Planet
To make the fashion industry more sustainable, the Planet is one of the four pillars of sustainability. Fashion cannot be separated from the planet on which we depend, which receives damage from the pollution caused by the fashion industry. The rapid production of clothing in the fashion industry has taken place to the detriment of the land, water, air, as well as the people and animals that share this planet (King, 2023). It is a horrible fact that the fashion industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions (Conca, 2015) and 20% of global waste water emissions (Cho, 2021), which is more than the energy consumed by aviation and shipping combined (UNFCCC, 2018). The fashion industry needs sustainable measures to protect our planet’s environment.
Circular economy
The circular economy is a model of production and consumption that involves sharing, renting, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible, keeping the cycle going. Making the life cycle of a product is then extended (European Parliament, 2023). The circular economy is based on three design-driven principles: elimination of waste and pollution, circulating products and materials and rebirth of nature (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2023). And the circular economy addresses climate change and other global challenges such as biodiversity loss, waste and pollution by decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources. The fashion industry should learn and apply the circular economy model as much as possible to minimise fashion’s impact on the environment.
Fashion needs sustainability
The rise of fast fashion and the falling price of clothing has enabled us to buy more and more clothes. The rapid production of on-trend but cheap poor quality clothing has made fashion an unsustainable and environmentally harmful industry (Raumer, 2022). Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (UCLA, 2023). And fashion brands can use fabrics with biodegradable components from natural or recycled fibres to produce clothes. Promoting slow fashion, practising ethical fashion and practising a circular economy promotes circular fashion. Stella McCartney is a sustainable brand. Stella McCartney continually develops and explores new ways to minimise environmental impact by using innovative technologies throughout the supply chain and design. Not using any leather or fur creates a modern and responsible feel. The brand has replaced virgin cashmere with recycled cashmere and uses sustainable viscose fibres, making for a less environmentally harmful product.
United Nations sustainable development goals
The rapid overproduction of fast fashion in the fashion industry has consequences for the environment. Fast fashion results in a large amount of imitation waste, and only 15% of discarded clothing is recycled or donated (Cline, 2014), while the rest is sent to landfills or incinerated. Clothes made of synthetic fibres can take hundreds of years to decompose, and during the decomposition process they release methane gas and leak toxic chemicals and dyes into groundwater and soil (Brown, 2021). Of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by the United Nations, the 12th goal of responsible consumption and production is related to the fashion industry. Reducing unnecessary production, using natural and chemical-free materials, and consumers buying practical, good quality clothing are the best ways to reduce wasteful responsible production.
In conclusion, the planet is one of the pillars of fashion sustainability, which the fashion industry can help to minimise harm to the environment by practising a circular economy. By following the UN Sustainable Development Goals of responsible consumption and production, sustainability in the fashion industry can be better realised.
Bibliography
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