Sustainable fashion is a very popular concept in the fashion circle, clothing industry, environmental protection and other fields in recent years. From designers to business operators, from environmental protection experts to government officials, all are advocating sustainable fashion, but after all There are divergent opinions on what is sustainable fashion. "
The definition of sustainable fashion
In Wikipedia, the definition of sustainable fashion is this: it is the behavior and process that promotes the transformation of fashion products and fashion systems to more ecological integrity and social justice. Sustainable fashion involves not only fashionable textiles or products, but also the entire fashion system, which means that interdependent social, cultural, ecological, and even financial systems are included in it. Sustainable fashion needs to be considered from the perspective of many stakeholders, such as consumers Producers, biological species, present and future descendants, etc. Therefore, sustainable fashion is the responsibility of every citizen, government agency and private owner. A typical example of the need for systematic thinking in the fashion industry is the benefits of product-level initiatives, for example, replacing a certain fiber with a product that is less harmful to the environment, and the harm is less The advantages of alternatives，However, because of the continuous increase in the number of fashion products, it has become negligible.
The concept of "sustainable fashion" can be traced back to the book "Silent Spring" published by American biologist Rachel Carson in 1962, in which she exposed the serious and widespread abuse of agricultural chemicals. In 1987, the report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (Brundtland Repart) led by the former Prime Minister of Norway, Mrs. Brandtland, first proposed that “sustainable development” is to meet the needs of contemporary people. Development that does not jeopardize the ability of future generations to meet their needs; in 1992, at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (commonly known as the "Rio Earth Summit"), "green issues" formally entered fashion and textile publications. Since the early 1990s, research on sustainable fashion has been developing and discussing, including technical projects aimed at improving the efficiency of existing business resources, and ways to fundamentally reimagine the fashion system, and so on.
The apparel industry has a huge impact on the global environment
In many people’s impressions, fashion has nothing to do with energy consumption and environmental pollution, and even feels irrelevant, but on the contrary, the fashion industry is the world’s second largest environmental pollution producer after the petrochemical industry. . In 2017, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (Ellen MacArthur Foundation) report data showed that the textile industry emits about 1.2 billion tons of greenhouse gases every year. Exceeding the combined emissions of all international flights and shipping, the apparel industry emits 500,000 tons of microfiber into the ocean each year, which is equivalent to 50 billion plastic bottles. At the same time, the world produces more than 80 billion pieces of clothes every year, and the textile fibers used to produce these clothes consume 1 trillion gallons of water, 33 trillion gallons of crude oil and 20 billion pounds of chemicals. These clothes only have about 20%. Recycling or reuse, a large number of fashion products and clothing will eventually become waste in landfills or be incinerated.For example, in the United States alone, 13 million tons of clothes are discarded each year; in the United Kingdom, as many as 2.4 billion pieces of clothes are completely unworn each year, worth as much as 10 billion British rust (about 88.5 billion yuan), on average per household per year To throw away 26 pieces of clothes that can be worn; in 2018, the internationally renowned brand Burberry burned about 28.6 million British pounds (approximately 253 million yuan) of inventory goods, the purpose of which is only to maintain the brand image of the merchant. From this we can see how amazing the waste and environmental pollution caused by fashion are, and how important and imminent it is to advocate sustainable fashion.
The death of sustainable fashion, only "fast" does not break
Fashion is a time-related phenomenon, that is, a popular expression in a specific time and context. In recent years, the eye-catching concept of "fast fashion" has been popular among young people by selling cheap and popular products through chain stores such as H&M, ZARA, and Forever21. However, the rapid consumption and elimination of products brought about by this fast fashion has caused serious consequences of "excessive consumption" and waste. According to reports, ZARA designs 1.With 80,000 new styles, new styles can be put on the shelves every 2-3 weeks on average, and can be produced in 7 days, off the cabinet in 14 days, and on the cabinet in 30 days. A total of about 50,000 new fashions are launched every year. While fast fashion companies continue to shorten the production cycle and increase the frequency of new product launches, the damage to the environment is shocking: fast fashion clothing’s dependence on synthetic fibers, especially polyester fibers, is one of the important reasons affecting the environment. The amount of carbon dioxide produced by polyester fiber is three times that of cotton.Natural degradation takes decades, and the plastic fibers contained in it also pose a threat to the ocean. A study shows that 34% of the microplastics found in the ocean come from the textile and clothing industries, most of which are made of polyester, polyethylene, acrylic and elastic fibers.
