The Great Britain and Northern Ireland Campaign joined forces with the British Fashion Council on November 9 to host the Great Fashion for Climate Action Showcase at COP26.
The event was a showcase of UK innovation. Several designers were represented, including Stella McCartney, Phoebe English, and Burberry. The various designers displayed the UK’s commitment towards climate change through fashion innovation. They used their products to promote climate action.
Great, the UK’s most prominent international marketing campaign encourages people to see things differently. Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the UK, stated that the Great campaign “showcases the best UK creativity and ingenuity around the world” and that it was “brilliant for these British fashion brands to innovate and lead the industry towards a better future.”
Caroline Rush, CEO of British Fashion Council, presided over the showcase at Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum.
Arizona Muse, a model and activist for sustainability, presented the brands’ steps forward at the show. She was wearing Mother of Pearl clothing. No Frills, the brand’s first sustainable line, was launched in 2018. It now uses organic cotton, wool, and Tencel in most of its collections.
Stella McCartney is working on a plant-based material that grows from the vegetative portion of a fungus. Priya Ahluwalia transforms secondhand and deadstock clothing into new products.
Mulberry’s UK Somerset plants, which produce half of its products, are carbon neutral since 2019. Mulberry also pledged to be net zero in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.
Burberry has pledged to become net zero by 2040. Phoebe English developed a more extractive fashion process using only non-virgin materials. The company also reduced its fibre miles through manufacturing in London.
“We are happy to be able showcase our work and methods at the COP26 conference.” Phoebe English stated that the fashion industry has an enormous opportunity to contribute to healthier and less extractive systems.
