The Ellen McArthur Foundation releases book on circular design

The Ellen McArthur Foundation has released a book called Circular Design for Fashion.

Focused on promoting circular design within the fashion world, it brings together brands and influential leaders in fashion to inspire a transformation within the industry.

The book shares the stories of fashion leaders such as Gabriela Hearst, Marine Serre, Bethany Williams, Christopher Raeburn, Vivenne Westwood, H&M Group, Kering and others.

Exploring how creative professionals can use circular economy principles and why people need to begin seeing waste and pollution as design flaws, the book demonstrates how circular design can become the norm.

“Every year the fashion industry produces more and more clothing that is worn less and less. This wasteful and polluting way of doing business is fuelling climate change and biodiversity loss and cannot continue in the long term,” said circular design programme manager at the Ellen McArthur Foundation, Elodie Rousselot.

Luxury brand labels such as Gucci and Vivienne Westwood have contributed to the book, and other high street staples such as Gap and H&M are included.

Virtual fashion experience pioneers, Alvanon and The Fabricant and clothing resale and rental specialists such as ThredUp and Vestiaire Collectives are a part of Circular Design for Fashion. The book also gives examples of circular design in practice.

“The circular economy offers exciting business opportunities whilst having a positive effect on the planet. The fashion industry needs to embrace it,” said Stella McCartney about the book.

Analysing myths about the circular design industry and setting out the fundamental rules of circular design, the book goes past designing individual products and instead focuses on the entire system and what can be done to change it.

“Now is the time to reinvent ourselves even further. The circular economy can take us beyond simply trying to do less harm - it is a bigger idea, one that has the power to inspire a new generation of designers,” said head of Vogue Talents, Sara Zozzani Maino.