Can this new label up the ante on carbon neutral fashion?
Can this new label up the ante on carbon-neutral fashion?Author:Whitney BauckPublish date:Oct 7, 2019When Gucci announced it was going carbon neutral in September, the news was received with much fanfare. But to Edzard van der Wyck, co-founder of brand-new label Sheep Inc., carbon neutrality should be considered the bare minimum commitment that fashion companies make.
That's his plan for Sheep Inc., the brand he co-founded with Michael Wessely and Gavin Erasmus. Launching next week with a single product — a merino wool sweater in a few different colorways — the brand promises to offset the carbon footprint of every one of its pieces "tenfold." On top of that, Van der Wyck says, the brand is careful to create its pieces in the most environmentally friendly way possible.
For all they seem to be getting right, it's not clear whether Van der Wyck and his partners fully understand the potential pitfalls of carbon offsetting if it's done wrong. Though Van der Wyck and Erasmus assert that they have an advisory panel with two experts on it helping them decide what kinds of carbon offsets to invest in, they're also quick to share that they're investing in REDD+ forestry projects.
Point taken — it's better to try to protect forests than not try because you might fail — but if you're consciously doing something that's impossible to ensure will be permanent, why promise permanence to your customers? Oversimplifying the matter, as many brands like to do, might make for snappier copy, but it doesn't come across as particularly honest or transparent.
When I bring this up to Van der Wyck and Erasmus, the interview takes an odd turn: Soon I'm the one being asked the questions. Erasmus asks me to share more details about my own research and opinions on the efficacy of climate-beneficial wool to gauge if it's "something worth pursuing."
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