What Sustainability Means in Fashion
Education and awareness are critical in achieving sustainability goals, and this article details what sustainability means in the Fashion industry.
The Fashion Cycle
The fashion industry's supply chain is an actor network, meaning it involves different people with different skills and requires a lot of communication and coordination to operate efficiently. At the beginning of the supply chain are designers, artists, and creatives whose brains power a brand's creative direction. They create the concept to sell to consumers. Their ideas determine what materials are needed and how much; sometimes, these creators work within the constraints of manufacturing capabilities or timelines for delivery. Once the initial ideas are conceived and samples are made, lead times are set, and production begins.
The lead time for a collection is the amount of time from the start of a process until its conclusion. In this case, it's from the extraction of natural resources to in-store delivery. Historically, lead times were roughly 3-6 months, but for some fast fashion brands, it can take weeks. Brands translate samples into tech packs, information designers use to develop new products, and communicate with manufacturers. Then, natural resources are extracted, processed, died, cut, and sewn. Once the materials are ready, skilled artisans put it all together into its final form, adding buttons, trims, and all the details the product may require. Finally, the collection is transported from a warehouse and distributed to headquarters and retail stores. Brands orchestrate this entire process, but the chain doesn't stop there.
Tailors, cobblers, and jewelers come into play when clothes, footwear, or jewelry need maintenance. They play an integral role in preserving the form and function of the product. Lastly, there are thrift stores, donation centers, and bargain bins where clothes go to find a new home until they are eventually recycled into new material or sent to landfills. From Fast Fashion to eco-friendly alternatives, the choices you make as a consumer can have far-reaching consequences. As you navigate the fashion landscape, it's crucial to pause and reflect on the fashion industry's impact.
The Faces of Sustainability
Sustainability roots trace back to the environmental and social movements of the 1960s and 1970s when concerns about pollution, resource depletion, and social justice emerged, leading to increased awareness about the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and economic issues. The concept of sustainability gained significant popularity in the early 21st century for recognizing the finite nature of natural resources. Whether it's clean air, water, fertile soil, or non-renewable energy sources, these are assets that, if overexploited or mismanaged, jeopardize the quality of life for future generations.
From an ecological perspective, sustainability describes the ability of biological systems to remain healthy, diverse, and productive over time. This concept of sustainability applies to higher levels of biological organization, such as ecosystems, rather than individual species.
In the context of social sustainability, it's essential to uplift people from poverty, improve access to education and healthcare, and promote inclusive practices that empower all members of society. Addressing social issues and promoting justice contribute to a more stable and harmonious world for future generations.
Economic sustainability involves fostering economic systems that can endure over the long term, providing prosperity without causing irreparable environmental harm or exacerbating social inequalities. Striking a balance between economic growth, social equity, and environmental responsibility is crucial for building resilient societies.
Technological innovation also plays a pivotal role in sustainability. Advancements in technology can provide solutions to environmental challenges, improve resource efficiency, and offer alternative energy sources. Embracing innovation with a focus on sustainability ensures society leaves behind a legacy of progress rather than a trail of environmental degradation.
From a generational human race perspective, sustainability is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. By adopting sustainable practices, society aims to ensure the judicious use of resources, allowing them to replenish and regenerate over time.
At its core, sustainability is about responsible stewardship, acknowledging that actions today have profound implications for the world descendants will inherit. By fostering a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and economic systems, brands empower consumers and communities to make informed choices.
Ecological Sustainability
The textile industry is a heavily polluting, resource-intensive sector with a sizeable carbon footprint. Fashion production alone makes up 10% of the world's carbon emissions, drying up water sources and polluting rivers and streams. For example, cotton, a common material found in clothes, has a very water-intensive cultivation process. A t-shirt and a pair of jeans require 2000 liters of water, and mishandling water pollutes local water sources and seeps into the soil of crops we eat. Brands are estimated to produce over 150 billion garments annually, resulting in 84% of greenhouse gas emissions in upstream production. Each step requires machinery to make and transport products, releasing carbon into the atmosphere.
