Sustainability within the fashion industry comes with 4 interconnected pillars, one of being planet. To make the planet pillar a lot more simple and easier to pull apart is splitting it into the features (are, water, land). Researchers and scientists use these terms to measure the health of the ‘planet’ and how industries such as Fashion are impacting the environment. The planet pillar is here to help change the way fashion and textiles impacts the environment and brings awareness to brands that put a lot of money and effort into making their lines and collections sustainable for the planet.
For many years and decades the fashion industry has worked in a very linear manner, following a straight path of “take – make – waste” or “sell – buy – wear”. This ecosystem within Fashion has caused large statistics such as ‘the 2.5 trillions fashion industry’s producing: 20 percent of global water waste, 10 percent of the global carbon emissions ‘ and ‘Textiles production – 1.2 billion tonnes of C02 annually’. One of the main aims of the planet pillar is to create more of a ‘circular economy’ which is more of a life cycle, where materials never become waste and nature is regenerated. This is an A lot more useful ecosystem and hopefully can be the final call to save the world from ‘climate catastrophe’.
As someone who is a strong supporter of sustainability, I have done my research on sustainability in relation to fashion. To me its up cycling and reselling. Reselling clothes on sites like vinted and Depop and then if there is a flop in sale then up cycling the materials or reusing them for art or textile projects. Upcycling is a huge part of fashion nowadays and has actually become ‘trendy’. Patchwork projects and techniques such as botanical printing has really had a rise. Following Upcycling trends is another link between sustaibality and fashion that I believe will help our planet.
The SDG “sustainable development goals”, are a blueprint to achieve a better and a more sustainable future for us all. The SDG include actions such as no poverty, zero hunger and clean water and sanitation. Clean water and sanitation is an sdg goal beginning to appear more and more in brands. The rise in cotton has created a more environmentally friendly industry with it being made from 85% of clean water. Cotton has become a replacement for many materials such as polysester and metalled materials which are huge damaging for the planet and environment.
In relation to the fashion industry, the impact on the planet is an important factor. The fashion industry is one of the most harmful industries on the planet contributing to world pollution and climate change.
The circular economy aim to tackle climate change and a variety of global challenges such as, biodiversity loss, waste and pollution. They achieve this by decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources. This is beneficial to the planet as reusing and recycling products would slow down the use of natural resources and the reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions, which will lead to the fashion industry having less of an impact on climate change in the future. Sustainability in relation to the fashion industry is the way in which brands create garments in an ethical way, this includes the process in which garments are made and the impact this will have on the environment, also the working conditions of the workers who are producing the clothing.
(Gwilt, Alison 2016) mentions in the ‘Practical guide to sustainable fashion’ that information about the environmental and social impacts of fashion garments can be revealed by mapping the inputs and outputs in the life cycle of a garment. However, the accuracy of this information depends on whether the suppliers respond to questions truthfully and provide accurate data.
Currently, the United Nations have 17 Sustainable Development Goals, these goals have been brought in as a universal call to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that everyone enjoys peace and prosperity. I believe that Responsible Consumption and Production is one of the Sustainable Development Goals with the most impact on the fashion industry. This is due to the fact that companies are overproducing garments in order to meet the demand of consumers. As a result of frequent evolving trends, fast fashion is bought and rarely worn due to trends changing at a rapid pace and will often end up in landfills.
One of the main factors of the fashion industry being one of the most wasteful industries on the planet is due to over production. (McKinsey & Company, 2018), state that clothing production has doubled between 2000 and 2014, this continues to rise each year. In New York it is estimated that 40% of all items produced by the sector are sold at markdown price, by tackling this level of overproduction the fashion industry could reduce carbon emissions by 158 million tonnes a year. It is also currently estimated that New Yorkers throw 200,000,000lbs of clothing into waste each year. This is the equivalent to 440 statues of Liberty. These statistics alone highlight how much waste is caused from the fashion industry each year. Furthermore, in Hong Kong 53% of 1000 people polled in Hong Kong revealed that they owned clothes that were still tagged, compared with 51% in mainland China, 46% in Italy, 41% in Germany and 40% in Taiwan. This continues to emphasise how severe over consumption within the fashion industry is as many people are purchasing clothing they do not need and likely end up not wearing.
