Conference of the People will be held live from London and streamed worldwide on 6th September 2022.

The unprecedented event will allow PUMA’s industry peers, activists and consumers to come together and discuss solutions to some of the fashion industry’s most pressing sustainability challenges whilst amplifying the voices of young people around the world.

Not just a pretty face, Cara Delevingne is also a keen activist, she said: “Together with PUMA, I have worked on sustainability topics for several years and together we have launched more sustainable collections such as Exhale.”

“It is important to continue the debate about this topic so we can find solutions to environmental issues such as climate change, waste management and biodiversity.” We couldn’t agree more!

Hosted by Cara, PUMA CEO Bjørn Gulden and PUMA CSO Anne-Laure Descours, the brand is compiling panels that will feature some of the most prominent voices in sustainable fashion along with some famous faces.

Topics for discussion will include tackling waste, using more sustainable materials, impacting climate change and finding ways for the industry to collaborate to achieve results sooner.

“We will focus on Gen Z during this event, as we want to give this generation a voice when it comes to the decisions that have to be made today to shape a more sustainable future,” said Bjørn Gulden, CEO of PUMA.

Recently praised for topping the Business of Fashion’s Sustainability Index 2022, earlier this year PUMA announced that it had reduced its carbon emissions between 2017 and 2021 and aims to make nine out of 10 products from more sustainable materials by 2025. To learn more about Conference of the People and to register interest visit PUMACOP.com and follow @PUMA and @PUMA.UK on socials. The event will start on September 6 at 12pm BST and the live stream will be free to access.

Words by Emily Hemsley

^{Header Image Courtesy of Puma}

The post PUMA Announces Fashion Sustainability Conference Supported by Cara Delevingne for Gen Z appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Vintage shopping has been popular for ages. Many people do it rightfully for environmental reasons, others because it’s cheaper and some because they are chasing the aesthetic. But what is truly buzzing right now, and for good reasons, is the art of reworked clothing. Not only is it good for the planet, but by wearing reworked clothes you’ll elevate your style in ways you never experienced before, as the creativity behind the reconstruction of garments is unique for each piece, and you’re guaranteed to be the only person rocking your outfit. Here are some Instagram based brands you need to follow asap:

@Expensivethebrand

Expensivethebrand is the quintessential reworked clothing brand. It proves that vintage doesn’t necessarily have to look old, and it can elevate even the most contemporary style. By incorporating sexy and high-fashion details into streetwear, it certainly claims the spot as one of the most attractive brands of the moment.

@Lois1xblue

The Manchester graduate designer is making football merch sexy, and that says a lot about the creativity behind their garments. Every reworked look is simply stunning, and the barely-there bodysuits have become a staple for the brand, even worn by the likes of Kim Kardashian. Their clothes are innovative, trendy and truly out of the box, and curated in such an avant-garde way that is impossible to resist.

@Matacomplex

Patchwork has always been trendy, but this British designer can be considered the queen. Using vibrant electrified hues of blue/ pink and green and yellow, the cropped asymmetrical patchwork designs are simply divine. Fabrics can be knit, nylon or even lycra. For every creation it’s like looking at a messy nuclear kaleidoscope made to be adored.

@ai_mei__li

This designer’s brand makes hippy, deconstructed clothing fashionable again. The inventiveness of their designs is astounding, and every single look seems to have come out of a fantasy world.

@Randomaffects

The NYC based brand has some of the most unique and edgy pieces you’ve ever seen. If you’re looking for a real authentic streetwear vibe or simply to be inspired, take a look at their stunning upcycled creations.

@urban.reworks

This edgy and unique brand plays on the duality of dressing down as a way to dress up, using ‘fashionable’ humour to attract customers. The fabrics are from brands such as Nike and other sportswear designers, and the logos are reminiscent to the original brands but with a twist of humour. It is a beautiful mélange of colorful, original and comfortable clothes that will surely make you stand out.

Words By Tommaso Donati

The post Reuse, Rework and Re-Love: Upcycling Brands To Follow ASAP appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Eco-friendly beauty products are now more available than ever before. Sustainability has become increasingly popular recently due to the deteriorating environment. When it comes to beauty, the industry is sadly well known for its negative impact on the environment. However, many beauty brands have been changing the ingredients within their products and how they package them. We have collated a few of the brands offering sustainable beauty products.

Face Halo

Are you still using cotton pads to take off your makeup? It’s time to swap out the cotton pads and start using the Face Halo Makeup Remover Pad. Used by makeup professionals, the award-winning Face Halo is highly rated. As well as removing all your makeup, it will also deeply cleanse the skin while gently exfoliating. This dual-sided reusable makeup remover replaces up to around 500 cotton makeup wipes! To use the Face Halo, wet the pad with cold or warm water and softly wipe away your makeup. The Face Halo removes stubborn mascara by adding more water to the pad and holding it on the eyes for 10 seconds.

