12 May 2023, Mumbai
Sustainability in the fashion sector has been a topic of concern for several decades now.
It all started when apparel companies began to introduce environmental practices into their businesses in the late 1980s. This was part of a more significant movement that aimed to create awareness about various environmental problems since the 1960s.
Global events
The movement started gaining momentum as disastrous events in the textile and apparel industry impacted the world, consumers, and businesses alike, and contributed to the rise of sustainable fashion over the last 30 years. The catastrophic event in Dhaka’s Rana Plaza in 2013 was perhaps the watershed moment after which sustainability in fashion was no longer just on paper and in seminars.
Huge environmental impact
The fashion industry's environmental impact is enormous, as it is among the largest polluters globally. The industry is responsible for producing massive amounts of waste, and its production processes consume significant amounts of natural resources.
Furthermore, the use of unsustainable materials and poor working conditions in garment production has led to concerns about the ethical implications of fashion production.
Sustainability drives ethical consumerism
In recent years, there has been a growing trend towards sustainability and ethical consumption.
The evolved consumer of the 2020s is perhaps the most heightened in their consciousness of what climate change means and how the wasteful consumption culture is degrading the planet continuously with business models like fast fashion.
The indulgent ‘selfi-moments’ social influencers are no longer icons of style and trend as they are being edged out by social influencers who understand what environmental consciousness is and have changed the narrative to ‘less is more’.
Consumers' Dilemma
Consumers are becoming more aware of the impact of their purchasing decisions and are looking for sustainable and ethical options. From pre-loved fashion items going on sale to increasing the longevity of clothing and accessories, ethical consumption is gaining ground.
It is not only about wasteful consumption but also the use of material that does not deplete the Earth’s natural resources and the working and living conditions of people who produce textiles and garments.
Sustainability vs Convenience
According to Europe’s Institute of Entrepreneurship Development, 85 percent of consumers today are conscious of the effect their behavior has on the planet, and 34 percent are willing to spend more to support sustainable and ethical consumerism with their product choices.
The Horizon program run by the EU is about supporting young European entrepreneurs to build sustainability and ethical sourcing as one of their businesses’ key pillars.
However, consumers are facing a dilemma. The recession in several Western societies is making it difficult for them to make ethical choices as prices of necessities such as food and utilities continue to escalate.
A report published by Deloitte Netherlands in February 2023 titled ‘Conscious Consumerism’ analyzed the ground reality by interviewing over 2000 Dutch adults 18 years and above.
The most important finding was the dilemma between being an ethical consumer and surviving Europe’s worst recession in decades, wherein substantial lifestyle sacrifices were being made.
Is Fast fashion slowing down?
As the recession continues worldwide, particularly in the larger Western economies, it doesn't look like fast fashion will cease anytime soon.
However, as Gen Z is spearheading the conscious consumer movement and is willing to purchase pre-loved clothing, repair old ones, and most importantly read labels to understand the provenance of fashion items, the sector is already making massive changes through innovation, technology, and the digital world.
Being seen as a fashion brand that mirrors the consumers’ consciousness is going to make brands continue doing business rather than have short-term goals of making profits.
Balancing Style and Sustainability
Sustainable yet affordable; The fashion industry has to find a middle ground between being sustainable, ethical, and profitable. This can be achieved through innovations that focus on using sustainable materials, minimizing waste, and reducing environmental impacts, and creating transparent supply chains.
In addition, brands should focus on educating consumers about the impact of their choices and working towards making ethical and sustainable fashion more affordable.
The Hidden Environmental Costs of Fashion; The textile industry is the second greatest polluter of local freshwater in the world and is culpable for roughly one-fifth of all industrial water pollution.
The environmental price
The fast fashion industry is notorious for its negative impact on the environment and occupational hazards, from the production of synthetic fabrics to the cultivation of cotton. Synthetic fabrics require a significant amount of crude oil and emit harmful pollutants such as volatile organic compounds and acid gases.
On the other hand, cotton production has a substantial environmental footprint, driven by its subsidized low prices. In contrast, sustainable fashion aims to promote eco-friendly consumption, create thriving communities, and preserve natural resources.
Despite its growing popularity, critics question whether sustainable fashion is an oxymoron, given the perceived incompatibility of fashion and sustainability. However, sustainable fashion offers solutions to reduce the environmental impact of clothing manufacturing, improve working conditions, and support resource conservation.
The slow fashion movement is gradually gaining momentum, advocating for conscious and responsible consumer choices. According to a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) textile workshop, clothing production has almost doubled since 2000, with nearly 50 billion items being discarded within a year of their creation.
The report also revealed that an article of clothing has been worn an average of seven times in the US before being thrown away. NIST links this surge to the rise of fast fashion, which offers trendy apparel at low prices by using inexpensive materials and shoddy construction.
Setting Green Goals for the Textile Sector
What augers well for global trade are developments in advanced markets like the EU aspiring/mandating for textile goods to be resilient, recyclable, safe, and made with consideration for both people and the environment by the year 2030 aiming to make growth sustainable, climate-neutral, and energy- and resource-efficient as a single biggest agenda separating 'Greenwashing from Genuine Sustainability' in Fashion.
Short point
Finding Fashion's Middle Ground; The evolution of sustainable fashion from environmental has to be well understood by manufacturers and the entire supply chains in the given eco-system as it's critical for brands to be cited for their customer centricity.