Reference List
Francis, T. and Hoefel, F., 2018. True Gen’: Generation Z and its implications for companies. McKinsey & Company, 12.
The “planet” pillar is a fundamental aspect of sustainability dedicated to safeguarding and preserving our natural environment intricately connected with the concept of a circular economy. A circular economy is an economic model that focuses on minimizing waste through reusing, recycling, sharing, refurbishing and repairing existing materials and products (European Parliament, 2023). Unlike the traditional linear economy, which revolves around producing products at the lowest cost without any consideration of the negative externalities (European Investment Bank, 2023), a circular economy seeks to create a closed-loop system where products are produced, used and then reintegrated into the production cycle. This type of economic model requires a more sustainable practice in both consumption and production, where the waste after the consumption of the product could be reused in new production processes, extending the product life cycle and the product’s value.
In the context of the fashion industry, the economic model and sustainability encompasses a wide array of practices and initiatives aimed at reducing its environmental footprint. This can be extended from three perspectives (environmental sustainability, social sustainability, and cultural sustainability) including methods like using sustainable materials, adopting ethical labor practices, reducing water and energy consumption, and designing products with longevity in mind. Using Levi as an example, the renowned denim and apparel company has taken significant steps in recent years to adopt water-saving techniques in its production processes as part of its commitment to sustainability (Levi Strauss & Co., 2021). This initiative reflects the company’s recognition of the environmental impact of denim manufacturing, which historically and presently involves substantial water consumption and wastewater discharge. Therefore, sustainable fashion seeks to minimize the negative impacts of the industry on the planet while promoting ethical and responsible production.
Water consumption and wastewater discharge is one of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations that is constantly discussed in the fashion industry. However, another one of the SDGs that is closely interlinked with the fashion industry is Goal 13 – Climate Action. The fashion industry is a significant contributor to carbon emissions and environmental degradation as it is responsible for 4% of the total world greenhouse gas emissions every year (Fashion Revolution, 2021). Two of the main contributing factors are its high carbon emissions in production and wasteful linear economy practices. The fashion industry’s carbon footprint is substantial due to energy-intensive processes, such as textile production and transportation. Adopting waterless dyeing techniques, energy-efficient technologies, and sustainable materials can help reduce emissions in these stages (Fashion Revolution, 2021). As for how wasteful linear economy practices can be, fast fashion’s overproduction and disposal contribute enormously to environmental degradation and carbon emissions (Fashion Revolution, 2021). Shifting towards circular fashion, promoting recycling, and reducing waste can mitigate these issues, aligning with Goal 13 – Climate Action and other sustainability goals. As a result, the fashion industry’s impact on climate change and the environment underscores the urgency of adopting sustainable practices and embracing circular fashion principles to reduce carbon emissions and contribute to global climate action efforts.
Circular economy: definition, importance and benefits: News: European Parliament (2023) Circular economy: definition, importance and benefits | News | European Parliament. Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/economy/20151201STO05603/circular-economy-definition-importance-and-benefits (Accessed: 9 October 2023).
Karslake, K. (2015) The fourth pillar of sustainability: pleasure? Available at: https://sustainability.bam.co.uk/insights/2015-02-24-the-fourth-pillar-of-sustainability-pleasure (Accessed: 9 October 2023).
Knight, C. (2023) What is the linear economy?, European Investment Bank. European Investment Bank. Available at: https://www.eib.org/en/stories/linear-economy-recycling (Accessed: 9 October 2023).
Taking action on fashion and the climate crisis (2021) Taking action on fashion and the climate crisis : Fashion Revolution. Available at: https://www.fashionrevolution.org/climatecrisis/ (Accessed: 9 October 2023).
Staff, U. (2022) Our New Sustainability Report and Goals, Levi Strauss & Co. Available at: https://www.levistrauss.com/2022/09/28/our-new-sustainability-report-and-goals/ (Accessed: 9 October 2023).
