Designing ethics

More awards are being given to masterminds who use natural fabrics and more sustainable methodologies, Xu Junqian reports in Hong Kong.

The dress dyed in yam juice is Chinese designer Su Renli's statement of cool comfort. She drew inspiration from the country's ancient craftsmen while stitching the chocolate-brown piece. To organizers of the YES fashion awards for environmental protection, any "eco-conscious designer" is good news.

After all, the fashion industry is a top global polluter. It is also a big consumer of resources. It is estimated by World Wildlife Fund that to produce 1 kilogram of cotton, sufficient for the making of a T-shirt or part of a pair of jeans, as many as 20,000 liters of water may be needed. And the popularity of such clothing has fueled unsustainable consumerism.