It’s a partnership
The city will be looking ahead to Climate Week NYC now that New York Fashion Week is over. The latter will be calling on government officials, industry leaders, CEOs, and international decision makers to rethink their actions to be taken regarding climate initiatives.
Mirella Muller, president of global eRetail and fashion sector, spoke about the part the fashion industry has played in the climate crisis in a DHL webinars earlier this year.
6 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions are from fashion and consumer electronics. The full percent of fashion is a conservative estimate. That is a large number if you compare it to aviation. By the year 2030, fashion and consumer electronics will be 20 percent. There is a clear need for action here.
The Western U.S. has seen unprecedented September temperatures that have soared over 100 degrees and threatened the power grid. States across America have been flooded by flash floods. As of this writing, nearly half of the lower 48 states are experiencing some sort of dry spell. Hurricane season is just about to start. Climate change will intensify each Hurricane’s force and impact according to experts.
The fashion industry’s main emissions come from production, according to Muller.
Muller said that it shows how important it is to start talking about longer life and second life of fashion products. It is possible that we could save 55 percent to 75 percent of these emissions. Reduce overproduction, repair damaged products, resell products that are still of value for another owner and recycle products are some of the second life models.
The majority of consumers have never heard of circular fashion, which is clothing that can be reused or recycled to new clothing, according to the Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor survey. According to 11 percent of shoppers, circular fashion means styles that go in and out of fashion. 9 percent think it to be fashion that has multiple uses and is recycled.
75 percent of consumers say they are interested in apparel recycling as a sustainable initiative for the fashion industry, according to Monitor. 34% of consumers say they are willing to pay more for apparel that is produced via clothing recycling. More than a third of people are interested in programs that recycle old clothes into new garments or new products other than apparel.
Most consumers say cotton clothes last longest, especially when compared to apparel made of petroleum-based fibers such as nylon, according to the Monitor research. They think cotton clothes are the most sustainable, with 71 percent of them feeling that way.
Consumers say that the term “sustainable clothing” means it lasts the longest, followed by eco-friendly, renewable/reusable, and good quality.
A Council report that has 10 priority action areas and 30 recommendations for the fashion industry to meet sustainable targets was discussed by the Institute of Positive Fashion lead.
Dubé said it was a discussion about policy and legislation change. It’s about innovation, investment and making sure we have the demand for recycled and renewable fiber. The financial case for circularity is very strong. The potential for this industry could amount to $700 billion in the US, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. These are not insignificant numbers at all.
The brands that make cotton part of their collections feel good. Virgin cotton can be recycled and reuse in a variety of ways, and once it is returned to the earth, it can be composted.
The cotton ginning process creates 2.5 million tons of biomass each year which can be used to produce energy. Cotton takes carbon out of the atmosphere through the natural process of photosynthesis, in which carbon dioxide is absorbed and carbon is stored in the plant. The carbon stored in the plant’s leaves can act as a carbon sink, increasing the amount of carbon in the soil, which is vital to the ecology.
Pre- or post- consumer waste can be recycled as cotton fabric. New life can be found in recycled cotton in products such as insulation, mop heads, rags and stuffing. The process contributes to an estimated annual diversion of 3.8 billion pounds of textile waste.
Consumers need to be part of the solution. She said there was no point in making a perfectly circular product if the user didn’t know how to care for it, or how to deal with it at the end-of-life phase. She suggests brands to make sure their businesses are transparent.
Dubé said, “We have an obligation to do business better, resolve inequality and really hand over a future fit world where everything is made in the right way.” Circularity is something that is going to be a part of that future proof when it comes to business, and we can address the challenges of climate change.
The cotton Incorporated lifestyle monitor survey is an ongoing research program that measures consumer attitudes and behaviors related to apparel, shopping, fashion, and more.
For more information about the survey, please visit the website.
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