The planet: sustainability and fashion.
The UN introduced 17 goals called SDGs which are sustainable development goals, the whole of the fashion industry needs to focus on a direct response to goals 12 (responsible consumption and production) and 13 (climate action). There are many negative impacts from the nature of the fashion industry on the environment. Every part of the fashion industry from production to retail must adapt and work in cohesion to reduce these impacts by 50% by 2030, before this damage becomes irreversible. The fashion industry is one of the largest contributors to the climate change crisis, in fact 20% of pollution and water usage issues are accumulated by the fashion industry. The production of many brands today focusses on producing clothing quickly and at the lowest price. Because of this carbon emissions have risen to 1.2 billion tonnes of C02 annually. This is an alarming number that must be cut by 50% by 2030. But how is this achievable?
Firstly, the fashion industry must move towards a circular economy. “A circular economy is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible”.. Natural resources are finite and expensive, this means that they are not easily accessible to smaller, more affordable new brands. This means that many brands move towards synthetic fabrics such as polyester. The production of these synthetics has high carbon emissions and can cause water pollution. By upcycling used raw materials smaller and newer brands would have access to these materials and would reduce the amount of waste produced by the fashion industry. This model is evident with Patrick McDowell, a sustainable designer who believes in educating others in his revolutionary fashion ideas. He claims that “Sustainability is at the very core of the brand’s practice. Each piece that McDowell crafts is made from reclaimed fabrics and ethically produced materials with a low carbon footprint in mind” By having a sustainable business mode McDowell’s business has flourished, as he appeals to a niche market and has access to luxury materials such as those of Burberry.
Many of the environmental issues posed to fashion today are a result of over production. There are 7 billion people on this earth yet 120 billion garments are produced annually. This is far beyond excessive as 85% of materials are sent to landfills each year many of these microfibres which to not degrade. In order to reduce the detrimental issues consumer behaviour must also change. As said by Orsola De Castro “Fast fashion leaves behind a trail of human and environmental exploitation. Our wardrobes don’t have to be the finish line; they can be a starting point.” Brands and consumers globally must luck to upcycling and recycling in order to save the planet before it is too late.
REFERENCE LIST:
”. (File:The Circular Economy concept.png – Wikipedia
Sustainability – patrickmcdowell Castro, O.D. (2021) Loved clothes last how the joy of rewearing and repairing your clothes can be a revolutionary act. UK: Penguin Life