Essentially, fashion is the way our clothing reflects and communicates our individual vision within society, connecting us to a specific time and space (Fletcher 2008). Clothing is the material element that provides a contextual vision for fashion within society (Cataldi 2010).
While the fundamental meaning of fashion remains unaltered, its manifestations are constantly changing. Although fashion is a deep cultural expression that speaks directly to who we are and how we connect with others, it frequently suggests a passing trend, often perceived as transient and superficial.
These negative connotations pertain only to how fashion is manifested and utilized. Change itself is inherently neither positive nor negative; it is the nature of the change that matters. Sustainability, by contrast, adopts a long-term perspective. Fashion can be defined, in part, as the discarding of fully functional clothes for purely semiotic or symbolic reasons. The fact that the production and use of fashion garments generate a great amount of waste often makes it seem like an impediment to sustainability.
Yet, beyond these contradictions, fashion doesn’t have to conflict with sustainable principles. Indeed, it has a role in promoting and achieving sustainability, and may even be a key element in moving towards more sustainable ways of living (Walker 2006).
Regarding the process of obtaining fiber as raw material, the use of pesticides often leads to health problems for workers, causes soil degradation, and results in a loss of biodiversity. Water is particularly crucial in cotton processing—so much so that cotton has been dubbed “the thirsty crop.” While the use of agrochemicals is gradually being reduced, the reliance on genetically modified organisms for these purposes may introduce different types of environmental impact.
Furthermore, many synthetic fibers are derived from non-renewable resources like oil. In general, environmental abuse is compounded by ethical issues when water is used excessively and when agricultural land for food production is usurped.
Considering the entire textile chain, from spinning to finishing, it’s important to acknowledge that the use of chemicals may have carcinogenic and neurological effects, cause allergies, and affect fertility. These processes also require large amounts of water and energy, and often produce non-biodegradable waste.
In the marketing and sales process, subsidies and quotas often arise that have a great impact on developing countries. The lack of international regulation on these issues creates a classic win-lose scenario. Furthermore, pricing must allow for a fair distribution of profit throughout the supply chain. These stages also involve significant energy consumption, excessive packaging, and the generation of carbon emissions. The paradox here is striking: the workforce, for its very survival, relies on a system that appears to be eroding the world’s capacity to withstand such environmental pressures. In both textile and fashion design, sustainability is generally perceived as an obstacle. Finally, the major impacts derived from transport are carbon emissions and waste generation.
According to Hethorn and Ulasewicz, fashion is a process that is expressed and worn by people, and as a material object, it has a direct link to the environment; it is embedded in everyday life. Therefore, sustainability within fashion means that the development and use of a product or process should do no harm to people or the planet. Moreover, once in action, the product or process should enhance the well-being of the people who interact with it and the environment in which it is developed and used.
For Kate Fletcher (2008, 2009), deep issues—though often little recognized—should be part of the core sustainability debate in textiles, which is frequently reduced to technical aspects. These issues include consumption patterns, the globalization of fashion, and the physical and mental health associated with fashion trends (each of these reflecting cultural visions and social norms that influence the textile industry).
Sustainability issues in textiles require taking into account influences that emerge from outside the boundaries of the conventional textile industry. These external factors—ranging from agricultural practices and international energy policies to consumption patterns and society’s ecological awareness—have a significant influence on the overall sustainability of the sector. Since ecological and social systems extend beyond the boundaries of individual companies and industries, to develop a more sustainable textile industry, we must engage with these issues at the appropriate level and connect with other disciplines, industries, communities, and international groups, looking beyond our own confines.
Reference: Sustainability in Fashion and Textiles Edited by Miguel Angel Gardetti and Ana Laura Torres (A Greenleaf Publishing Book)