Green is the new black: the fashion’s world existential crisis
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Earlier this year, as the world was moving into lockdown, actors in the fashion world had a sort of epiphany: a sharp drop in sales left behind mountains of unsold merchandise, prompting many to question the value and purpose of fashion.
This inventory crisis added to a long list of well-known sustainability issues: complex supply chains, overconsumption of resources, huge quantities of carbon emissions and a dizzying pace of growth. This impelled Gucci’s creative director to publish a note on Instagram saying that “We went way too far” [1]. Shortly after, 500 actors across the fashion industry followed suit with an open letter outlining their commitment to becoming more sustainable [2]. From ditching the fashion week tradition to encouraging less production, they have pledged to reduce the environmental impact of what is an eminently polluting industry. Could this mean that the era of sustainable fashion has arrived for good?
In the last 20 years, fashion has spiralled out of control, with high street and luxury brands alike slipping into the abyss of mass production. The 2005 decision to eliminate quotas in the clothing trade cleared the road for outsourcing manufacture, which meant that an increasing number of fashion brands moved their plants to developing countries, where exploitative wages and irresponsible manufacturing practices could pass unnoticed [3]. No wonder then that the fashion industry has become the second-largest polluter in the world, with low-quality cheap items making their way into almost everyone’s wardrobe.
Despite increasing consumer awareness of fashion’s environmental impact, brands have been reluctant to fundamentally change their business models. The industry has only scratched the surface of sustainability, often cutting corners to create the impression that things are changing.
Fashion’s environmental impact:
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The fashion industry is the second-largest polluter in the world
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100 billion garments produced each year
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Less than 1% is recycled
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A family in the UK throws away an average of 30 kg of clothing each year
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The apparel industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions
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The average person today buys 60% more clothing than in 2000
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Synthetic fibres can take up to 200 years to decompose
Source: The World Bank and https://www.sustainyourstyle.org/old-environmental-impacts
Over the past decade, the sustainable agenda has often been distorted for marketing purposes and turned into an empty brand-development tool. This is because there is no standard definition of sustainability, which means that brands are free to choose the values and practices that allow them to appear sustainable, and hence win the conscious consumer’s heart, without fully committing to what real sustainability involves [4]. According to a study by McKinsey Global Institute, in the first half of 2019, only 1% of new products launched by mass-market apparel brands were labelled “sustainable” in online shops [5].
“There is a lot of green-washing,” says Ioana Ciolacu, a Romanian independent designer who worked alongside Stella McCartney. “It’s important that we have a concrete discussion on the subject, but while some brands genuinely care about sustainability, others use it just to improve their reputation.” She stresses that brands’ primary concern should be to do as little harm as possible to the environment.
Despite the pandemic raising more interest in sustainable practices, there is still a long way to go before a real, tangible change takes place. The 2019 Pulse of Fashion Report states that “Even under optimistic assumptions, the industry’s existing solutions and speed of progress will not deliver the impact needed to transform the industry” [6]. One issue that stands in the way of real progress is overproduction. According to a McKinsey report, the industry could dramatically decrease its total emissions by just reducing the amount of excess inventory it produces each year [7]. Fast-fashion brands like Forever21 and H&M are often blamed for fuelling consumerism by releasing a steady flow of trend-driven products whose lifespans are very short: the clothes are expected to be used no more than 10 times [8].
Octavia Chiru, the designer of her sustainable independent brand, believes that a reduced number of collections is instrumental in creating a sustainable industry. She stresses that consumers don’t need more than two collections a year, in sync with the seasons. The biggest challenge lies in changing consumers’ habits, particularly because reduced prices encourage a throwaway mentality, which is one of the major factors contributing to fashion’s environmental impact.
“People are used to buying what they’re offered. Fast-fashion brands have overwhelmed the industry, they appeal to customers who look for cheap items that resemble expensive runway garments,” Octavia says. Fast fashion items are often unfairly priced, but consumers are used to “unreal” price tags. A T-shirt that is cheaper than a croissant most likely reflects low wages for workers and low-quality materials. “In general, the fashion industry seeks minimum investment and maximum profit,” she says.
