The fashion industry wastes about 17 million tons of clothing each year. With our carbon footprint at the forefront of our minds, companies, as well as individuals, must reflect and revise their practices.
The Earth Polo, $90, Polo Ralph Lauren, The Forum Shops at Caesars.
Take, for example, Ralph Lauren. The brand’s recently unveiled The Earth Polo—an eco-take on its classic shirt shape—is arguably identical in appearance to the original, yet how it’s produced makes all the difference.
Available for both men and women in four distinctive hues, the shirt is made from thread derived entirely from recycled plastic bottles and dyed using an innovative process that requires no water—a manufacturing feat that shows the brand’s ability to adapt its systems and functions to meet current global needs. “Ralph Lauren will commit to removing at least 170 million bottles from landfills and oceans by 2025,” says Chief Innovation Officer David Lauren. “Plastic waste is a major issue threatening the environment. We want to be part of the solution and utilize an innovative approach to create something valuable.” Fashion that speaks as much to responsibility as it does to style? Now that’s innovation.