Sustainability in Fashion: Where We Are Now
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It’s no secret that fashion is one of the most polluting industries. It’s responsible for up to 10% of the global carbon dioxide output and one-fifth of the 300 million tons of plastic produced globally each year, [i] not to mention 20% of global wastewater and the fact that only 2% of the 75 million factory workers around the world make a living wage. [ii] The numbers are deeply troubling. In recent years, consumers have become increasingly concerned with the climate crisis and the focus on sustainability.
But what exactly is sustainability, and how does it apply to the fashion industry? According to the Department of Energy, sustainability means creating and maintaining “conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony and that permit fulfilling the social, economic, and environmental needs of present and future generations.” [iii] Areas of sustainability include water conservation, waste minimization and pollution prevention, vehicle and fuel use, and energy. This translates into fashion in terms of materials, production processes, emissions, shipping, etc. Sustainability is also about more than just environmental impact and often extends into areas such as human rights. As indicated by Forbes, “True sustainability should ensure that the creation process is environmentally and socially sound, from materials to manufacturing all the way to workers’ conditions and fair pay.” [i]
While these objectives seem easy enough to comprehend, the actual implementation is anything but. The fashion industry has operated on a “hedonic treadmill” for decades, fueled by the pressure for growth and the consumer demand for cheap, fast fashion. [iv] This is evidenced by the fact that, as of the writing of this article, Shein is the fastest growing e-commerce company in the world, and fast fashion brands like Zara and H&M offer up to 24 new clothing collections each year to constantly lure back customers. [iv]
Fast fashion has led to the proliferation of synthetics in manufacturing, which are cheaper, adaptable, and more widely available than natural materials. [iv] According to a Bloomberg report, 83-95% of clothing from sites like Shein and Boohoo contain new plastics. [vi] The use of these synthetic materials has substantial negative effects on the environment. For example, polyester (a plastic made from fossil fuels) is used for about 65% of all clothing and consumes 70 million barrels of oil each year. [ii] When clothes made from synthetics are washed, microplastics from their fibers are shed into the wastewater, which eventually enter the soil and become part of the food chain. [ii]
Fast fashion is also dependent on the exploitation of labor in developing countries “where regulations are lax” and “[w]orkers are underpaid, overworked, and exposed to dangerous conditions or health hazards.” [ii] In addition, production practices like applying synthetic dyes and chemicals to textiles cause toxins to be released into the wastewater near manufacturing plants. The water then consumed and used by residents in those areas causes serious health and environmental issues, including increased risk of cancer, skin problems, and extermination of animal populations. [v]
According to Vogue Business, the changes that would have the biggest impact upon the industry—eliminating fossil fuels in manufacturing and increasing garment worker wages—require systemic transformation, including “overhaul of the entire supply chain.” [v]
At the forefront of these challenges are logistical issues. The industry’s multitiered supply chain is “complex and opaque;” very few brands know where their materials come from, and fewer actively work with suppliers to reduce their carbon footprint. [iv] The industry also lacks necessary accountability measures.
Moreover, actual sustainability practices aren’t all they’re chocked up to be. For example, lower-impact, recycled polyester is still made from plastic and perpetuates a dependence on fossil fuels. [v] Alternative materials being developed, such as cactus leather, remain expensive to produce and difficult to scale. [v] Furthermore, recycling has its limitations—such as shortened and weakened polymers (which cannot be recycled) or recycling technologies being unable to separate out dyes and mixed fabrics. The result is that less than 1% of clothing is recycled into new clothes, and 53 million metric tons of discarded clothing are incinerated or go to landfills each year. In 2017, Burberry burned $37 million worth of unsold bags, clothes, and perfume—indicating that the problem is not limited to fast fashion. Most donated items also end up in landfills in poor countries. [iv] With that being said, natural fabrics like cotton and linen may degrade in weeks to months, whereas synthetic fabrics can take up to 200 years to break down (while producing methane, a greenhouse gas). [ii]
To further complicate things, many companies have come under fire for “greenwashing”—intentionally deceiving consumers or overselling sustainability efforts. [ii] For instance, vegan leather may sound friendly, but it is really a rebranding of “pleather,” which is essentially a plastic. [vii] Greenwashing is of particular concern as companies try to capitalize off of the increasing demand for sustainability. [viii] And current regulations are not necessarily helpful in this area. Though the FTC has Green Guides that outline principles for using certain marketing language, they have not been updated in over a decade and do not scrutinize the use of terms like “sustainability” and “organic.” [ii] Without more stringent guidance, the use of such terms could be misleading. Signs of greenwashing can include a focus on eco-friendly packaging (but not much else), initiatives to reduce carbon emissions at an office (but not in the supply chain), or “sustainable” collections that represent only a fragment of a company’s overall production. [viii] While these are valid strategies, it can be revealing if a company does not make efforts to go beyond the bare minimum.
