Sustainability Business Consultants – BRODIE

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Fast evolving fashion: an industry spotlight

Lydia-Rose Cox

Business, government and civil society are seeking to advance the sustainability agenda to create systems that will tackle systemic challenges in fashion. The industry is changing and evidence can be seen in business leadership - where the Head of Sustainability at H&M became appointed the company’s first female CEO, and conferences are being held by Westminster Business Forum on Sustainability, ethics and the UK fashion industry. The following blog post outlines BRODIE’s current insights into the industry, including current challenges and solutions.

By 2050 it is predicted that we will use three times the natural resources we use today. This is despite recent polls discovering that 74% of young people consider the climate emergency vitally important to their decision making.

Here are five industry facts that got us thinking:

  • The apparel industry is the seventh largest contributor to the world’s economy

  • It accounts for 8% of all global greenhouse gas emissions

  • Nearly 60% of all clothing ending up in incinerators or landfills within one year of being produced

  • Around 20-25% of all chemical compounds are used by the textile finishing industry

  • The G20 imports $127.7 billion worth of garments, footwear and textiles tainted by modern slavery annually. 

Insights

Circular systems

 In a circular model, products are designed and developed with their next use in mind and the intent that they should cause no environmental or socio-economic harm. Despite this, consideration should to be given to how a circular model would impact workers along the supply chain. Nottingham Trent University is working to submit a funding bid to host a circular economy research centre which will address key barriers to creating a circular economy including the recyclability and durability of garments but also the slowing of cycles and flow of goods. 

Collaboration

For systematic change to take root, industry players should work together to amplify the voices of under-represented workers and other stakeholders who have previously not been included in the sustainability conversation. Just last week the Clean Clothes Campaign, which works to improve conditions for workings in the global garment industry, criticised the European Union for failing to invite workers to speak at a debate on the Bangladesh apparel industry.  

Transparency

Opacity in the industry has previously resulted in devastating disasters (Rana Plaza). Increasing pressure from consumers and investors has recently driven a shift from internal-facing transparency to credible, comparable and verifiable public disclosure by brands of their policies, practise and impact. Additionally, tightening legislation around modern slavery, non-financial reporting and ethical procurement are being called upon to improve transparency within the supply chain.

Technology

From separating fibres to Blockchain, technology is currently at the forefront of solution innovation within the apparel industry. Notably, companies such as H&M are working with the Hong Kong Retail Institute of Textiles and Apparel to create scalable technologies that will improve garment recyclability by separating fibres such as cotton-polyester blends.

Challenges

Lack of transparency

Complex supply chains make it difficult for brands to oversee the entirety of their production/manufacturing. Without legislation and pressure to be transparent from consumers and investors, brands are disincentivized to realise meaningful change. 

Lack of infrastructure around end of life

The lack of infrastructure surrounding take-back schemes and repair services is a barrier for consumers. Additionally, while there are technologies that recycle mixed blend fibres, these do not exist at scale meaning that the majority of our wardrobes are currently non-recyclable, and therefore we are fundamentally unable to drive a circular economy. Textile recovery schemes have been highlighted in the Government’s Waste and Resources Strategy as an area for action. 

Big Scheme Buy-In

The American / Canadian environmental organisation standards recently reported that despite many pledges from within the fashion industry over the last year, just two - Levi’s and American Eagle - have made ones aligned with the Paris Agreement goal to limit temperature increase to just 1.5 degrees Celsius. 

Solutions

Collaboration

Based at the University of Arts London, the Centre for Sustainable Fashion is the only research centre for sustainable fashion. It looks at ways in which we can develop a restorative model within the fashion industry. Through education and collaboration with businesses, the Centre works to drive change, build a sustainable future and improve the way we live through fashion.

Extend garment life

While VAT on repairs has been reduced in Sweden, steps to incentivise consumers to repair their garments have yet to be made in the UK. Nottingham Trent University’s Clothing Durability Dozen toolkit produced with support from Defra and WRAP, provides practical guidance to improve design and testing for clothing longevity. Additionally, as a result of driving demand for longevity, high street retailers have started including labels on their clothing that indicate a guaranteed number of washes before the fabric will fade.

Revise legislation

Currently only applicable to companies with a revenue of over £36 million, it is in discussion whether Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act needs to be revised to drive accountability within a wide range of companies. Anti-Slavery International is campaigning for companies to go beyond reporting and for the introduction of a human rights due diligence law that would require companies to proactively take action to prevent adverse impacts in their supply chain and also to be accountable and provide remedy. Additionally, improved legislation surrounding the living wage would require companies to commit to the living wage throughout their supply chain and make sure that the commitment is implemented.

Ramp up access to remedy

There is pressure for companies be going beyond audits and ensure that workers have knowledge of and access to remedy and remediation procedures. Rana Plaza was audited only a few weeks before the disaster that killed over 1,000 people, and in 2012, 250 people died in a fire at Ali Enterprises just three weeks after it passed an audit. 

Re-shoring

As Brexit deals are negotiated, more and more companies are looking to bring their manufacturing closer to home. By bringing manufacturing closer to retail, companies are able to increase their control of the supply chain, shorten lead times and reduce their carbon footprint. This closer proximity, in turn, provides them with greater visibility of the social practices within their supply chain. Aligned with the growth of sustainability and circular models, re-shoring presents a welcome opportunity to enable better ethical practices to be embedded throughout the value chain. Additionally, campaigns such as FreeMoveCreate, which protect the freedom of movement of people working in creative industries post-Brexit, aim to attract and retain talent post-Brexit.

Solutions-based brands 

Small-scale designers including Phoebe English work to limit the garment manufacturing radius to a maximum of 24 kilometres. Additionally, she repurposes waste materials into hangers/ clothing tags to minimise her environmental impact even further. Patrick McDowell has recently been nominated for the Stella McCartney Today for Tomorrow award by Anna Wintour for creating his pieces from reclaimed fabrics, organic yarns, and ethically produced materials in England.  

Initiatives taking root

Grassroot initiatives such as Nu Wardrobe and LoanHood are paving the way for greater consumer awareness around circularity in the apparel industry in certain London Boroughs, including the London Borough of Hackney. While currently popular among a millennial audience, these initiatives look set to gain traction among other audiences, too, exemplified by the launch of Cos Restore – a initiative giving new life to damaged, pieces in collaboration with The Renewal Workshop - by high-street retailer, Cos, and The North Face’s scheme sending its designers back to school to learn how to reuse, repair and improve the longevity of the garments they make.  

Transparency and traceability

Research conducted by Ipsos Mori, in 2018, found that 70% of consumers feel the names and locations of factories used by fashion brands should be published. In the same year, fashion search engine Lyst reported a 66% increase in searches for sustainable products. While over 70 large companies now publish their first-tier supplier list, Blockchain provides a technological solution for companies lacking transparency and traceability within their supply chain. The ability to apply new technological solutions to solve some of these intractable issues within sustainability is exciting. Other companies such as H&M have collaborated to create online traceability platforms e.g. Connected. While initially used to drive transparency within their viscose supply chains, Connected now provides traceability across multiple materials by connecting orders and shipments throughout the supply chain to enable operators to trace products. Beyond this, companies need to revise their purchasing practices. Better Buying is doing some really interesting work in this area. 

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