Coterie/UBM Fashion Trade Show by Jacqueline Senecal

Having never have been to a trade show for fashion before, going to the UBM trade show was eye opening. The Javits Center, where it was held, was beautiful and the open concept of it showcased the delicate display of the Coterie aesthetic. Everything looked very open, and the show floor was very interesting to see. The thousands of companies that were there to showcase their spring and summer collections and sell to potential buyers at the show. There were multiple types of fashion companies there, from purses, jewelry, shoes, beauty, and of course clothing. All of the brands had open booths that someone can walk by and view, with multiple representatives in the booths to answer questions, pitch to buyers, and give details about their products.

However, they all had sustainability practices in common, since they’re all responsible companies, with sustainability in mind. All the companies had different themes, locations of the company, and ideals of what sustainability practices they used. However, in common with all of them, was the spring and summer vibe they were projecting. With the displays all laid out, I viewed a lot of bold colors in front of monochrome, florals, and flowy clothing. There were not many tight clothing options, and oversized was another trend that surfaced through the show hall.

In the trade show, I looked closely at Wrangler and their company. As a well-known company, I was surprised that they had appeared at the show, and were not one of the forerunners, instead having a smaller booth in the back of the hall. They are a denim company that puts sustainability as one of the most important parts of their company. They stress corporate responsibility with the environment, working conditions, and the economy as well.

While I was there, I spoke to one of the representatives from Wrangler, and she highlighted two of their sustainability principles that she believed were the best. Firstly, she explained that Wrangler teaches farmers about sustainable farming, holding conventions for farmers, recently in Detroit, to give light to sustainable cotton productions. The environmental impacts are explained with soil health, water reduction, and energy reduction being the forefront. By keeping soil healthy and reducing water, there’s more for food production, and chemicals won’t have to be put into the air to grow crops. This reduces the amount of chemicals in the environment and  These farmers also work with Wrangler to produce healthy cotton, from sustainable practices, which protects the environment in the long run.

Another practice she noted was how Wrangler continues to use plant-based dyes. Other competition has used man made dyes, such as indigo color for blue jeans using petroleum. Wrangler wanted to make a difference, so they partnered with Stony Creek Colors to grow more sustainable indigo plants. They had taken farmers that previously grew tobacco crops, which might yield more profit, but costs a lot more to produce. They now grow sustainable indigo and are part in helping lesson the production of man-made dyes (Wrangler 2018).

In today’s day in age, where population is steadily increasing, and the world cannot provide unlimited resources to these people at a high standard of living, like the United States holds (Robertson 44). Therefore, companies like Wrangler are trying to combat this by releasing less clothing production, with better working conditions and better environmental procedures around the clothing, instead of creating extra waste. This creates inspiration for other companies to model their production like this, and use sustainable practices, to save the environment and protect it for the future.

Credits to Javits Center instagram for the post.