Understanding sustainability
The fashion industry’s impact on the environment is substantial, and understanding how this impact is made is crucial to making better choices and pushing for more ethical practices.
Understanding Sustainability is the first article in my book “You Are Sustainable.” You Are Sustainable is a campaign I created for my Capstone project in completing my Bachelor of Design in Fashion Communication. All articles in the book will be posted periodically; they provide information on ways to live more sustainably. They give insight into the current landscape of sustainability in the fashion industry and how we can all take actionable steps for a more sustainable future.
You may have frequently encountered discussions or readings about sustainability, but it remains unclear to you, or maybe you understand sustainability and already have an in-depth knowledge of it. Regardless of where you are in your understanding of sustainability, this article breaks down sustainability and gives a renewed perspective on sustainability, particularly in the fashion context. As we aim to live more sustainably, we must be receptive to gaining more knowledge and exploring ways to consistently improve.
WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY IN FASHION? Sustainability is the responsible use of resources to maintain ideal and habitable environmental conditions. The fashion industry contributes significantly to environmental pollution and the increasing problem of climate change. McKinsey & Company (n.d.) states, “The fashion industry emits about the same quantity of greenhouse gases per year as the entire economies of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom combined.” This is why sustainability has become a key focus in the fashion industry over the last couple of years. It is evident to all that something needs to be done about how the fashion industry operates. The issue of sustainability in the fashion industry extends beyond environmental considerations and how resources are used; it also comprises the ethical dimensions of human labour.
OUR APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY There has been a push for sustainability in the fashion industry, but its structure does not allow it to be adequately sustainable. We see progress here and there, but there’s hardly been a big statement or push that transforms sustainability in fashion. We see brands set numerous goals, but we must rely on their reports to know whether they are progressing or meeting them. The question here is, “Can we trust these reports?” A major and common brand goal is carbon reduction, but most brands approach this by offsetting. This means they still do what they do but plant trees and restore land elsewhere to compensate for their emissions. Perhaps a superior approach would be restructuring their activities and reducing their emissions.
Getting rid of clothing responsibly, sorting through clothing.
STAGES OF FASHION: SOURCING, MANUFACTURING, DISTRIBUTION Sourcing and manufacturing are key focus stages for sustainability in fashion. Sourcing is about the materials, both natural and manmade, that are used for production. Sourcing looks into the raw materials being used and how they are obtained. We have seen the rise of organic cotton, and you may have wondered what makes it different from regular cotton. Before we go further, a key thing to note is that you cannot be sustainable by simply focusing on one stage of fashion; it must be sustainable at every stage. Cotton is one of the most commonly used fabrics in fashion and various other industries. Cotton has been identified as “the thirsty crop”; it also requires a lot of pesticides that pollute and contaminate the land and water while also poisoning the people who grow and pick the cotton. In many countries, cotton is still hand-picked and is very labour-intensive. “Countries like Uzbekistan often had children do this backbreaking work, taking them away from pursuing a life-changing education while running the risk of injury and illness.” (McFarlane, 2022). Organic cotton is grown ethically and consciously, which is better than regular cotton but not necessarily perfect. This is one way sourcing is made more sustainable, just using better materials and ensuring that the materials we use are not harming the environment and the people who work with these materials.
Manufacturing covers how these materials are taken and turned into a garment or product for the end consumer. In fashion, a lot of production and manufacturing is done in third-world countries because it is cheaper, and companies mostly care about offsetting costs and making a profit. The rules and guidelines of operations in most of these countries are very lenient; workers are paid almost nothing and have to work in hazardous conditions. Many companies work with third-party manufacturers and can look the other way or pretend they don’t know these things happen. An essential aspect of fashion is colour; we all love colour. Have you ever wondered how the colour in your favourite piece of clothing was achieved? Many dyes used in clothing production are toxic to the environment and humans. Often, in these factories, workers are made to work with these dyes with zero protective gear, which is harmful to their health. Dyeing requires a lot of water, “and the majority of this water returns to nature as a “toxic chemical soup,” laden with residual dyes, hazardous chemicals, heavy metals, microfibres, and mordants (chemicals used to bond dyes with fabric).” (Wolfe, 2021). There has been the rise of natural dyes, which are more expensive and difficult to use, so most of the industry sticks to cheap and easier solutions.
Getting rid of clothing responsibly, sorting through clothing.
Distribution covers the entire process of getting that product from the manufacturer to the end consumer. One of the reasons why shopping locally is emphasized is because this significantly reduces your carbon footprint. When you look at the label on most clothing, especially from fast fashion companies, you will see things like “Made in China,” Made in Vietnam,” etc. If you live in the United States or Canada, you can begin to imagine what it costs the environment to bring that garment to you. Most brands weigh their options, and even if it might be a little expensive to ship those garments, they find it cheaper to produce in those countries. However, this is a tricky one. Most garments would have had to travel a considerable distance at some stage. Most smaller sustainable brands try to balance this by sourcing deadstock fabric already in their local area. This fabric most likely travelled from a different part of the world, but they reduce their impact by using this fabric instead of sourcing fabric from outside their local area. The way clothing is shipped also plays a role in its carbon footprint. Think twice before you click that fast shipping button. Fast shipping will most likely be shipped by airplane, producing the highest carbon footprint.
CONSUMPTION AND DISPOSAL Consumption, in most cases, accounts for most of the impact of our clothing. How we use and care for our clothing is very important if we aim to live sustainably.“Consumer use and aftercare are major parts of the life cycle of and environmental impact of clothing prior to its end- of-life disposal stage...A frequently cited study, the life cycle analysis of a polyester blouse by Franklin Associates, found that more than 82% of energy requirements, 66% of solid waste, and 83% of carbon-dioxide emissions derive from the consumer-use phase.” (Black & Eckert, 2012, p. 93). In another article, there will be a more in-depth analysis as to how to use and care for our clothing. How we use and care for our garments impacts the environment as we use them and determines how long we use them. As we use our clothing, we must consider extending its lifespan as much as possible.
The disposal stage is the final stage, and its impact depends on the material and how it is disposed of. One hundred percent of natural materials will decompose, making them one of the best options. Recyclable materials can also be recycled, but most fashion garments are made with a mix of fibres, which complicates the recycling process and will most likely end up in a landfill. If clothing is still wearable and useful, the best option is to donate or sell it; this will be expanded further in a coming article.
Through the different stages of fashion, we see how sustainability can be considered to make better choices and produce clothing that has little impact on our planet. Understanding these various stages and what goes on at these stages can help us better understand sustainability in the fashion context. You can better understand what fashion brands mean when discussing their sustainability practices. Most importantly, you can make conscious decisions about the clothing you buy and how you use them.
REFERENCES
Black, S. (2012). The sustainable fashion handbook. Thames & Hudson.
McFarlane, H. (2022, January 13). Material guide: How sustainable and ethical is organic cotton? Good on You. https://goodonyou.eco/know-your-product-a-quick-guide-to-organic-cotton/
McKinsey & Company. (n.d.). The future of fashion: Sustainable brands and ‘circular’ business model. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/the-next-normal/fashion
Wolfe, I. (2021, October 18). Textile dyes pollution: The truth about fashion’s toxic colours. Good on You. https://goodonyou.eco/textile-dyes-pollution/
