Planet
Removing the “filter” from the fashion industry is fraught with inhumane behaviours and detrimental impacts; Generation Z is increasingly conscious of the environment in which we live, and toxic pollution, climate change, and depletion of resources are forcing the industry to shift its sustainability agenda. How can the apparel industry be sustainable in the face of the demands of a huge consumer base and minimise the negative impacts on the environment and people?
“the industry’s track record is a source of concern”. The sector, it says, “still represents 6 percent of greenhouse-gas emissions and 10 to 20 percent of pesticide use. Washing, solvents, and dyes used in manufacturing are responsible for one-fifth of industrial water pollution, and fashion accounts for 20 to 35 percent of micro-plastic flows into the ocean. Consumers are increasingly waking up to this reality”.（McKinsey，2020）The apparel industry generates a huge amount of environmental pollution from the production of raw materials to the making of garments, their sale, use by consumers, recycling and disposal, with fast-fashion brands in particular accounting for the largest share of this pollution. Although fast fashion brands are cheap, their fabrics and cuts are not of the highest quality. These clothes follow rapidly changing fashion trends and are produced in large batches on assembly lines with poor quality workmanship, which means they have a short life cycle. These conditions further increase the production of fast fashion brands and new consumer demands, which in the long run will lead to more and more pollution.
“Environmental Impacts of Clothing Manufacture, Purchase, Use and Disposal,” concludes that the rise of fast fashion is a major issue for the clothing industry, that is, the “relatively recent practice of marketing low-cost, short-lived fashions, leading to rising rates of both per capita clothing consumption and discards”.（Dovetail Partners Consuming Responsibly Report, No. 13）
The global goals 13- Climate Action
Humanity is facing increasing climate change, which is a huge threat and challenge to the planet and to humanity. The apparel industry is also taking part in this change and sustainability has become and will continue to be a top priority for the fashion industry. There are many brands that have taken it upon themselves to get on the sustainability bandwagon. From the production and sourcing of fabrics to end-of-cycle recycling, measures are being taken to minimise carbon emissions. We strive to minimise carbon emissions, air pollution, water pollution, land pollution, carbon emissions and the consumption of many resources.
Sustainability is in our DNA. Already, over half of our collections are more sustainable, including bio cotton, recycled and recyclable materials, or Cradle to Cradle Certified® fabric. Building on the strength of our 180-year history and our belief that business plays an important role as a force for good, we achieved nearly all our 2020 sustainability goals. We are poised to continue that positive momentum into the future, continuing to lead in sustainable materials and circular innovation by setting and delivering on ambitious sustainability targets in C&A retail markets around the world. It all starts with our customers making sustainable fashion choices, however big or small they may be. In our stores and online, we make these sustainable choices easy — without compromising the style, fit, quality, and price that customers expect of us. Together, we will make a difference in the world. Together, we will wear the change.（C&A）Excluding sustainability by brands, consumers should also join the sustainability movement. Consumers should buy longer-lasting, better quality and more environmentally friendly goods.
bibliography
Goal 13: Climate action (2023) The Global Goals. Available at: https://www.globalgoals.org/goals/13-climate-action/ (Accessed: 08 October 2023).
2028 sustainability strategy (no date) C&A Sustainability Strategy: Unite, Renew, Innovate – Advancing positive work. Available at: https://www.c-and-a.com/eu/en/corporate/company/sustainability/sustainability-strategy (Accessed: 08 October 2023).
World IP Day 2020: Climate crisis drives shift towards sustainable fashion (no date) World Intellectual Property Day 2020: Innovation for a Green Future. Available at: https://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/ipday/2020/articles/sustainable_fashion.html (Accessed: 08 October 2023).