In the fashion industry, there are many different elements that can affect the business. Planet, People, Profit and Purpose are the main four factors (pillars), and each pillar has its own function in the system. The planet pillar is crucial to the fashion industry as it encounters issues such as pollution and greenhouse gases. These issues are caused throughout the whole life cycle of a fashion garment: design, production, distribution, use and end-of-life. In total, this $2.5 trillion industry (fashion) produces 20% of the global water waste and creates 10% of the global carbon emissions, these consequences may lead to serious concerns like climate change, animals losing their habitats and rising sea levels. The study “Environmental Assessment of Swedish Fashion Consumption (2015)” by Mistra Future Fashion has examined the environmental impact of the annual consumption of textiles in Sweden. The study shows that the production of a garment is the dominant phase, accounting for 56 per cent of the impact. Combined with the manufacturing of textile fibres, production accounts for 70 per cent of the impact on the climate.
A circular economy is a sustainable approach that aims to ‘design out waste by minimising the number of natural resources used to make a new fashion garment which forms a non-linear model of the fashion life cycle. Recently, more and more fashion business has adopted the idea of having a circular economy. For example, many clothing brands used the idea of upcycling used clothes, which reduced the environmental costs in the design and production stages of the life cycle. Also, upcycled clothes create a sense of vintage which newly produced clothes don’t have.
In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” In the business world, environmental costs are usually ignored as the majority of them are more profit-driven. The fashion business harms the environment in several ways, but most importantly it affects water, in the production stage, chemical dyes are used which some companies will directly drain to rivers & seas, thus causing water pollution. However, as more people are concerned about the environment, fashion businesses started to incorporate corporate social responsibility to prove that they are behaving in an ethical way.
The UN published 17 sustainable development goals. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to transform our world. They are a call to action to end poverty and inequality, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy health, justice and prosperity. (WHO, 2015) Responsible consumption and production is one of the most crucial SDGs to consider in the fashion industry. Patagonia is a clothing company that puts a huge focus on this SDG, 98% of the products in their line are made with recycled material and they used 935 tons of plastic waste out of the world’s oceans by turning discarded fishing nets into gears. In addition, they also fulfilled the SDG “decent work and economic growth”, 85% of the products in their line are made in Fair Trade-certified factories.
The planet Earth is not just a distant celestial body; it is our home, the only place known to support life. It is a vital pillar of sustainable fashion as it introduces the importance of protecting the Earth’s ecosystems, conserving natural resources, and mitigating environmental challenges to ensure a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.
The fashion industry poses serious harm to the environment and the society, ranking the second world’s largest polluters after oil. It is accountable for approximately 20% of global industrial water pollution. Therefore, change must be made through the adoption of sustainable fashion.
The concept of circular economy is closely tied to sustainability. It encourages reducing, reusing, and recycling materials and products to minimise waste and decrease the environmental impact of production and consumption. This concept has evolved into an integral component that connects the fashion industry with the principles of sustainability.
Tamara Charm, the co-leader of McKinsey’s Agile Insights group, claimed that consumers today, especially the millennials, prefer products that are more natural, GMO free and recyclable. The younger generations are more aware of the significance of the topic sustainability. People are also concerning fair-trade practices, indicating the treatment of workers by companies at the opposite end of the supply chain. As the fashion industry relies extensively on consumers and their demand. In response to this new demand, brands throughout the industry have diligently endeavoured to integrate sustainable practices into their operational processes.
Nowadays, fashion innovations has not only enhance sustainability within the fashion industry but also make meaningful contributions to the broader achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that is highly relevant to the fashion industry is SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. In the context of the fashion industry, this goal is particularly compelling due to the industry’s consequential environmental and social impact.
According to research, the fashion industry annually consumes 98 million tonnes of non-renewable resources, with only 12 percent of clothing materials currently being recycled. However, SDG 12 encourages the industry to adopt more sustainable production practices. Reducing the environmental footprint of clothing production by using eco-friendly materials, optimizing manufacturing processes to minimize waste and energy consumption, and reducing the use of harmful chemicals. An exemplary brand in this regard is Reformation. Every product offered by Reformation includes a detailed description and an environmental rating, providing customers with insights into the ecological consequences of their clothing choices. These items are carefully crafted using recycled and sustainable materials, and they are produced in environments where fair wages are ensured for workers. Remarkably, Reformation has maintained a carbon-neutral status since 2015, actively participating in efforts to preserve deforested areas as a way to balance out the environmental impact of its manufacturing processes. Additionally, customers have the option to exchange their pre-owned clothing with Reformation, receiving credit toward the purchase of new items.
