En los últimos años, numerosas marcas de moda se han comprometido a establecer objetivos climáticos y a abordar el impacto de la industria en la biodiversidad, a través de coaliciones como el Fashion Pact, la Carta de la Industria de la Moda de Naciones Unidas para la acción climática, la Global Fashion Agenda, Make Fashion Circular, entre otras. También muchas firmas han asumido la meta de ser 'emisiones cero' en 2050.
Encouraging signals, which in a “decade of action” - as the UN qualifies the current one - must translate into concrete actions to achieve the sustainable development objectives in 2030, as well as the recommendations of the CPIC (Intergovernmental Panel of experts in climate exchange of climate exchange ofthe UN) and the Paris Agreement.The 'new normality' requires the industry to operate within the planetary limits, respecting those who inhabit it.
Multiple challenges
In 2017, the Global Fashion Agenda and the Boston Consulting Group predicted that the global clothing consumption would grow 63% to 2030. Recientemente, el informe 'The Business of Fashion', de la consultoría McKinsey & Company, estimó que en 2021 solo sería del 2% o 4%, después de que los ingresos de la industria se contrajeran entre un 27% y un 30% en 2020.This deceleration is due to moderation in consumption caused by economic uncertainty derived from pandemic.
According to these entities, companies must focus on innovating, better use the new channels, optimize stores and their purchase experience, as well as to make the jump towards sustainability.In addition, consumers and employees will continue to demand more climate awareness, diversity and social inclusion.
What is sustainability?
You should always possess three pillars: one social, another environmental and another economic.If the three are not solvent equally, it cannot be considered 'sustainable' to any company, activity, product, event, etc..
The difficulties in materializing it are numerous and slow progress.Gema Gómez, director and founder of the Slow Fashion Next platform, reflects: “The biggest challenge is to understand that the system does not work.There is talk of sustainability regarding certain less polluting materials or processes, but there is still no concept of ‘planetary limits’, which we have exceeded.The planet cannot afford as aggressive as current fashion, among other reasons, for its constant change tendency.The industry must assess slower production and consumption models, materials that provide socio -environmental value and lasting garments that do not contaminate ”.
Unsustainable figures
Fashion contributes to 10% of global emissions, according to the UN environmental program (UNEP).Preparation and footwear produced more greenhouse gases (GHG) than France, Germany and the United Kingdom together in 2018, 2.100 million tons of CO2 emissions, according to the 'Fashion On Climate' report, by the Global Fashion Agenda and McKinsey.
Currently, GHO GLOBAL PRODUCTION EMISSIONS exceed all international flights and maritime traffic combined.This industry is the second most demanding water, and generates about 20% of the world's wastewater, annually releasing half a million microfibers to the ocean.
"Sustainability is not just an ingredient, it is a holistic approach that is needed for the trip we have to do in the sector," says Giusy Bettoni, founder of C.L.A.S.S, global pioneer showroom in sustainable fabrics, based on Milan.
According to this expert, values such as transparency, traceability, health, animal well -being, justice and climate change have become criteria to evaluate the reputation and products of companies."The new strategic approach of companies must integrate sustainability strategies and measure these criteria that current consumers are asking for," he says.
The most sustainable production challenge
Most of the environmental footprint of garments comes from the supply of raw materials and their use.Mostly, the supply focuses on liver and agriculturalized industrialized liver systems, which contribute largely to the sector footprint and destroy ecosystems.
Also to non -renewable fossil resources, such as oil - for example, synthetic such as polyester, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the same material from plastic bottles -, one of the main causes of climate change.
In the numerous sustainability plans of the fashion brands, the clear and realistic roadmates, with schedules, objectives (short, medium, long term), measurement and monitoring of them, etc..In addition, they often persecute 'carbon neutrality' reducing their emissions (installing renewable energies in their stores, shops, offices, etc..), as well as buying compensation through the emission market.The latter is controversial by the unreliable historical of the compensation market, and because it is usually used as an excuse not to reduce the direct emissions of the companies.
In 2019 the American environmental organization stand.Earth collected in a report that, of the 45 main fashion brands, only two made enough to stop emissions and keep them under 1.5 degrees recommended by the IPCC and the Paris Agreement.
That year, the study of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs on its CITI classification (Corporate Information Transparency Index) of the Green Supply Chain analyzed the efforts to curb the pollution and emissions of more than 400 global brands that they manufacture in China(80 clothes).Most have not measured their footprint, nor do they know how their subjects originate, and even less cooperate with their suppliers to reduce their impact.
Hey Twitter Foodies!I have a giant bag of plain couscous that i'm kinda getting bored of...Any Meals/Ideas on How to Jazz Up The Flavour?
— Ali Wed Jun 08 18:12:24 +0000 2016
The report 'Fashion Forward: A Roadmap to Fossil Free Fashion', by Stand.Earth estimates that the fashion pact promises of the G7 and the fashion industry letter for climatic action are not enough to limit the heating to 1.5 degrees.Some signatures have reduced the emissions of their facilities, but not those of their manufacture.Coal and other fossil fuels are used in manufacturing countries such as China, Vietnam, Bangladesh or Turkey, for electricity, thermal heating, transport, producing fabrics, etc..
A surprising brand number still does not know what sustainability means in practice, nor do they integrate it transversely into their business model.It is a separate marginal activity of the central processes (strategy, governance, marketing, design, development, operations) and circumscribed to the department destined for this purpose, or that of corporate social responsibility, marketing and communication.However, it should be part of the business strategy and filter in all aspects of the business.
