Through Tracy Reese's slow-fashion business model Hope for Flowers, she is partnering with Naturalizer for a capsule footwear collection.
, featuring insole boards made from recycled molded plastic, recycled linings and select fabric uppers crafted with sustainable yarns.
Angelique Joseph, vice president of design for Naturalizer, said, “Partnering with someone like Tracy who is a champion for change in the fashion industry was incredibly important for us and the sustainable journey we at Naturalizer are on.” For her part, Reese is championing sustainable and ethical production not only through her own brand, but as vice chairwoman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Here, she discusses her efforts to build a purpose-driven business and grades the industry on its work thus far.?
“Not very well. There are a lot of small brands where responsible design and production is front and center in everything they do. But they’re doing it in a micro way. We need more big brands to make this a priority to talk to consumers about the importance of it. It’s the only way we’re going to beat down this whole fast-fashion cycle that has devastated the supply chain. It’s very abusive to workers, and from an ecological aspect, it’s just as incredibly harmful.