The Uprising of A Sustainable Ecosystem for the Circular Future

Background:  The need for change is evident, as the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of the world’s total carbon emissions, 20% of wastewater from dyeing and treatment, and the disposal of 87% of its total fiber input in landfills. If we do not act now, there is a 60% expected increase in industry emissions by 2030. Sustainability in the industry needs to be put at the forefront, the fight against overconsumption and unethical practices must be embraced in order to create a difference. With you and me, ÀLA.HAUSSE can be a catalyst to produce a feasible, circular ecosystem, for a long-lasting and greener future.

The Ideation

One evening Post-New Year's Eve. I was sitting on my yoga mat. My Bichon Frise Caesar came by to demonstrate his infamous downward-facing dog. While I was watching him stretch with confidence, I started to contemplate what dogs in other countries were up to. I couldn’t help but think about the homeless ones, the ones waiting to be rescued, and the ones forced to be euthanized. That night, I made a pledge to myself to help these poor souls any way I could.

The following days were spent in intense contemplation. I reflected on what sort of conclusions could solve this urgent and imminent issue, so that then we may be able to help drive attention towards helping impoverished animals. However, as more research is done, more urgency makes itself apparent within the environmental concerns surrounding the fashion industry.

https://vimeo.com/464822189

The Formation

I’ve always been a fan of fashion and the scalability of a marketplace model, but unfortunately I have also been an unconscious shopper in the past. I decided to combine my passion and faults into one, and voila: ÀLA.HAUSSE. ÀLA.HAUSSE is an AI-powered, sustainability-driven ecosystem where everyone and anyone can buy, sell, rent, or lend their personal " Clossets" (clothing assets) to each other, facilitated by our networking and technology prowess.

The Uprising: [ ala.hausse ]

ÀLA.HAUSSE is French for “On the Rise”. I chose this name because it represents the uprising sustainable movement and principles that has started and will be held close to our values as

individuals and members of our society.

https://vimeo.com/642517986

Fast forward a year later, we see that the fashion industry is ready to embrace our movement. The tipping point has been the observed new-gen attitude shift towards sustainable and eco-friendly practices.

Brands

• In 2020, H&M launched a sustainability obligation and are now using 64.5% of materials from recycled or more sustainable sources (planning on 100% by 2030), 100% organic cotton, is number 1 in the fashion revolutions fashion transparency index
• Gucci has been establishing its sustainability efforts by achieving a 44% reduction for our total footprint, surpassing their target four years ahead of time also achieving a 47% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions alone since 2015
• thredUP,  a sustainable (online resale platform for women’s and kid’s apparel) IPO that has been able to save 1.0 billion pounds of CO2 emissions, 2.0 billion kWh of energy, and 4.4 billion gallons of water, allocating $500,000 from the proceeds of the IPO to start a policy arm that helps curb the disposable fashion crisis.
• Versace vows to use 100% renewable energy by 2025.

Consumerism

• According to thredUP's report, 2nd hand resale and rental market top ⅔ fastest growing sectors in fashion, with a growth rate of 25X than the broader retail sector 49% VS 2%. By 2029, resale is expected to be bigger than fast fashion.
• Compared to the second-hand apparel market increased from $11 million in 2012 to forecasted $64 million in 2024.
• In 2020, 86% of over 200 Million surveyed consumers say they have or are open to shopping.
• 45 percent of GenZ and millennials say they refuse to buy from non-sustainable brands and retailers.
• The resale market is growing at a rate 11 times faster than traditional retail and should be worth $84 billion by 2030, with fast fashion predicted to be worth about $40 billion.
• Genz and millennials are powering the rise of shopping second hand with each generation having 42% of people who shop second hand
• secondhand products, when compared to the 45% in 2016/ Secondhand, is expected to be 2x bigger than fast fashion in 2020

