PLANET
As of today, the planet has enough clothing to dress the next 6 generations of the human race (Grant, 2020) – a dire statistic that showcases how, in relation to fashion, the planet has more than often got the short end of the stick, becoming little more than a resource-stolen land and dumping ground. With the introduction of fast fashion at the start of the new millennium, between 2000 and 2014, clothing production has doubled (Drapers, 2022) and at present the fashion industry now contributes to 8-10% of global carbon emissions (BBC, 2022).
The necessity for circularity in fashion has never been clearer than now. But how do we, as inhabitants of this planet, actually put this into practice? Well, as of 2015, the United Nations created a set of Sustainable Development Goals to function as a ‘shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future’. Pertaining to the fashion industry, one of the most significant SDGs is to ensure ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’ implying the agenda’s aims to create fundamental changes in the way that societies produce and consume goods and services (United Nations, 2012) This therefore includes the introduction of ‘life cycle thinking’ and circularity in the industry to achieve these goals.
‘Life cycle thinking’ enables designers to examine the impact of production and consumption of a product or service in order to reduce or avoid environmental and social impact. This process entails the consideration of the product life cycle by dissecting the phases of product production that begin with the raw material and finish with end-of-life. By identifying the key sustainability issues with the product, the designer is then able to evaluate what they may be able to influence directly or indirectly, thereby resulting in the reduction of the garment’s negative environmental impact (Gwilt, 2014).
Furthermore, the concept of ‘life cycle thinking’ contributes to the idea of a circular economy in fashion which opposes the linear system of ‘take-make-dispose’ and alternatively entails that resources and goods are used and distributed among consumers for as long as is practical while also being environmentally safe and efficient. The use of virgin materials is minimised since waste is regarded as a new and necessary resource. Moreover, priority is given to renewable energy sources and all materials are free of dangerous chemicals and substances to enable safe material flows and prevent negative environmental effects (Perry and Karaosman, 2018). Overall, by employing these new sustainability practises the fashion industry can hopefully reduce its negative environmental impact and align with the UN’s sustainability goals for 2030.
Works Cited
“THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development.” Sustainable Development Goals, United Nations, 2012, https://sdgs.un.org/goals. Accessed 7 October 2023.
Grant, Patrick, performer. The Great British Sewing Bee. 2013. BBC Two, 2020.
Gwilt, Alison. A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion. Bloomsbury Academic, 2014.
Moran, Graeme. “Collaborating for Change: Sustainability Report 2022.” Collaborating for Change: Sustainability Report 2022, Drapers, 9 March 2022, https://www.drapersonline.com/guides/collaborating-for-change-sustainability-report-2022. Accessed 7 October 2023.Perry, Patsy, and Hakan Karaosman. Applying Circular Economy Principles in Luxury Fashion: Petit h. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2018.