In general, there is a lack of training, collective decisions of draft, communication between departments and coordination, which slows down the improvement process, also generating incoherences, such as abundant Greenwashes ('green washed' to look more sustainable) of the sector: actions, collections ormore ecological specific products, which are exceptions in their way of operating and not their usual performance.
Less than 10% of the 250 brands of the Fashion Revolution Transparency Index can identify their fourth level suppliers.Likewise, most fashion impacts are found in scope 3 - extract and production of materials, work trips, transport of subjects, fuels and products made by third parties - companies cannot achieve real progress without deepening theirsupply chain and understand where their critical points are.Greater transparency is key to promoting its transformation.
But even the best scored multinationals of the aforementioned Index have a long way to total transparency, especially in decent salaries, purchases, gender equality, textile waste and circularity.Obstacles to detect their problems, correct them, and thus be more sustainable.
The challenge of labor rights
Frequently they tend to neglect from supply chains to stores.But they are part of sustainability, they suppose the social pillar.In many latitudes, the salaries of manufacturing are the fourth or fifth of what is necessary to live, and unionization is not allowed, nor collective bargaining, which in addition to being labor rights, are recognized human rights.
Pandemia has exacerbated the situation (by paralysis and defaults in relocated production chains) and the acceleration of digitalization in physical stores, as well as the greatest development of e-commerce.Many large companies expect significant dismissals and restructuring for these reasons.
McKinsey and PWC international consultancies estimate that 62 million jobs can be automated in the five largest economies in Europe.Retail trade will do it by 20% or 30% to 2030.
The waste challenge
It is a serious problem derived from overproduction and excessive consumption of the last decades, in which one or two collections per season has been manufactured to the more than 50 annuals of the Fast Fashion.A business model with great rotation and constant novelty, imitated by the luxury sector, which has also accelerated its rhythms.
Today the circularity (producing-consuming-re-integrant) is another emerging objective in the eminently linear textile industry (Produce-Consume-Tira).It implies changes in designs, infrastructure and commercial models.
To materialize the 'zero waste' goals and circularity that many corporations have announced, they must begin to consider waste as assets, reduce impacts (GHG, water pollution, toxic, etc..), Promote that materials are used successively, as well as understanding the problems that limit the durability of garments, their reuse and recycling.
In Spain, as a transposition of European regulations, the selective textile collection will be mandatory from 2025.At the moment, the industry produces items that are used less and less, with subjects that it uses once.Resolving these issues also implies collaborating with suppliers and interest groups.
Implement rental, resale, repair, production models, or that put emphasis on the quality and durability of clothing, extend their useful life.Today are exceptional, with a very limited range.Many are a great logistics challenge for those large companies globally implanted that generate more waste.
According to the Ellen McCarthur Foundation, from 2000 to 2015, the production of clothing has doubled worldwide until exceeding 100.000 million annual garments.Global customers lose a value of 460.000 million dollars every year when discarding clothes that could continue to wear.
Greenpeace 'Time Out For Fashion', points out that the average citizen buys 60% more clothing than 15 years ago.At the same time, the global fashion agenda indicates that its use has been reduced.More than 30% of the clothes that European cabinets have not been used in at least one year.
"All consumption reports point to a consumer who wants more real commitment of brands," explains Gomez - but, for now, we do not hear from any that will produce less or eliminate rapid fashion trends, "he says.
The challenge of animal welfare
Although in recent times many firms have decided not to use animal skins, the industry is provided with other materials of animal origin such as leather, wool, etc..As indicated by the first report of the Animal Four Paws Welfare Organization, more than 2.000 million animals are used every year in wool industries, leather and peletería, often suffering bad living conditions, brutal practices and chronic stress.
The study, based on 77 global brands - the majority owned by nine of the twenty largest fashion companies in the world, which are quoted in the stock market with an estimated value of 550.000 million dollars - estimates that only 21% of them track their supply chains.So the margin of improvement is very wide.
The challenge of diversity
Racialized women are the main global workforce of the sector, which usually outsource their production to Asia (India, China, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, etc..), Latin America (Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, El Salvador), especially the American brands, as well as Morocco and Turkey (mainly European firms), among other latitudes.
Between 80% and 90% of fashion manufacturing are women, also a majority of sellers.Precisely, the most precarious links.
La encuesta de 2018 'The Glass Runway', de McKinsey & Company, la CFDA (la principal asociación comercial de moda estadounidense) y la revista 'Glamour' en EEUU, apuntó que solo el 14% de las principales marcas de moda femenina están dirigidas por una directora ejecutiva.Although women report greater ambitions than their male companions, when they reach a level of vice presidency they receive promotions without asking them, three times more often.And they request them half of times.McKinsey emphasizes that gender diversity has a very positive business impact.
On the other hand, the lack of racial diversity in fashion occurs at all levels, from its workforce to the boards of joints, where power and decision -making is concentrated, according to the 2019 report of the CDFA.After the Black Lives Matter, in the US, the fashion companies have rushed to ascend and incorporate in their various professional templates racially, pressed by the force of the movement.
Also, fashion must incorporate other diversities to be representative of society.It is still designed thinking about young people, white, cisgenero and thin.Take into account the elderly, racialized, transgender, diverse morphologically (high, corpulent, casualties, etc.) and functionally (the so -called 'disabled'), many with difficulties in dressing, will also allow, not to lose market niches.More goals than culminating in a horizon plagued from them.
