E-commerce giant Farfetch has announced the launch of a new online sustainability calculator designed to help consumers gain a better understanding of the environmental impact of their purchases.
The fashion footprint tool outlines the impact of specific materials used within a piece, as well as the savings they would make if they opted to buy the item second-hand.
To coincide with the launch of the calculator, Farfetch also released a report in partnership with the London Waste and Recycling Board which focused on the pre-owned market (in the US, UK and China). The report found that, on average, a pre-owned purchase can save 1 kilogram of waste, 3,040 litres of water and 22 kilograms of CO2 compared to a new piece.
Thomas Berry, the director of sustainable business at Farfetch told WWD, “A lot of consumers have said they want to buy into brands doing the right things, and that they would want to stop buying from brands that are not doing the basics in terms of sustainability.” He added that the tool is designed to help customers choose from “a range of great fashion that we have on Farfetch, a large amount of which just happens to be conscious.”
The addition of the calculator is the latest in a string of sustainability-focused initiatives by the e-commerce platform. Earlier this year, it held a pop-up for archival, pre-owned Chanel pieces and introduced a donation service in partnership with Thrift+ in the UK whereby users can sell their clothing with two-thirds of the sale price going towards a charity of their choice and Farfetch credit to spend on site.
.%20The%20report%20found%20that,%20on%20average,%20a%20pre-owned%20purchase%20can%20save%201%20kilogram%20of%20waste,%203,040%20litres%20of%20water%20and%2022%20kilograms%20of%20CO2%20compared%20to%20a%20new%20piece.%0A%0AThomas%20Berry,%20the%20director%20of%20sustainable%20business%20at%20Farfetch%20told WWD,%20%22A%20lot%20of%20consumers%20have%20said%20they%20want%20to%20buy%20into%20brands%20doing%20the%20right%20things,%20and%20that%20they%20would%20want%20to%20stop%20buying%20from%20brands%20that%20are%20not%20doing%20the%20basics%20in%20terms%20of%20sustainability.%22%20He%20added%20that%20the%20tool%20is%20designed%20to%20help%20customers%20choose%20from%20%22a%20range%20of%20great%20fashion%20that%20we%20have%20on%20Farfetch,%20a%20large%20amount%20of%20which%20just%20happens%20to%20be%20conscious.%22%0A%0AThe%20addition%20of%20the%20calculator%20is%20the%20latest%20in%20a%20string%20of%20sustainability-focused%20initiatives%20by%20the%20e-commerce%20platform.%20Earlier%20this%20year,%20it%20held%20a%20pop-up%20for%20archival,%20pre-owned%20Chanel%20pieces%20and%20introduced%20a%20donation%20service%20in%20partnership%20with%20Thrift+%20in%20the%20UK%20whereby%20users%20can%20sell%20their%20clothing%20with%20two-thirds%20of%20the%20sale%20price%20going%20towards%20a%20charity%20of%20their%20choice%20and%20Farfetch%20credit%20to%20spend%20on%20site.){kind=link}