Planet
At the Fashion Business School there are four pillars: Planet, People, Profit and Purpose. The pillar Planet is about how the fashion industry affects the planet through the fashion process from producing the textiles to having a finished garment in stores and what we can do to prevent damage to the planet and be more sustainable. There are major environmental impacts that the production of textile alone causes. In 2015, 79 billion cubic metres of water was used by the textile and clothing industry (EPRS,2019) and it was found that 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions are caused by clothing and footwear production (EPRS,2017). As a result of the actions of consumers and producers, the planet is facing consequences. To combat this, the fashion industry often talks about being more sustainable and it is defined by the United Nations Brundtland Commission as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (United Nations, 1987). The circular economy is also often talked about, and it is based on three principles: to eliminate waste and pollution; to circulate products and materials and to regenerate nature (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2019). In the fashion industry, the circular economy means that companies and consumers aim to keep resources in use for as long as possible through means such as recycling, re-using, and repairing.
In 2015, the United Nations introduced 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) which are hoped to be achieved by 2030 and they provide a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future” (United Nations,2015).
Many of these SDG’s correspond with what the fashion industry needs to improve on such as responsible consumption and production (12th SDG) and climate action (13th SDG). Encouraging consumers and producers to work on climate action can impact on the planet hugely for the future generation. One of the main issues with the fashion industry is the number of harmful gases and products that is it releasing into the planet. A study from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has shown that if the fashion industry continues the way it is currently, by 2050 it could use more than 26% of the carbon budget associated with a 2% global warming limit. By investing in green technology and renewable energy, producers can cut back on the amount of CO2 they release during production. Furthermore, the scale at which water is consumed for textile production is astronomical and during production, chemicals and microfibres are being dumped into water systems which makes the water dangerous to consume. To be more sustainable and to protect the future of the planet, the fashion industry must innovate to reduce the waste it is releasing.
References:
European Parliament (2022). The impact of textile production and waste on the environment
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2019). What is a circular economy?
https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overview
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (no date). Fashion and the circular economy
https://archive.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/explore/fashion-and-the-circular-economy
United Nations (2015). Sustainable development goals
https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals