Planet
Sustainability is a cyclical system of consumption; a system which has the ability to indefinitely utilise resources in a process that generates minimum or no waste. Sustainability has always been a key factor within the industry and over the past 20 years, it has gained more attention and acknowledgement. Like any other industry, the fashion sector has its fundamental foundations: planet, people, profit and purpose. These four foundations devise a cohesive structure.
A circular economy is a term to define a shift towards responsible and sustainable practices within the industry. The core idea behind a circular economy is an alternative to the traditional linear economy. A traditional linear economy is the process of making, using and disposing of. A circular economy juxtaposes this in which to eliminate waste and pollution in the system and keep products and materials in use. “The Ellen MacArthur Foundation describes CE as not simply reducing negative impacts but representing a systematic shift that builds long-term resilience.” (Gwilt, A 2020 p10) This statement clearly expresses the motivation behind the system and how impactful it can be if more brands within the industry get involved.
In previous societies, fashion’s ecological and environmental impacts were minimal: slow fashion being the only option, through reusing materials and time-consuming processes to construct fabrics. However, in the 1960s a greater awareness was raised for the quick shift that had occurred with the growth of consumerism (Gwilt A, 2020) being illustrated due to the development of industrial technology, which allowed for rapid and mass production. This further led to the advancement of what is now defined as ‘fast fashion’ with brands such as PrettyLittleThing, Shein and Primark being at the forefront of this modern advancement.
In response to the ever-expanding issue surrounding sustainability within the fashion sector, the United Nations (UN) introduced 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s); these goals illustrate areas of focus and give an insight into the ways the identified issues can be resolved. For example, ’12’ places importance on ‘responsible consumption and production’; this is something the fashion industry often fails to prioritise, further resulting in its label as one of the least sustainable industries with it being responsible for over 40,000,000 tonnes of textile waste each year (Conde Nast, 2021) and 8% of CO2 emissions. In order to cooperate with this goal and plan to achieve it, the fashion industry must place greater emphasis on implementing sustainable practices not only in the production process but also in the usage and aftercare of products. This highlights the importance for not only the business to adhere to this goal but also the consumer.