The first pillar to be explored is ‘Planet’. It is crucial that we understand how we are contributing to the climate crisis we have created. Therefore, we can put in place regenerative systems to work towards a sustainable and responsible fashion industry. Growing carbon emissions, concerns regarding animal welfare, deforestation and the contamination of the Earth’s water and soil indicate that the current fashion industry is simply something we cannot sustain.

The circular economy emphasises the importance of using renewable resources and creating regenerative systems within industries whilst meeting customer demand. Moving away from the linear mode of thinking (take-make-waste model) involves considering ways to repair, reuse, refurbish and recycle products (Gueye, 2021). However, we must understand that recycling is the last resort. We should make every effort to carry out one of the previous ‘Re’ practices, to ensure we are getting the absolute most out of our garments. We are beginning to see designers such as Patrick McDowell emphasise the importance of brand building around the Sustainable Development Goals with ‘Reimagine’ collections, ‘collections that save and monetise past season fabrics and clothing’ (PATRICK McDOWELL, 2023).

A sustainable process does not deplete resources for further generations. In relation to fashion, we must not only think about ways we discard of our clothing, but also consider how production processes are impacting our planet too. We see water and chemical intensive crops such as cotton having detrimental impacts, with one single cotton t-shirt requiring 2700 litres to be made (Whalen, 2022). Cellulose fibres such as viscose involve deforestation and inevitably, loss of biodiversity. However, consumers now demand transparency, meaning we can get a much deeper insight into brands and their supply chains. This way, consumers can make informed decisions on which brands they support.

The 17 SDG’s, introduced by the United Nations In 2015 suggest ways to achieve a sustainable future for all by 2030 (United Nations, 2023). Goal 12 is ‘Responsible consumption and production’. This is hugely relevant since by 2050, the equivalent of almost three planets could be required to sustain current lifestyles (United Nations, 2023). As a response to micro trends, consumers feel a constant need to ‘keep up’, therefore leading to irresponsible consumption. This goes hand in hand with the current issue of overproduction. Brands may begin to look at made to order models to produce more responsibly whilst meeting demand. Effectively dealing with overproduction could reduce carbon emissions by 158 million tonnes a year (Moran, 2022). We can also embrace collaboration between industries. For example, the food and fashion industry. Innovations such as mushroom-derived and more plant-based leathers are arising as alternatives (Talamo, 2022).

It is evident that an increasing number of brands are being driven by sustainability which indicates that we are heading in the right direction, despite the vast amount of work still to be done.

Bibliography

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