£ 17.95

Face Halo Pads

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£ 55

Face Halo Gift Box

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Spectrum Brushes 

The well-loved brand Spectrum is based around doing better for our planet. They continually strive to make more sustainable choices, and their products are vegan. The Spectrum Beauty Fix 6 Piece Brush Set is an essential set to start with when making the change to using sustainable makeup brushes. Within the brush set, you’ll receive six brushes to create a full face of makeup including, the A03 foundation brush and the B04 eyeshadow blending brush. After using these cruelty-free, high-quality brushes, your makeup will look flawless. On Earth Day 2021, Spectrum shared to their Instagram how they REDUCE RE-USE and RECYCLE as a brand. The post also included how they have designed new plastic-free packaging. The brushes are available to buy in various colours and patterns, so there is something for everyone. Spectrum Brushes are the sustainable swap to make this year.

£ 30

Spectrum Brushes Zodiac Set

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£ 35

Spectrum Brushes 6pc Set

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Fenty Skin Refills

Sustainability sits at the heart of Fenty Skin. One of the ways Fenty Skin is environmentally friendly is by their refillable packaging. Popular products such as the Hydra Vizor Invisible Moisturiser and SPF have a refillable option to purchase to save buying a whole new one. As well as being cruelty-free and vegan, the Hydra Vizor is also non-comedogenic, meaning it is suitable for those with acne-prone skin. As it says in its name, this SPF is invisible. Therefore, it works well on all skin tones. 

Another Fenty Skin product in the refillable range is the Overnight Recovery Gel-Cream Refill. This overnight cream will give the skin the boost of moisture it needs for plumper skin with hyaluronic acid. Over time, fine lines and pores will visibly improve in appearance. Just like the SPF, the overnight Recovery Gel-Cream is non-comedogenic. When it comes to finishing your Fenty Skin product, you can recycle the inner container and refill it. Refills save a lot of plastic and extra waste. So it’s necessary to consider refills when you are purchasing a new product.

£ 64

Fenty Beauty Day + Night Moisturiser Bundle SPF

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£ 28

Fenty Hyrda Vizor Refill

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£ 36

Fenty Gel Refill

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Garnier Shampoo Bars

As of 2021, Garnier shifted towards a more environmentally focused and sustainable future. Available now are various products that include environmentally friendly ingredients and packaging. Garnier is now offering four different shampoo bars, each targeting a hair concern. Shampoo bars are not only better for the planet, but they are a lot better for your hair health. They don’t include any nasty ingredients as many shampoos do and, shampoo bars last much longer than a liquid shampoo. The Garnier Shampoo Bars can last up to two months. They are easy to use and will leave your hair feeling softer and nourished. A shampoo bar is an easy swap to make with many more benefits for you and your environment. 

£ 7.99

Garnier Ultimate Blends Honey Treasures Strengthening Shampoo Bar for Damaged Hair

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£ 3.99

Garnier Ultimate Blends Delicate Oat Strengthening Shampoo Bar for Damaged Hair

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Wild Deodorant

Spray deodorant harms the environment due to the chemicals used within them. However, Wild has designed a sustainable deodorant made from recycled plastic and anodised aluminium. The deodorant comes in a customisable case and has compostable, 100% recyclable refills. Wild have produced this deodorant with active natural ingredients and added essential oils for the scent. Moisturising and hydrating, this deodorant is the perfect sustainable beauty buy to level up your eco-friendly game. Wild are transparent about what goes into their deodorants, so you know what’s going onto your skin.

By making these simple swaps, you’re taking the first steps towards a cleaner future. Always look for recyclable packaging or packaging made from recycled materials. Zero waste beauty is our future so let’s start making changes now.

£ 25

The “For Her” Pack – Wild Natural Deodorant

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£ 25

The Spring Pack – Wild Natural Deodorant

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Words By Eleanor Coleman

The post Eco-Beauty: Sustainable Beauty Buys To Add To Your Basket appeared first on Voir Fashion.

It’s been one year and five months since I decided to stop buying fast fashion. I’d always been partial to a quick peruse around a vintage market or charity shop, but I’d never really thought about the morals behind shopping this way, or its positive impact on the planet. It’s probably horribly clichéd to watch one documentary and suddenly dramatically alter your lifestyle (I’m referring to the part of my lifestyle that involved blowing my student loan on weekly ASOS parcels), but that’s essentially what happened.

I told myself that my decision to write about ‘sustainable fashion’ for my final year dissertation was purely observational – I’d be looking in on the increasingly popular buzzword as an impartial bystander. After all, the term was so vague and overused. I had a reusable coffee cup, I always carried a spare tote bag around with me in case of an impromptu trip to Tesco Metro – but there was no way I’d be giving up my love of fun, experimental fashion in lieu of linen tunics and organic cotton basics. I don’t do basics. But here’s the inside scoop: fun and experimental fashion doesn’t have to cost the earth, nor the quality of life of some of its most vulnerable inhabitants. 

