Embark on a thought-provoking expedition into sustainability within the fashion industry with our new series on Images Business of Fashion. In this series, we traverse the intricate pathways of visionary brands committed to reshaping the narrative of fashion through sustainable initiatives. As we journey forward, we uncover the strategies and the profound ethos that propels these brands toward a greener, more responsible future.
In each installment, we unravel the layers of innovation, dedication, and conscious decision-making that define the leadership of these brands. From reimagining supply chains to championing eco-friendly materials, these trailblazers exemplify a paradigm shift towards a more sustainable and ethical fashion landscape.
This week, IMAGES Business of Fashion explores sustainability initiatives by Under Armour, unveiling their innovative strides in reshaping the fashion industry.
Under Armour, Inc. is an American sports equipment company that manufactures footwear, sports and casual apparel. The brand was founded on September 25, 1996, by Kevin Plank – a then 24-year-old former special teams captain of the University of Maryland football team – who was tired of changing out of his sweat soaked T-shirts. Plank worked on a T-shirt using moisture-wicking synthetic fabric and after graduating he developed his first prototype of the shirt, which he gave to his Maryland teammates who had gone on to play in the NFL.
Plank worked to perfect the design creating a new T-shirt built from microfibers that wicked moisture and kept athletes cool, dry, and light. Major competing brands including Nike, Adidas and Reebok soon followed in Plank’s footsteps with their own moisture-wicking apparel.
Today, the brand is not only known for pioneering moisture-wicking technology but also for its sustainability initiatives. The brand works ethically and efficiently to perfect performance while reusing the Earth’s resources and to develop lasting solutions.
Under Armour India
- Under Armour entered the Indian market in 2018 and opened its first store in the country in 2019. It has positioned itself as a high impact premium brand retail store.
- Today, the brand operates 28 outlets in India and plans maintain its pace of adding about 10 stores a year in the coming years.
- The brand works on a distributor model and has appointed Indian company Underdog Athletics as its master franchisee and local distributor.
Green Initiative
Under Armour’s sustainability approach, What’s Under Matters, reflects the company’s mission to make athletes better by focusing on performance-driven innovations that utilize more sustainable materials designed for recyclability and more efficient production processes in its delivery of durable, quality, high-performing products athletes know and trust.
Through its goals, the company is embracing material innovations that will enable less waste and more durability, setting the stage for circular systems by 2030, including:
- Prioritizing recycled and renewable materials and reducing single-use plastic brand product packaging by 75% by 2025.
- Implementing circular design principles in at least half of its products by 2027.
- Developing processes to enable a circular footwear program to be launched in market, at scale, by 2030.
- Supporting innovation that reduces fibre shedding from textiles and targeting 75% of fabric to be made of low-shed materials.
- To develop processes that can enable a circular footwear program to be launched in market, at scale, by 2030. The uppers in its highest volume footwear series will be made with at least 50 % recycled or biobased materials.
- To extend the life of at least 75% of damaged and defective products.
- Reduce manufacturing waste through repair and recycling.
- Reduce single-use plastic brand product packaging by 75%, 50% of which it plans to accomplish in 2023.
- Only using recycled polyester in apparel and accessories, reaching 35% by 2025.
- Target to eliminate 75% of spandex in all products.
The brand has decided to embrace material innovations that will enable less waste and more durability and set the stage for circular systems by 2030.
It plans to launch a roadmap to ensure recyclability for its apparel and accessories by 2030.
At the end of 2021, approximately 40% of fabrics used in the company’s apparel and accessories were made from materials capable of being recycled.
