Ruse Fashion Week SS26 – Sustainability Recommendations for Participating Designers & Brands

As part of Ruse Fashion Week’s long-term commitment to responsible fashion, participants of the SS26 edition are strongly encouraged to adopt and communicate sustainable practices across their collections, operations, and brand values. The following recommendations outline priority areas that reflect international best practice while remaining achievable within creative fashion production.

1. Sustainability Strategy & Governance

  • Have a clear sustainability or ESG strategy that addresses both environmental and social impacts.
  • Align, where possible, with international frameworks or voluntary initiatives such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
  • Ensure the strategy is approved at leadership level (founder, management, or creative director).
  • Review and monitor progress regularly through:
    • Internal reviews or team check-ins
    • Public communication (website, social media, lookbooks, reports)
  • Clearly define who is responsible for sustainability within the brand (individual or team).

2. Responsible Use of Unsold Products & Samples

  • Avoid destroying unsold garments or samples.
  • Implement solutions for leftover products such as:
    • Reuse in future collections
    • Repair, redesign, or upcycling
    • Donation, resale, or archiving

3. Product Quality, Longevity & Emotional Durability

  • Design garments with a focus on quality, durability, and timeless value.
  • Apply internal criteria that ensure products are made to last physically and emotionally.
  • Communicate to customers the value of longevity, care, and responsible consumption.

4. Circular Design & Materials

Participants are encouraged to integrate circular principles by:

  • Using deadstock, recycled or surplus materials where possible.
  • Offering or exploring reuse, resale, repair, or take-back initiatives.
  • Designing with recyclability and end-of-life considerations in mind.

5. Preferred Material

  • Develop a preferred materials approach that considers environmental and social impacts.
  • Prioritise materials that are:
    • Certified (e.g. organic, recycled, responsible standards)
    • Recycled or regenerated
    • Deadstock or surplus
  • Note that conventional natural fibres are encouraged only when organic, recycled, or responsibly sourced.

Target recommendation:

  • Aim for at least 60% of the collection to be made from certified, preferred, recycled or deadstock materials, including products of animal origin where applicable.

6. Animal Welfare

  • Ensure collections are free from virgin fur, wild animal skins and feathers (“exotics”).
  • Use animal-derived materials only when:
    • Recycled, reused, or responsibly sourced
    • Clearly communicated to customers

7. Ethical Supply Chain & Code of Conduct

  • Have a Code of Conduct aligned with international labour and human rights standards.

8. Fair, Safe & Inclusive Working Environment

  • Maintain a safe, healthy, and respectful workplace, free from harassment and discrimination.
  • Promote equal opportunities regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, physical ability or appearance.
  • Embed inclusion and respect into brand culture and daily operations.

9. Customer Education & Transparency

  • Train in-store and/or online customer service teams on the brand’s sustainability values.
  • Inform and educate customers about sustainability practices on at least two platforms, such as:
    • Website
    • Social media
    • Labels or hangtags
    • Lookbooks or show presentations

10. Responsible Packaging

  • Continuously reduce the environmental footprint of packaging, both in-store and online.
  • Explore solutions such as:
    • Reduced packaging
    • Recyclable or reusable materials
    • Avoidance of unnecessary plastics

For SS26, Ruse Fashion Week positions sustainability as a shared journey, not a barrier to creativity. These recommendations are intended to support designers, celebrate progress at all scales, and set a strong foundation for future editions.

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