Basically, fashion is the way in which our clothes reflected and communicate our individual vision within society, linking us to time and space (Fletcher 2008).
Clothing is the material thing that gives fashion a contextual vision in society (Cataldi 2010)
Fashion is something that always changes, while its meaning remains unaltered. Fashion, which is a deep cultural expression and aims directly at who we are and how we connect to other people, frequently suggests a passing trend, something transient and superficial.
These negative connotations of fashion pertain only to the way in which it is manifested and used. Change itself is inherently neither positive nor negative it is the nature of the change that matters. Sustainability, by contrast, has to do with long term perspective. Fashion can be defined as the discarding of clothes that are fully functional for purely semiotic or symbolic reasons. The fact that the production and use fashion garments generate a great amount of waste would make it appear as an impediment for sustainability.
But, beyond these contradictions, fashion should not necessarily come into conflict with sustainable principles. Indeed, it has a role in the promotion and achievement of sustainability, and it may even be a key element in working towards more sustainable ways of living (walker 2006).
Regarding the obtaining of fibre as raw material, the use of pesticide during the process leads to health problems for workers, causes soil degradation and the loss of biodiversity. Water is such a necessary element in the processing of cotton in particular, that this crop has been called the thirsty crop. While the use of agrochemicals tends to be reduced, the use of genetically modified organisms for such purposes could lead to another type of impact.
In turn, many of the synthetic fibres are derived from a non-renewable resource such as oil. In general, environmental abuse combines with ethical issues when there is an excessive use of water and when land for food production is usurped.
Considering the whole textile chain, from spinning to finishing, it cannot be ignored that the use of chemicals many have carcinogenic and neurological effects, may cause allergies and may affect fertility. During these processes, large amounts of water and energy are used and, in general, non-biodegradable wastes are produced.
In the marketing and sales process, subsidies and quotas with great impact on developing countries arise. The lack of international regulation on these issues creates a win-lose scenario. In addition, prices should allow a fair distribution of profit throughout the supply chain. These stages also involve the use of energy and lots of packaging as well as generation of carbon emissions. The paradox, in this case, is that for its survival,, the workforce depends on a system that seems to be destroying the world’s capacity to withstand such a force. In both textile and fashion design, sustainability is, in general, perceived as an obstacle. Finally, major impacts derived from transport, are carbon emissions and waste generation.
According to Hethorn and Ulasewicz, fashion is a process, is expressed and worn by people, and as a material object, has a direct link to environment. It is embedded in everyday life. So, sustainability within fashion means that through the development and use of a thing a process, there is no harm done to the people or planet, and the thing or process, once put into action, can enhance the well-being of the people who interact with it and the environment it is developed and used within.
For Kate Fletcher (2008,2009), though little recognised, deep issues such as consumption patterns, globalisation of fashion, physical and mental health associated with fashion trends (each one of these reflecting cultural visions and social norms that influence the textile industry), should be part of the substantive debate of sustainability in textiles, which is frequently reduced to technical aspects.
Sustainability issues in textile require taking into account the influences emerging from outside the boundaries of the conventional textile industry. These external influences – ranging from agricultural practices to international energy policies, passing through consumption patterns and levels of ecological notions of society- have a great influence on the sustainability of the sector as a whole. Ecological and social systems extend beyond the boundaries of companies and individual industries; therefor to develop a more sustainable textile industry we need to commit ourselves with these issues at the level they correspond to and connect with other disciplines, industries, communities and international groups, beyond their own boundaries.
Ref. Sustainability in Fashion and Textiles Edited by Miguel Angel Gardetti and Ana Laura Torres A Greenleaf Publishing Book