‘Sustainable Fashion Accelerator’ for fashion start-ups

Shared working space initiative The Trampery has launched a ‘Sustainable Fashion Accelerator’ to advise fashion start-ups on how to reduce the environmental impact of their fledgling businesses.

The Trampery has launched the programme at its latest building, the Fish Island Village studio complex in East London, which was set up in partnership with the Peabody Trust.

The Sustainable Fashion Accelerator, funded by the London Legacy Development Corporation, is a bespoke support programme designed to help fashion designers integrate ‘sustainability’ into their business models.

“London is emerging as an epicentre for sustainable fashion innovation,” said The Trampery founder Charles Armstrong.

“The Trampery Fish Island Village will provide beautiful bespoke studios – but we wanted to do more than that. Through the Sustainable Fashion Accelerator, we will provide free business support resources centred on how to improve sustainability and promote good working standards.”

The six-month programme will run four times in the next three years, with the aim of helping more than 30 businesses to develop in an ethical and sustainable manner.

It will be led by Vanessa Podmore, an independent expert in global supply chain and sustainability initiatives, and Tom Farrand, a leading mentor and coach focused on circular economy and sustainability.

Podmore commented: “The Sustainable Fashion Accelerator is an exceptional and visionary addition to the London fashion landscape.

“The combination of beautiful affordable workspace, the bespoke support programme for the designer community and the focus on sustainability embedded across the whole enterprise has the potential to fundamentally change the way these businesses emerge and grow and become commercially sustainable for the long term.”

Six brands, Steven Tai Studio, We Are Rewritten, Sabinna, Lara Intimates, Leticia Credido, Sarah Baily and Been London, have been chosen to take part in the inaugural programme.

Fish Island Village will be London’s largest campus of fashion Studios thanks in part to almost £2 million (US$2.6 million) of funding from the Mayor’s Good Growth Fund.

Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, Justine Simons, said: “As a global fashion capital, London has a huge opportunity to lead the way in sustainability. We must act now and with conviction to reduce our impact on the environment.

“The Sustainable Fashion Accelerator is a great example of how we can support the next generation of designers to drive genuine change, and I’m proud that we are supporting this important work.”

Courtesy: Eco Textile News