Corporation

• CSR ( Corporate Social Responsibility ) is being emphasized as the key to the industry’s sustainability journey: from behaving ethically as a business practice to taking on the environmental responsibility of a corporation and business process and operating cost.
• Kering has developed an innovative tool in 2018 and has further implemented and shared to the industry for adaptation for measuring and quantifying the environmental impact as a key enabler of a sustainable business model, for guiding its sustainability strategy, improving its processes, and supply sources, and choosing the best-adapted technologies.
• Sustainability practices have become a brand-defining agenda for small to luxury brands in the 21st century. UN Sustainable Development Goals are also taking on new importance: More companies than ever are embracing the SDGs as drivers of their CSR/ESG work in the next decade.
• As corporate culture becomes more transparent and accessible to buyers, who are driven by their beliefs and big-picture values, corporate giving and other social impacts are recognized and rewarded in the form of brand loyalty. 27 percent of companies reported an increase of more than 25% in corporate giving.
• 77 percent of consumers are motivated to purchase from companies committed to making the world a better place, while 73 percent of investors state that efforts to improve the environment and society contribute to their investment decisions. These figures indicate a business can realize significant rewards by prioritizing CSR initiatives and working them into its strategic plans, attracting both customers and investors.
• 25 percent of consumers and 22 percent of investors cite a “zero tolerance” policy toward companies that embrace questionable practices on the ethical front. The takeaway here is clear: A business that knowingly engages in deceitful or otherwise socially or environmentally harmful behavior risks losing a significant percentage of potential customers.
• Circular business models, including re-commerce, could enable the industry to cut around 143 million tonnes (~315B lbs) of GHG emissions in 2030. To align with the 1.5-degree pathway [targeted by the Paris Climate Change Agreement], by 2030 we need to live in a world in which one in five garments are traded through circular business models.
• Nearly 90 percent of executives believe a strong sense of collective purpose within their organization drives employee satisfaction. A further 84 percent believe it affects the organization’s ability to transform, and 80 percent believe it can increase customer loyalty. As you can deduce from earlier statistics, they’re correct: Both customers and employees value purpose and specifically seek businesses that aim to make a difference.

Investment

• The global online clothing rental market is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.76% during the 2018-2023 period and will reach a value of USD 1.96 Bn by 2023, up from USD 1.18 Bn in 2018.
• Secondhand Market is Projected to Double in the Next 5 Years, Reaching $77B
• Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) are making their way into the venture capital space. From 2016 to 2018, ESG integration increased by 69% across global public and private markets. Nearly 2/3 of investors believe that ESG guidance will become essential to alternative assets over the next three years.
• Sustainable investing, impact investing, socially conscious investing, or socially responsible investing, ESG investing has gained significant momentum over the past few years—and the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated its speed.
• Sustainable assets in the US are growing at a particularly rapid rate. after quadrupling from 2017 to 2020, the US now accounts for 20% of all global ESG assets.
• In June 2020, there were already 534 sustainability-focused index funds globally, with collective assets totaling $250 billion.

AI/Machine Learning

• Global spending on AI technologies by the fashion & retail industry is expected to reach $7.3 billion each year by the year 2022.
• According to a survey by Capgemini, artificial intelligence could help retailers save $340 billion annually by the year 2022 by enabling efficiency in several processes and operations.
• AI offers a sustainable solution to fashion, reducing overall inventory levels by 20–50% as well as improving working conditions in the fashion industry*.*
• Tommy Hilfiger announced a partnership with IBM and the fashion institute of technology, applying machine-learning tools to 15,000 of its product images, 600,000 publicly available runway images, and almost 100,000 fabric patterns sites.
• China-based fashion retail giant Alibaba has launched its first FashionAI store, the company introduced in-store features including smart garment tags, intelligent mirrors, along with Bluetooth chips embedded within every product.
• With its foray into using AI for fashion, Amazon is deploying an AI-enabled fashion designer algorithm that can design apparel by copying the design styles of many in-vogue clothes and applying them to a new clothing item.

The Solution

Introducing: The World's First Sustainable AI-Powered P2P Multifunctional Ecosystem, for Me and You.

https://vimeo.com/642515868

Phase 1 overview:

• An Inclusive Fashion Ecosystem: Over 2500 Brands ( Chanel to Marni to Zara ) AND Unbranded items (thrift wear and vintage ) for Male, Female and Others.

• Buy and Sell: Up to 75% off from retail price on niche finds

  
  

• Rent and Lend: Rent for less than 1/10th of the retail price and make recurring income from lending your items.

• Mark the Date: Calendar booking and order management system for streamlined order tracking.

  
  

• Vacation Mode: Pause the availability of your items posted for rent with the press of a button. No sweat, only a good tan line with vacation mode.

• Get Social: follow, chat, and connect with your neighbors and new friends.

• Shop Brighter: Use our in-house analytics tool to help you make smarter decisions.

  
  

• CSR Driven Co2 Carbon Metrics: Keep track of the amount of Carbon you have helped prevent from being released into our atmosphere!

