Category Archives: Shared Talent India Project

Responsible Sourcing // The future is bright

The challenge of sourcing responsible material is a large barrier for many designers wanting to take steps toward responsible design. Thanks to initiatives and organizations such as the Centre for Sustainable Fashion’s Shared Talent India, Ethical Fashion Forum’s annual Spotlight on Sourcing Expo (more info. here), Offset Warehouse and Source4Style, however, the future is bright.

Here’s some more exciting news on the responsible sourcing front:

Working with the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, The Sustainable Angle will present the Future Fabrics Expo at London College of Fashion on November 29-30.

“With an emphasis on a high quality luxurious offering, diverse fabrics will be displayed in visual and tactile ‘stories’ to showcase the commercial potential and versatility of textiles from over 50 suppliers.” (The Sustainable Angle)

In October, Summer Rayne Oakes and Benita Singh took home a Cartier Women’s Initiative Award for Source4Style. Stay tuned to their site, as they gear up to launch Source4Style v2.0 in early December. In the meantime, here’s a preview:

Educating and Engaging // Shared Talent India, Centre for Sustainable Fashion

Shared Talent India encourages “fashion designers to exchange expertise with other protagonists across the supply chain, transcending traditional divisions, be they linguistic, geographic, or discipline based.” (Shared Talent India)

Designers can now access much needed information on opportunities and limitations of materials in India such as cotton and silk (among others). While designers may feel discouraged when they learn that genetically modified (GM) cotton “has found its way into almost every Indian supply chain,” they will no doubt understand the opportunity for change, as it exists in India, when they learn that “[s]eed exchange projects empower farming communities” (Shared Talent India).   

The project also provides information on the historical and cultural significance of skills such as weaving and knitting, dyeing and printing, embroidery, etc., as well as information on their processes. And, most important to designers, Shared Talent India presents a platform not only for education, but for engagement with direct access to suppliers on the ground.

Visit the project, get informed and join in on the industry conversation!

Congratulations to the Shared Talent India design team, their partners and funders and to the Centre for Sustainable Fashion for making this brilliant project happen.