What’s in your closet? Chances are it’s a mix of high and fast fashion articles of clothing and accessories, possibly more than half of which you haven’t used in ages. Could it be that you’re unknowingly contributing to global warming? 

There’s an opportunity for you to support sustainable fashion efforts. Your wardrobe is a good starting point. Afterall, clothes aren’t going to change the world. The person who wears them will. 

Sustainable fashion refers to efforts within the fashion industry to reduce its environmental impacts, protect workers producing garments, and uphold animal welfare. 

Fast fashion is the business model of replicating recent catwalk trends and high-fashion designs, mass-producing them at a low cost, and bringing them to retail quickly while demand is at its highest. Examples include H&M, Uniqlo, Zara, Abercrombie & Fitch.

High fashion refers to the latest seasonal trends that are usually very pricey sold at boutiques and worn by the rich and famous. Examples include Prada, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Fendi.

Post-Covid 19 pandemic the fashion industry is back churning out apparel, accessories and footwear that have cash registers happily chiming. Revenue is projected to reach US$770.9bn in 2024 and is estimated to show an annual growth rate of 8.94%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$1,183.00bn by 2029 according to Fashion Market as reported on statista.com.

An increase in consumer consumption will consequently impact the environment. Data from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) shows it takes 3,781 liters of water to make a pair of jeans, from the production of the cotton to the delivery of the final product to the store. That equates to the emission of around 33.4 kilograms of carbon equivalent. 

Yes, that’s just for a pair of jeans. There’s more. Statistics from UNEP and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation show the impact on our environment:

• The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions, more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. At this pace, the fashion industry’s greenhouse gas emissions will surge more than 50 % by 2030.

• Every year the fashion industry uses 93 billion cubic meters of water — enough to meet the consumption needs of five million people.

• Around 20 % of wastewater worldwide comes from fabric dyeing and treatment. 

• Of the total fiber input used for clothing, 87 % is incinerated or disposed of in a landfill.

• If demographic and lifestyle patterns continue as they are now, global consumption of apparel will rise from 62 million metric tons in 2019 to 102 million tons in 10 years. 

• Every year a half a million tons of plastic microfibers are dumped into the ocean, the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles. Microfibers cannot be extracted from the water and they can spread throughout the food chain.

Sustainable fashion is beyond trendy

Companies and consumers are driving sustainable practices in various ways through initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact. These include sourcing organic or recycled materials, implementing ethical production and investing in renewable energy to meet the growing transparency by consumers. 

Footwear and clothing company Allbirds produces fashion with a smaller carbon footprint. Established in 2016 by pledging to halve its products carbon footprint by 2025 and cut them to virtually zero by 2030. Founded by former New Zealander footballer Tim Brown and Joey Zwillinger, a biotech engineer and expert on renewable fabrics, Allbirds’ first shoe was made from biodegradable merino wool. The company went on to make shoes out of tree fibers such as eucalyptus and uses recycled bottles for shoe laces and castor beans for insoles.

Often hailed as one of the most sustainable companies on the planet, Patagonia’s  business model revolves around making quality items that withstand the test of time while having a minimal impact on the environment. The outdoor apparel company use Fair Trade Certified, organic cotton and recycled materials. Patagonia is committed to utilising 98% recycled materials on its clothing and gear demonstrating a genuine concern for the planet’s wellbeing.  

An icon in making apparel known for its enduring durability, denim giant Levi’s focuses on three main pillars: climate, consumption and community. It puts priority on strategic designs and partnerships to address the significant impact of the clothing industry. The business also encourages customers to have open conversations, to inspire change on a global scale. 

Adidas has made significant strides in its sustainability efforts. The company aims to replace all the virgin polyester it uses with recycled polyester by 2024. Nine out of ten Adidas articles will be sustainable by 2025. Collaborating with ‘Parley for the Oceans’ since 2015 adidas produced nearly 27 million pairs of shoes (in 2022 alone) using plastic from Parley Ocean Plastic as a substitute for virgin polyester. It is committed to a set of stretch targets that will pave the way to climate neutrality across our entire value chain by 2050. 