Fashion’s progress on social transparency is also problematic:
The Fashion Revolution’s transparency index published in April discloses fashion’s dark side when it comes to workers’ pay.
High-end companies underperform in terms of transparency scores when compared to their lower-priced competitors. The H&M group reached a score of over 70 percentage points, the first company ever to do so. In practice, this means that the H&M ensure fair wages throughout its supply chain. The highest-ranked luxury brand is Gucci, with a score of 48 per cent. Max Mara and Tom Ford, on the other hand, have failed to show any signs of improved transparency as they both scored 0 per cent
Overall, only 11 per cent of the 250 brands included in this year’s report explain how they ensure that their suppliers pay workers fair wages.
Luxury brands are equally responsible for today’s increasing piles of textile waste. In 2018, Burberry incinerated unsold products worth over £28m to prevent them from entering illegal markets [9]. The company declared that the energy generated from burning its items was captured, making it environmentally friendly. Nevertheless, the brand was accused of failing to scale down its production and be considerate towards the hard work and natural resources used in the process. With Covid-19, there are fears that even more garments could be incinerated because of excess stocks.
Likewise, even in the context of the pandemic, Chanel is resolute to stick to its six fashion shows per year. This October, the brand defied restrictions by organizing its Paris Fashion Week show with hundreds of A-star attendees [10].
At the other end of the spectrum, emerging brands are making serious efforts to refashion the industry for a sustainable future. According to the 2019 Pulse of the Fashion Industry report, small-scale brands have registered consistent progress towards sustainability, increasing their score from 37 in 2018 to 45 points in 2019. This is particularly encouraging because this sector accounts for 20% of the global fashion market. Vlad Cheregi, a Romanian independent designer, emphasizes that “The leap sustainable fashion has taken in recent years is due to the large number of young emerging designers who have realized that sustainability is indeed the future of this industry.”
Octavia Chiru is the perfect example of a designer whose passion for sustainability has forced her to rethink the way clothes are made. Her brand demonstrates that sustainability is truly a multi-faceted concept – she loves taking old garments to give them new lives, a process known as upcycling. Octavia found inspiration in traditional Romanian dress and manufacturing techniques. She has created a 100% environmentally friendly suit by using a handloom to weave recycled threads from old sweaters and scarves.
“A sustainable, handmade item tells stories,” says Octavia. “It has a life of its own”. Her creation is proof that sustainable fashion can be more than just organic fabrics and minimal looks – it’s a way to revive traditional styles and techniques. Small-scale businesses like Octavi’s often create one-of-a-kind pieces that are based on craft skills and that carry the spirit and the idiosyncrasies of the designer. They offer an alternative to the current model, challenging the way clothing is produced, used and recycled.
Building such a brand requires time and patience. First, designers need to find sustainable suppliers and purchase a relatively reduced quantity of materials at the right price. They also need to gain visibility and find conscious consumers, who are willing to pay more for sustainable fashion. Such brands often grow at a slower pace, because they don’t gamble on large quantities of products that may or may not sell.
“Those of us who create sustainable clothes choose the best quality, durability over time, products that are as comfortable and as gentle to the skin as possible. Aside from this, workers are paid fair wages. This means that prices grow, and clients used to fast fashion tend to choose the cheaper product,” says Octavia.
Despite these obstacles, independent and small-scale brands have adopted sustainability not so much as a marketing strategy but as a way of sending a message: being sustainable isn’t just the latest fad – it is a necessity. “Once you understand how self-destructive this industry is, you can't keep your eyes closed and you automatically stop asking yourself whether or not to apply sustainable practices in your brand,” says Ioana Ciolacu. “What I don’t understand is why big brands with vast resources refuse to do as much as they could,” she adds.
Multinational brands should pay heed to those independent and local designers who are trying to effect a change and signal an alarm by building a sustainable brand from scratch. Changing entrenched practices can be full of obstacles, yet it’s the only way forward. The whole industry is in need of a different approach to production and consumption, based on circularity. Sustainability targets should be more than just empty promises on paper.
Notes:
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The Dangers of Fashion: Towards Ethical and Sustainable Solutions, edited by Sara B. Marcketti, and Elena E. Karpova, Bloomsbury Publishing USA, 2020.