Solis Magazine Fashion Editorial – Loop, tribe of tomorrow

Photography by Alina Ferraro
Model: Ariadna Arefeva
Beauty: Gabriella Dell Albani
Styling: Isabelle do Prado

Sustainable fashion is about aiming for a circular economy, the possibility to close the loop by looping everything in the value chain, by using bio-based materials from sustainably managed resources or by recycling.

The change is guided by the concept of circular economy. Instead of today’s linear structure where each business and production process is individually optimized, the circular economy focuses on how to maximize the processes collectively and secure as a low environmental impact as possible. It means resource minimization and efficient resource use. Products and materials are designed to be upgraded or re-circulated and used again through as many cycles as possible. It implies intentionally designed systems where products are linked to materials cycles and designed for disassembly and repurposing. The concept is closely related to Closed Loop, Blue Economy, and other similar concepts.

Fashion faces severe global environmental and social challenges. Consumerism is driven by population growth and economic development. The world population is expected to reach 9.2 billion in 2050 and the number of middle-class consumers is expected to triple by 2030. The growing volumes in fashion mean that the already significant environmental impact from the fashion industry is increasing. As a consumer how can I act sustainably? How can a producer still generate profit in a world with more reuse focus? What types of new business models can appear? And how will these become attractive by consumers? How do we secure to close the loop, what do we do with the worn-out waste? The questions are many and there is no one-fix-all solution.

By wearing garments we express ourselves and show our view to the world. Today’s fashion could be a powerful tool for spreading awareness of sustainability and circularity, closing the loop.