Norwegian fashion industry embraces sustainability requirements

Norwegian fashion industry embraces sustainability requirements

Fashion & The Environment

Copenhagen Fashion Week’s (CPHFW) 2023 Sustainability Requirements will be implemented in the Norwegian fashion industry through a partnership with the industry organisation Norwegian Fashion Hub and the Norwegian fashion event Oslo Fushion Festival.

The news was announced ahead of the opening show of CPHFW by CEO Cecilie Thorsmark. It is expected to lead to even more alignment and connectivity across the two Nordic countries and their industries.

The partnership includes the implementation of CPHFW’s 2023 Sustainability Requirements to 60 Norwegian companies that are members of the Norwegian Fashion Hub as well as about 30 brands that participate in Oslo Fushion Festival. By using the framework, companies will be able to determine their current standing among six strongly interlinked focus areas for conducting responsible business.

“When we launched the 2023 Sustainability Requirements in the beginning of 2020, one of our greatest aspirations was to pursue partnerships with other organisations and fashion weeks due to the tremendous potential of the framework in being rolled out more broadly. We are thrilled to see this aspiration come to life and to announce our first partner outside of Denmark to achieve greater industry alignment. It’s a big milestone for us to see the requirements gaining recognition and we are excited to build on this step in the future,” Thorsmark said.

Elin Carlsen, CEO of Oslo Fushion Festival, added: “As a national fashion event, we have an obligation to contribute and shape new mindsets and practices for a more inclusive, equal and sustainable fashion culture. Working with sustainability, both in social and environmental aspects, the biggest impact is made through collaborative partnerships. I have great respect for the work Copenhagen Fashion Week has done with the CPHFW 2023 Sustainability Requirements, so when Oslo Fushion Festival decided to set new sustainability standards for the event and the participating brands, it was natural to reach out to Cecilie Thorsmark to see how our organisations could collaborate.”

Elin Kathrine Saunes, CEO Norwegian Fashion Hub, said it is essential that the Norwegian industry contributes towards a more sustainable future for fashion.

“To be traceable and transparent in the process, we see the need for an international framework that is useful and educational for brands of all sizes. Therefore, we are proud to partner up with Copenhagen Fashion Week and Oslo Fushion Festival.”

The 2023 Sustainability Requirements were launched by Copenhagen Fashion Week in close collaboration with CPHFW’s Knowledge Partner In Futurum in January 2020. They represent an essential part of CPHFW’s Sustainability Strategy to drive comprehensive change in the fashion industry and were reviewed by their advisory board and an international panel of experts.