The book ‘Fashion Ethics and Sustainability’ by Karekar Rasika takes a deep dive into the environmental and social impacts of the fashion industry and explores different ways we can implement change in order to improve the current principles, practices and processes. The movement of sustainable fashion started in the 1980s however there have been no real changes in the industry since and in my opinion, things have in fact worsened over time. This is evident in that our landfills are reaching capacity, water and air pollution has worsened this exasperating the crisis of global warming. In addition to the environmental impacts, the social impacts the fashion industry have worsened with the globalisation of production/manufacturing.
Throughout my blog posts I have addressed the social and environmental ramifications the fashion industry has had on the environment and on different societies. In this post I would like to discuss the different ecological practices, processes and principles that have been proposed in attempts to try and address the global crisis of global warming through the fashion industry.
Karekar talks about the role of the designer in the sustainable industry. The responsibility to reduce waste and use biodegradable materials. The method of discarding wasted fabrics is by incarnation, it is important to minimise the use of synthetic materials and move toward predominantly natural fibres. Natural fibres are materials found in nature and can range from natural crops or animal hair. Man-made/manufactured fibres are fabrics “manufactured through chemical process to produce a textile material”. Synthetic fabric which are man-made/manufacture are polyesters, nylons, acrylics and elastane. Natural fibres like cotton, silk, hemp, bamboo, soy, and ramie are all biodegradable materials thus making them great alternatives for their synthetic counterparts.
To aid designers in reducing the amount waste produced, Kirsi Niinimaki proposes a number of different options in their book ‘Sustainable Fashion: New Approaches’. Kirsi notes that designers need to find ways to upcycle, recycle, and reuse wasted materials. Instead of throwing out old stock designers could think of ways to either implement old garments into their new seasonal range or can use outdated garments to create new pieces of clothing. During the pattern cutting process there is a lot of fabric waste and so a zero-waste design approach to pattern cutting will mean little to no fabric state. Of course this will require more time during the production of garments however this will hopefully be offset through the cost of fabric/materials.
In previous post I discuss the idea of slow fashion. Slow fashion suggests the opposite of fast fashion however there is no formal definition to this. I believe this is because there are a number of solutions offered as part of this call towards slow fashion therefore making it difficult for people to pin point the exact definition of it. Or it can simply because the ethos of slow fashion is to do the opposite of fast fashion.
What are some of the benefits of slow fashion? I believe slow fashion is a return to age old craftsmanship and methods or production. This stretch back to the how we produce the produce the plants and farm the animals used to the making of fabrics etc to the ways in which these materials pass through human hands to produce the final product of a garment. Slow fashion not only means better quality clothes with a prolonged lifespan but will also encourage creative engagement and garner personal attachments to garments. By slowing down the production of clothing this will force a shift in consumption habits and expectations. The move away from age old methods of production was due to the fact that it could not withstand the demands of the fashion industry for quick turnaround timeframes with low costs. If we were to return to the initial ways of making/creating this will slow down production thus forcing a move away from the overproduction of goods/materials. The hope will then be that a reduction in production will create an inflow effect to consumer habits by reducing the appetite for more.
Bibliography:
Rasika, Karekar. Fashion ethics and Sustainability. LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, 2014.
Niinimaki, Kirsi. Sustainable Fashion: New Approaches. Aalto University, 2013.
Seini's Blog for Earth-Centred Design and Cultural Sustainability 