Is Sustainability a Target we reach or a System we Develop?

There lies a dichotomy when it comes to sustainability in the fashion industry. The negative impact caused by linear modules of fashion - which are still the standard - has caused environmental damage, climate irregularities and scarcity of resources. However, as Robin Mellery-Pratt points out in an article, the fashion industry itself is not immune to this impact. It now faces problems such as increased cost of raw materials, labour disruption, difficulties in transport, higher regulation and change in consumer sentiments.

Sustainable options of varying degrees have been in the market for many years now. The question that needs to be asked is, why is it then that the effect of climate change continues to become more and more adverse?

According to the US National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, 2022 will rank among the 10 warmest years on record. The World Resources Institute (WRI) estimated apparel sector emissions to be 1.025 gigatons CO2e in 2019, or 2% of global emissions. Unchecked, a rise of 64% to 1.588 Gt by 2030 is projected.

The 27th edition of the Conference of the Parties, more commonly referred to as COP27, was held from 6 November until 20 November 2022. Having failed to meet the two degrees goal set at COP 21, this summit was about following up on the initiatives of previous years.

Brookes Roberts-Islam, addresses this discrepancy between sustainable efforts and results in her Forbes article, noting that according to Global Life Cycle data, “fashion industries environmental impacts are in the raw materials phase of the supply chain. Specifically the corps we grow for fibre and how we process them into the fabric.” It is the very foundation of the system that needs to be addressed?

One of the ways this problem is being countered is by exploring natural fabrics that are not resource intensive like cotton.

Such as bamboo, silk, hemp, flax, lenpur and linen. These alternative fibres are especially desirable because they do not need to be treated with chemicals to make them wearable. In fact, they have antibacterial benefits inherent in the fibre's cellular structure and have other unique skin-friendly properties.

Lenpur fibre comes exclusively from tree trimmings of white pine trees (only the bark and branches are harvested, the rest of the tree is left alive to continue to grow). The yarns produced with this fibre are smooth. A fabric composed of these fibres has a high absorption rate and a gradual release of humidity, anti-odour, and anti-static making them perfect for the manufacture of knit fabrics with an attractive and even surface.

Algae-based fabrics are also emerging as an alternative to oil-based synthetics like polyester and nylon. Brands such as Pangaia, Adidas, Patagonia, Levi and Puma exploring Algae inks and fabric finishes. Algae is extremely low impact to cultivate, requiring only light, water and CO2.

PYRATEX tropic is a moisture-controlled fibre made by Lenzing, Flocus, Marchi & Fildi and Studio MLR using fibre from the? Kapok tree. The fibre is hollow, quick-dry, hydrophobic, antibacterial and hypoallergenic.

Not only do we need to seek out alternative raw materials but also alternative methods to process them. Methods that don't use toxic and heavy solvents rather explore mechanical processing and processing using naturally occurring compounds.

Spinnova is a company based in Finland that has developed a mechanical technology for making cellulosic textile fibre. They use a trademark ‘wet spinning’ process out of wood or waste, such as leather, textile or food waste, without harmful chemicals. Lenzing (one of the world’s biggest MMCF producers) invested in Spinnova from the outset.?

Infinited Fiber Company, IFC, uses urea (a naturally occurring and safe compound) and water to transform waste pulp into Infinna fibres. IFC’s brand partners include H&M and Wrangler, and they are leading a three-year initiative to develop a circular supply chain in Europe called the New Cotton Project.?

On the other hand, is the use of recycled “raw” materials. They reduce environmental impact by circumventing the use of virgin resources and avoiding end-of-life solutions such as landfills. Nike recycles plastic flakes into a textile via an innovative needle-punch technique. The textile uses 75% less carbon to make versus standard fleece. You can read more about recycling and upcycling here.

With efforts made to establish consciousness in the raw materials stage, it counts to keep up the consciousness in the following stages.

At ID, we have explored plant-based as well as mineral-based dyestuff. Plant dyes are made from flowers, berries, roots and other parts of the plants. Sometimes they are even made from vegetable waste. When it comes to price range, plant-based dyes are usually the most expensive compared to both mineral and chemical dyes.?

