Discussions about the fashion industry thread

[Todd Shelton]

The conversation about sustainability had to start at some point, and how things start are rarely perfect. It’s a new problem were facing for the first time, so people and brands will make mistakes as they figure it out. And opportunists will game it. But imo where we're at in the conversation is better than if the conversation had never started.

 

[Zamb]

We're rightfully skeptical about sustainable practices being waved around by brands. It's such an ill defined term at this point that's become easily abused and made somewhat meaningless and suspect. I don't think that's a good thing.

over the last several months I have been invited to speak at about 3 panel discussions on sustainability. and one of the thing i said at the last one is that the word is too loose, too undefined and means different things to different people. for a real conversation to be had, the term needs to be better defined.

I find that most of the people promoting sustainability are some of the biggest bullshitters, and doing it FOR PROFIT rather than any genuine care

At one of these events I met a person connected with ASOS who asked if I would consider doing a collab with them, when i told her no, the discussion moved from sustainability to how much money could be made and ho big an audience my work could reach.............i said no i dont think this is the right kind of partnership for me, but so much for sustainability. I guess profits at all cost is sustainability too.............LOL

 

[cb200]

This came out a few days ago in terms of the conversation around sustainability: https://globalfashionagenda.com/ceo-agenda-2020/#

Seems pretty fair. But yeah, there's going to be lots of profiteering in the space and as Zamb called out BS slingers too.

Speaking of BS this is a good read on the subject: http://www2.csudh.edu/ccauthen/576f12/frankfurt__harry_-_on_bullshit.pdf

 

[Bromley]

Apologies if Vidalia Mills has been discussed around here and I missed it. They purchased the selvedge looms from Cone's White Oak mill, and recently set up a denim mill of their own in Louisiana. I'm excited for what they'll be doing. An article published about them today.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

Frankly, it's astonishing this conversation is so vague at this stage. The Brundtland Report on Sustainable Development, which was basically the 'how can we make sustainability work in capitalism' primer, came out more than 30 years ago. We've had the conversations about what sustainability means over and over in academic work and in government and policy. I can only assume that the big players in in the industry don't really give a ****, just like the big players in every other sector - because they've had long enough to start.

 

[cchen]

Apologies if Vidalia Mills has been discussed around here and I missed it. They purchased the selvedge looms from Cone's White Oak mill, and recently set up a denim mill of their own in Louisiana. I'm excited for what they'll be doing. An article published about them today.

This idea has seemed farfetched to me from the start. I'm all for keeping this industry in the US but the longevity seems doubtful. One of the major issues that Cone had was the lack of experienced, skilled workers who could operate and maintain the Drapers looms. Nowadays, are there people in the US who want to work in factories? I don't think so.

The article also touts the fabric's superior quality? I've been in the industry a while and never found Cone denim to be superior, pretty good, but never that interesting to me. Much prefer Japanese, Italian, and Turkish mills.

 

[cb200]

Nowadays, are there people in the US who want to work in factories? I don't think so.

It's not sexy work but if the composition meets local needs and people are treated well I've seen people be quite happy with factory work. No email in the morning. Leave work at work. Be part of a team making things you can touch. No one wanting to "speak to the manager". Applying skills to a thing and gaining mastery. Ability to focus on a single task... Yeah, it's not for everyone and it may not meet the intellectual and creative needs that some people have, but I think the positives exist. The one thing that is missing is any autonomy... but that's missing from lots of jobs.

 

[clee1982]

though modern manufacture might not afford you to do " the same thing" might have more random pivot than the older days...

 

[dieworkwear]

This idea has seemed farfetched to me from the start. I'm all for keeping this industry in the US but the longevity seems doubtful. One of the major issues that Cone had was the lack of experienced, skilled workers who could operate and maintain the Drapers looms. Nowadays, are there people in the US who want to work in factories? I don't think so.

The article also touts the fabric's superior quality? I've been in the industry a while and never found Cone denim to be superior, pretty good, but never that interesting to me. Much prefer Japanese, Italian, and Turkish mills.

My impression is that Cone closed because it was a huge operation and couldn't get the sales necessary to support their costs. Selvedge, raw denim was a tiny fraction of their production. Most of what they made was for larger, mass-market companies that sourced their materials abroad to keep costs down.

I imagine, if the operation is small, maybe they can supply denim to similarly small producers. Huston Textile in California operates like this.

 

[cchen]

Cone didn't close. They shut the white oak plant down which is where the selvage looms were located. Yes that space and overhead was way too big to support just the White Oak line. I heard rumors of of how much (or little) they actually sold and was surprised.

 

[beargonefishing]

The Gucci belt really brings the outfit together.

 

[smittycl]

Kentucky blows. Half my family is from there or still lives there. Kentucky blows.

 

[LA Guy]

This idea has seemed farfetched to me from the start. I'm all for keeping this industry in the US but the longevity seems doubtful. One of the major issues that Cone had was the lack of experienced, skilled workers who could operate and maintain the Drapers looms. Nowadays, are there people in the US who want to work in factories? I don't think so.

The article also touts the fabric's superior quality? I've been in the industry a while and never found Cone denim to be superior, pretty good, but never that interesting to me. Much prefer Japanese, Italian, and Turkish mills.

I think that the most innovative denim recently has come out of the Italian mills, like Candiana,

 

[ValidusLA]

We're rightfully skeptical about sustainable practices being waved around by brands. It's such an ill defined term at this point that's become easily abused and made somewhat meaningless and suspect. I don't think that's a good thing.

As well you should be. I do private label production for big box retailers ... particularly denim. They want to wave around things like the BCI and water saving tech but they dont care.

They want to talk about it but they don't want to pay to actualize it.

Or if they do they want to offset costs moving from affordable countries for production like China to the dreg factories of Dhaka.

 

[cb200]

"The agreement also requires Prada to appoint a diversity and inclusion officer within the next 120 days, at director level, with candidates approved by the commission."

Miuccia Prada Will Be Getting Sensitivity Training (Published 2020)

It’s part of a settlement the company reached with the New York City Commission on Human Rights to address recent racist incidents. Dior and Gucci are next.

www.nytimes.com

That's crazy to me.