Swarovski, the UN and Study Hall partner for sustainability accelerator program

By

Gabriella Lacombe

Published
Sep 26, 2019

Swarovski and fashion sustainability nonprofit Study Hall have partnered with the United Nations Office for Partnerships (UNOP) to launch “One X One” (one by one), a global initiative meant to foster lasting sustainability partnerships within the fashion world. 

In a press statement, the collaborators said the program, described as 'part fellowship, part accelerator', will aim to foster three major partnerships in its inaugural year, pairing emerging designers with innovators focusing on sustainable practices in materials, manufacturing and consumption. 

Teams will be curated in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals with a focus on the themes of circularity, technological innovation and human-centered design. Once selected, these participants will work together to create a sustainability-focused project, product or process that will then be supported by grant money and an advisory committee provided by One X One.

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According to the One X One partners, the program will officially launch by the end of this year, with collaborators working through the spring and summer of 2020. The innovations produced will be documented and presented at a major program exposé in September of 2020. 

“At the UN Office for Partnerships, our primary objective is to further the United Nations 2030 Agenda by acting as the gateway for partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” said Robert Skinner, the executive director of the UN Office for Partnerships.

“[The] ‘One X One’ collaboration is very exciting and UNOP anticipates this will achieve great things. We look forward to working with Swarovski and Study Hall to create a shared vision and move forward the SDGs.”

With climate strikes currently taking place around the world as part of the ‘Week for Future’ movement, the partnership between Swarovski, the UN and Study Hall marks the latest intersection of the luxury market and environmental activism, as public discourse around the climate continues to intensify.

In addition to its new partnership with Swarovski and the UN, Study Hall hosts an annual free summit focused on sustainable fashion, as well as global conferences throughout the year meant to foster partnerships and education around sustainability literacy in multiple industries.

The organization is supported by a variety of brands, including Swarovski, G-Star Raw, Adidas and Calik Denim. Most recently, Study Hall appeared at the UN for The Library Study Hall Sustainable Fashion Summit on February 1.