Sustainability. Just Do It.

Having suffered several scandals in the past, sportswear giant Nike are now attempting to clean up their image with the release of a new sustainability app, The Materials Sustainability Index (MSI), which scores materials based on their environmental impact and long term sustainability. Environmental impact is explained and evaluated across four main categories – waste, water use, energy and chemistry – and the app also includes considerations such as performance and aesthetics. Ultimately, it hopes to influence the next generation of clothing designers by bringing the focus firmly back to the beginning of the design process, as opposed to just the manufacturing and production side. A group of students from the London College of Fashion were part of the prototyping phase and the final product was independently reviewed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition before going worldwide. Regardless of feelings about its sponsor, it’s great to see another app making sustainability stats so accessible!