Sustainability Round-up January 2023

Jan 29

With the Year of the Rabbit coming close, many international brands are launching limited-edition collections, exhibitions, and events to welcome the Year of the Rabbit and to embrace the massive Chinese market. Besides, as China has dropped all remnants of its ‘Covid Zero’ policy, for brands and retailers, there is good reason to be celebrating China’s reopening.

BRANDS

British luxury lifestyle brand Mulberry has collaborated with the animated character Miffy on a limited-edition capsule collection celebrating the Year of the Rabbit for the Lunar New Year. The collection is underpinned by Mulberry’s ‘Made to Last’ ethos, crafted from 100% environmentally accredited carbon-neutral leather. Meanwhile, Chloé released ‘Chloé x My Melody’ capsule, partnering with Sanrio’s red hooded rabbit My Melody on an exclusive capsule collection of ready-to-wear, as well as home accessories.

Outwear brands also ride on the opportunity to engage with Chinese consumers. Arc'teryx released a limited edition Lunar New Year Capsule for the Year of the Rabbit, with renowned visual artist Zinan Lam and accomplished climber Alannah Yip. Meanwhile, Timberland® launched its "Year of the Rabbit" collection featuring works from Taiwanese sustainable fashion designer Jessica Chang, who has won the Redress Design Award 2021.

EVENTS

GREENEXT co-created a sustainable art installation together with Fuxing Place in Shanghai to celebrate the Spring Festival as well as Christmas. WWD Fashion Lab launched its debut exhibition "TECH(AE) STHETICS" with Honor in Shanghai, which features artists bringing a vision of an ideal world where all things live in harmony and realize the resonance of diverse cultures. Meanwhile, the Shanghai Museum of Glass is now hosting a new exhibition “My Flower Doesn't Have a Name Yet”, where a group of artists gave new life to discarded glass and ceramics provided by Corning Incorporated.

RETAIL

Starbucks Taiwan recently launched its first community concept cafe, in Xiulin Township, aiming to uplift indigenous people in Hualien County, which also donates a portion of its profits to Hualien County Private Heping Sustainable Charity Foundation to support a local emergency relief fund. In America, Chinese fashion group EP Yaying, which aims to offer contemporary international fashion styles with exquisite Chinese cultural identity for the modern woman, has opened its flagship U.S. store at the Avenue at American Dream. Meanwhile, in Shanghai, Atelier Changphel, a high-end interior lifestyle brand rooted in the culture of Tibet, opened its first store. As a high-end interior lifestyle brand from Tibet, Atelier Changphel adheres to social responsibility, and is committed to creating a contemporary and sustainable natural life with benevolent means, reviving purely manual processes and bringing the thickness of history.

LOW CARBON INITIATIVES

In hope of promoting low-carbon consumption in transportation, Shanghai's official smart transport platform, Suishenxing (随身行), launched a new function on Alipay's mini-program, where residents in Shanghai can now gain "green credits" when they choose to travel in an eco-friendly manner, such as taking Metro or public transport buses, etc.

EDUCATION

Environmental NGO Redress opened the Redress Design Award 2023, the 13th cycle of the world’s largest sustainable fashion design competition, at a prominent industry gathering in Hong Kong on 11 January, where fashion industry leaders with global influence gathered, just days after the resumption of normal travel between Hong Kong and the Mainland, to discuss the region’s opportunity to drive circular fashion globally. Online applications for the Redress Design Award 2023 are open from 12 January, and will close on 16 March 2023.

L. Danie