Zara’s promise to eliminate single-use plastics for customers started in 2023.   It plans to introduce more sustainable 100% linen and sustainable or recycled polyester by 2025. By the end of the decade around 40% of the Spanish group's fibres will come from conventional recycling and 25% from sustainably farmed crops. Zara aims for zero net emissions by 2040. 

A pioneer in sustainable luxury fashion and known for her cruelty-free designs and dedication to using vegan materials, the Stella McCarthy brand is a testament to how high fashion can align with sustainability. Combining nature’s gifts and cutting edge innovations are at the core of the luxe brand’s nature-positive and circular mission. In addition, avoiding leather and fur showcases her unwavering dedication to animal welfare. 

The Maison Louis Vuitton’s commitment to fashion sustainability is firmly rooted in preserving natural resources and positively impacting society. Through a wide range of initiatives around the world, LV’s focus points include sourcing responsibly, acting on climate change, committing to circular creativity, developing savoir-faire, supporting local communities, fostering diversity and inclusion. 

What consumers can do

Fashion comes and goes. Sustainable fashion is for all seasons. 

Changes in fashion consumption across all generations, from Boomers to Gen Z, are also in play.  A report by First Insight indicated that they are now more willing to spend more for sustainable products. 

Refresh your wardrobe, save money and build a community through circular fashion by participating in or hosting clothes swaps, which are becoming increasingly popular. It is a way to exchange clothing items with other people who are also interested in swapping their clothes. In fact, clothes swaps have evolved to include accessories and other items (mirrors, hangers, anyone?).

If you want to take it one step further, hosting a clothes swap (akin to Tupperware parties) could be fun, even entertaining. You’ll find useful tips on “hosting clothes swaps” circulating on social media like YouTube. Clothes swap events are typically free as they are designed to recirculate and recycle clothing.

In case you cannot engage in clothes swaps, take these small steps to help in sustainable efforts that the World Bank Group recommends:

• Before buying, ask if the manufacturers used sustainable criteria to make the clothing.

• Be creative in combining garments and recycle them after they wear out.

• Repair clothing.

• Donate what you no longer use.

• Buy only what you need. In some countries, 40 % of purchased clothing is never used.

• Consider quality over quantity. Every additional year a garment is worn means less pollution. Cheap clothing often doesn't survive the wash cycle, meaning that in the long run you don’t save money compared with buying better quality garments?

• Buy second-hand clothing.

• Be a smart laundry manager — wash full loads and use non-abrasive detergents, for example.

Wear clothes that matter

“Who are you wearing?” A fashion catchphrase spoken by American actress Joan Rivers on the red carpet at the Golden Globes in 1994. She wanted to know what designers the celebrities had draped over them. Thirty years on could Joan’s famous line be still relevant? 

In the National Geographic article “Five initiatives making fashion more sustainable” writer Johnny Langenheim cited efforts of non-profit Fashion Revolution (FR) to introduce greater transparency into the fashion industry in order to make it more ethical and sustainable. 

One of FR’s most far-reaching campaigns has been the “Who Made My Clothes?” movement, which is a hashtag, a call to action and a rallying cry for everyone involved in fashion to improve traceability, and develop sustainable practices. Consumers can send this simple message to their favorite brands, and the maxim has also been flipped so that makers can say “I Made Your Clothes.” 

The thinking is that real change in the fashion industry requires the participation of every stakeholder – brands, designers, manufacturers, makers, marketers, models, influencers, and consumers. Fashion Revolution now operates in more tha n 100 countries and a Fashion Revolution Week takes place once a year in April, while a range of resources are also available on their website.  It has grown into the world’s largest fashion activism movement, mobilising citizens, brands and policymakers through research, education and advocacy.

What’s in your closet? Here’s a piece of advice: Less is more. Keep your wardrobe chic, minimal and timeless. As Timothy Egart once said: “The beauty of you is how you wear who you are.” 

Debbie | ws