What about the disposal? Roughly 45 billion clothes are never sold or worn, so those mostly end up in landfill or incinerated. Burning or landfilling new and used clothing releases more greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere and toxins into water supplies, impacting the health and culture of the surrounding areas. Plus, it typically costs $50 per ton to dispose of textiles, equaling hundreds of millions per year to throw away clothes, showing a clear economic case to reduce waste. Even with rising costs due to inflation, these processes have yet to evolve, and they continue to be an obstacle to bottom-line growth and a burden to the planet. This is why overproduction is widespread in the apparel sector.
It's essential to remember these things when you're shopping because there's hope. Many fashion brands adopt sustainable practices, incorporating eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, recycled polyester, and innovative fabrics made from sustainable sources. We can collectively shift the industry toward a more environmentally conscious future by supporting these brands.
Ethical Issues in Labor Practices
Beyond ecological concerns, the fashion industry has faced scrutiny for ethical issues in labor practices. The garment and footwear industry stretches worldwide, and sweatshops, unsafe working conditions, and unfair wages have plagued the industry. There is a mental model that factory workers are less than the average human. Mental models are the internal representation of the external reality. It resembles slavery in that it replicates the conditions we looked down upon in the past. The prioritization of the people buying over the people making suggests that giving the people who make the clothes power could reduce the amount of money the firm makes.
Brands make large orders to fill, and factory workers are pressured to fulfill those orders faster today. Lead times for orders are no longer planned in months but weeks, so suppliers scramble to take on the orders. Short-term contracts hinder labor workers' ability to unionize in fear of retaliation. Long hours and overtime with no additional pay is wage theft and impacts their well-being. Low wages and a lack of career support affect their sense of fulfillment and keep factory workers in poverty. Women earn less than men, leading to sexual harassment. Toxic waste materials workers also come into contact with impacts on their health.
What could fix all this are corporations and the local governments addressing the imbalance of power by tackling social issues and promoting justice. Codes of conduct are now more widespread than before, thanks to the International Labor Standards. These codes cover child labor, forced labor, working hours, occupational health and safety, and non-discrimination. Although they can be subjective or not explicit regarding the expectations, it is progress. A vital aspect of this progress is the freedom of association, or having the ability to form unions and demand better conditions.
Disclosing factory worker data is a signal of good faith and is a resource for unions and activists to fight for the rights of factory workers. The need for information about factories involved in production for global brands has also become painfully clear in recent years, and there's a growing movement advocating for fair labor practices and transparency in the supply chain. There is an increasing trend of global apparel companies adopting supply chain transparency—starting with publishing names, addresses, and other important information about factories manufacturing their branded products.
When global supply chains are opaque, consumers often lack meaningful information about where and how their apparel was made. Case in point, brands have a hard time communicating their progress because they have no way of tracking it. When brands are certified, like Fair Trade, consumers can support those brands, and unions can be a helpful avenue for getting factory workers the help they need. It's about making informed decisions and demanding accountability from the fashion companies we engage with. Some call this the Slow Fashion movement.
The Rise of Slow Fashion
In recent years, Slow Fashion has gained momentum and challenged traditional Fashion's fast-paced, disposable nature by encouraging thoughtful consumption. The New York Times coined the term Fast Fashion in 1980. Fast Fashion is the rapid and constant production cycle to meet consumer demand. A demand that fashion brands cultivated to alter consumer behavior, making people want more. It relies on producing large quantities quickly at a lower cost, so the items are often considered disposable. It also focuses on short-lived trends that quickly cycle in and out of style, contributing to its disposability, and it is associated with high environmental impact due to the use of resource-intensive processes, chemicals, and the generation of large amounts of textile waste.
Slow Fashion emphasizes quality over quantity, timeless designs, and a commitment to sustainability, contributing to longer-lasting garments. Slow fashion brands often release fewer collections each year and prioritize ethical and sustainable practices, such as fair labor conditions, environmentally friendly materials, and a commitment to craftsmanship. Slow Fashion also strives to minimize environmental impact by using sustainable materials, reducing waste, and adopting eco-friendly practices. They report their impact in Lehmens' terms, not never-ending reports riddled with jargon for customers to understand.
Overall, Slow Fashion responds to Fast Fashion's negative environmental and social impacts. It advocates for a more sustainable, ethical, and mindful clothing production and consumption approach. It's a shift in mindset—from chasing trends to creating a curated closet that reflects your personality and values. By investing in fewer, well-made pieces that withstand the test of time, you can reduce the demand for rapid production and consumption. The idea of Slow Fashion lends itself nicely to curating a sustainable wardrobe.
