Planet

Sustainability refers to doing business without negatively impacting the environment, community, or society. (Spiliakos 2018) The four pillars of relation known as social, human, environmental, and economic with sustainable development of the fashion business. The planet is one to reflect the pillars of sustainability. The circular economy improves fashion sustainability and some issue of production or consumption, and it is a systemic shift that builds long-term resilience, generates business and economic opportunities, and provides environmental and societal benefits. (The Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2017) However, for the fashion industry circular economy is “to evolve from being a menu of fragmented initiatives to being an integral and defining part of the entire fashion value chain” (MCKINSEY&COMPANY 2018). 

Large amounts of non-renewable resources are used to produce clothes, but these are usually used for only a short period of time, after which most of the is landfilled or incinerated. Dr. Christina Dean said that “The issue of incineration when it comes to fashion waste is nothing new. It is something that the brands and factories alike have been doing for years.” (2017) While consumers donate clothing to charity, around 300,000 tonnes of clothing is discarded, with 20 percent sent to landfill while 80 percent is incinerated. (WRAP 2017) This waste puts pressure on resources, pollutes and degrades the natural environment and its ecosystems, and significantly impacts the earth’s climate.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all developed and developing countries in a global partnership. (UN 2022) The No.13 goal of Climate Action is closely related to incinerating which produces more carbon dioxide and other greenhouses to exacerbate global warming problems. After food and construction, fashion and its supply chain is the third largest polluting industry. It emitted 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, releasing 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. If it continues at the same pace, the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions are predicted to increase by more than 50% by the year 2030. (Shukla 2022) However, the new textile sustainability is consistent with the principles of the circular economy to improve the economy, society, and environment that to recovery and regeneration through design. In this system, clothes and textiles can re-enter the circular economy after use to prevent waste.

References:

1. Spiliakos, A. (2018) WHAT DOES “SUSTAINABILITY” MEAN IN BUSINESS? Available at: https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/what-is-sustainability-in-business(Accessed:8 October 8, 2022
2. Gwilt, A. (2020) A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion. London: Bloomsbury.
3. RMIT University (2017) The four pillars of sustainability Available at: https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/sustainable-business/0/steps/78337 (Accessed:8 October 2022)
4. Shukla, K.(2022) Fast Fashion Pollution and Climate Change Available at:
   https://earth.org/fast-fashion-pollution-and-climate-change/ (Accessed:8 October 2022)
5. ELLEN MACARTHUR FOUNDATION (2017) FASHION AND THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY Available at: https://archive.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/explore/fashion-and-the-circular-economy (Accessed:8 October 2022)
6. BOF TEAM, MCKINSEY&COMPANY (2018) Fashion in 2018|08.Sustainability Credibility Available at: https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/sustainability/top-industry-trends-2018-8-sustainability-credibility/ (Accessed:8 October 2022)
7. United Nations History Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals#history (Accessed: 6 October 2022)