And the "recycling of old clothes" measures adopted by fast fashion companies are nothing but a hypocritical show. HM’s official data shows that because the fibers are shredded during processing, only 20% of the recycled cotton products can be remade into new garments. Another important issue to consider is that the efficiency of the recycling of used clothes is determined by the quality of the waste. According to the data provided by the American Secondary Materials and Recycling Textile Association,At least 35% of recycled clothing is thrown directly into the garbage dump due to poor quality. Therefore, fast fashion is one of the very important reasons that make the fashion system unsustainable.
Is Fur Free an option for sustainable fashion?
According to the data, the concept of "Zero Fur" came into people's vision after the wild animal protection slogan "No sale, no killing" was broadcasted. Later, it was organized by an NC0 organization "ACTAsia" animal protection. The team started in 2010, calling on other animal protection groups and societies throughout China to carry out various activities to promote "Zero Fur", and united with the "International Zero Fur Alliance (Fur Free Alliance,FFA)" launched a series of "Zero Fur" theme activities in China, including the "Sustainable Fashion Starts with Zero Fur" forum.
Since 2017, after Yoox Net-A-Porter Group and VF Corporation (VF Corporation) issued the "Zero Fur" statement, Gucci also announced that it would abandon fur. Subsequently, many fashion brands such as Versace, Furla, Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo and others have followed suit and joined the FFA camp, claiming that they no longer use natural fur in their products.The reason for switching to artificial fur is that artificial fur is more environmentally friendly and sustainable. For a time, the volume of "Zero Fur" became louder and louder.
However, the "zero fur" proposition has led clothing brands to use artificial fur instead, but the main raw materials of artificial fur are currently composed of chemical substances such as nylon, acrylic and polyester fibers. In 2016, scientists conducted a 6-month "fur funeral" experiment, and the results showed that natural fur is almost completely degraded in the natural environment, while the same amount of artificial fur is still "undamaged". According to the scientist,Artificial fur may not be completely degraded naturally even after 500 years, and the tiny harmful fibrous substances dissolved in the soil will also be integrated into nature to cause harm to human health. Therefore, artificial fur is completely contrary to "sustainable fashion". How can it be said that "sustainable fashion starts with zero fur"?
Another argument of the "Zero Fur" organization is that in the production process of fur, it is very harmful to the environment and pollutes land and water resources. This view is also extremely absurd. Natural fur makes good use of its natural colors and protects it during processing. The dyeing of natural fur is a very gentle process. The materials used are organic or natural compounds, and the dosage is strictly in compliance with international standards, and no hazardous waste is discharged during the process.Therefore, the serious environmental pollution caused by its processing is really nothing to talk about.
On the contrary, the "artificial fur" promoted by the "Zero Fur" organization, with the rapid development of technology, will soon cultivate real "fur" in the laboratory, without the use of animals, and will not cause harm to the environment, but the facts are In the past, such fur products have not been produced or cultivated. Artificial fur is derived from non-renewable resources and cannot be degraded naturally like plastic. As a petrochemical derivative, its greatest hazard is the destruction of the environment. This is the so-called unsustainable. There is no doubt about this!
This shows that the so-called "zero fur" is definitely not a wise choice for sustainable fashion. "Action Asia" associates "zero fur" with "sustainable fashion" in this way, and its purpose is to show its public welfare and social responsibility, but this approach is really lacking in consideration and should be widely questioned and held accountable.
