Planet
The four pillars of sustainability are planet, profit, purpose and people. The connection between the planet and the environment is emphasised in the development of the fashion industry, and the planet plays a vital role in sustainability.
The fashion industry is a vital part of our economy, worth more than $2.5 trillion. (McKinsey & Company, 2016). While the fashion sector is booming, increasing attention has been brought to the impressive range of adverse 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)
Circular economy business models fall into two categories: those promoting reuse and longevity through repair, remanufacturing, upgrading and retrofitting and those transforming old goods into new resources by recycling materials. The circular economy will transform goods about to be used up into help for others, closing the loop and minimising waste in the industrial ecosystem. It will change economic logic by reusing what you can reuse, recycling what you cannot reuse and repairing what is broken. For example, in the Maison Margiela Autumn/Winter 2020 Defile Co-ed collection, the designer reworked second-hand fabrics and vintage clothing into new garments through a design technique that is conceptually a continuation of Maison Martin Margiela’s original Replica collection from 1994.
The fashion industry uses chemicals in production and manufacturing that are harmful to the environment, and sustainability is a concept that maintains a balance, aiming to be environmentally friendly and meet the needs of the moment, such as recyclable and reusable, meaning that products can be used again or multiple times. Fashion is widely recognised as the second most environmentally damaging industry after oil. Textile waste ending up in landfills has become a primary global concern. If every brand in the apparel supply chain started implementing ecologically friendly practices, the textile and fashion industry would become more sustainable.
The circular economy is one of the ways to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which consists of 17 goals, mainly SDG 12, which focuses on sustainable production and consumption through the reduction of the use and efficient management of commodities and natural resources. (Gabriel and Luque, 2020; United Nations, 2016). For example, Stella McCartney’s Spring/Summer 2020 was the most thorough implementation of sustainability in the brand’s history. Seventy-five per cent of ready-to-wear garments were eco-friendly and sustainable, with all knitwear made from organic cotton, recycled polyester, sustainable rayon and traceable wool, and outerwear made using a blend of organic cotton and rayon.
Reference:
Stahel, W. The circular economy. Nature 531, 435–438 (2016).
https://doi.org/10.1038/531435a
https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/resources/updates/sustainable-fashion/