BRITISH FASHION COUNCIL LAUNCHES ‘INSTITUTE OF POSITIVE FASHION’

The British Fashion Council (BFC) today launched the Institute of Positive Fashion (IPF) website in recognition of World Ocean Day. The IPF has been developed to help the British fashion industry lead in the goal to be more resilient, circular, equal, and fair through global collaboration and local action. The website brings together global resources, information, and campaigns to help businesses increase knowledge and embrace sustainable and people led best practices.

To tie in with this launch, and World Ocean Day, Cyrill Gutsch, CEO and founder of Parley for the Oceans, will join the BFC advisory board and the IPF steering committee. To reciprocate the partnership, Caroline Rush, BFC CEO will join the advisory board of Parley for the Oceans.  

The result of this partnership will involve pro-active projects for students, education, and mentoring, with Parley providing dedicated missions for the BFC and IPF network. The BFC and IPF network will help raise awareness for Ocean Conservation and, in line with the IPF environment pillar’s initial focus on reducing waste, the organizations will support Parley on a campaign to phase out single-use plastics as part of its commitment to Parley AIR (Avoid. Intercept. Redesign), Parley’s strategy to end marine plastic pollution.

In February 2020, the BFC launched the IPF Global Initiatives Map at Downing Street, as the first step to bring global resources into one place and align to the IPF pillars of responsibility Environment, People, Craft, and Community as well as identify how they support the UN Sustainable Development Goals. At the time, the BFC set the ambition to help future proof businesses in the context of adapting to climate change. Now every business is called to also adapt to the COVID-19 crisis and answer the call to finally end prejudice, racism, and injustices against human rights. the industry must take this time to focus on a re-set, and reinvent the status quo with collaboration, compassion, and eco-innovation.

“Thank you to the steering committee for the time each week to support the launch of the IPF and this website that will empower business to have the knowledge they need to re-set,” said Rush. “At times of crisis, there is an opportunity to vision a new future. The UK’s creativity leads not just in design, but business thinking and there are no better businesses to now focus on what the industry should look like, who our workforces are, how they should be treated and the impact innovation can have on our national communities. We are proud to announce on World Oceans Day, but also to share a platform where we can pool global resources and unite in action. There is so much more our industry can do, in so many ways. It has a powerful voice that influences many and it should be used to confront issues from the environment to tackling racism and prejudice.”

“Fashion is made from this innovative fabric of creativity, craftsmanship, and collaboration,” added Gutsch. “It is built on dreams. Our partnership with the British Fashion Council will support us to make our AIR Strategy the new standard for a new dream, one where toxic ingredients and harmful production methods are relics of the past. Together we will drive the Material Revolution! Avoid. Intercept. Redesign.”