What is the real sustainable fashion?
The goal of sustainable fashion is to create a prosperous ecosystem and community through corresponding activities, including increasing the value of production and products, extending the life cycle of materials, increasing the value of durable clothing, reducing waste, and reducing the risk of production and consumption. The harm caused by the environment, another goal is to educate people to practice environmentally friendly consumption by promoting the concept of "green consumers". So how do you actually do it, which can be regarded as practicing sustainable fashion?
"Slow fashion" can be regarded as an embodiment of sustainable fashion. Slow fashion usually includes durable products, traditional production techniques, or seasonal design concepts. For consumers, slow fashion means that product design and manufacturing require more detailed and high-quality products; from an environmental point of view, slow fashion means reducing the use of clothes and industrial waste. Slow fashion is a fashion concept that reflects a view of respect for human living conditions, biological and cultural diversity, and global scarce resources.
Promote a healthier environment by using recycled materials to make garments and by producing new garments made of sustainable and innovative materials. Recycle regenerated fibers from pre-consumer or post-consumer sources. In the use of clothing raw materials, consider material sustainability and use more natural fibers. This includes plant fibers such as cotton, hemp, bamboo, and soybeans, as well as animal fibers such as wool, Free of hair, duck down, silk, etc.
Promote sustainable consumption practices and increase product lifespan. Sustainable fashion with consumer participation can help raise awareness of green consumption and enhance awareness of environmental protection. For example, "clothing exchange" can promote the reuse and recycling of clothing. By reusing the clothes that have been made, the clothes are exchanged from one consumer to another, so that new raw materials are no longer used to make more clothes. More clothing to consume. Through this method,An alternative resource that ultimately saves money and time for consumers. Increasing the service life of products is another sustainable method. High-end brands have long supported the service life of their products through product service systems, such as the rewaxing of classic outdoor jackets, the repair of expensive handbags, the cleaning and care of natural fur, and the design of regeneration. These products will keep you long-term, cherish and wear often, and even pass on to the next generation.As we all know, the quality of a product reflects the length of its life cycle. Some high-quality and stylish clothing is inherited with durability and emotional factors.
Effective clothing recycling. Sustainable clothing used to mean buying clothes from thrift stores or any store that sells second-hand clothing, or donating used clothes to charity for reuse or resale. Sustainable clothing has now been extended to reduce the amount of clothing discarded to landfills and reduce the environmental impact of agricultural chemicals on the production of conventional fiber crops (such as cotton).
Enhancing the transparency of the fashion industry supply chain. In the apparel industry, attention to product transparency and traceability has not made substantial progress. Consumers can only find information about clothing labels, but they don’t know anything about the address of the clothing factory, the number of people working there, the living conditions of the workers, the production environment, the procurement and processing of raw materials, and so on. Due to various reasons, the product traceability system has been difficult to establish and implement.However, a natural fur mark (FURMARK) project led and promoted by the International Fur Federation (IFF) will change the untraceable history of fashion products. FURMARK is a global program to monitor the traceability and certification system of the fur trade. For consumers, FURMARR is the guarantee of the highest sustainability standards.It is a commitment to protect animal welfare and a guarantee of the source of purchasing fur products. Trace the entire process of natural fur production and processing from farmers, auction houses, nitrate dyers, manufacturers, retailers and other links to ensure reliable implementation in compliance with the industry's highest animal welfare and environmental standards.
Realizing a truly sustainable fashion is not a short-lived act, but requires the continuous joint efforts of the whole society. Regarding the perception of sustainable fashion, there are reasons to believe that there will still be many different voices and opinions in the future, but the principles of environmental protection, resource recycling, ecological harmony, and green consumption that sustainable fashion uphold are consistent. More producers, consumers, companies and governments need to understand the true meaning of sustainable fashion,Make the right choice and actively participate in it, so that fashion life and social development can coexist organically, and create a truly beautiful environment for fashion.
