Week in Review: Will fashion ever be part of cure instead of the disease?
9-12-2024
WEEK IN REVIEW: WILL FASHION EVER BE PART OF CURE INSTEAD OF THE DISEASE?
Latest
figures would indicate the fashion industry is not doing enough to shift the
needle on sustainability.
Shocking figures on the
environmental footprint of the apparel and textile sectors were released last
week and among them was the realisation the amount of materials coming from
recycled sources is negligible at best, begging the question has the fashion
industry spun too far out of control?
According to new figures from the Circle
Economy and H&M Foundation only 0.3% of the 3.25bn tonnes of materials
utilised by the textile sector annually are derived from recycled inputs, while
synthetic fibres sourced from fossil fuels constitute 70% of its raw materials.
Further, a report from the United Nations
Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) revealed that in the last two
decades global fibre production has more than doubled from 58m tonnes in 2000
to a new record of 124m tonnes in 2023. If business continues as usual, the
fibre market is expected to continue growing rapidly, reaching 160m tonnes by
2030.
By 2030, the fashion industry is expected to
use 35% more land – much of it to grow materials for cheap and throwaway
fashion.
The production of raw materials for textiles
carries the risk of significant negative impacts on land, such as degradation,
soil erosion, overgrazing, desertification, deforestation, freshwater
depletion, pollution, waste, biodiversity loss, carbon emissions and climate
change.
According to the UNCCD, up to 40% of the
world’s land is degraded, and degradation is continuing at an alarming rate.
The figures are shocking to say the least,
particularly when you put into perspective that this is all in the name of
fashion and keeping up with the latest trends. It is concerning that with all
the green claims being made by fashion brands and retailers, the reality is the
needle is barely moving. Maybe it is moving, but certainly not at the pace
required to generate real change and affect climate change in a positive way.
The secondhand business model appears to be
offering a glimmer of hope, particularly as the new generation of consumers
embraces it.
A report from Vinted and Retail Economics
revealed secondhand is accounting for just over 10% of all gift spending. The
report shows shoppers are set to spend £20.5bn ($25.80bn) on gifts in total and
overall 84% of secondhand shoppers are likely to spend a proportion of their
budget on pre-loved Christmas gifts this year.
Most are turning to secondhand because it
offers a more ‘unique’ (73%) or ‘high quality’ (71%) alternative to what is
available on the mainstream market. And of course, budgetary constraints are
another reason 54% of people are turning to secondhand channels. Sadly, when it
comes to a desire to lower their environmental impact, only 29% said this is
the reason they turn to pre-loved.
If the fashion industry is truly hoping to
achieve net zero emissions by 2050 under the Paris Agreement, the latest
figures would indicate we’re going the wrong way about it. But have we driven
ourselves into a consumption cycle we can’t get out of?
While pre-loved is in the starting phases of becoming trendy, the shift must
happen at a significantly faster rate to make an impact. Is the answer to ban
fast fashion once and for all in favour of sustainable alternatives and
ultimately, save the planet?
By Just Style
Copyright © 2021 Powered By AEC Egypt