Planet
The planet is quite a common topic in the fashion industry, which is related to resource use, waste, pollution, and so on. Producing the clothes requires a huge amount of natural energy, such as raw materials and water. So in the fashion industry, the ‘Planet’ mainly refers to the environmental aspect of fashion’s impact on the Earth.
The EU and several national governments have promoted the concept of a circular economy (Korhonen et al., 2018). According to research, the circular economy refers to an economic model with the primary goal of using resources efficiently by minimizing waste, maintaining the value of products and materials over the long term, and reducing the reliance on new resources (Morseletto, P. 2020). This concept is also significant in the fashion industry, as a Zalando spokeswoman stated, “Circular design is needed in the fashion industry because there is a huge environmental impact created in the design and manufacturing stages of a product’s lifecycle.”(Drapers, 2022) Nowadays, people use the model of slow fashion to match the circular economy, which has been separated into four parts: better design processes, better materials, better working practices and skills, and stopping the waste of resources and consumption in the process (Lench, 2020). All of those are linked to the key factors in sustainable fashion: environmental sustainability, social sustainability, and economic sustainability (Daukantienė, V. 2023).
In the economic pillar, SDG 12, responsible consumption and production patterns greatly impact the fashion industry. This SDG comprises three main topics: chemicals and waste, sustainable consumption and production, and sustainable tourism. The brand Patagonia matches this SDG. This brand provides a permanent warranty service, regardless of the level of wear and tear. In addition, 87% of the materials they use are recycled. Yvon also officially launched the “1% Earth Tax Plan”, donating 1% of its total revenue to the global environment (Patagonia, 2023). In addition, brands like Adidas and GAP were now doing internal education for the staff.
In conclusion, when the term “planet” is used in fashion, it emphasizes the need for the industry to adopt environmentally friendly procedures to reduce its impact on the environment and to encourage more sustainable and eco-friendly ways of producing and consuming clothing. This includes initiatives to conserve resources, reduce pollution, minimize waste, and mitigate climate change.
Reference list
Daukantienė, V. (2022). Analysis of the sustainability aspects of fashion: a literature review. Textile Research Journal, 93(3-4), p.004051752211249. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/00405175221124971.
Korhonen, J., Honkasalo, A. and Seppälä, J. (2018). Circular Economy: The Concept and Its Limitations. Ecological Economics, 143(1), pp.37–46. doi https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.06.041.
Moran, G. (2022). Collaborating for Change: Sustainability Report 2022. [online] Drapers. Available at: https://www.drapersonline.com/guides/collaborating-for-change-sustainability-report-2022.
Morseletto, P. (2020). Targets for a circular economy. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 153, p.104553. doi https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.104553.
Patagonia (2023). Our Footprint. [online] Patagonia. Available at: https://www.patagonia.com/our-footprint/.