ELLE UK has announced that it has teamed up with Stella McCartney, Arizona Muse, Pamela Anderson, Katherine Hamnett, Jaden Smith, Pandora Sykes, Livia Firth, Naomi Klein and Slick Woods to create a landmark September issue dedicated to encouraging a more environmentally-friendly fashion industry.

The Issue presents a first for the industry, as the September ELLE is the only mainstream women’s magazine to use its biggest fashion issue as a platform to explore sustainability. The groundbreaking issue addresses how the fashion industry and consumers can make meaningful changes to the way they work and shop to help the environment.

As part of the issue, ELLE UK conducted eye-opening research to find out the attitudes and awareness of sustainability in fashion among young women in the UK.

Key findings include:

• 9 in 10 want to know more about sustainability in the fashion industry
• Two-thirds (62%) were unaware that the fashion industry is one of the world’s biggest polluters
• 62% are more likely to buy an item of clothing from a brand that values sustainability
• 55% found it important or very important to know where the clothes they buy come from and that they are ethically made
• 51% want to know what they can do to become more sustainable

Within the magazine, ELLE speaks to influential designers, authors, experts and icons about pushing for active change and creating a more sustainable and cleaner future.

In the issue, Anne-Marie Curtis, editor-in-chief of ELLE UK, points out that September ELLE is not a 100% sustainable issue. But the magazine has taken great steps towards progress. In a first for ELLE, the September issue will be printed on recycled paper and going forward, ELLE has pledged to make fundamental changes to its working practices to support the cause, including:

• CONSIDER the working environment in the production of the magazine
• MEASURE the environmental impact of the business and set benchmarks for change
• WORK WITH suppliers and improve practices
• USE our multi-media platform in print and digital to raise awareness of climate issues
• ELIMINATE the use of single use plastics both in the office and on photo shoots
• CONSISTENTLY shine a light on sustainable designers and brands who are worth shopping from
• HIGHLIGHT the campaigners and people working to save the world
• USE recycled set props as much as possible

The Sustainability Issue is available on newsstands on 8 August.

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