In partnership with Swarovski, the Special Recognition Award will be conferred on December 10 in London. The award for innovation celebrates the contribution of a brand or an individual to the fashion industry using innovative materials, production techniques, manufacturing or store practices that help raise awareness of environmental issues.

Parley for the Oceans is a new form of environmental organisation and global collaboration network. Founded in 2012 by Cyrill Gutsch, Parley aims to raise awareness for the beauty and fragility of the oceans, and to inspire and empower diverse groups such as pacesetting companies, brands, organisations, governments, artists, designers, scientists, innovators and environmentalists in the exploration of new ways of creating, thinking and living on our finite, blue planet. Parley believes the consumer has the power to create change through everyday choices, but the duty to empower the consumer is in the hands of the creative industries.

The Fashion Awards is the main fundraiser for the British Fashion Council (BFC), a not for profit organisation focused on promoting excellence in British fashion and supporting the future pipeline of creative talent. As part of their continued and generous support of The Fashion Awards 2018, Swarovski has pledged a £300,000 donation to the BFC Education Foundation in advance of this year’s event. The BFC’s work is achieved through a range of charitable initiatives which focus on education, business and mentoring schemes that support talent from school level and emerging designers to fashion start-ups and established brands.

Recognising that there are no simple solutions to the complex threat of marine plastic pollution, Parley devised a scalable strategy based on the fact that at least the oceans generate at least every second breath we take: Parley AIR (Avoid, Intercept, Redesign). With this strategy, Parley is calling for a Material Revolution and driving a wave of change across and through the most influential industries.

Parley’s most well-known fashion collaboration with sportswear label adidas led to the creation of the first soccer, football and running performance products made with Parley’s Ocean Plastic, turning threat into thread. World-renowned teams such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Bayern Munich made the switch to Ocean Plastic for their third kits for the 2018/2019 season.

In 2018, Parley also launched an unexpected call to action for the fashion industry through the Corona x Parley partnership: a new form of creative fundraising platform by the name Clean Waves, which will empower designers, artists, musicians, material innovators and other creators to put progress into the hands of consumers. The first products introduced are sunglasses made from Ocean Plastic, marked with the unique coordinates of locations on the islands their purchase helps protect.

The use of Ocean Plastic by Parley has put marine plastic pollution, as well as recycling, into the global spotlight. But the strength of Parley lies in its longer-term vision and strategy for a future beyond plastics and other harmful materials — and in the unity of its network working to bring that vision into reality. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India