PLANET PILLAR
Planet is one of the four pillars combination of which results in sustainability. In fashion terms this particular pillar aims to prevent inflicting damage to the environment by more rational use of our planet’s resources. Since fashion industry is tightly connected to the use of materials required to create clothes and garments there are direct environmental impacts due to both overproduction and overconsumption. The fashion industry is claimed to be one of the most wasteful on the planet with 10% of total global carbon emissions. It dries up water sources and pollutes rivers and streams for unnecessary production of 100 billion garments a year for 7 billion people, while 87% of them will end up in landfills. Fashion is responsible for 20% of all industrial wastewater and pollution caused by the use of toxic chemicals, dyes, and heavy metals(Mckinsey 2016).
There are 17 SDGs developed by the UN in 2015 for completion by 2030 in order to save the environment. The environmental pillar touches problems like water, energy, consumption and production, climate action and life below water and on land. Circular economy helps to create business activities for finding solutions for these global issues. The concept of slow fashion, which is an eco system with new approaches to making and selling clothes (better design processes, better materials, better working practices and skills), avoids using unnecessary resources and contributes to waste problem. This is compulsory for big fashion brands to adopt the concept and implement it to their production processes by reducing CO2 emissions, responsibly choosing their suppliers, promoting recycling throughout the business and improving product designs. Superdry (UK fashion brand) focuses on emissions reduction and achieved 97% of it between 2014 and 2021 by introducing 100% renewable electricity in its store and offices (Drapers 2022). In short-term environmental sustainability for fashion industry can result in increased costs, however, in long-term the approach helps the brand to get closer to its customers and do better for the planet.
Together with this data it is essential to understand the consumers’ responsibility to ensure their sustainable behavior. The consumption of clothing and footwear is expected to increase by 63% by 2030 (Eionet Report 2019). Therefore, customers have to gain more knowledge about the fashion industry, leading to increased tendency in switching to second-hand sellers and in paying more attention to the way clothes are washed which results in prolonged life cycle of clothes.