This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Mia Aponte. Find her on Instagram at @mia.aponte. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
As the global awareness of environmental issues continues to grow, the fashion industry faces increasing pressures to adopt sustainable practices. The United Nations named the fashion industry as the second most polluting of all industries, resulting in 8% of all carbon emissions and 20% of all global wastewater. Thus, 2024 presents an opportunity for the fashion world to take significant strides towards a more eco-friendly and socially responsible future. Here are some actionable ways how the fashion can become more sustainable in 2024:
Government and Industry Regulations
According to Business of Fashion, as many as 16 pieces of legislation relating to fashion and textiles were under discussion in late 2023 in the EU alone, and will be coming into action in 2024. These regulations span almost the entire fashion value chain, from product design to marketing, and will impact consumers and companies globally. By maintaining this accountability, Fashion industry leaders involved can also actively participate in discussions and initiatives that promote sustainability at a governmental and production level.
Collaborations for Change
Fostering collaborations within the fashion industry, academia, and other sectors to drive innovation and research in sustainable practices. Founder and CEO of cultural sustainability company Black Pearl, Samata Pattison stated, “We need the industry’s biggest competitors to down tools and hold hands, because we are 100% not going to get where we are going with only one or two leading the charge. It’s literally an all-hands-on-deck situation, because we just don’t have the time for anything else.” By sharing knowledge and the current resources at hand, the fashion industry at large can adopt more eco-friendly solutions. Not to mention, this can bring so many people involved to be a part of the change that needs to occur this year.
Circular Fashion Economy
Embracing a circular fashion economy by promoting recycling, up cycling, and designing products with longevity in mind. Fashion’s current system is a continuous linear cycle of overproduction and over consumption. Not to mention, fueled with aggressive marketing, persuasive influencers, and omnipresent advertising. The linear model significantly adds to textile waste by promoting the discard of clothing and footwear after minimal use or when trends change. Consequently, these items frequently end up in landfills, undergo incineration, or are shipped to developing nations, leading to various environmental and social complications. Thus, encouraging consumers to return old garments for recycling, and explore innovative ways to transform waste into new materials.
Green Material Alternatives
Consumers today should consider investing in sustainable and eco-friendly materials such as organic cotton, hemp, and recycled fibers. In new developments, mushroom-based leathers have been created but it has been over-talked by now. An example of a designer that is driven to use sustainable materials is Stella McCartney. She recently debuted a new seaweed-based yarn, Kelsun, on the runway for Spring 2024. By continuing to break the boundaries of what materials to use, she has been a lead example of developing new materials that have a lower environmental impact without compromising on quality and style. She is a designer that more creatives need to look up to in terms of creating new technologies for fabrics.
Reducing Water Usage
Not a lot of people realize alone how much water is used in the fashion industry. Water is used for bleaching, dyeing, finishing, softening, growing, spinning, and more. In the early days of textile development, water was considered an endless resource. Now, forget about it; clean water is precious and only available in finite amounts. Implementing water-efficient manufacturing processes and investing in technologies that minimize water consumption during production would help significantly. Also, educating consumers about the water footprint of their clothing choices.
Ethical and Transparent Supply Chains:
This issue has continued to be a withstanding problem within the industry that has not made any effective changes. According to Vogue, “Currently, a shocking 93% of brands aren’t paying garment workers a living wage. Meanwhile, campaign group Fashion Revolution warns that a shift to on-demand models can put workers under immense pressure, due to ‘sudden and unpredictable surges.’ ” By ensuring transparency in the supply chain and accurately sourcing, production, and labor conditions ethical practices can start to take place. Most importantly, fair wages and safe working conditions need to be met. Let’s continue to remember that garment workers make the fashion industry. Without them, we would have nothing.
The fashion industry has the power to drive positive change and set new standards for sustainability in 2024. By embracing circular economies, prioritizing ethical practices, and adopting eco-friendly materials, the fashion world can contribute to a more sustainable and responsible future. We need to continue to hold the fashion industry accountable, regardless of the sector, and lead the way towards a greener and more compassionate fashion landscape.
How can fashion become more sustainable? Do you have any ideas? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
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