These dyes also don't have much colour fastness; however, this could be an aesthetic choice for consumers. Garments where the colour saturation naturally fades over time so that each look is different and this can be quite appealing to consumers today. As the shift to slow living and the natural passage of time are embarrassed as the culture embraces mindfulness.

Mineral dyes seem to hit a sweet spot between chemical and plant-based dyes. They do not harm the environment like chemical dyes, and the price range is lower than plant-based dyes. In our testing, the colour fastness with mineral dyes ranked 3-4 points out of 5, while the plant-based dyes ranked only 1-2 points. We have conducted R&D and sampling with natural dyes for our European clients and hope to explore further.

The concept of Sustainability has come to connotate now more than ever the concept of frugality and accessibility. This is partly due to the “Age of Anxiety” we find ourselves in. Income insecurity and recession will be the reality for many people in 2023, and consumers will reassess their priorities. However, this must not be confused with a lack of interest in environmentally conscious choices.

“In the UK, a majority of consumers say sustainability is still a priority for them during the cost crisis. In Singapore, one in three of those struggling with household bills say they’re actively looking for brands that offset their environmental impact.”

-According to WGSN’s, ‘Cost of Living: Accessible Sustainability

In fact, there will be a turn in smart consumption where frugality is a skill that people will seek out to learn and master, forming a collective culture to share and celebrate ideas that are accessible to everyone.

Brands should explore products that can be made and used resourcefully and self-contained. For instance, Nike’s first assortment of hoodies and crew necks have raw edge pockets and exposed seams designed to make manufacturing details more efficient. The motivation to be more frugal comes not only from a desire to manage the cost of living but to be more in tune with the environment, seasons and local community.?

Another facet of this movement is resale. Low-price digital resale will go head to head with the value fashion sector, with both competing for market share, according to Lorna Hall. Thrifting will also see an increase among young consumers due to the rise of fashion hacks and upcycling tutorials on social media apps. Therefore sales volumes will be under pressure. Adding to this pressure will be consumers taking on a restrained attitude to shopping and conscientious mindsets.

Ultimately, the linear systems of fashion need to be phased out. Eileen Fisher (BOF) puts it very simply

“quality is what allows us to create a profitable circular business model.”

When good quality products are created with a low environmental impact, it leads them to have a longer life in upcycle and resale economies.

Removal of solvents when processing fibre from raw material, majority use of renewable energy, reducing waste in design and exploring alternative plant fibres to alleviate the pressure on the environment caused by cotton can be the guiding principles for the way forward. Solutions to decrease environmental impact merit further investment, development, and scaling, even if the profit is not instantaneous. As WGSN states in their sustainability bulletin, “think long term as reductive innovations can take time to be profitable. Take a subtractive approach to design, and find new ways to create great products with less. Pursue local, mutually beneficial partnerships to find solutions for taking out unnecessary waste.”?

In the face of information such as failing to meet the two-degree goal set in COP21, one might be tempted to think that action is futile. That we are past saving that we have missed the deadline. However, Carrington reminds us that there is no deadline to save the planet. While deadlines are important to focus effort, effort still counts past a set date.

Every act has the potential to reduce the damage done in the past. Also, we do not have the choice but to ensure we continue in this direction.?

Cited Works:

Robert-Islam Brooke, “Fashion Isn’t Becoming More Sustainable, But Next-Gen Materials Might Fix That”, Forbes.

Hall Lorna, “Cost of Living: Design Priorities 2022”, WGSN.

Mellery-Pratt Robin “5 Sustainability Threats Facing Fashion”, Business of Fashion.

Ringo Angela, “Sustainability Bulletin: November 2022”, WGSN.

Saggese Brielle, “Cost of Living: Accessible Sustainability”, WGSN.

“Top Trends for 2023 & Beyond”, WGSN Trend Team, WGSN.

?Carrington Damian, “There's no 'deadline' to save the world. Everything we do now has to pass the climate test”, Guardian.