Planet
Sustainability basically refers to the capacity to use resources in a way that meets the requirements of the present without interfering with the ability of future generations to satisfy their own needs. Humanity is very important to the earth because it is where it depends for survival and development. The growth of the fashion business not only depends on the environment, but also significantly affects it. Organizational Finance Institute 2022 One of the four pillars of sustainable development, along with people, purpose, and profit, is the planet. A production and consumption paradigm known as the “circular economy” emphasises sharing, renting, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling old goods for as long as possible. As a result, product lifespans are prolonged. In actuality, this implies that waste is minimised. The materials of a product will be preserved as economically as feasible once it has reached the end of its useful life. These can be successfully applied repeatedly, adding value. (2022, European Parliament) The circular economy’s main principles are shared by the fashion industry, where apparel is created to be restorative and regenerative in order to benefit businesses, society, and the environment. The value of using fabrics, clothing, and fibres is maximised in such a system, and after usage, they are immediately put back into the cycle, never to be wasted. An appealing illustration of a system in which the fashion industry uses the circular economy is the “new textile economy.” (2022, MacArthur E.
Only the oil business produces more pollution globally than the fashion industry. The harm that the fashion industry contributes to the environment increases as it develops. Given that it plays a significant role in climate change, the fashion industry needs to be held accountable for adopting more sustainable practises. To use an illustration: The apparel industry is responsible for 20% of all industrial wastewater contamination worldwide (Drew D, 2022) 10% of human carbon emissions come from the creation of clothing, which pollutes rivers and streams and depletes water supplies. Additionally, 85% of textiles are disposed of in landfills annually, and some materials leak significant amounts of microplastic into the oceans (UNECE, 2018). As a result, a move toward a more sustainable fashion business might have a profoundly good effect on both people and the environment. Fashion has made use of climate action An American firm called Patagonia makes outdoor gear. In its most recent apparel collection, the brand uses 87% recycled materials, and all of the cotton is 100% organically farmed. Patagonia’s Fair Trade programme employs over 64,000 people, and the company doesn’t participate in quick fashion; instead, it produces enduring designs and goods. (2022; Patagonia.com)
The fashion business emits over 2.1 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases annually, or about 4% of all emissions, which contributes to climate change. Fashion’s effect on the climate issue is related to water, chemicals, deforestation, textile waste, microplastics, and other factors in addition to carbon emissions. (Gwilt, 2020) Given that warming is anticipated to have an impact on the supply of requirements like fresh water, food security, and energy, there is a clear connection between climate change and sustainable development. One of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, Sustainable Development Goal 13 focuses on climate action.
Given the social and environmental effects of the climate catastrophe and its enormous impact on the world, environmental data gathering is a critical concern for the global fashion business and is routine practise in many sectors. The supply chain for the fashion industry as a whole needs to be more forthright and upfront about the effects of unsustainable production and consumption on the environment.
Reference:
Corporate Financial Institute，2022.Sustainability.[online] Available at：<https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/sustainability/> [Accessed 8 October 2022].
Europarl.europa.eu. 2022. Circular economy: definition, importance and benefits | News | European Parliament. [online] Available at: <https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/economy/20151201STO05603/circular-economy-definition-importance-and-benefits> [Accessed 8 October 2022].
Drew, D. and Yehounme, G., 2022. The Apparel Industry’s Environmental Impact in 6 Graphics. [online]World Resources Institute. Available at: <https://www.wri.org/insights/apparel-industrys-environmental-impact-6-graphics> [Accessed 8 October 2022].
Unece.org. 2018. [online] Available at: <https://unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/RCM_Website/RFSD_2018_Side_event_sustainable_fashion.pdf> [Accessed 8 October 2022].
Archive.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org. 2022. Fashion and the circular economy. [online] Available at: <https://archive.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/explore/fashion-and-the-circular-economy> [Accessed 8 October 2022].
Patagonia.com.2022.Environmental responsibility-
Patagonia[online] Available at：<https://www.patagonia.com/our-responsibility-programs.html> [Accessed 8 October 2022].
Gwilt，A.(2020).A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion. London:Fairchild Books(e-book).
Fashion Revolution. 2022. ACTION REQUIRED: 10 Global Goals That Will Change Fashion – Fashion Revolution. [online] Available at: <https://www.fashionrevolution.org/zine-6-action-required/> [Accessed 8 October 2022].