So, in October 2019, I sat down with a cup of tea and pressed play on Andrew Morgan’s seminal documentary The True Cost (2015). The documentary’s main case study was the tragic collapse of a Bangladesh garment factory called Rana Plaza in 2013, in which employees had expressed concern about the building’s safety only hours before. Over 1,000 garment workers were killed in the incident. There are plenty of other reasons to cut down on your fashion habits, fast or otherwise, including the fact that it takes an estimated 2,000 litres of water to produce one pair of jeans (UN Environment Programme, 2019). Morgan’s documentary includes a plethora of similarly shocking facts, and I implore anybody who hasn’t already watched it to do so. It’s important. 

But the thing that surprised me the most after my eye-opening viewing of The True Cost (after successfully retrieving my jaw from the floor, that is) was the ease at which I could stop buying the poor quality clothing and plastic jewellery I so loved. I deleted my shopping apps, avoided the websites and unsubscribed to the emails of what had been my favourite fast fashion retailers, and that was that. No more ‘Hey Bae! Want 20% off?’, ‘We miss you! Here’s a cheeky discount on us!’ or ‘Buy this piece of plastic cloth for £0.36p in the Black Friday sale!’ flooding my inbox. What I didn’t do, however, was stop shopping. I needed to fill the gaping hole in my life that fast fashion had left, and I did so by regularly hitting the parade of charity shops that sat conveniently between my university and my house. I’d wander home from a lecture and just ‘quickly’ pop into Scope or The British Heart Foundation. These ‘quick’ trips usually ended up taking around an hour and whilst this was miles better than my previous habits – it still wasn’t great.

 I was contributing money to charities, and giving clothes that would otherwise be in landfill a new life. So what was the problem? Here’s the problem: I was still consuming a mass of poor quality clothing and plastic jewellery – just secondhand. Having convinced myself ‘if it’s from a charity shop, it’s fine’, I continued to consume. And consume. And consume some more. 

Gradually, I’ve reined it in a little with the impulse thrifting. The pandemic helped (not a sentence I would utter in ANY other area of life), but I was still able to access my favourite online secondhand platforms. Scrolling Vinted became a habit (read: addiction) during lockdown, but I now limit myself to one or two visits to the app per week, which rarely result in actual purchases. I also had to avoid Facebook for a while after joining the Swap Family group and swapping out half my wardrobe for new pieces, a lot of which ended up back on the group once the novelty of *new things* had worn off. These are all great platforms, by the way, when used healthily. Whatever that means. 

No documentary was ever going to stop me from craving new things – that’s human nature. But the part of fashion I love most is being playful and trying new things, and I’ve learnt that it’s possible to do this without taking a huge, hypothetical crap on the planet. Shopping isn’t something you can get ‘right’, and I don’t expect everybody to stop buying fast fashion altogether. Hell, I know that’s not happening any time soon. But here are some simple tips for the budding conscious consumer: 

– If you see something you like/want/‘OMG NEEEED’, check Depop, Vinted, ASOS Marketplace, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Vestiaire Collective, etc. for similar styles or the exact piece. If you don’t find it the first time you look, don’t give up straight away. Sellers are uploading new things constantly. 

– Search for vintage alternatives! Fashion is cyclical. If there’s a trend you’re into at the minute, there’s a chance people were into it 20 years ago. Have a lookie. 

– If you’re going completely cold turkey on fast fashion, you don’t have to turn to expensive sustainable brands if you don’t have the budget. It is, however, a good idea to save for quality versions of the garments you love and wear most. For me, that’s underwear and jeans. 

– Scour Depop and Instagram for small businesses to buy from. There are quite literally thousands of them – and they’re fun! The cute thank-you-notes, the little bags of Haribo, the pretty tissue paper, the fact that you won’t pass multiple people in the street wearing the exact same thing. 

£ 785

Jean Vintage Chanel Monogram Tank

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£ 214

Gucci Vintage Criss Cross Sandals

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£ 11

Gemini Accessories Rae Earrings

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£ 70

Tommy Hilfiger Dungarees Denim Short

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£ 42

Xfemina Satin Knickers

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£ 80

Vintage Vivienne Westwood Tartan Handbag

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£ 6

Gilberrt Cocoa Gingham Oversized Scrunchie

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£ 235

Chanel CC Sunglasses

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£ 18

Lazy Disco Flirty Hearts

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£ 75

Jean Vintage D&G Spellout Bracelet

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I’m still far from a perfect consumer, but I’ll let you in on a secret: there’s no such thing. I simply made the decision to start making more informed decisions about my purchases, and want people to know that it wasn’t as tricky as I’d suspected. Not to be cynical or anything, but I suppose that’s my little contribution to our crumbling world.

Here are links and lists for more help and starting points, so you can become a more concious consumer:

DOCUMENTARIES:
The True Cost
Stacey Dooley Investigates: Fashion’s Dirty Secrets

APPS:
Good On You
Whering

BOOKS:
Fashionopolis
Stitched Up – The Anti Capitalist Book of Fashion

SMALL/INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES:
@withloveevie
@geminiaccessories
@itsrooper
@milliejaneuk
@junkldn
@gilberrt.uk
@gingham_girls_studio
@lazy_disco
@xfeminadesigns
@soulandflare

Words By Pippa Simmonds

The post Why I Cut Ties with Fast Fashion appeared first on Voir Fashion.