Planet
Sustainability in fashion is not a new concept to the industry, however in recent times the idea has become a lot more prevalent in the current climate of modern social consciousness.
The fashion industry’s growth has also seen a growth in greenhouse gas emissions. Clothing production doubled between 2000 and 2014, increasing carbon emissions simultaneously (Moran, G., 2022). Because of this a plan of action has been set in place by multiple. To start with, if we look at The Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act, which, if passed, would require all fashion brands that do business in New York with revenues of more than $100m (£80m) to disclose their social and environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions, water footprint and chemical use (Moran, G., 2022). Considering New York’s place in the fashion industry, this could be huge in the fight for sustainability across the fashion globe. Yes, this is only relevant to New York at the moment, but it is a huge step forward. Many legislative actions have been taken in order to help the fight for sustainability however this is not the only way to make change. We can also see brands today being a lot more socially and environmentally aware, such as Scarlett McCartney. McCartney’s fight for sustainability in the industry can be broken down by their actions such as their partnership with Natural Resource Defense Council in its ‘Clean by Design’ initiative. Clean by Design aims to reduce waste and emissions from production and manufacturing practices. As the company states ‘We will continue to consider the impact we have on the planet as we design clothing, open stores and manufacture our products. We will probably never be perfect but you can rest assured that we are always trying…’ (Gwilt, A., 2014) Despite companies around the globe trying to make an effort, some have been criticised for their ingenuine motivation behind their push for sustainability. Famously, a lawsuit criticised H&M for misleading and greenwashing consumers through the means of false sustainability marketing: H&M introduced environmental scorecards accompanying their merchandise in-store and online which showed “Sustainability Profiles” but was held accountable for “falsified information that did not comport with the underlying data” as it ran a scheme to greenwash its products (FashionLaw, 2022).
Circular economy,“aims to reduce waste and pollution by keeping materials, products and resources in use for as long as possible.” (Conde Nast, 2020). A brand that embodies this idea is Nona Source. The Nona Source business has been made possible by LVMH’s DARE (Disrupt, Act, Risk to be an Entrepreneur) incubator programme. Laetitia Roche-Grenet, head of open innovation at LVMH, which runs the DARE programme, says: “[Nona Source] fits the strategy of the group. We have a pillar about circularity and a pillar about supporting creativity, and Nona Source answers this perfectly. In 2021, Nona Source rescued 70,000 metres of fabric (Moran, G., 2022)
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals help us, as an industry, understand what we can do to improve sustainability internationally. At the moment however, this certainly is not the case when we consider the fourteenth Sustainable Development Goal, to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (United Nations website). Specifically in the manufacturing of leather, these processes use huge amounts of clean water and leave a large amount of toxic wastewater which tanneries need to purify (removing chemicals) and dispose of (Mitterfellner, O., 2023). This is just one of many examples across facets within the fashion industry that continue to be detrimental to the environment.
To conclude, the planet has been harmed quite clearly due to the fashion industry’s processes, which is not new information. However, brands globally have been making efforts to make change in hopes to improve sustainability, with the help of legislative measures as well as corporations and groups making a stand.
Reference list:
Moran, G. (2022) Drapers, Collaborating for Change: Sustainability Report 2022
Mitterfellner, O. (2023). Chapter 7 – Luxury Fashion and the Sustainable Approach
Gwilt, A. (2014) Chapter 2 – The life cycle of a garment. Pages: 30-49
United Nations website, Sustainable Development Goals: 17 Goals to Transform our World.
Conde Nast, The Sustainable Fashion Glossary