Eileen Fisher aims for total sustainability by year 2020

Eileen Fisher, a popular contemporary brand in the Los Angeles area, was established in 1984. This year, the eponymous label announced its new sustainable campaign by vying to keep ethical and feasible business practices. The Vision 2020 campaign includes a new plan which details a series of steps the company will take in order to reach a goal of 100 percent sustainability in the next five years.

The brand is already known for its eco-friendly business practices, but hopes to continue growing over the next five years to achieve their viable goal. The eight categories that the label will focus on include materials, chemistry, water, carbon, conscious business practices, fair wages and benefits, worker and community happiness, and worker voice.

“To create a truly responsible supply chain, we need to scrutinize everything we do, from the field to the factory to the landfill,” said Candice Reffer, co-creative officer of Eileen Fisher. With a “no excuses” mentality, the brand wants to continue on onward with its plan by using only organic cotton and linen for its clothing by the year 2020.

Eileen Fisher plans to encourage other brands to follow suit in sustainability

Also, the brand is encouraging use of wool from sheep that are humanely raised on sustainable farms. The plan incorporates all meticulous details down to the way its label uses color for fabrics. The company also hopes to reach out to other fashion labels and create a demand for these ethical practices as well, emerging a new industry trend. “We need to take a hard look at what’s often swept under the rug-- toxins, carbon emissions, and low worker pay, to name a few,” said Reffer.

By the year 2020, the program is projected to hit one million reusable recycled items. Those items will then be resold, while the unusable items will be turned into raw material for new textiles. “We’ll need the help of our customers, our manufacturing partners, and like-minded brands,” said Reffer. By making a change, the label is hoping for a domino effect on other fashion brands currently in the industry.