Copenhagen Fashion Week Leads By Example With Sustainability Action Plan
Beginning in 2023, designers must meet sustainability requirements to show.
Copenhagen Fashion Week is off to a promising start with the announcement of its Sustainability Action Plan, a two-year strategy to reduce environmental impact and accelerate industry change. By following its recently unveiled plan of action, the event aims to become zero-waste by 2022.
“The timeframe for averting the devastating effects of climate change on the planet and people is less than a decade, and we’re already witnessing its catastrophic impacts today. Put simply, there can be no status quo,” said Copenhagen Fashion Week CEO Cecilie Thorsmark.
The Sustainability Action Plan is split into two parts, one focusing on CFW itself and the second targeting larger industry reform. Falling under the first segment, the event will ban all single-use plastic hangers, garment bags and other materials by 2021 — brands slated to show will be provided with resources such as seminars, toolkits and recommended suppliers for producing zero-waste shows. Additionally, CFW will continue to offset carbon emissions from event material production and guests’ flights through RenSti, an initiative that plants millions of trees to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.
Part two of the action plan will foster transparency and self-reporting by providing sustainability descriptions in CFW’s brand biographies. Beginning in 2023, the event will only accept show applications from designers who meet a set of sustainability standards, which will be refined this year.
Head to Copenhagen Fashion Week’s website to learn about the full 2020-2022 Sustainability Action Plan.
