Quality selection of thought-provoking content explaining core issues in Fashion Sustainability and why it's a must-see for all

I’ve spent some time in the fashion industry – long enough to remember brands repeatedly telling us why they would never go into e-commerce, to recall the season when buy-off-the-runway was the thing, but also to think back to my team’s excitement when Instagram opened its feed to ads as if it were ages ago.

Since last summer I’ve been managing a few projects that enable fashion sustainability through innovation. Along the way, I have connected and spoken with hundreds of inspiring people across the Globe that are working hard on tackling the burning issues of the world’s second most polluting industry.

The thing is, fashion sustainability is a massive - and widely untackled - innovation space, mainly due to the sheer number of fashion's sustainability aspects that still need to be properly addressed.

Over the last few years we have seen a boom of startups in this arena, especially as sustainability went from a 'niche' interest to fully-blown mainstream in 2019.

However, the key industry problems related to sustainability are far from gone. Plus, time is limited. The only game-changer could be innovating faster and - first & foremost - ensuring that entrepreneurs are working on what really matters.

One huge issue here is funding, which is a whole different topic.

As for the other, it is said that the #1 reason why startups fail is that they came up with a solution that the market actually doesn't need.

There is quite a significant information gap between startups and the markets they are trying to serve, regardless the industry. This is the case with Fashion Innovation as well.

Innovation in fashion sustainability in particular is still a young and highly fragmented area. Most of us are figuring it out on the go - brands, startups, futurists and advisers alike.

That is why I decided to share more of what I have learned, as well as to encourage others to do so. As starters, here is the list of my personal favorites among fashion sustainability documentaries.

Do you have some others to recommend? Let me know, and I will add it to the list

The True Cost . The True Cost is a groundbreaking documentary film that pulls back the curtain on the untold story and asks us to consider: who really pays the price for our clothing? It is a must-see for anyone working in fashion. Available on Netflix. See trailer

. The True Cost is a groundbreaking documentary film that pulls back the curtain on the untold story and asks us to consider: who really pays the price for our clothing? It is a must-see for anyone working in fashion. Available on Netflix. See trailer Before the Flood , presented by National Geographic, features Leonardo DiCaprio on a journey as a United Nations Messenger of Peace, traveling to five continents and the Arctic to witness climate change firsthand. Film web site and Full film version

, presented by National Geographic, features Leonardo DiCaprio on a journey as a United Nations Messenger of Peace, traveling to five continents and the Arctic to witness climate change firsthand. Film web site and Full film version RiverBlue . Following river advocate Mark Angelo, this film shows the impact that the Fashion industry has on Earth’s fresh waters and offers solutions that could help tackle the issue. But it also provides sustainable alternatives that are already in production. See trailer

. Following river advocate Mark Angelo, this film shows the impact that the Fashion industry has on Earth’s fresh waters and offers solutions that could help tackle the issue. But it also provides sustainable alternatives that are already in production. See trailer The Machinists . Moving personal stories of three young women working in Bangladeshi fast fashion factories. It is a first-hand record of the exploitation, unsafe working conditions, below-living wages and the immense impact it has on the worker's personal and family lives. See full version

. Moving personal stories of three young women working in Bangladeshi fast fashion factories. It is a first-hand record of the exploitation, unsafe working conditions, below-living wages and the immense impact it has on the worker's personal and family lives. See full version Earthlings . Narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, the film is about humankind's total dependence on animals for economic purposes and the use of other animals as pets, food, clothing, entertainment, and for scientific research. See full version

. Narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, the film is about humankind's total dependence on animals for economic purposes and the use of other animals as pets, food, clothing, entertainment, and for scientific research. See full version The Next Black . The Next Black is a documentary that brings together designers, innovators and leaders from around the globe for an open discussion on the concept of clothing. It probes beyond what we are wearing to explore how we produce clothes, how we interact with them and how we care for them. See full version

. The Next Black is a documentary that brings together designers, innovators and leaders from around the globe for an open discussion on the concept of clothing. It probes beyond what we are wearing to explore how we produce clothes, how we interact with them and how we care for them. See full version Slowing Down Fast Fashion . Alex James – the bassist in Blur – goes to landfills, investigates fast fashion pricing and offers solutions. It is a critical look at our disposable approach to clothing and its enormous human and environmental cost. Available on iTunes. See the trailer

. Alex James – the bassist in Blur – goes to landfills, investigates fast fashion pricing and offers solutions. It is a critical look at our disposable approach to clothing and its enormous human and environmental cost. Available on iTunes. See the trailer Unravel: The final resting place of your cast-off clothing . An award-winning documentary addressing the journey of the West’s thrown away clothes to India. See trailer

. An award-winning documentary addressing the journey of the West’s thrown away clothes to India. See trailer Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things . It is about de-cluttering and about rethinking your purchasing decisions. Available on Netflix. See trailer

. It is about de-cluttering and about rethinking your purchasing decisions. Available on Netflix. See trailer Sweatshop -Deadly Fashion. This is a Norwegian reality TV series that takes fashion customers to Cambodia to see for themselves how the cheap garments they buy are made. Shortened version

Do you have some others to recommend? Let me know, so I add them to the list