• Shop with Confidence: Your buy/sell/rent/lend transactions are secured by our state-of-the-art escrow technology and Stripe’s Fraud Protection.

  
  

• Get Surprised: Tons of hidden surprise features for you to discover.

To sum up, our impactful and user-driven technology solution allows users to save up to 90% of the retail price on items, and up to 80% of their cluttered “Closset” space. The ÀLA.HAUSSE Fashion Ecosystem will provide you with a secured, time-saving, streamlined shopping environment, and a place to form relationships. With the help of you and our powerful all-in-one in-app features, we will create recurring income and a truly circular economy for all.

By implementing our ever-changing sustainable-driven business model and an in-app circular economic framework, everyone can become a part of the solution. Together we will establish a harmonious and inclusive ecosystem of uplifting individuals, and marching together against the massive carbon footprint created by the traditional textile industry.

ÀLA.HAUSSE is determined to be a leader in sustainable fashion. We will push social AI and E-commerce Tech as a solution for 21st-century shoppers, We recognize the potential of a closed-loop ecosystem, powered by people from all walks of life, backgrounds, and cultures.

Because here, everyone has an opportunity to create change and to alter the fast consumption cycle, all while supporting their love for fashion and our planet.

See you soon #HAUSSEPEOPLE and don’t forget to #WEARYOURPURPOSE.

À New Wave to Fashion, À New Way of Living.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/619461988?h=3629a507ce"

The World's First Sustainable AI-Powered P2P Multifunctional Fashion Ecosystem, for Me and You. Now live on iOS Android.

Special thanks to everyone from the technology team, supporting organizations, management and advisory team, contractors, employees, student members, professors, and all of our contributors who have supported us since the beginning of our early journey. Find them on our website soon! 💚

Join us on the upcoming ride, and learn more about our expansion plans in sustainability, AI & machine learning, and many more: [email protected]/ [email protected]

Deck request: [email protected]

EPK request: [email protected]/ [email protected]

Endnotes: ÀLA.HAUSSE's product and brand mission is designed to meet 8/17 of UN's sustainable goals. Stay tuned, for the upcoming release on our white paper.

GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

We have a strong will to ensure ÀLA.HAUSSE contributes to clean and sustainable water around the globe, as the fashion industry is one of the top polluters of aquatic ecosystems, leaking synthetic microfibers and other determinants through its production and cleaning. With the establishment of a circular ecosystem, we can maintain water pollution to a minimum.

GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Clean, affordable energy is one of our priorities, to build an eco-friendly attitude towards the production and consumption of energy. This starts from resources needed to produce clothes to its distribution; it's crucial to minimize the amount of energy used in these processes and ensure it is from a sustainable source.

GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth-> for personal and small business and brands earning and creating recurring revenue

Alongside sustainability and fashion, ÀLA.HAUSSE was made with the thought of personal and small businesses at the forefront. We want to provide a market where individuals can apply their passion with the benefit of income, supporting their endeavors while contributing to a greener future.

GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

ÀLA.HAUSSE prides itself as a standard of innovation in our processes, using high-tech AI-powered analytical systems to build our applications and ensure we achieve our goals. We are always innovating new ideas to aid our efforts with the hopes of exuding high merit in our infrastructure and in the fashion industry.

GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

By establishing a circular ecosystem within fashion, we are taking a step into changing mindsets to prioritize sustainability. Together we can create long-lasting change in the world, intersecting technology and environmentalism to move forward at a pace that hasn’t been witnessed before. Together we will make the difference.

GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

The fashion industry has monumental issues regarding fast consumption and unethical production. ÀLA.HAUSSE recognizes these challenges and wants to alter the rates by creating a closed-loop system that defies the “out with the old, in with the new” quick trend cycle system we are currently witnessing. Through our BUY/SELL/LEND/RENT functions, consumption can be slowed, impacting production rates and methods.

GOAL 13: Climate Action

Carbon emissions are increasing at an all-time high, approaching the rate of decline that we will not be able to reverse. Action is needed and it is needed now, which heightens the importance of our mission to decrease fashion’s CO2 levels. We included a CO2 standardized generator for users to witness how much emissions they are saving from their trades or purchases.

GOAL 16: Partnerships

ÀLA.HAUSSE welcomes any potential partnerships that can help aid our mission of saving our environment, one clothing piece at a time. Please email [email protected] for more information.