Planet

‘Planet’ is one of the four pillars that are discussed within the context of the Fashion Business Strategy. It is an integral pillar as the fashion industry is one of the major industry contributors to climate change and world pollution. Thus, this pillar mainly focuses on sustainability, which can be defined as “meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations and their needs” (Brundtland Report, 1987). Within fashion, this definition is discussed in relation to environmental sustainability and how it is imperative that the earth’s resources and ecosystems are saved from depletion. Sustainability in fashion focuses on how the industry can continue to create garments through “new ways of thinking and practices in relation to design, production, communication, wearing and enjoying fashion” (Condé Nast, 2020) and how they sustain these practices for generations to come.  

A circular economy is where the end of the life of a garment is taken into consideration by the designer, this model of “circularity is often described as a system where all materials are indefinitely recyclable or biodegradable” (Gwilt. A 2020). The key principles of a circular economy include regenerating natural systems, designing out waste and pollution, and keeping products and materials in use. The circular economy intends for better environmental, societal and economic outcomes which are currently missed in the traditional linear model. In traditional models of production, once the garment is purchased by the consumer, the designer is no longer responsible for it whereas, the circular economy challenges this idea by encouraging the designer to think of the end-of-life stage whilst designing the garment. As the garment comes to the end of its life, it can be repaired, reused or recycled into another piece of clothing, thus reducing waste.  

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a call to action “to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity” (UNDP, 2022). One of the most relevant SDG to the fashion industry is goal number 12, responsible consumption and production. Currently, the fashion industry is majorly contributing to “unsustainable patterns of consumption and production” which are the primary causes of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. The linear model of production is a primary contributor as its extreme mass manufacturing has led to major increase in emissions where the “fashion industry is responsible for 8-10% humanity’s carbon emissions – more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined” (UNEP,2018). These figures force the fashion industry to re-evaluate the current processes of production and consumption and move to newer and more innovative processes, including a circular economy, which has a positive effect on the environment.  

Reference List  

Brundtland, G., 1987. Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future. United Nations General Assembly. 

Condenast.com. 2022. Condé Nast launches The Sustainable Fashion Glossary. [online] Available at: <https://www.condenast.com/news/conde-nast-launches-sustainable-fashion-glossary> [Accessed 9 October 2022]. 

Gwilt A, 2020, A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion, London, Bloomsbury Publishing USA 

Sdgs.un.org. 2022. THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development. [online] Available at: <https://sdgs.un.org/goals> [Accessed 9 October 2022]. 

UNEP. 2022. Putting the brakes on fast fashion. [online] Available at: <https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/putting-brakes-fast-fashion> [Accessed 9 October 2022]. 

UNDP. 2022. Sustainable Development Goals | United Nations Development Programme. [online] Available at: <https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals> [Accessed 9 October 2022].