CO-Founders of BCome Alba Garcia Betorz and Anna Cañadell.
Tell us about the idea behind BCome
BCome arose from the need to provide solutions to professionals in the fashion industry. After nearly two years of collaborating with suppliers in Asia, we followed our instincts and began developing what BCome is today. We realized that the market didn't need a wider range of products, but rather the knowledge and insights that could make the industry's sustainable transformation easier. So, we transformed all the expertise we had gained in the field into a digital product aimed at offering solutions to facilitate this change. The methodology and standardization of our product have been built upon our previous knowledge and experiences. We faced the challenge of explaining why one shirt was more sustainable than another, even though they appeared similar. Our goal was to simplify the complexity of sustainability and make this information accessible to both brands and consumers.
What made you want to found a company like this?
There is a great lack of understanding within the fashion industry about the reality of its supply chain, and therefore a significant inability to manage the impact generated by its products throughout their lifecycle. Professionals need tools that enable them to make informed decisions based on the reality of what is happening in their business, and this is only possible through data. BCome is a platform for global sustainability management that relies on data to bring transparency to businesses, with the aim of guiding them to make decisions based on reality rather than mere intuition. We aim to accompany fashion brands on their journey towards sustainability by providing real support at every step of the way.
What are some of the biggest challenges the fashion industry is facing right now on a macro level?
Firstly, there is a great lack of transparency along the supply chains, largely due to the dislocation of suppliers. This lack of transparency makes it difficult for fashion companies to trace the origins of their products, leading to serious issues such as labor exploitation, environmental degradation and unethical practices. Without visibility into their supply chains, companies struggle to ensure compliance with sustainability. Secondly, due to this lack of transparency, many fashion companies don't know where to even begin to address their impact, both environmentally and socially. Without clear insight into their supply chains, it's challenging for companies to identify areas for improvement or implement effective sustainability initiatives. This not only hampers their ability to reduce their environmental footprint but also perpetuates social injustices within the industry. Thirdly, there is a pressing need for fashion companies to rapidly adapt to the upcoming changes that legislation is bringing to the industry. With increasing regulations around environmental protection, labor rights and supply chain transparency, companies must proactively adjust their practices to remain compliant and socially responsible. Failure to do so not only risks legal repercussions but also damages brand reputation and consumer trust.
Tell us a little bit about the coming EU regulations and how this will change fashion for the better?
The regulations being proposed by the EU cover several categories aimed at collectively achieving a more sustainable fashion industry. These range from the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, which sets requirements to reduce product impact and includes initiatives like the Digital Product Passport to ensure transparency, to the Green Claims Directive, which aims to combat greenwashing by establishing criteria for communicating sustainable product characteristics. Additionally, there's the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, which sets standards for annual reporting to ensure sustainable performance, and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which assesses the risk of adverse impacts on human rights, the environment, and good governance associated with operations and business relationships. We see legislation as the key factor that will drive the transformation of the fashion industry. However, only those who are proactive and begin addressing these requirements as soon as possible will benefit their business the most. At BCome, we've created a Sustainability Regulation Radar so that fashion professionals interested in tracking regulations that may affect their business have easy and quick access to all legislative updates.
What are your personal thoughts when it comes to consuming fashion more sustainably?
It's essential for consumers to change their mindset when it comes to fashion consumption. It's no longer just about what they buy or don't buy, but rather how they use what they already have. When we talk about sustainability, it's not just about buying sustainably, but also about dressing sustainably. This requires using what we already have in our closets and carefully selecting the garments we acquire, ensuring that we'll wear them again and again because we love them. There is still a lot of work to be done by brands to educate their consumers so they can distinguish between quality garments that will last for years and those that won’t. Our goal is to encourage more brands to be transparent with their final consumers, providing them with the information they need to make conscious purchases.
