Planet
The four pillars of sustainability are people, profit, purpose and planet. These four concepts all influence how fashion brands and companies operate. I will be outlining the importance of the planet aspect and how the fashion industry is a major contributor to rising levels of world pollution.
For the fashion industry to reduce its level of pollution they must focus on limiting overproduction which in turn leads to waste as ‘more than USD 500 billion of value is lost every year due to clothing underutilisation and the lack of recycling’ (Ellen MacArthur Foundation). This is where a circular fashion industry can be introduced, it’s a model of production and consumption that is a regenerative system in which garments can be reused, refurbished, repaired and recycled for as long as possible, brands such as H&M have introduced a garment collecting programme since 2013 where they promote the use of recycling so they can work towards a more sustainable fashion future “65% of H&M’s materials are now from recycled or more sustainable sources” (Sustainability Performance Report 2020).
There are 3 key principles one of them being to use renewable and safe materials this is to ensure garments are created and consumed in a way that can be sustained. Sustainability is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (United Nations). In relation to fashion this would mean both the environment and producers are protected from the consumption and production of the garments.
A way that fashion can be made more sustainable is by implementing The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, this provides a universal blueprint for peace and prosperity and to end poverty and protect the planet. Clean water and sanitation are a sustainable development goal and is very relevant in the fashion industry as chemical treatments from the dying of garments is directly leaking into rivers and seas this is mainly seen in China as “ 70% of the rivers, lakes and reservoirs are now classified as polluted and toxic chemicals used by these industries are now turning up in Chinas food and drinking water” (Greenpeace detox campaign). Brands like Nike and Adidas who advertise environmental protection don’t use sustainable methods of production as they are unaware of the chemicals used by their suppliers however, this can be resolved by these brands working closely with their suppliers to ensure an environmentally friendly production process eliminate the use of toxic chemicals.