Bibliography:
Bringé, A. (2023) Council post: The State of Sustainability in the fashion industry (and what it means for brands), Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2023/01/02/the-state-of-sustainability-in-the-fashion-industry-and-what-it-means-for-brands/?sh=1f5f36081c82
Charm, T., Dua, A. and Robinson, K. (2022) Rise of the inclusive, sustainable consumers, McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/sustainable-inclusive-growth/future-of-america/rise-of-the-inclusive-sustainable-consumers
Hempstead, M. (2022) Fashion and the UN SDGS, Springwise. Available at: https://www.springwise.com/sustainable-source/fashion-and-the-sdgs/#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20most%20important,in%20clothing%20is%20currently%20recycled.
Marshall, D. (2022) What is Sustainable Fashion and why is it so important, IMMAGO. Available at: https://immago.com/sustainable-fashion-important/
Morgan, B. (2023) 11 fashion companies leading the way in Sustainability, Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2020/02/24/11-fashion-companies-leading-the-way-in-sustainability/?sh=1161c63c6dba
The four pillars of sustainability which the fashion industry is expected to uphold are vital in preserving the integrity of the industry. One of these four pillars is ‘Planet’ which focuses on the environmental impact caused by the fashion industry. The fashion industry is the third most polluting industry, producing a staggering 10% of our annual carbon footprint (The world’s most polluting industries, 2023). This is mainly at the fault of the industry’s excessive use of waste, cheap materials, manufacturing locations, transport from online orders, and plastic fibres which pollute the oceans, due to this, it can be drawn into debate whether its truly moral for mankind to seemingly prioritise aesthetic over our planet. The US alone discards roughly 11.3 million tonnes of textile waste annually, which is the equivalent to around 1250 pieces of clothing each second. Changing fashions mean their lifespan is artificially shortened by consumers changing tastes. Industry figures suggest modern clothing will have a lifespan between 2-1- years (Beall, 2020). This draws the question of whether the fashion industry as a whole is inherently unsustainable. Due to the large negative impact to the environment spawning from the industry, there has been a raised amount of consumer awareness which, along with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) which are expected to be reached by 2030, has placed a large amount of pressure on the fashion industry to operate in a vastly more sustainable and environment-friendly way.
The United Nation’s SDG’s
The United Nations developed the Sustainable Development Goals which are a set of 17 goals to be achieved in the name of creating a more sustainable and equitable world. These goals range social, economic and environmental forms of sustainability. from In 2019, the luxury group Kering, which owns fashion houses such as Gucci, Balenicaga and Alexander McQueen, led an initiative involving 32 major fashion brands, including Adidas, Nike and Burberry, to sign a Fashion Pact to promise to lower the amount of harm to the environment that is caused by the fashion industry. ‘To protect the oceans, the pact urges cutting the use of single-use plastics by 2030 and reducing micro-fiber ocean pollution created through consumers’ washing of synthetic materials.’ (Cheng, 2019). This aligns with the UN’s 14th Sustainable Development Goal to protect life below water.
Circular Economy
The concept of a circular economy is the development of a system in which materials never become wastage and materials are kept in constant circulation through methods involving reuse, recycling, refurbishing, repurposing and repairing products in order to keep them out of landfills and contributing to the damage to the environment. With this information at hand, the question is how these fashion brands are performing in terms of environmental impact. This is answered by consulting firm Kearney who have been running the Circular Fashion Index (CFE) since 2020, yearly. In their 2023 review which ran an assessment on around 200 brands, Kearney found that there is still an ultimate lack of urgency in the development of sustainable consumption and product development, a fault shared by both the brands and consumers. This year’s average CFX score, across the 200 fashion brands analyzed, is just 2.97 out of 10 (Ehrig et al. 2023). This score isn’t much different from the industry’s 2022 score, showing that the fashion industry’s change is still slow. However, Kearney also released a Top 10 list of performers which includes the brands that have made the most effort to improve their environmental impact. This list includes Patagonia, Levi’s and The North Face in their top three, respectively, with Gucci ranked in 5th place. This is mainly through the brands’ increased use of promotion and communication of circularity, with Levi’s also creating a separate page dedicated to selling recycled denim products as well as disclosing their carbon footprint. These brands set a blueprint for the road to environmental sustainability that other brands should strive to also uphold.
