The United Nations’ General Assembly Resolution 70/1 (2015) – Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development translates into a pledge to end poverty and hunger, in all their forms and dimensions, and to ensure that all human beings can fulfill their potential in dignity and equality and a healthy environment.
With the publishing of this agenda, the buzz around protecting the planet and its people become more and more prominent for governments the world over.
From Zero Hunger to Responsible Consumption and to Reviving Global Partnerships for Sustainable Development, these accountable goals are forcing leading companies around the world to concentrate their efforts on ensuring that the planet and its people are happier, healthier, and more at peace.
One of the biggest polluters of the environment is the Fashion retail industry. Its role and responsibilities towards sustainability goals are looming large and the challenge seems huge. The growth of the industry has been so rapid, with terrifying consequences for natural resources at large, that very strict and serious action is required now for the protection and regeneration of these resources.
Sustainable Reforms
Fashion is an integral part of the modern lifestyle and has impacted social well-being for some time now. Fast fashion, with its adverse impact on the environment, has driven the whole world to create and opt for sustainable reforms. Fortunately, industry leaders have risen to the challenge and are becoming more conscious and more active in their efforts to protect the earth.
Circular Fashion: Sustainable fashion is becoming increasingly relevant as consumers become more conscious of the impact that their purchasing choices have on the environment and communities. One of the most popular trends in sustainability today is ‘Circular Fashion’.
This new approach to fashion focuses on reducing waste and creating a closed-loop system where materials are used, reused, and recycled. It also talks about giving a second life to the fashion product and is closely integrated with the 3Rs of Sustainability at large – ‘Reduce – Reuse –Recycle’. This trend is driven by a desire to reduce waste and create a more sustainable fashion industry.
> Reduce: This first principle aims to reduce the amount of waste generated by the fashion industry. This is seen achieved by various design houses and brands, especially focusing on carbon footprints, energy conservation, and water conservation. The use of solar energy, wind power, handmade, natural raw materials, as well as the use of technology are some tools fashion houses and brands have incorporated to practice this.
This principle includes efforts like Net Zero Emissions which means no greenhouse gas emissions or oƦ setting emissions by methods such as tree planting or employing technologies that can capture carbon before it is released into the air. It also means Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) which is an industrial wastewater management system through the installation of waste water treatment plants to recycle water which can be reused for industry operations.
> Reuse: The second principle of circular fashion is to reuse materials and products that have reached the end of their life. This can be achieved through initiatives such as repairing and repurposing clothing, as well as through the use of closed-loop systems where materials are collected and reused to produce new clothing. Reuse also includes Upcycling trends which are widely used by social groups and individual designers. Upcycling is the process that uses discarded or used materials and transforms them into new, wearable, and high-quality products. This process can be applied to a wide range of materials, including clothing, textiles, paper, and even electronics. Upcycling provides an opportunity for designers and artists to create unique and high-quality products from discarded materials, encouraging creativity and innovation.
For ages, India has been known for valuing ecosystems and many cultural practices have been integrated into the upcycling of old cloths into unique crafts, for example, Godhadi from Maharashtra is an example of taking old sarees and converting them into blankets
Many innovations are catching the fancy of conscious consumers including:
> Coffee waste mixed with polymer
> Orange waste mixed with cellulosic fibers
> Fruit waste such as banana and pineapple used to make fibersIt is interesting to note that traditionally in Asian countries, bananas and pineapple fibers have been used to make fabric for many years. In the Philippines, a traditional fiber called Pina created out of pineapple leaves is widely used to weave lace-like luxury fabric called ‘nipis fabric’.Source – textilevaluechain.in
> Recycle: The third principle of circular fashion is to recycle materials that cannot be reused. This can be achieved by using recycled materials in the production of new clothing and by developing new recycling technologies that can process clothing into new materials.
The best example of recycling in fashion is recycling PET Bottles into 100% polyester yarn. This was started by a company called Revalyu Recycling India (formerly known as Polygenta) in the year 2012. The participation of Polygenta (Revalyu Recycling India) in the Consortium of Green Fashion India (an initiative of MKSSS SOFT) groomed many related stakeholders on the advantages of sustainability in the fashion retail industry. This company showcases the related certificates ensuring sustainability on its website.
The trend has seen a surge over the years, with many more players entering the PET bottle recycling business. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was gifted a Jacket by the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) during the India Energy Week in Bengaluru on February 6 which was completely made of recycled PET Bottles, which has boosted the demand for PET bottle recycled yarns greatly.
Benefits of Circular Fashion
Aside from using waste to create a second life for fashion products, circular fashion also involves a sustainable supply chain where sourcing local materials and local manufacturing is encouraged. This is where logistics are required to give sustainability a better outcome.
By creating more sustainable supply chains, circular fashion can support local communities and reduce the negative impact of fast fashion. By reducing waste, promoting reuse, and encouraging recycling, circular fashion offers a more sustainable alternative to fast fashion. As consumers become more conscious of the impact of their purchasing choices on the environment and communities, circular fashion is likely to become an increasingly important trend in the fashion industry.
Ethical production offers several benefits for the environment, workers, and consumers:
> Supporting workers: By ensuring that workers are treated fairly and paid a living wage, ethical production helps to support workers and improve their quality of life.
> Minimizing environmental impact: By implementing sustainable production practices, ethical production helps reduce waste and pollution.
> Providing consumers with more sustainable options: Consumers can choose to purchase clothing and accessories produced in a socially responsible and environmentally friendly way.
Ethical Production: The fashion industry has come under increased scrutiny in recent years due to concerns about the environmental impact of fast fashion and the working conditions of those who produce clothing. Enter ethical production, a trend that is fast catching on, as consumers are increasingly aware of the conditions under which their clothing is produced. Brands are responding to this awareness by implementing sustainable production practices and ensuring workers are treated fairly and paid a minimum living wage.
Brands that are committed to ethical production are implementing a range of practices including:
> Fair Labour Practices: Ensuring that workers are treated fairly and paid a living wage and providing them with safe working conditions and opportunities for professional development.
> Sustainable Production Practices: Implementing production practices that minimize waste, reduce pollution, and promote sustainability, such as using renewable energy, recycling materials, and reducing the use of harmful chemicals. > Transparency: Providing consumers with information about the production process, including details about the materials used, the working conditions of workers, and the environmental impact of production.
