Fast fashion, overproduction of clothing, and waste disposal are contemporary issues that all harm the environment. New solutions are urgently needed. Some brands have already been focusing on sustainable fashion and textiles for a while.
Stephanie Pubke-Bertram is among those dedicated to sustainable production. She is the co-founder of recreategoods, an upcycling company, and an alumna of the EXIST Women program. Recently, she was featured as an expert on the circular economy and as a member of the Fashion Council Germany on the German lifestyle TV magazine Brisant by ARD, where she reported on production conditions in our globalized world.
She emphasizes how short-sighted the textile industry is—flooding the market with excessive products—while marketing strategies artificially generate recurring consumer demand.
Stephanie highlights that even in 2025, identifying actual demand in the textile industry and aligning production accordingly will remain a challenge. Short-lived trends, long supply chains and lead times, unpredictable weather conditions, and the complexity of sales channels often hinder brands from achieving their sustainability goals.
Photo: Excerpts from the programme with Stephanie Pubke-Bertram.
According to the expert, both proactive and reactive strategies are needed, along with better foresight through demand-oriented, data-driven planning. Smart business models for recycling and upcycling can help mitigate delivery shortages and excess inventory.
A positive development is that necessary and possible adaptations in value creation have already been addressed by educational institutions and research. At the same time, consumers should not be expected to be experts in textile production. However, they are encouraged to demand higher standards regarding production conditions.
If the industry produces goods that are genuinely needed and desired, their lifespan and service period will increase, making higher prices more justifiable.
At the end of the day, consumers have the final say—but it is the industry’s responsibility to enable sustainable consumption and provide appropriate choices.
Link to the show: Brisant: Das steckt hinter Upcycling - hier anschauen