Bibliography:
Figure 1 – Image Credit: Getty Images/Drachev, V
Beall, A (2020) Why clothes are so hard to recycle [Online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200710-why-clothes-are-so-hard-to-recycle
Cheng, A (2019) Major Fashion Companies Sign Pact Vowing To Reduce Industry’s Environmental Impact [Online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/andriacheng/2019/08/23/major-fashion-companies-sign-pact-vowing-to-reduce-industrys-environmental-impact/?sh=73883c1a4db1
The World’s Most Polluting Industries (2023) [Online] Available at: https://climatetrade.com/the-worlds-most-polluting-industries/
While the fashion sector is booming, increasing attention has been brought to the impressive range of negative environmental impacts that the industry is responsible for. Fashion production makes up 10% of humanity’s carbon emissions, dries up water sources, and pollutes rivers and streams. What’s more, 85% of all textiles go to the dump each year (UNECE, 2018), and washing some types of clothes sends significant amount of microplastics into the ocean（Genevaenvironmentnetwork，2023）This blog is going to talk about circular, sustainability in relation to fashion and describe 1 SDG from the UN SDG.
Let’s start by talking about what a circular economy is. The circular economy is a system where materials never become waste and nature is regenerated. In a circular economy, products and materials are kept in circulation through processes like maintenance, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling, and composting.(Ellenmacarthurfoundation, 2023) The image below shows how the circular economy works.(Rts,2023)The first step is to design out waste and pollution, then to maintain the use of products and materials, and the final step is to return valuable nutrients to the soil by conserving and enhancing renewable resources to support regeneration and positively improve the environment.
How does circular economy work?(Rts,2023)
what is sustainability in relation to fashion? Sustainable fashion is a way in which brands create clothing that not only reduces the impact on the environment but is also mindful of the people who work to produce the garments.(Immago,2023) But sustainable fashion has been a controversial and difficult issue in recent years.sustainable means more overheads, which in turn reduces profit margins. For the industry to become sustainable as a whole, consumers must be willing to pay more to help make the change, or at the very least, stop buying from brands that have no regard for the environment. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership.（United Nations，2023）The 14th of these goals is： conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. Some of the water pollution generated by the fashion industry, such as the bleaching and dyeing of jeans, can pollute the ocean and endanger marine life by discharging wastewater directly into the ocean that has not been fully treated. Even this will have an impact on humans as some marine life will be caught and eaten by people.
(United Nations,2023)
Reference Genevaenvironmentnetwork (2023).The Environmental Cost of Fashion. Available at : https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/resources/updates/sustainable-fashion/
Ellenmacarthurfoundation (2023). What is a circular economy? Available at : https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overview
Rts（2023）.What is Circular Economy?Available at :https://www.rts.com/resources/guides/circular-economy/
Immago（2023). WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE FASHION AND WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT? Available at : https://immago.com/sustainable-fashion-important/
United Nations（2023). 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Available at :https://sdgs.un.org/goals
The fashion industry has always had a significant impact on our planet, from the production of textiles to the disposal of old clothing. However, as environmental awareness grows, so does the demand for sustainable fashion. ‘Planet,’ in the context of the UK fashion industry, is more than just a celestial body; it symbolises a commitment to preserving the Earth’s resources and protecting our environment. Sustainability is at the forefront of inauguration in the fashion industry (Jennifer Xiaopei Wu and Li Li, 2019). The global fashion industry is estimated to be worth around $1.7 trillion (Zippa, 2023), and is accountable for 20% of global water waste and 10% of global CO2 emissions. Fast fashion’s disposable culture encourages overconsumption, leading to excessive resource depletion, pollution, and waste. While some capitalize on this unsustainable model, we must recognize the urgent need to shift towards more sustainable, responsible practices in the fashion industry to protect our environment for future generations.
