The Planet Pillar
What is the Planet Pillar?
This pillar’s main focus is about how the fashion industry fits into the notion of sustainability, now what is sustainability? In relation to fashion, sustainability is using resources that are responsibly sourced and that can be recycled (ecoworldonline.com). In addition to this sustainability also relates to the UN’s SDGs or sustainable development goals.
What is a circular economy?
A circular economy is a regenerative system in which all items are circles through a system, as long as their maximum value is retained. When speaking in the context of the fashion industry, a circular industry is the same definition, apart from the fact that all garments must be returned to a biosphere when not of use (Motif.org) or when the product is at the end of its life cycle.
What is Sustainability in relation to fashion?
In my opinion, sustainability in fashion is the concept of renewable fashion in the sense that all products should be able to live more than one life. For example, if a T-shirt is at the end of its life it should be able to start a new life as something else without creating waste, just like a plastic bottle can be recycled into a multitude of different things. In addition to this I believe that sustainable fashion should be made much more affordable and accessible within the market.
The fashion industry and SDGs
The fashion industry is lacking within the sustainability department, however the good health and wellbeing sector of the industry is also lacking in terms of working conditions. Workers in factories are subjected to 10-14hour long days, all injuries are ignored and if they cannot maintain an acceptable rhythm they are fired leaving them jobless and in a precarious situation (labourbehindthelabel.org)
References :
https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/sustainable-development-goals_enf