RIL, UN partner to reduce environmental impact on fashion industry

Reliance Industries’ (RIL) ‘Fashion for Earth’ initiative, in partnership with the United Nations in India and Lakmè Fashion Week launched the ‘Circular Design Challenge’ at the LFW Winter/Festive 2018 season. The challenge, open to all fashion and product designers in India, aims to recognise champions of sustainability in the fashion and apparel industry, and promote circular design thinking: innovation in waste materials and solutions to reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry.

While commenting on the partnership with the United Nations in India to drive circular economy concept for sustainable fashion, Vipul Shah, COO – Petrochemicals, RIL, said, “We are proud to associate with the UN and LFW for strengthening development of sustainable fashion in India.”

“This collaboration will provide the thrust on usage of material in a sustainable manner and inculcate participation of the people in sustainable fashion, thereby making them partners in contributing to the enhancement of the quality of life of our future generations.”

The challenge is being supported by UN Environment, the leading global voice on the environment. “In a world that is increasingly running out of natural resources, the linear system of take-make-dispose needs to be replaced with a traditional one, where reusing and recycling is almost second nature in India. Our collaboration with RIL is to mainstream the circular economy approach and demonstrate that when Industry leads from the front, it can have a catalyzing effect on the entire value chain and the environment,” says Atul Bagai, UN Environment, Country Head, India.

The designers will need to submit a proof concept of their sustainable collection, which must encompass key principles of circularity, sustainability, aesthetics and scalability. The designers can use any material for their collection, as long as it is up-cycled from diverse waste sources – including plastics.

The process will involve a call to entry, followed by an expert jury and announcement of the winner. The designer will win an opportunity to showcase the sustainable collection at the Lakmè Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2019.

The design challenge was launched at the dialogue on ‘Fashion and Sustainable Development’, hosted by the UN in India and LFW, with the aim to promote circularity in India’s fashion industry at the inaugural Sustainable Fashion Day, here in Mumbai.