Circular economy within the fashion industry
Fig.2
Currently, the fashion industry follows a linear system, which involves producing and consuming clothes. This has a detrimental impact on the environment as less than 1% of the garments that are discarded are recycled (Katarina Rimarciko, 2023). However, as we look to the future a circular economy within the fashion industry must be implemented. The concept of a circular economy involves a disruption of the traditional linear fashion model, characterized by “take-make-dispose,” and instead advocates for a regenerative system where materials and products are reused, remanufactured, and recycled, minimizing waste and maximizing value. The circular economy within the fashion industry represents a promising shift towards sustainability, responsible consumption, and a more conscientious approach to clothing production and consumption. This introduction explores the key principles and potential benefits of the circular economy in fashion, shedding light on its role in shaping a more sustainable and ethical future for the industry.
Fashion designer Tanguy Mélinand (Hypebeast, 2023) has been exploring different materials such as seaweed and how it can be used in the fashion industry as a step toward a more sustainable planet. Mélinand’s innovative approach to incorporating seaweed into fashion has not only sparked eco-conscious trends but also raised awareness about sustainable alternatives in the industry (Vogue, 2023).
Fig.3
SDG’s
Fig.4
The UN Sustainability Development Goal that relates most to the fashion industry is goal 6. Clean water and sanitation – water scarcity affects more than 40% of the world’s population. One wash load of polyester fabrics can release 700,000 microplastic fibres into the environment, polluting the surroundings that we are meant to look after (Christina Animashaun/ 2019). In Monday’s lecture we learnt that it takes over 2700 litres of water to produce one T-shirt, to put this into context around 2 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water at home(CDC, 2022). By finding a better solution to combat the consumption of water within the fashion industry, we can not only reduce the environmental impact of clothing production but also contribute to a more sustainable future for our planet.
Bibliography
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Hypebeast. (2023). Can Seaweed Become the Future of Sustainable Fashion? [online] Available at: https://hypebeast.com/2023/5/can-seaweed-become-the-future-of-sustainable-fashion.
PANGAIA (2022). About PANGAIA. [online] PANGAIA. Available at: https://pangaia.com/pages/about-us.
Wu, J.X. and Li, L. (2019). Sustainability Initiatives in the Fashion Industry. [online] www.intechopen.com. IntechOpen. Available at: https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/68462.
United Nations (2023). The 17 sustainable development goals. [online] United Nations. Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals.
Ellen Macarthur Foundation (2022). Fashion and the circular economy. [online] ellenmacarthurfoundation.org. Available at: https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/fashion-and-the-circular-economy-deep-dive.
Ariella, S. (2022). 28 Dazzling Fashion Industry Statistics [2022]: How Much Is The Fashion Industry Worth – Zippia. [online] Zippia. Available at: https://www.zippia.com/advice/fashion-industry-statistics/#:~:text=The%20global%20fashion%20industry%20is.
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Chan, E. (2022). Why Recycling Won’t Solve Fashion’s Sustainability Problem. [online] British Vogue. Available at: https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/recycling-fashion.
Fig.1 (Image credit: Alamy/Javier Hirschfeld) Ro, C. (2020). Can fashion ever be sustainable? [online] BBC. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200310-sustainable-fashion-how-to-buy-clothes-good-for-the-climate.
Fig. 2 Brophy, K. (2020). Fast fashion 2 – How does the fashion industry need to change? [online] Institute for Molecular Science and Engineering. Available at: https://blogs.imperial.ac.uk/molecular-science-engineering/2020/09/25/fast-fashion-2-circular-fashion/.
Fig.3 Dwell. (n.d.). Photo 17 of 24 in The Wild and Wonderful World of Icelandic Design. [online] Available at: https://www.dwell.com/article/designmarch-2023-icelandic-design-festival-highlights-f6a81039/7064131269251571712 [Accessed 8 Oct. 2023].
Fig.4 United Nations (2015). Sustainable development goals launch in 2016. [online] United Nations Sustainable Development. Available at: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2015/12/sustainable-development-goals-kick-off-with-start-of-new-year/.
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Will the fashion industry become our planets ally?
