communities. Working with each artist over two years, they get a chance to visit their homes, experience their artistry, and offer a platform to share it with the broader community. Not only is Magpie Goose helping to promote an understanding and appreciation of diverse Aboriginal cultures, but it's sustaining them through storytelling.  

Written by Jaymee Kim, Senior Designer

In two months time, I will be getting married. Spending the past year preparing for this day, I’ve been filled with all sorts of discomfort and conflict of how capitalism works within this billion dollar industry that’s made for one day. It can be quite overwhelming being bombarded with posts of how a wedding should look like or how you should be feeling while planning. @Sophei brilliantly speaks on this in one of her latest posts, and the numbers are confronting to me.

This leads me to Thredup and online thrift store that makes finding second hand pieces so easy. I don’t know how long it’s been in place, but they now upped their AI game by offering these new features: Improving search using natural language, uploading a image or link of what you’re looking for to find similar items, and an AI powered chatbot that will generate looks for you based on description. It makes me slightly jealous that we don’t have an Australia equivalent of this just yet. But additionally websites like dupe.com can be a handy tool to find sustainable options (and equally unsustainable options 😬) when looking for pieces.

It’s comforting coming across like minded people, and also the development of resources and tools designed to make it easier to find what you’re looking without feeling like you have to be wedged into brands that don’t align with your values. But also efficiency in an overwhelming process from a tool such as this allows for greater mindfulness. A little reminder to self: to not get lost in the sauce.

Stay tuned for more of what delights us from the world of sustainability creative next month.

Or if you were hoping for something a little more technical, head over to our insights page for the full range of thoughts, ideas and opinions from the brilliant minds at Edge Impact.

As experts in the full spectrum of sustainability topics, we are here to guide you through the complexity. Our team includes specialists from across the globe; from strategists to economists, engineers to creatives. Since 2008, we have been helping businesses, organisations, industries and societies make transformation happen.

Our areas of expertise are focussed around the following areas:

Leadership and Transformation
ESG and Strategy
Decarbonisation and Climate Resilience
Circular Economy and Lifecycle Thinking
Procurement and Supply Chain
Nature and Biodiversity
Brand, Communications and Creative