What ́s sustainable fashion?
Before defining what sustainable fashion is, let’s look at some shocking news. In the north of
Chile, in the Atacama Desert, we can find a cemetery of used clothing.
There lie thousands of tons of textile waste, mountains of used clothing from all corners of
the world. And it is not the only place where we can find these textile dumps.
What is the solution to this huge problem?
Every time we hear the concept of sustainable
fashion.
But what does this term refer to?
This expression groups together a set of measures that are taken concerning the design,
manufacture and consumption of fashion.
Sustainable fashion focuses on two fundamental principles:
1- To manufacture textiles with respect for the environment.
2- Respecting workers’ rights.
Why is sustainable fashion necessary?
Let’s first look at the impact it has on pollution.
It is important to know that the textile industry
is the most polluting industry, second only to oil.
The most surprising thing is the ignorance of the environmental impact of most consumers.
According to official un data, the textile sector produces it:
✓10% of carbon emissions. According to a report by the European Environment Agency,
textile purchases generated more than 650kg of CO2 emissions per person.
✓ 20% of the world’s wastewater.
✓ The washing of synthetic fibers releases half a million microfibers directly into the oceans
annually.
✓ Only a tiny percentage of clothing is recycled, the rest accumulates in landfills.
✓ High water consumption. For example, it takes 10,000 liters of water to manufacture jeans,
2,700 liters for a cotton T-shirt, 4,000 liters for shoes, etc. It is incomprehensible!
These are just a few examples of the pollution caused by the textile industry.
Let us now look
at the working conditions of those who work in this sector.
As an example, in April, a tragedy occurred in Rana Plaza in Bangladesh, where more than
a thousand people died, most of them women.
An eight-story building with several garment workshops collapsed. The building had major construction deficiencies, yet it was noinspected.
We can say that the fashion industry was to blame for so many deaths. It was discovered that major European and U.S. firms were among them.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. There is real labor exploitation in our days.
By labor exploitation, we mean working unfairly, working excessive hours per week (up to 54 hours per week), workshops in terrible conditions. Some of these cases can remind us of the slavery era.
We have summarized two negative consequences of the so-called Fast Fashion. That is why it is so necessary to bet on sustainable fashion. The big brands must make the necessary changes and take into account the impact on the environment of the materials they use, the way they manufacture and sell.
What factors are taken into account in sustainable fashion?
✓ That the environmental impact is minimal in order to protect the planet. Different fibers are chosen to make them more sustainable. These can be natural, natural or synthetic fibers obtained from the recycling of fabrics, compostable fibers that eventually become compost.
✓ Guarantee the labor rights of all workers, by controlling the design, manufacture, transport and sale of the product.
In conclusion, sustainable fashion is essential and the future of the textile industry for both our planet and for those who work in it.