Dublin designer Caoimhe Murphy may have only four collections behind her, but her commitment to sustainability makes her typical of the “new gen” of talent.
he fashion industry wants to support this focus on clothing that is “made to last” as it pushes for a greener, more innovative future.
The European Fashion Alliance (EFA) announced a package of measures and actions this week aimed at creating a more sustainable and inclusive future.
The first transnational alliance of European fashion councils and institutions, the EFA has 29 member organisations including the Council of Irish Fashion Designers (CIFD), which has 52 members here, the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode and the Camera Nazionale Della Moda Italiana.
The Green Deal formulated in 2019 by EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen – which aims to reduce net emissions of greenhouse gases to zero by 2050 – is something the fashion industry must urgently contribute to, according to the EFA.
Its four main objectives between now and 2027 include an ethical, social and sustainable code of conduct for members and, by extension, the fashion industry as a whole.
The EFA wants a new “green deal” for fashion at European level, to encourage fashion culture and businesses founded on a circular and social fashion ecosystem.
The European textile and clothing industry had a turnover of €147bn in 2021, with €81.6bn in textiles and €65.3bn in clothing.
The EFA wants to introduce sustainable and technological training and is putting a strong focus on the “empowerment of Generation Z and the new generations as leading forces of value in digital, circular and social transition of the fashion industry”.
Eddie Shanahan, the CIFD representative at the alliance, said: “If our goal is to create a sustainable fashion ecosystem, craftsmanship delivers two important things: high quality and durability.
“We must advocate for it, promote it, develop it further and explain how it adds value, not just in terms of price but in terms of culture as well.”
Commenting on the initiative, designer Caoimhe Murphy (26), who started her eponymous fashion label in 2021, said: “I particularly liked the ethical, sustainable, social code of conduct, which I hope will actually go beyond just the EFA members – and that other companies, big and small, will look to that as a benchmark in their organisation.
“I think the term sustainability should encompass not only the fabric sourcing but the entire supply chain.”
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