Style is Sustainability
Curation is the journey of honing in on authentic taste preferences to guide the ever-evolving individual and their shopping habits. This idea posits that Fashion is sustainable when it is rooted in curation, identity development, and longevity, and divorced from the quantity of clothing. Most people associate thrifting or recycling garments with sustainability, which falls under the umbrella of circularity. For curation, it's less about circulation or the end of use and more about purpose-driven purchases leading to stellar closets and impeccable style stories. It's much more exciting if you ask me!
With niche aesthetics taking hold of Fashion, driven mainly by TikTok trends, there's a greater chance for people to discover a taste world that's authentic to them. Loving a particular style also helps to train their eye to spot clothes that meet their aesthetic and shopping criteria. It also helps when trying to get rid of clothing. A trained eye produces knowledge of what sells and enables people to connect over similar styles—allowing everyone to become an expert curator in their own way. From silhouettes to fabrics and costs to care, it's helpful to know these details about your garments and pass along the knowledge and experiences to others.
When it starts to sink in that styles are cyclical, refining your style leads to less focus on the impermanence (aka trends). Items may fall out of style in a month or so, but they'll always come back, and people will continue wishing they had held onto their vintage tees, now worth over $100. Between the targeted ads and limited drops begging for attention, it's easy for someone who doesn't analyze Fashion or develop a personal style to follow trends impulsively. They miss a real opportunity to define their identity with the items they buy and how they're worn. Refinement is freedom, and knowing yourself (aka having taste) helps avoid getting caught in the hype cycle.
"Fashion is about who we are, who we want to be, and who everyone else wants to be," said Alec Leach in his book, The World is on Fire But We're Still Buying Shoes.
He discusses how Fashion deeply connects to identity, "Fashion allows us to envision ourselves in a new way." When people make purchases that are inauthentic to who they are, they end up with buyer's remorse. Whether someone is chasing status or belonging, the novelty of purchasing a new garment can wear off quickly. The trends that feel dire at the moment eventually pass.
Honing in on style teaches people to say no to certain items they may think they want to own. Not everything new and shiny is essential, and if they're trying to be someone else, deciphering what's motivating them to make a purchase can get tricky. Spending time understanding the product and appreciating its features makes purchasing clothes an investment rather than a transaction. It's like buying a piece of art, a cultural artifact, or a personal memory to preserve throughout the years.
In the words of Andre Leon Talley, "Style is refusal!"
Diversity in Fashion further highlights the value that honing in on personal style brings to the individual and the planet. Combating fashion marketing tactics that tend to generalize people based on class, gender, and ethnicity with purpose and inner confidence teaches people to do more with less, cooling the cycle of hyperconsumption. When people invest in themselves, their culture, and their closets, they can avoid impulsive purchases that lead to frequent cleanouts and more textiles in landfills that'll live in perpetuity. This new theory, illuminated from speaking with Black and Brown curators, enables impact via personal growth, and I believe it is the missing key for scaling fashion sustainability. With it, we'll outpace brands focusing on speed instead of quality.
Technological innovation
Technological innovation also plays a pivotal role in sustainability. Advancements in technology can provide solutions to environmental challenges. Biofabrication utilizes renewable resources and reduces the reliance on traditional manufacturing processes that may have negative ecological impacts. Upcycling involves repurposing or transforming discarded or unwanted materials into new products of higher value.
Technological innovation can have unintended consequences. Many of the innovations developed by the tech industry can be applied to mitigate environmental issues, but they are not free from ecological costs. Embracing innovation with a focus on sustainability ensures society leaves behind a legacy of progress rather than a trail of environmental degradation. These innovations reimagine how Fashion can coexist harmoniously with the planet and pave the way for a more sustainable future.
Conclusion
In essence, sustainability is a holistic and forward-thinking approach to life, and sustainability in Fashion is personal style. The practice becomes very personal and enlightening in this new rendition. Over time, people acquire assets that belong to a taste world authentic to them, ebbing and flowing as they evolve.
For more on Fashion and sustainability, tune into The Right Hype Podcast.
