Articles
Sustainability is a tricky one
arrow_backTo the overview04 July 2023
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Most people in the design industry - whether it's fashion or furniture - agree that sustainability is something that should be incorporated into the design process because we can and must all do better. But there are a lot of regulations. And understanding many of these regulations can be challenging, as they are frequently being changed and becoming more stringent.
The design, furniture and interior design industries are generally working hard to achieve important and prestigious certifications. More and more are becoming B Corp certified and Nordic Swan Ecolabelled, and most consumers increasingly take for granted that the wood used to make their furniture is FSC certified.
But stricter requirements are on the way from the EU, which will be introduced in 2025. The Confederation of Danish Industry estimates that it will affect around 41,000 Danish companies. The requirements will require greater insight into understanding materials, circular business models and circular production development.
Difficult to do the right thing
In recent years, several Danish companies have marketed their products as being sustainable without being able to provide documentation for the claim. This is what is known as greenwashing and misleading marketing.
In December 2022, the consumer ombudsman, Christina Toftegaard Nielsen, announced that she would start reporting companies to the police for greenwashing. Before this time, only warnings had been issued to companies that did not follow the guidelines. In December 2022, the first greenwashing verdict was passed, and there have been several more since then. Guidelines on the subject have been in place since 2011, so companies should not be surprised by the ruling.
"It is harmful to both the green transition and to the individual consumer when companies market their products as less harmful to the environment than they really are. Consumers must be in a position where they can trust the information provided by companies about their products," said Christina Toftegaard Nielsen.
To be on the safe side of the law, sustainability must be documented, for example in the form of evidence that the production of the product has not degraded the environment and depleted the planet's resources to the detriment of future generations.
New initiatives in the fashion industry
In the fashion industry, a new textile strategy from the EU has just come into force, tightening the regulations for sustainable clothing production. But actually, almost half of the fashion industry's leaders are not familiar with the textile strategy. This was revealed in Dansk Fashion and Textile's large annual survey of the industry's sustainability work. Below you will find an overview of the EU's new textile strategy in six main points:
- The Ecodesign Directive will cover textiles in the future. Over the next two years, it will be decided which textiles will be included and what specific requirements should be defined for durability, quality, etc.
- A digital product passport will be part of the review of the entire product policy in the EU. This is about transparency and traceability, among other things.
- Greenwashing must be discouraged and it must be made difficult to promote 'green' claims. If companies use words like 'green', it must be substantiated and, for example, trigger fines.
- The aim is that in the future, companies will not be allowed to destroy textiles that are not sold or that are returned and cannot be sold.
- Extended producer responsibility will also be introduced for textiles. This means that textile companies will have to pay for the waste management of their used textiles - even after they have been sold. This gives them an incentive to generate less waste.
- Plastic makes up 60-70 per cent of textiles. A strategy for microplastics will be developed that also includes textiles.
A concrete initiative
Formland honours some of those who are doing well in the name of sustainability. At the recent Spring trade fair, visitors were able to experience Circular Formland Days for the first time, a collaboration between Formland and the Lifestyle & Design Cluster. Circular Formland Days is a curated exhibition of different brands within design, interior, fashion and lifestyle. A common denominator for the exhibiting brands is that they have all been selected based on a number of circularity criteria to help inspire the industry to think more circularly as part of a greener future.
"In collaboration with Lifestyle & Design Cluster, we have created a concept that we cannot stop marvelling at. Their competences in the field combined with our resources have proven to be a perfect match. We have been extremely satisfied with what we have been able to present, but ultimately it is the reception that is the measure of success, and that is what we are most satisfied with," says Flemming Andersen, Project Manager at Formland.
The exhibition was a success at the Spring trade fair where it received positive feedback from the visitors; as a result, Circular Formland Days will return in August at the Autumn trade fair. Like last time, visitors will have the opportunity to participate in guided tours of the exhibiting brands.
