In fashion business, material sourcing refers to numerous activities that involve suppliers in the selecting, acquiring, producing, manufacturing and transporting of goods and services. This is known as a supply chain, and is a system that involves the transformation of natural resources and raw materials into finished products that are sold in retail. The supply chain can, at times, extend into the use and disposal or re-use phase in a product’s life.
In luxury fashion, the supply chain is made up of people, processes and resources that are all part of the creation of fashion materials, garments and products. It is a complex system that touches many people’s lives and the environment. Luxury fashion uses high quality materials, made by skilled artisan and craftsmanship workers to create beautiful products. It mostly uses plant-based fibres and animal hair to make its materials, whilst oil-based materials, which also originate from nature, form a smaller percentage of its material sourcing.
A sustainable supply chain works only with trusted suppliers that do not harm people and the environment, and involves fair trade and best practice techniques. To ensure that you have a sustainable business you need to know how and where your products are produced, and who works on producing them at every stage of the supply chain. In a globally sourced supply chain, this can be challenging. There are organisations that list responsible and certified suppliers to help you select who to work with, which we will be sharing with you, but it is vital to know what questions to ask and what to look out for. By the end of the week you will begin to understand the impacts that materials such as cotton, leather, gold and cashmere can have on people and nature,
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