Farfetch, the leading online platform for the luxury fashion industry, has launched the Farfetch fashion footprint tool to help their customers see how they can help the planet with their clothing choices.
The fashion footprint tool will help online customers pick products with lower environmental impacts, including second-hand clothes and those made using renewable materials. Farfetch also published an initial report looking into the environmental benefits of buying pre-owned fashion.
The report and new tool are a part of the unique strategies that Farfetch is implementing to become more sustainable.
Farfetch Fashion Footprint Tool: Benefits
Launched on their website, Farfetch’s new tool does not label the carbon, waste or water footprint of each piece of clothing. Instead, it provides an overview of whether the materials and manufacturing processes used to produce clothing, shoes and accessories are low-impact.
The fashion footprint tool will also inform consumers about the negative environmental impacts they will mitigate when purchasing second-hand clothing, compared with buying new garments. The data collected from research conducted by Farfetch was vital in the creation of the fashion footprint tool. The tool allows customers to access the research, alongside the launch of the new application.
Details of the Farfetch report
The report contained research that was commissioned by Farfetch in partnership with QSA, ICARO and the London Waste and Recycling Board. It focused on two key areas:
- Displacement rates: Does the purchase of a 2nd hand fashion garment replace the purchase of a new one, therefore reducing the demand and requirement for the use of new resources?
- Environmental impacts: What are the environmental impacts (e.g. carbon, water, waste) for fashion garments, which applied with the displacement rate above can indicate the environmental savings when someone purchases a pre-owned item.
Researchers asked a survey of 3,000 consumers across the UK, US and China whether those who purchase second-hand fashion typically do so to ‘displace’ a new purchase. More than half said that they buy second-hand items instead of new ones, as opposed to consuming more overall. As a result, the average purchase of one second-hand piece of clothing mitigates at least one kilogram of waste and 22 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions!
The survey also found the majority of consumers who chose second-hand fashion are not doing so because of environmental reasons. Only 13% cited environmental concerns as their key driver, compared with the 30% who seek rare items, and the 42% who do so for lower prices.
“With this research, we want to support our partners and more broadly the luxury industry, in helping to drive positive change. In addition to the core-business initiatives we are launching within the sustainability space, we aim to become a source for data and tools in the circular space to drive this positive change. This marks the first step into that direction.”
Giorgio Belloli, Chief Commercial & Sustainability Officer, Farfetch
Check-out the Farfetch Fashion Footprint Tool here and also download the “Understanding the environmental savings of buying pre-owned fashion” report. For more information on Farfetch’s sustainable strategies, you can also visit their website here.
Further Reading: Farfetch Sustainability: Luxury eCommerce leading the way. Read More