Earth Science News
FROTH AND BUBBLE
Giving a second life to fashion's deadstocks
Giving a second life to fashion's deadstocks
By Eric RANDOLPH
Paris (AFP) April 19, 2024

At the Nona Source showroom in northern Paris, designers pick through luxurious textiles with ornate names: curly alpaca, geometrical macrame guipure, silk diamond cloque Jacquard.

What makes them really exotic, however, is that they all come from "deadstocks" -- the leftovers designers discard when they have finished with a roll of fabric.

Until recently, it was common for deadstocks -- like unsold clothes -- to be burned or buried. At best, they gathered dust in storerooms.

Ever conscious of its image, luxury giant LVMH set up Nona Source three years ago, selling deadstocks at a sizeable discount to up-and-coming designers.

"I realised there were what we call 'sleeping beauties' in the depots, magnificent fabrics that were lying there for years after collections were made," said co-founder Romain Brabo.

Last year, it sold some 280 kilometres (170 miles) of fabric, enough for roughly 140,000 items of clothing.

Among the regular customers is Arturo Obegero, a 30-year-old Spanish designer who uses only upcycled and recycled materials.

Despite working out of a small space in his house, he has scored some big-name orders including a sheer corset dress for Beyonce on her Renaissance tour -- a sign of his skill and the increasing attraction of climate-conscious design.

"I come from a family of surfers, of fishermen. When you come from a small town, you're connected to nature, you learn to respect it," said Obegero.

He says Nona Source has allowed him to work in the big leagues.

"People are more conscious about which products they purchase... but it can be complicated to offer something really sustainable at an affordable price."

- Evolving beauty -

As pressure mounts on the fashion industry to manage its mountains of waste and massive ecological impact, initiatives like Nona Source are multiplying.

Luxury behemoths like LVMH can afford to make an effort -- and also understand the marketing value.

It has ambitious aims such as shifting transport from planes to boats, training suppliers in better water-management, and investing in tech-driven new textiles like vegan leather (it says it tested 300 such innovations last year).

But Helene Valade, LVMH's head of sustainability, says the company's main role is to "evolve" people's understanding of beauty.

"That's really our power. Ten years ago when we wore something recycled, people found it ugly. That's no longer the case," she told AFP.

"Beauty is no longer something that is completely smooth, perfect, straight... It's also what designers can do with recycled fabrics."

Some are sceptical.

"Until they get PVC plastic out of their supply chain, especially at Louis Vuitton, LVMH will never be a green company," said Dana Thomas, author of "Fashionopolis" about the industry's climate impact.

Louis Vuitton, the world's biggest-selling luxury brand, makes most of its money from its monogrammed bags, which are made from PVC-coated canvas.

- 'Major change' -

Thomas welcomes ideas like Nona Source, but finds it frustrating.

"It's a sensible idea. So why weren't they already doing this 20 years ago?" she said.

"Fashion is so behind compared to, say, the automobile industry. You can now buy an electric truck, but bags are still made from plastic?!"

She says a new generation of fashion executives are finally paying attention, and Nona Source is seeing the impact as an increasing amount of the deadstock it receives is already made from recycled textiles.

"We are seeing a real major change," said Brabo.

As he spoke to AFP, in walked Charles de Vilmorin, the 27-year-old prodigy who was creative director for Rochas and runs his own Paris label.

"I come here for inspiration. I like to be surprised," said De Vilmorin.

"I find it wonderful that they give new life to these materials, that they are not thrown away or destroyed... It's very important."

er/nmc/gv

LVMH

Related Links
Our Polluted World and Cleaning It Up

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
FROTH AND BUBBLE
US announces tough tap water standards for 'forever chemicals'
Washington (AFP) April 10, 2024
US President Joe Biden's administration on Wednesday announced the first nationwide tap water standards to protect the public from toxic "forever chemicals" linked to serious health harms ranging from cancers to developmental damage in children. Invisible and present in the water, soil, air and food supply, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) accumulate inside our bodies and never break down in the environment. A new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule would reduce PFAS exposure i ... read more

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Water release resumes after partial power outage at Fukushima plant

Satellite data reveals subsidence risk for a third of China's urban population

Putin calls to protect flood-hit areas from looting

Space Technology's Role in Disaster Management and Climate Monitoring

FROTH AND BUBBLE
US firms reestablish rare earth element production

Machine learning identifies hybrid glass-crystal phase in study

New NMR technique enhances understanding of zeolite structures

New 3D-printed elastomer advances soft robotics and wearable tech

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Rising sea levels threaten coastal infrastructure integrity worldwide

How light can vaporize water without the need for heat

Ecuador hit by power cuts of up to 13 hours amid drought

Solomons' PM contender vows to abolish China security pact

FROTH AND BUBBLE
From peak to plummet: impending decline of the warm Arctic-cold continents phenomenon

Ocean currents drive rapid Antarctic ice shelf melting

Boreal forest and tundra regions worst hit over next 500 years of climate change, study shows

Arctic Ice Loss and Atmospheric Variability: Unveiling Their Role in Climate Shifts

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Wine growers 'on tip of Africa' race to adapt to climate change

Waste not want not: Peruvian drive to feed more with less

Record heat rots cocoa beans threatening Ivory Coast agriculture

Farmers dump sheep killed by wolves in front of Swiss government building

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Slow recovery as Dubai airport, roads still deluged

Indonesia evacuating thousands after volcano erupts, causing tsunami threat

What's causing the record-bad floods in Russia?

Greek wildlife groups warn against govt flood recovery plan

FROTH AND BUBBLE
IMF chief urges attention to war-ravaged Yemen, Sudan

Saudi Arabia to host Sudan peace talks in next three weeks: US

Thousands protest in Niger for US troops to leave

Chad junta chief launches presidential campaign without main rivals

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Evidence of long term human occupation in lava tube cave in Saudi Arabia

Schoningen Discoveries Highlight Wood's Vital Role in Early Human Technology

Activists slam new Hong Kong ID card policy for trans people

Paleolithic sites near water sources key to understanding early human hunting practices

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.