World Environment Day: These designers are making a case for sustainable fashion
World Environment Day on June 5 serves as a timely reminder of our shared responsibility to protect the planet. This message is even more vital for the fashion industry, which has faced mounting pressure over the years to confront its environmental impact.
According to a 2025 report by the United Nations Environment Programme, the fashion and textiles sector accounts for up to eight per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nine per cent of the microplastics polluting our oceans. The report also highlights that an estimated 215 trillion litres of water and over 15,000 chemicals are used in garment manufacturing alone.
Fortunately, a wave of eco-conscious designers has been working to reshape the industry. From creating planet-friendly materials to aiming for net-zero emissions, these pioneers demonstrate how ethical and commercial goals in fashion can go hand in hand.
Here are Tatler’s picks of six fashion designers making a difference as sustainability leaders.
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Stella McCartney
Designer Stella McCartney (Photo: Getty Images)
Stella McCartney has built her reputation on a firm stance against animal-based materials. Since launching her namesake label in 2001, she has consistently pushed the boundaries of textile eco-innovation. A prime example is Mylo, a vegan leather made from mushrooms, alongside Koba, a sustainable alternative to fur. The brand also utilises planet-friendly materials such as recycled nylon, organic cotton and grape-based leather. By 2040, it aims to achieve net-zero emissions.
In 2024, McCartney was named PETA’s Person of the Year. Although she repurchased the minority stake in her eponymous label from LVMH earlier this year, she continues to serve as the fashion conglomerate’s global ambassador for sustainability.
Vivienne Westwood
Designer Dame Vivienne Westwood (Photo: Getty Images)
The lateDame Vivienne Westwood was a singular force in English fashion, whose punk-fuelled rebellion matured into a powerful call for environmental action. Although she launched her eponymous label in the 1970s, her focus pivoted towards sustainability in the 2010s. Her now-iconic philosophy—“Buy less, choose well, make it last”—became a global manifesto for conscious consumption, encouraging quality over quantity.
The label kept fabric overstock below five per cent and committed to sourcing 90 to 95 per cent sustainable cotton, alongside responsibly sourced viscose, a strict no-fur policy and a dedication to leather alternatives. Beyond the brand, Westwood was an outspoken environmental advocate, collaborating with organisations such as Greenpeace—designing its Save the Arctic logo—and donating more than £1.5 million (approximately US$1.9 million) to Cool Earth, while also supporting Amnesty International and Friends of the Earth.
Nanushka
Co-founded by Sandra Sandor in 2005, Nanushka has become a contemporary luxury label known for its “modern bohemian” aesthetic and deep-rooted commitment to sustainability. A cornerstone of the brand’s innovation is Okobor™, its proprietary vegan leather developed over two years using recycled polyester sourced from post-consumer plastic bottles. Since the pre-autumn 2022 collection, all of Sandor's alternative-leather pieces have been crafted using this textile breakthrough.
Circularity is at the heart of Nanushka’s ethos. Its Anew collections breathe new life into archival designs using leftover materials from the brand’s atelier. The label also advocates for more sustainable consumption through collaborations with resale and rental platforms including TheRealReal and Rent the Runway. Sandor has pledged to reduce Nanushka’s greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, with a long-term ambition of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
Brunello Cucinelli
Brunello Cucinelli wins Community and Social Justice award at the 2017 Green Carpet Fashion Awards (Photo: Getty Images)
Italian designer Brunello Cucinelli masterfully fuses timeless style with humanistic values. From the brand’s headquarters in the restored medieval village of Solomeo, Italy, Cucinelli champions a philosophy of “humanistic capitalism”—placing equal weight on profit, human dignity and cultural preservation.
Renowned for its fine craftsmanship, the brand responsibly sources raw materials such as its signature high-quality cashmere. Cucinelli has also set ambitious sustainability targets, including reducing direct emissions by 70 per cent by 2028 and achieving net-zero by 2050. Environmental initiatives include the use of renewable energy, strict waste management protocols and eco-conscious dyeing processes. Beyond fashion, the brand reinvests a portion of its profits into cultural initiatives—from art restoration and education to the revitalisation of public spaces in Solomeo.
Gabriela Hearst
Gabriela Hearst launched her eponymous label in 2015, drawing inspiration from her family’s 17,000-acre ranch in Uruguay, where durability and craftsmanship were everyday values. Her philosophy of “honest luxury” centres on timeless design and environmental responsibility.
Today, 30 per cent of the label’s materials are made from deadstock fabrics. Collections often feature merino wool sourced from her family’s farm, alongside material innovations such as Inversa™ Python leather—an alternative crafted from invasive species to help preserve biodiversity. In 2019, she made fashion history with the first-ever carbon-neutral, plastic-free runway show. Her boutiques also reflect this commitment to sustainability, with her New York flagship constructed using 90 per cent reclaimed construction waste.
During her three-year tenure as creative director of Chloé, Hearst led the French maison to become the first European luxury fashion house to receive B Corp certification.
Marine Serre
Since winning the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers in 2017, Marine Serre has become a standout voice in the sustainability movement, recognised for her crescent moon logo and futuristic, upcycled fashion.
Half of each of her collections are crafted from repurposed materials—think vintage scarves, denim and neoprene scuba suits. The other half incorporates lower-impact textiles such as biodegradable yarns and GOTS-certified organic cotton. At her 3,000-square-metre Paris atelier, Serre merges large-scale textile upcycling with creative design and public workshops aimed at sharing sustainable practices. She’s also expanded her vision into furniture and accessories, bringing her circular philosophy to a wider lifestyle offering.
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