Planet
The planet pillar looks at how the fashion industry needs to become more sustainable for the future and reduce its negative impact on the planet as it continues to harm the environment. Therefore, a change in the life cycle of clothing needs to occur.
In 2015 the UN adopted the 2030 agenda for sustainable development which included 17 sustainable development goals with the aim for a more sustainable future. When considering the fashion industry, number 12 ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’ calls to ‘ substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse’ by 2030. Whilst the second hand clothing market is predicted to double in size from 2022 to 2027 and this growth being thanks to younger consumers (P.Smith, 2023) and more brands becoming conscious of using recycled materials like Patagonia which recycles bottles and manufacturing waste for the polyester fibres used in their clothes, 80 billion garments are still produced each year with only 1% of discarded clothes being recycled or upcycled (Katerina Rimarcikova, lecture at LCF 2023.) The scale of garment production that still occurs is detrimental for the environment through the use of fossil fuels for production and harmful chemicals and dyes ending up in waterways as well as the decomposition process of clothing in landfill that pollutes soil and releases harmful gas.
However, the fashion industry is becoming more accepting of its environmental impacts and businesses are realising that they need to change their practices in order to keep up with a better informed and more conscious society that cares more than ever before about protecting the environment. (Gwilt. A, 2020, pg 6) This includes the idea of a circular economy where materials are reused and recycled in order to reduce the negative impacts of fast fashion and early disposal of clothing in an age of social media where making 1 t shirt uses over 2700 litres of water and the fashion industry contributes to 10% of CO2 emissions. (Katerina Rimarcikova, lecture at LCF 2023) Therefore, in order to make the fashion industry more sustainable and reduce its impact on the planet, a circular economy is needed where on a larger scale it uses ‘safe and renewable materials, business models that extend the use of clothing and design and production approaches that allow old clothing to be made into new clothing at scale’ (Gwilt. A, 2020, pg 11.)
References
- Smith, P. (2023) Value of the secondhand apparel market worldwide from 2021 to 2027. Statista
- Gwilt, A. (2020). A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion. London: Fairchild Books.