Sustainability In Fashion: An Agenda?

Fashion has always been about change - from silhouettes, patterns, and designs to now much larger issues like climate change, soil degradation, rainforest destruction… the list is endless. I remember when these issues were cropping up and it seemed like all talk, no action but being in California surrounded by people using respirators to protect themselves from the northern fires’ smoke makes it harder to ignore such statements. I’m not the only one, however, as people around the globe are noticing drastic climate change and mother nature roaring.

We’ve been damaging our planet for far too long, and it’s starting to show. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes a fire and power outage for people to pay attention; however the proof has always been in the numbers.

• Previously, headlines spread about the Amazon forest being on fire, but that was just a symptoms of a far more significant problem - a rampant deforestation. We are losing forestland at a rate of 375 km2 each day. This is more than the total area of New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey and Delaware combined!

• The world has already lost 80% of its original forests.

• At the world's current rates, 5-10% of tropical forest species will become extinct every decade
  

These are just a few of the numbers on deforestation, but the list of damages goes on.

The fashion industry is the second biggest contributor to pollution and environmental destruction. Why? It’s because as much as we love buying clothes, we often end up not wearing them or not disposing of them properly, and this behaviour impacts the environment. The textile industry largely uses and depletes non-renewable resources, also emitting greenhouse gases and using large amounts of chemicals, energy, and water. Let’s not forget about Fast Fashion.

So, what can we do about this and more importantly, who in the industry advocates for change?

During WWD Apparel & Retail CEO Summit in October 2019, the president and chief executive officer at Gap Inc., Art Peck, shared his view on the topic:

“It’s personal, I live in California. At the end of last week and over the weekend, I spent 72 hours without power, half of the time breathing smoke and surrounded by fire. We can deny this, but we’re stupid if we do.”

Peck’s interest may be fueled by altruism, but it’s also driven by the implications on Gap’s performance. The CEO said the company has embraced sustainability, and in doing so, discovered that doing good also makes for good business.

“When we push real, substantial and authentic values to the forefront of our brands, it manifests itself in our profitability, a couple of unit points at least,” he said. “Market share change is going to accelerate as brands push their values to the forefront. The customer will migrate relatively quickly, and the younger the customer, the more aligned they are with those values.”

His last statement , on the power held by younger generations in being able to change company’s decisions is very true however the main question is,

All these sustainability initiatives and promotion of circular fashion are all good, BUT they always come with an agenda either to enhance sales, build brand loyalty, etc. Is that a viable reason to do good, or do our intentions have to be greater than the deliverables to promote a truly lasting sustainable environment? Do companies have any other options besides this?

To those wondering what Gap apparel is doing now after vocalizing their efforts, well, Gap apparel is 65 percent made from cotton, and the retailer consumes 1 percent of the world’s cotton crop. There is no denying cotton is the toughest crop because of it’s impact in harming our environment. Peck states that the company is addressing sustainability through new technology for commercial agriculture that slows carbon dioxide bursts into the atmosphere, and new water-saving technology for mills “that’s absolutely scalable across the industry.”

On the other hand, is luxury brand Burberry who recently partnered with The RealReal to promote circular fashion. A strategic move, given that searches for Burberry have increased by 64% year-on-year, on the site and fastest among Millennial and Gen-Z customers.

Burberry is offering anyone who consigns the brand’s pieces at The RealReal, an exclusive personal shopping experience in their stores across the U.S. It sounds all good, but prior to this, Burberry put out the statement that they are aiming to eliminate unnecessary plastic packaging by 2025 and will no longer destroy unsalable finished products. The move is due to the fact that they burned 28.6 million pounds worth of goods they didn’t sell back in 2017. Understandably, they faced public backlash and hence their recent initiatives to change.

If it’s to avoid backlash or to grow sales, companies are taking sustainability more seriously, especially by targeting Millennials and Gen Z. Why?

It’s largely because they hold immense power and disposable income in swaying brands to not only have great products but values they can stand behind. After all, they are the generation who will be facing the problems in the future, that is why this generation of customers require a better approach from the companies.

Whether the companies have been listening and picking up on it, or pushing their agenda, change is in progress. LVMH, a huge corporation has called for action, appointing Stella McCartney as their special advisor on sustainability. No better person as she’s been the trailblazer of this movement in the fashion industry long before companies even cared. Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH, declared in the press statement,

“I am extremely happy with this partnership with Stella. It is the beginning of a beautiful story together, and we are convinced of the great long-term potential of her House. A decisive factor was that she was the first to put sustainability and ethical issues on the front stage, very early on, and built her House around these issues. It emphasizes LVMH Groups’ commitment to sustainability.”

It seems apparent now change is forthcoming, slowly but surely.

Going back to the earlier question of who in the industry is capable of making change happen, the answer at first may have been the industry leaders, but it’s quite clear now that it’s you, as, you reading this, and especially if you fall into the Millennial or Gen Z category. We’re the true torchbearers, and in standing united, what we ask for, companies have an ear towards, because at the end of the day, it’s business - with an agenda.

No matter the intentions behind ethical initiatives, we can turn the agenda around and use it for good. If that is what pushes companies to rethink their approach, then be it as we’re now playing with real fires.

Photo Credits

Photography Jia Marques & Amber Lokatys

Producer/Stylist Faith Ripoli

Stylist Gabriella Corza

Designer McKaela Christenson

MUA & Hair Niki Wong

Model Nicole Butscher