Loro Piana to the Rescue: Loro Piana is committed to safeguard its sourcing hubs globally. In the latest development, the Italian luxury house is launching “Resilient Threads,” a five-year program aimed at supporting the ecosystem of Mongolia with a range of activities geared at protecting the local environment, people and animal welfare.

The program is developed in partnership with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, or UNCCD, the Sustainable Fibre Alliance, or SFA, and the Odyssey Conservation Trust, or OCT.

“Over the last decades, Loro Piana has established itself as a key advocate for cashmere quality in Mongolia, building strong, honest and trustful relationships. Our longstanding presence has taught us that the exceptional quality of Loro Piana cashmere originates from the dedication of herders and the region’s rich cashmere-sourcing traditions,” said Pier Luigi Loro Piana, vice chairman of Loro Piana.

“Together we understand and uphold the welfare of the animals and the environment. It is a commitment to continuous learning, responsible stewardship and collaborative creation,” he added.

The luxury brand operates its only out-of-Italy manufacturing facility in the country, in the Ulaanbaatar region.

Through the program — aligned with parent company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s “Life 360” environmental strategy — it pledges to support five districts in Mongolia’s highly vulnerable Sukhbaatar province, impacted by heavy climate disruption posing risks to the livelihoods of herders, biodiversity of the area, one of the world’s last intact grassland ecosystems, and supply chain resilience.

This year Loro Piana will establish the first mobile “One Health Hub” in the region to reach remote location with vehicles delivering services such as preventive health care and vaccination campaigns, training sessions and health care awareness initiatives. It will also be home to a seeds bank to protect and grow biodiversity-fueling, at-risk flora.

“At Loro Piana, our commitment to preserve the ecosystems that sustain our craft is unwavering. This multiyear program will support the Mongolian communities who are vital partners to the maison while protecting the environment,” said Loro Piana’s chief executive officer Damien Bertrand. 

Eco-padding: As fashion customers have become increasingly spoiled by outerwear that’s both lightweight and ultra warm, Thermore, the Milan-based premium thermal insulation company for apparel and outerwear, is introducing Ecodown Fibers Sync, billed as a featherlight, exceptionally resilient padding.

Intended for both slim and puffy outerwear, the new material prevents the conglomeration of fibers and pushes the sustainability envelope further as it is entirely crafted from recycled fibers derived from post-consumer PET bottles. It boasts GRS, Bluesign and Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification.

Fabric Challenge: Swedish but London-based young talent Petra Fagerström scooped up the top prize of the fifth Challenge the Fabric Award, held in Milan this week.

Organized yearly since 2018 by the Swedish Fashion Council with support from Ekman Group, a trading house firm covering forest-based products ranging from packing and paper to recovered materials, Challenge the Fabric is a two-day initiative highlighting material innovation and promoting cross-industry collaboration with a focus on man-made cellulosic fibers.

Fagerström was rewarded with $10,000 for her look, a cool jersey midi skirt with grommeted perforations and twill blouson combo crafted from Sappi Verve’s trademarked Ecocell fibers.

The jury panel recognized Fagerström’s “strength across all criteria: innovation, creativity, commercial potential, brand purpose and future impact,” stating her work conveyed her message with clarity and conviction.

Jurors included 10 Corso Como brand curator Aldo Camillo Gotti; Hodakova founder and creative director Ellen Hodakova Larsson; Andrea Rosso, OTB’s sustainability ambassador, and Riccardo Turrisi, sustainable innovation manager at Kering, among others.

The Central Saint Martins and Parsons Paris graduate Fagerström is known for pushing the sustainability agenda, having scooped up several eco-minded awards in the past, including two at 38th edition of the International Festival of Fashion, Photography and Accessories — Hyères in 2023, such as the Mercedes-Benz Sustainability Award and the Chanel-powered L’Atelier des Matières Prize, for her lenticular pleated fabrics.

Fagerström was shortlisted among a roster of seven applicants, each collaborating with a different, partner textile and material firm. Other finalists included Olympia Schiele with her brand Louther; Nuba by Cameron Williams; Oscar Quyang; Shan Huq; Mattie Barringer’s and Amanda McGowan’s Women’s History Museu, and Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen.