Four talented fashion designers have made the final stage of the inaugural SCAP Extending the Life of Clothes Design Award (SCAP ELC Award), announced today by WRAP.
If using Twitter please use #design4longevity
*Judging criteria:
i) Design process - what journey did they take to arrive at their final design? Using the A3 story boards show how the analysis of primary and secondary research justifies their solutions.
ii) Environmental - what benefits does their design bring to reducing the carbon, water and waste footprint of the product? Demonstrating what local or global issues their design is addressing and how the design can help to solve these issues.
iii) Innovation – how is the design innovative? Demonstration of a unique solution to a problem people are currently facing.
iv) Development and commercial potential - Is the design sound? Do they have a viable business model? Demonstrate how the idea can be taken further and be implemented within a commercial business model.
** WRAP research shows that if the active life of clothes were extended by just nine months it could reduce the carbon, water and waste footprints by 20-30% each, and save around £5 billion worth of the resources used to supply, launder and dispose of clothing. Valuing Our Clothes – The true cost of how we design, use and dispose of clothes in the UK
***SCAP 2020 signatories and supporters from across the UK, including – Stella McCartney, ASOS, John Lewis, M&S, Ted Baker and Whistles.
Key facts (from Valuing Our Clothes report):
• More than a million tonnes of clothes are supplied onto the UK market each year, and UK consumers spend £44 billion a year buying them. However, more than a third of these purchases end up in landfill when they’re finished with.
• Around £30 billion worth of clothes which they haven’t worn for a year hang in people wardrobes.
SCAP: SCAP’s ambition is to improve the sustainability of clothing across its lifecycle. By bringing together industry, government and the third sector it aims to reduce resource use and secure recognition for corporate performance through sector-wide targets. The SCAP 2020 Commitment sets out these targets. Leading clothing sector companies have signed up to the Commitment and pledged to measure and reduce their environmental footprints. SCAP 2020 has seven action areas – ‘Design for Longevity’ is one of these areas and the SCAP ELC Awards sit within this. SCAP is overseen by a Steering Group, consisting of major retailers, brands, recyclers, sector bodies, NGOs and charities, and include four working groups: Design, Re-use & Recycling, Influencing consumer behaviours and Metrics.
Love Your Clothes – is the consumer campaign, launched by WRAP in early 2014. It aims to raise awareness of the value of clothes and help consumers make the most of the clothes they already have. It’s focused on encouraging people to think about way they purchase, use and dispose of clothes. It provides easy and practical tips and advice on how to: make clothes last longer; reduce the environmental impact of laundering clothes; deal with unwanted clothes; and, make the most of what’s already in the wardrobe. www.loveyourclothes.com , Twitter: @loveyourclothes
About WRAP
WRAP’s vision is a world in which resources are used sustainably. It works in partnership to help businesses, individuals and communities improve resource efficiency. WRAP is backed by government funding from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
Visit www.wrap.org.uk and follow us on Twitter at @Wrap_UK
