Putting the substance back into “sustainable fashion” by Kathleen Talbot

The word “sustainability” has lost its meaning. Whilst things can be more sustainable than others, the thing itself will generally not solve all our problems. So, how does Reformation define its sustainability?

August 2nd, 2021

Written by Kathleen Talbot | Chief Sustainability Officer and VP Operations at Reformation.

We hear “sustainable fashion” all the time, but it’s difficult to know what it actually means. 

Let’s start with sustainability. Sustainability is one of our big global challenges. It describes an end state that protects the ability of future generations to meet their needs and have access to the same resources and quality of life we do today. That is still a very aspirational goal. I catch myself describing activities or things as “sustainable,” which is really not accurate. The dress I’m wearing isn’t sustainable. This dress is more sustainable in that it uses fewer resources and is made responsibly, but it alone won’t solve all our problems. However if everyone made stuff in this same way, it would support the global realization of a sustainable future. So for us at Reformation, our commitment to sustainability is making the big and small decisions that drive for better, and  positively impact  people and the planet. What’s sustainable now might not be sustainable enough tomorrow, but we’ll feel we’re contributing to a better future when 100% of our stuff is climate positive, circular, and made with fair labor. 

So if that’s the vision, the fashion industry has a lot of work to do. We all need to do more and move faster. And as we go, we’ll need much greater supply chain traceability to substantiate our work and progress. We need to know exactly where our stuff comes from at every level of the supply chain, so we know it’s checking all our other boxes. Traceability is essential to setting and maintaining rigorous sourcing and production standards, and ultimately, to designing for circularity. 

And it’s one thing to do that work behind the scenes, but it’s another to share it with your customers. Conscious consumers want to ensure that no harm is done by the products they buy. If a brand is making sustainability-related claims (i.e. recycled or regenerative fibers, fair trade), the customer needs proof that these practices are legit and actually aligned with their values. After hearing “sustainable fashion” so often, customers know to push beyond the marketing tagline, and look for the real substance. 

At Reformation, this means going deeper into our traceability efforts and using technology to unlock greater visibility into the forest and farm level. This allows us to influence better practices throughout our supply chain, and overshare our traceability efforts with our customers in quarterly sustainability reports, and as often as the Instagram algorithm will let us. That’s why we’ve been so excited about our partnership with FibreTrace that really lets us do both. 

I’m so encouraged to see how consumers are demanding better of brands, and making the connection that there are more costs to fashion than just the price tag -- and that we have to manage the costs on people and the planet too. Now it’s on brands to make sure we don’t abuse the sustainable marketing moment, and instead, double-down on investing in the real work that will transform our industry. 

About Kathleen Talbot

Kathleen Talbot is the Chief Sustainability Officer and VP Operations at Reformation.

Kathleen joined Reformation in 2014 to build a sustainable and scalable supply chain, and a framework for incorporating sustainability into all business practices. Reformation designs and manufactures limited-edition collections in its Los Angeles factory, and is 100% carbon, water, and waste neutral. Kathleen leads Factory operations, Logistics, Customer Love and Facilities as well as Sustainability programs that range from material sourcing, supply chain compliance, life cycle impact reporting, and operational efficiencies to make beautiful styles at a fraction of the impact generated by most fashion brands. Kathleen also works on customer-facing campaigns and services to raise awareness around the impact fashion has on people and the planet, and to offer easy, impactful solutions.