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Sustainable Development Goals

 Before the evolution of industry, when it was 1600 to 1860, producing fabrics took a long time. As the fashion industry has been developed and combined with various cutting edge of production, people have consumed and purchased a great deal of clothes (Welters, 2015). This thoughtless conduct, which is the output of fast fashion, however, has been issued in respect of environmental contamination. Therefore, experts have emphasised circular economy and sustainable fashion, which are able to maintain the fashion industry. This blog will argue the definition and the importance of circular economy, and the relevance between sustainability and fashion. 

 According to Ellen MacArthur (2017), circular economy is the system that makes products and materials not become wasted, and long-term nature recovery. Circular economy has become a significant medium during the time when environment pollution owing to overconsumption of garments. However, Gwilt (2020) mentioned that the circular economy must be one of complementary for sustainability in the fashion and textiles industry but should not be a substitute.

 Then, what is sustainability in the fashion industry? Hethorn and Ulasewicz (2015) stated that sustainability in fashion is not a new theory and has been a section of the fashion category. Moreover, Mitterfellner (2023) defined environmental sustainability as the ecological unification which is in balance and can be maintained. Consequently, sustainability in fashion is the power to make the fashion industry continue for a long time without contaminating the ecosystem. 

 As MacArthur (2017) mentioned, sustainability in fashion is about production of goods eco-friendly and long-term maintenance. This definition of sustainability, therefore, can be connected to Responsible Consumption and Production, which is the 12th goal of UN SDG. One of the targets of this goal is encouraging companies and businesses to accommodate sustainable practices (United Nations, 2023) and the fashion industry is willing to manage the industry with sustainable methods. This means the fashion industry does care about the environmental issue and is trying to be sustainable because of UN SDGs. Prospects and current condition of the fashion are suitable to the 12th goal of SDGs. 

 To achieve responsible consumption and production in the fashion industry, fashion companies should keep trying to research more about sustainability. Re-building production mechanisms using a circular economy, which can make zero waste of goods and materials (MacArthur, 2017) could be an effective method to fashion be sustainable. Every company must keep in mind that nature is the original source to make any fabrics and productions. Making sustainable products is the resource to maintain the fashion industry.

Bibliography

Ellen Macarthur Foundation (2017) What is a circular economy? Available at: https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overview (Accessed: 7 October 2023)

Gwilt, A. (2020) A practical guide to sustainable fashion. London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts

Mitterfellner, O. (2023) Luxury Fashion Brand Management: Unifying Fashion with Sustainability. New York: Routledge.

United Nations. (2023) Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. Available at: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-consumption-production/ (Accessed: 8 October 2023)

Welters, L. (2015) ‘The Fashion of Sustainability’, in Hethorn, J. and Ulasewicz, C. (eds) Sustainable Fashion: What’s Next? A Conversation about issues, practices and Possibilities. New York: Bloomsbury, pp.4-26. DOI: 10.5040/9781501312250.ch-001