Planet
Planet is a fundamental part of the four pillars of sustainability: planet, people, profit, and purpose. Planet focuses specifically on environmental protection and the complex and interconnected system which the world relies on to survive.
A circular economy focuses on creating a regenerative system, in which it minimises the environmental and social impacts of the industry whilst still providing economic opportunities, ensuring that the industry has lasting resilience (fig.1). Conversely, the current fashion industry business model is a linear economy (fig.2). A linear economy results in products being discarded as waste and disregards the consequential environmental impacts of overconsumption and overproduction. Furthermore, this model has resulted in an economic loss for businesses as “less than 1% of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing.” (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017). Resulting in a significant loss of USD 100 billion of materials each year, highlighting an opportunity for change within the industry.
Sustainability is described as “meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” (Brundtland Report, 1987). In terms of fashion, sustainability is responsible resource management, environmental protection, habitat restoration and preservation to ensure that resources are not fully depleted for future generations. Applying this to the fashion industry would involve companies rethinking product design and consumers purchasing more consciously.
In 2015, all United Nations Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The agenda includes the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which are 17 goals that recognise reducing inequalities, health, economic growth, and ending climate change. Goal number 12. Responsible consumption and production, focuses on ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns. The exponential growth of the fashion industry after the development of machinery and creation of a linear economy created a dynamic, fast, and trend-driven consumerism environment. Cheap labour and the overproduction of clothes has meant that “sustainability has gone from being a way of life during pre-industrial days to a choice in our contemporary era of plenty.” (Hethorn and Ulasewics, 2015). Thus, resulting in overconsumption as consumers are purchasing at a rate of 400% more than a decade ago, which is 80 billion pieces of clothing each year (The True Cost, 2015). A key change is rethinking and redesigning the product life cycle. The five phases of the product life cycle are design, production, distribution, use and end-of-life. Minimising waste and maximising resources in all phases of the product life cycle can reduce the environmental impacts of manufacturing clothing. A regenerative system allows for a circular product life cycle, which enables material and clothing to be utilised to its full extent.
Reference list
Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2017) A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning Fashion’s Future. Available at https://emf.thirdlight.com/link/kccf8o3ldtmd-y7i1fx/@/preview/1?o (accessed: 08.10.2022).
European Environment Agency. (2020) Circular economy system diagram. Available at https://www.eea.europa.eu/soer/2020/soer-2020-visuals/circular-economy-system-diagram/view (accessed: 09.10.2022).
Gwilt, A. (2020) A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion. Available at https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/UAL/detail.action?docID=6234061# (accessed: 03.10.2022).
Hethorn, J. and Ulasewicz, C. (2015) Sustainable Fashion What’s Next?: A Conversation about Issues, Practices and Possibilities. Available at: https://www-bloomsburyfashioncentral-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/encyclopedia?docid=b-9781501312250 (accessed: 05.10.2022).
Santander. (2021) Linear and circular economies: What are they and what’s the difference? Available at. https://www.santander.com/en/stories/linear-and-circular-economies-what-are-they-and-whats-the-difference (accessed: 09.10.2022)
The True Cost (2015) Directed by Andrew Morgan. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-0zHqYGnlo (accessed: 08.10.2022).
United Nations. (1987) Our Common Future (Brundtland Report). Available at https://www.are.admin.ch/are/en/home/media/publications/sustainable-development/brundtland-report.html (accessed: 09.10.2022).