Although the fashion industry has mostly relied on voluntary measures over the years, change may be on the horizon. Greenwashing lawsuits have been “on the rise” and “a key issue in Business of Fashion’s 2023 industry report.” [ix] Recently, perpetrators have also been investigated or held accountable. Zara and H&M, for example, both have promised to adjust or refrain from using sustainability claims. [ix] In terms of legislation, the Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act (the Fashion Act), announced in January 2022, seeks to hold fashion businesses accountable for environmental and social impact. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand also introduced what could be the first federal fashion bill: the Fashioning Accountability and Building Real Institutional Change (FABRIC) Act, which addresses labor concerns and workers' rights. [ix] In California, Senate Bill 62 (requiring factories to pay hourly wages instead of per-piece produced and holding brands liable for supply chain wage theft) set “‘an important legal precedent—that brands are jointly responsible for worker wages.’” [v] Countries with major manufacturing hubs, like Bangladesh and China, are beginning to take action against health and environmental damage. [v]
Brands have also developed initiatives to assess and communicate their impact. [x] In February 2022, a group of beauty companies, including The Estée Lauder Companies, “formed a consortium to develop an ‘eco beauty score’ for cosmetics companies to assess their environmental impact.” [v] Kering Group has put together internal guidelines to mitigate “greenwashing-related legal issues and consumer backlash.” The guidelines advise brands against using broad, ambiguous terms and to focus on clear metrics like emissions reduction. [v]
There is certainly more work to be done to actually minimize fashion’s environmental impact, like improving supply chain traceability and renewable energy mechanisms. Contracts between brands and suppliers affect manufacturing standards (as they specify production deadlines and financial constraints) and, thus, could be a starting place for brands to target. [v] Redistributing financial risk to brands would incentivize them to employ better purchasing practices. [v] Industry insiders have also suggested pricing negative externalities, such as taxing carbon and water to include social costs in order to discourage their use, encourage innovation, and accelerate the adoption of renewable energy. [iv] A governmental committee in the UK has recommended a tax on virgin plastic, which would increase the price of synthetics and make natural materials more attractive. [iv]
All of this suggests that the industry is shifting and companies and are not only recognizing the need for change, but also taking initiative toward that end. With the complexity and opacity of the supply chain, the onus should not be on consumers to sift through unclear and sometimes contradictory information. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t do our part. Change will take time, and regulations are unlikely to be effected overnight.
In the meantime, what can we do, as consumers, to foster sustainability and minimize our impact on the environment? With all the contradictions and lack of clarity, it can be difficult not to feel hopeless or that our decisions are futile. Although a full solution remains to be seen, change starts with awareness and intentionality—recognizing and altering our consumption habits. In researching brands, we can see if they talk about sustainability openly and with actual metrics that are easy to understand (i.e. how they source materials and manage issues in their supply chain, or whether they’re part of voluntary agreements to improve their practices). [vii] Sustainability reports and certifications, like GOTS, OCS, Fairtrade, OekoTex, Bluesign, etc, can also be helpful. The Ecolabel Index is a global directory of labels that explains what different certifications mean. [vii] While these certifications may not indicate perfect sustainability, they are a great reference point.
We could also shop small, slow fashion as well as brands that focus on more sustainable materials and production processes (Attire, EB Denim, Heavy Manners, Reformation, and FAIT PAR FOUTCH to name a few). It’s true that brands considered sustainable are often pricier, but we should remember that this is both because of the higher cost of quality materials, as well as workers being paid fairly and ethically. The process of saving up for a quality, staple piece could even positively influence our consumption decisions by promoting mindfulness rather than letting trends dictate our behaviors. Thrifting (or perusing the resale market online, where independent sellers have done the work for you) is also an option for curating a unique look or wardrobe, especially on a budget. Lastly, sustainability also is about how the items we purchase are used. To that end, we can take better care of our items to extend their life cycles and upcycle where possible.
I recognize certain sustainability practices may be unrealistic for many people. However, we should neither give up because change seems impossible, nor shame others by making them feel like they are not doing enough, but rather encourage everyone to do what they can. Small changes can make a difference and, at the risk of sounding cliché, imperfect progress is better than no progress at all.
Citations
[i] The State Of Sustainability In The Fashion Industry (And What It Means For Brands), Forbes, Alison Bringé
[ii] Why Fashion Needs to Be More Sustainable, Columbia Climate School, Renee Cho
[iii] Environmental Sustainability, Department of Energy
[iv] The Myth of Sustainable Fashion, Harvard Business Review, Kenneth P. Pucker
[v] Sustainable fashion: Where the industry is heading in 2022, Vogue Business, Rachel Cernansky
[vi] The Global Glut of Clothing Is an Environmental Crisis, Bloomberg, Rachael Dottle and Jackie Gu
[vii] ‘Vegan,’ ‘sustainable’: How to spot misleading fashion claims, The Washington Post, Allyson Chiu
[viii] Greenwashing Examples: 8 Notorious Fast Fashion Claim and Campaigns, good on you, Solene Rauturier
[ix] How Fashion Can Combat Greenwashing In 2023, Fashionista, Andrea Bossi
[x] The Year Ahead: How to Prepare for Fashion’s Greenwashing Crackdown, Business of Fashion