The OOO countdown is on: time for one last move your future self won’t regret

Let me guess, you’re one email away from setting your Out of Office. But there are still budgets to close, reports to finish, and last-minute “quick syncs” (that are never actually quick), all while half your team is already mentally sipping sangría somewhere in the Mediterranean.

Welcome to the final sprint before vacation season in the fashion industry, a time when urgency is everywhere and long-term thinking is nowhere. Before you get lost in those holiday vibes, here’s a little reality check: 

Sustainability doesn’t take a summer break

If your fashion company has committed to becoming more sustainable, now is not the moment to hit pause. In fact, now is when leadership really shows up. Before you set that auto-reply, make sure you've checked off a few things that future-you will thank you for:

Take a hard look at your traceability data

It’s tempting to think: “We’ll clean that up in Q4”. But if you don’t know what’s happening in your supply chain now, you’re flying blind. Your suppliers might be going on holiday too, ask the right questions now, not after everyone's back with an inbox full of chaos.

Close the loop on your sustainability KPIs

You’re already closing budgets and finalizing performance reports, why not do the same with your sustainability indicators? Where are you improving? Where are you lagging? What can be done differently next season? Hint: if you can't answer that clearly, it’s time to change your measurement tools, not your narrative.

Polish your green claims

There’s no polite way to say this: greenwashing is still everywhere. Before you publish that campaign saying you're “eco-conscious” or “climate neutral”, ask yourself: Can we back this up with data? Would we survive the consumer scrutiny? If the answer is “uhh…maybe?”, fix it before someone else calls it out. Put your green claims to the test with the Green Claims Cheat Sheet.

Get backup before burnout

If your team is overloaded (spoiler: they are), sustainability efforts will be the first thing to get deprioritised. The solution? Outsource the heavy lifting. Whether you need to prepare for audits, validate data, or make your sustainability strategy actually actionable, having a solid partner means you don’t lose momentum when you lose Wi-Fi.

The fashion companies that stay the course during the chaos? Those are the ones that lead when everyone else slows down.

So yes, set your OOO. Go recharge. But make sure you’re leaving your sustainability strategy in good hands. BCome can help your business with that:

• Avoid greenwashing with the Green Claims Cheat Sheet for fashion pros

• 7 times fashion brands failed with their green claims and why it matters

• The cost of inaction: What your company is losing by ignoring sustainability today