{Figure 1}
When we think about the fashion industry as a whole it’s hard to look past the glamourous runways and variety of magnificent garments to see its true detrimental contribution towards environmental degradation. With fast fashion businesses profiting off of the creation of micro-seasons and dynamic trends, the extensive need for resource intensive processes such as cotton farming and the creation of oil bases textiles is at an all-time high. Garments containing cotton, one of the main materials known for an incredibly water-intensive production cost, use thousands of litres of water to make a singular product with one cotton t-shirt requiring 2,500 litres of water to manufacture as stated by (Turner, 2023).
However, does the fashion industry have the potential to become the planets ally and offer our dying earth a glimpse of hope? With more sustainable practices of purchasing resurging within the fashion industry such as the global second-hand market, which saw a 28% increase in 2022 alone (ThredUps Resale Report, 2023), it is clear that a more supportable, circular approach is being taken within the fashion economy.
The idea of a ‘circular economy’ has begun to distribute itself across fashion industry with a narrative of “closing loops in the industrial eco-systems and minimising waste”(Stahel, 2016). This system simply focuses on maximising recycling, reusing and replenishment all of which bode well with newer procedures of sustainable fashion buying and merchandising. Not only is the idea of a circular economy attractive to more sustainable fashion markets but also to the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals (SDG’s).
The UN’s 17 SDG’s are targets put in place by the UN to address world issues such as poverty, hunger and inequality and achieve a more sustainable future for the world. The fashion industry plays a significant part in the achievement of a few of these goals such as; gender equality, reduced inequalities and, most related to the narrative of sustainable fashion, responsible consumption and production. If the fashion industry adopts procedures such as a ‘circular economy’ could it be possible that recycling and reusing saves our planet? If so, is it too late for the fashion industry to reverse its destruction caused by its resource-intensive processes to create a more sustainable fashion future. Will the fashion industry become our planets ally?
Bibliography
Figure 1 – Image credit: Alamy/Javier Hirschfeld
Stahel, W. The circular economy. Nature 531, 435–438 (2016)
The fashion business industry is built up around 4 key pillars; planet, people, profit and purpose. I will be focusing on the ‘planet’ pillar which explores the environmental impacts of the fashion industry and how we can redefine sustainability and reward businesses for embracing ‘re’ practices such as; recycling, restoring and repurposing. Within the fashion industry it is the production of clothing which is having some of the biggest impacts on our planet. Textile production generates a massive 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, contributing to 10% of the world’s pollution and climate change. The fashion industry needs to cut down carbon emissions by 50% before 2030 to have any impact on saving the planet but how is this going to be possible when the demand for clothing is at its highest?
In order for this industry to reverse its harmful impacts on our planet, it is important that fashion businesses are making positive choices when producing and selling products as the damage caused by the fashion industry is becoming irreversible. There are a multitude of ways in which fashion businesses can become more sustainable; they may want to consider having a circular economy. By having a circular economy businesses are able to increase the life-cycle of a product and keep waste to a minimum. However, to achieve this designers must have an understanding of how garments are used and why and how they are discarded by the consumer (Gwitt 2020). Overall, a circular economy will mitigate the problems caused by the fashion industry on our planet by encouraging businesses to become more sustainable. There are a number of fashion brands that are introducing this method for sustainability; however, Patagonia has been at the forefront for this movement. The outdoor clothing brand first made a sustainable commitment in 1986 and the brand aims to use this idea of a circular economy in order to reduce their negative environmental impacts. Patagonia encourages their customers to repair, reuse and recycle their garments through their ‘The Worn Wear’ programme (Sustainability Mag 2023).
However, it is not just fashion brands making a positive contribution to saving our planet. We as the consumer are also becoming more sustainable with our fashion choices. In recent years, social media has had a positive influence, especially on young people, to shop more sustainably with a rise in people buying from second hand stores. Data published by Mintel states that more than half of 25-to-34-year-olds buy second-hand clothes, and half have repaired damaged or worn-out clothes (Drapers 2020), therefore decreasing the amount of clothes going to landfill.
Overall, it is important that fashion businesses are incorporating the ‘re’ practices into the production of their garments to become more sustainable. However, it is equally as important that we as consumers are increasing the life cycles of our pieces to ensure less is being wasted and sent to landfill. Furthermore, by also being more sustainable brands will be able to cut their carbon emissions as the demand for more clothes will be lower due to the rise in second-hand fashion.
