Planet
In our fast paced and innovative world of fashion, there have been many positive developments. But they came with some of the biggest problems that we have to face to further improve the situation. Fashion industry is based on the key pillars that are Planet, People, Profit and Purpose. This blog I will be focusing on Planet and how we are affecting it with our fashion choices.
Our planet is facing environmental challenges like pollution, global warming, mostly being caused from the disposal cycles and never ending fast production cycles. Because of this, the act of sustainability has become more important than ever.
Circular economy
Circular economy is the approach of giving second life to already existing materials and use it into something new. This could be making clothes through eco friendly materials like organic cotton or hemp, that are reused and recycled to ensure that there is minimal waste.
It advises designers to make better quality of garments and products that will have more longevity. But all of this is not an easy task to achieve., as noted by Gwilt (2014) “ To engage with this process, designers need to have a good in of the activities and phases of a garment’s life style.”
And because sustainability is such a difficult but important task, it aligns us to the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN, and particularly, goal 12.
Goal 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
In our planet, the resources are not forever and the more we take, the worse it becomes. This goal states to produce responsibly and mindfully. Fashion designers hold a a big role in this field. They have to genuinely start moving towards becoming more sustainable whether through reselling, providing repair services and most of all – using safe materials that do not affect the environment.
Some brands are moving into that direction more, like Patagonia, Nike and Stella McCartney. (Gwilt 2014).But challenges still remain, as Mitterfellner (2023) states, some brands do not want to reveal real material details just not to lose customers, which makes sustainability still a long way to achieve fast and efficiently without greenwashing.
It is in our hands to start within ourselves, and little by little we can create fashion industry that will benefit the aesthetic and be mindful of the planet.
References
Gwilt, A. (2014). A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion (p. 15). London: Fairchild Books. Available at: https://www-bloomsburyfashioncentral-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/encyclopedia-chapter?docid=b-9781350067059&tocid=b-9781350067059-chapter1&pdfid=9781350067059.ch-001.pdf [Accessed: 06 October 2023].
Gwilt, A. (2014). A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion (p. 20). London: Fairchild Books.https://www-bloomsburyfashioncentral-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/encyclopedia-chapter?docid=b-9781350067059&tocid=b-9781350067059-chapter1&pdfid=9781350067059.ch-001.pdf [Accessed: 06 October 2023].
Mitterfellner, O. (2023). Luxury Fashion Brand Management: Unifying Fashion with Sustainability (p.187). Publisher: eBook Central. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/UAL/printPage-b.action?bookType=pdf&op=toPDF&ct=&chaptId=59&rds=chapter&docID=7260416&st=178&ed=239&fromDD=1&dt=1696540185843&downloadToken=1696540185843[Accessed: 06 October 2023].