Fashions detrimental impact on the planet
The negative affect the fashion industry is having on the Planet is undeniable. One of the 4 pillars of fashion is the Planet which highlights its importance and therefore the need for it to be protected. The Fashion industry in 2015 alone was responsible for 1,715 million tones of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere ( European Union ,2019) a figure that is astounding and illustrates the urgency in which the fashion industry needs to cut down its emissions. If these statistics don’t encourage you to change your shopping habits I don’t know what will.
Therefore, the fashion industry needs to change rapidly to become more environmental conscious otherwise there will not be a planet to preserve. Currently sustainability is a big topic in fashion as consumers need to try and move away from the linear way of shopping and move to a more circular model where items are reused. At the moment 20% of clothes in landfill have never been worn ( Moran ,2022) .Consequently , as a consumer I’m trying to be more conscious of my buying habits and try to buy less often and purchase from “Vinted” as often as possible. Although, this concept of a circular fashion industry needs to be built on further this could be delivered by such as stores putting into place systems where individuals return clothes for credit and then buy vintage again. This will create a more fun yet thoughtful purchasing environment.
Although, currently there’s no such thing as a sustainable fashion brand , the fashion industry should strive for an industry that’s as environmentally friendly as possible. The brand Maison Cleo make their clothes using dead fabrics from couture houses something all brands should strive to emulate.
The UN have set out 17 goals called SDG’s as a plan of action for saving the planet from catastrophe one of these goals being responsible consumption and production. This relates to the throw away culture consumers have become so used to. It is estimated 10,000 items of clothing go into landfill every minute which could be repurposed ( BBC ,2022) . This highlights the positive impact buying less often could significantly reduce the CO2 emissions released into the environment .Also, the goal of climate action was part of the UN’s plan for a shift in industries consideration of the Planet as outlined in Drapers 2022 sustainability report. Many companies have encouraged the push in climate action by linking green targets to the wages of its employees and profits.
Although, many brands and the fashion industry as a whole is moving in the right direction a lot more needs to be done by both companies and consumers to ensure the fashion industry becomes more sustainable and in order to protect our planet.