About the workshop:

Measuring the environmental impact of products has been a mystery to many until now. Originally brands would hire expensive outside firms to develop a framework to measure environmental externalities and record progress. Now easy-to-use and accessible tools are available to designers and  brands to internally assess the environmental footprints of their products. Learn about the evolution of environmental assessment in the apparel industry, what money-saving tools are currently available for your use, and  how to assess the environmental impact of an apparel and home item through the Eco Index, one of the groundbreaking environmental assessment tools of the industry. Attendees will leave with the basic framework to assess the environmental impact of their products.

Level: Suitable for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced

Areas: Apparel Design, Home & Interior Design, Equipment Design, Textile & Materials 

About the presenter:

Summer Rayne Oakes has helped brands actualize their sustainability goals through her unique platform of environmental strategy and brand ambassadorship. She has launched, Zoe & Zac, a more environmentally-preferable shoe line with PaylessShoeSource; a bedding & bath line with Portico Home; and most recently joined a project to launch a recycled line of eyewear and optics with MODO. Oakes is the author of the best-selling style guide, Style, Naturally, editor-at-large of Above Magazine, founder of SRO, LLC - a sustainability innovation firm, and Co-founder/CEO of Source4Style, the first B2B online marketplace that allows designers and brands to search and source more sustainable materials and services from a network of global suppliers.