Does carbon-neutral event need an environmental makeover?

Mercoulia is the designer and founder of sustainable fashion label Baaby and is wary of the claims made by many fashion labels and events.

Her label is made using dead stock fabrics material that might have been the wrong color and texture and so was destined for landfill and natural fabrics like cotton, linen and silk, which break down more easily.

Some brands proclaim sustainability, but if you use virgin polyester, that takes a really long time to break down, she said. I think a lot of brands are doing a lot of greenwashing, to be honest.

Baaby is made locally, which Mercoulia said ensured transparency and accountability in the manufacturing process but came at an increased cost.

For me, sustainable fashion is about people and planet so if I am making something I am going to ask will this harm the planet or people in the supply chain, she said.

Mercoulia wants to see more transparency around fashions environmental credentials to stop greenwashing.

The cost to make a pair of jeans is not $20, so if a brand is saying they are sustainable at $20, that does not add up, she said. It would be great for everyone to be held accountable to a sustainability benchmark with 50 per cent of sustainable or natural fabrics.

Speaking on behalf of Melbourne Fashion Festival, Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the week could play a role in advocating for sustainability.

From the event itself, which is certified carbon-neutral … to really understanding the role that the fashion sector can play whether its slow fashion, whether its upcycling, whether its the materials used, she said.

But Capp said Melbourne Fashion Weeks primary purpose was to sell clothes.

The most important part of why we do fashion week is the runway-to-retail element of it, she said. It is about driving that retail activity … its that complete experience. You go to the runway and you walk into a store.

A cultural guide to going out and loving your city. Sign up to our Culture Fix newsletter here.