The fashion industry has a problem. According to McKinsey, the fashion industry was responsible for about 4 per cent of global carbon emissions in 2018, although some estimates put the figure as high as 10 per cent. In fact, one of the issues around the fashion industry is the lack of clear and transparent data – partly due to its size and complexity. However one thing is clear: the fashion industry needs to change if the emissions it generates are to be reduced.

It’s not just emissions that are the issue; the industry produces about 20 per cent of global wastewater, and 85 per cent of textiles end up in landfills or are incinerated. Add issues around worker’s rights – even the European Parliament describes the conditions in some garment factories as “slave labour” – and it’s clear there’s a lot of work to do. Indeed, type your favourite clothes brand into the Fashion Checker website and you will see multiple brands with no evidence that their suppliers are paying a living wage.

One big issue the fashion industry faces – similar to the aviation industry – is that increased demand will wipe out any reductions the industry makes through more sustainable practices. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the equivalent of a rubbish truck load of clothes is burnt or buried in landfill every second. Another issue is one baked into the very core of the fashion industry: new trends. Each season, fashion brands release new collections, while high street brands push their new collections even more frequently. What this results in is a huge amount of waste. In 2000, 50 billion new garments were produced according to a report by the Ellen McArthur Foundation and UNEP, a figure that had doubled by 2020.

In order for the industry to reach the 1.5-degree pathway under the Paris Agreement goals, it would need to reduce its annual emissions from 2.1 million metric tons a year to 1.1 billion metric tons by 2030. According to the McKinsey report, 60 per cent of this reduction could come from “upstream operations” such as energy efficiency improvements, and a move to renewable energy. Another 18 per cent in reductions could come through operational improvements by fashion brands, while 21 per cent in reductions could come through changes in consumer behaviour.

Part of the issue around fashion lies in ‘fast fashion,’ where clothes are sold incredibly cheaply – often under €5 – and are usually worn only a few times before being thrown out. The problem with this was illustrated in a 2020 report, The Environmental Price of Fast Fashion, highlighted the issues around everything from carbon emissions to its use of water (it is estimated to use 1.5 trillion litres of water annually) to its use of chemicals (one European textile-finishing company uses more than 466g of chemicals per kilogram of textile, according to the report).

Industry Efforts

The industry – as a result of public and some regulatory pressure – has made efforts to improve its record on sustainability. Launched at COP24 in Katowice in 2018, the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, aims to bring the fashion industry to net zero emissions no later than 2050, and a 30 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030. Working Groups will identify opportunities for collaboration and address gaps that need to be filled, helping to move the industry towards a net zero future. So far, 166 brands, suppliers and fashion stakeholders have signed up.

A progress report was published in June which revealed that, for the 2020 reporting cycle, more than 70 per cent of signatories submitted climate disclosures with one third reporting for the first time. In addition, 38 Charter signatories have set or have committed to setting science-based targets.

There’s still a huge amount of work to do, and through the Fashion Charter, signatories collaborate on measurement and reporting, raw materials, learn about solutions that help to scale efforts on renewable energy, policy and finance. Through Fashion Charter, signatories are also working to set the right level of ambition to push the industry to act at the speed and scale needed.   

There are many efforts that bring together fashion players to set a more sustainable path for the industry. Groups such as Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Textile Exchange, The Fashion Pact, Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals and many others are examples that the industry is working together to address some of the key issues. But we need much broader engagement and much more action today for the industry to transform. The beauty of the fashion industry is that the sector can do so much to not only take direct climate action but also to influence the action of others.

Consumer Choices

Of course, some of this change needs to come from consumers. If we demand more sustainable production cycles, brands will listen. Recent research from Vogue Business revealed that 69 per cent of its audiences around the world now say sustainability is an important factor when making a fashion purchase. However, the lack of transparency in fashion leave consumers sceptical and unable to know whether a garment’s eco claims and price tag are justified by sustainable practices.

So, what can you do to help make a difference?

Buy Less

The Fast Fashion movement ushered in the idea that there was nothing wrong with buying low-cost, throwaway clothes every few weeks. We know now how damaging that is in terms of both the environment and climate change, so it’s important to be more mindful consumers.

Buy Second-hand

While second-hand clothes have already generated carbon emissions, it is far better for the environment that they continue to be worn rather than end up in a landfill or incinerator like 84 per cent of clothing in the United States. As well as buying second-hand, make sure you donate the clothes you don’t wear anymore to a charity shop.

Buy Local

A huge issue with fashion is its supply chain. Very often clothes are designed in the West, manufactured in the Developing World, and shipped back to the West for purchase. The Environmental Price of Fast Fashion report estimated that if just 3 per cent of garment transportation ­moved from ship to air cargo – already a growing trend – it could result in 100 per cent more emissions than if all the transportation was done by ship. So it is important to buy from local brands where possible and avoid buying anything that was made thousands of miles away.

The good news is that change is happening. More and more fashion brands are making attempts to become more sustainable and more and more consumers are becoming aware of the carbon footprint of their wardrobe.