by Pamela Herring
1.What the brand is and what it does?
Stella McCartney is a luxury fashion brand started in 2001 that focuses on creating high-end products made from sustainable materials. Since the get-go, Stella has stated that “The starting point is not Design. The starting point is Sustainability,” advocating for ethical fashion and preaching earth-friendly practices.
2. What is its mission?
As stated on the designer’s website, the mission statement reads that “We are committed to operating a modern and responsible business,” and further explains that “We are agents of change. We challenge and push boundaries to make luxurious products in a way that is fit for the world we live in today and the future: beautiful and sustainable. No compromises. Each decision we make is a symbol of our commitment to defining what the future of fashion looks like. From never using leather or fur and pioneering new alternative materials to utilizing cutting edge technologies, pushing towards circularity, protecting ancient and endangered forests and measuring our impact with ground-breaking tools.”
3. Why do you think it is responsible?
I believe that the brand Stella McCartney is responsible because sustainability has been weaved into the company since it’s inception in 2001. From the beginning, all knitwear products have been made from re-engineered cashmere, fibers have been sourced from forests to help protect the environment, real animal fur/feathers/leather/skin has never wielded, all wool has been sourced from high quality welfare farms, recycled polyester and nylon are utilized, and synthetic silk made from yeast is beginning to be incorporated into the brand. Also, SM is passionate about measuring its impact via “a breakthrough decision-making tool called the Environmental Profit and Loss (EP&L) to measure and understand our impact on the environment that goes far beyond traditional environmental reporting.” (Stella McCartney) Developed by Kering, this tool is made to assist companies to better understand their environmental impact, and measures “greenhouse gas emissions, water use, water pollution, land use, air pollution and waste across our entire global supply chain. This insight drives innovation and helps us make better, more sustainable decisions on everything we do, from the way we source our materials to the way we make our clothes.” (Stella McCartney)
Sources “Mission Statement.” Stella McCartney, www.stellamccartney.com/experience/en/sustainability/themes/mission-statement/. “Silk.” Stella McCartney, www.stellamccartney.com/experience/en/sustainability/themes/materials-and-innovation/silk/. Franklin-Wallis, Oliver. “Stella McCartney Is on a Quest to Save You from the Fashion Industry.” WIRED UK, WIRED UK, 6 Dec. 2018, www.wired.co.uk/article/stella-mccartney-sustainable-fashion.