One of the reasons to take up the topic of responsibility and sustainable development in the clothing industry is the upcoming anniversary of the tragedy that took place on 24 April 2013 at the Rana Plaza complex in Bangladesh. As a result of the collapse of the building, 1,127 people died and 2,500 were injured. It was then that consumers all over the world could see the conditions under which their clothes are produced. The disaster showed the scale of social challenges and turned out to be a factor that made consumers look more closely at the activities of clothing companies. For business, the events of 2013 proved to be a turning point by pointing out to the global community the areas in which it is engaging in irresponsible practices. The 9-year perspective has shown that sustainable development has not become the dominant strategy, and the list of challenges and problems is still longer than the solutions that have been already developed.
The second important motivation was the publication of the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles on 30 March 2022. It is a document that sets out key goals to be achieved by textile companies in challenging areas such as environmental impact and human rights. The strategy assumes very ambitious actions that should be taken to solve the actually identified problems. The strategy is based on the assumption that:
“By 2030 textile products placed on the EU market are long-lived and recyclable, to a great extent made of recycled fibres, free of hazardous substances and produced in respect of social rights and the environment. Consumers benefit longer from high quality affordable textiles, fast fashion is out of fashion, and economically profitable re-use and repair services are widely available. In a competitive, resilient and innovative textiles sector, producers take responsibility for their products along the value chain, including when they become waste. The circular textiles ecosystem is thriving, driven by sufficient capacities for innovative fibre-to-fibre recycling, while the incineration and landfilling of textiles is reduced to the minimum" (https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12822-EU-strategy-for-sustainable-textiles_en)
The strategy outlines a vision for the development of the textile industry in which negative environmental and social impacts will be minimised. However, one should be aware that the document itself is only a guideline that should be followed when planning specific initiatives. The provisions alone will not be enough to improve the situation, if they are not supported by real commitment and implementation of a new legal and organisational framework for the functioning of the textile industry.
Business has a great deal of responsibility for meeting environmental indicators throughout the value chain. The document highlights such solutions as eco-design, circular models and innovative textiles. This means a great organisational effort to reformulate the existing production patterns, in which raw materials are used in an effective way, including the stage in which the product becomes waste. Clothing disposal is not only a concern for consumers, but also for businesses that waste unsold pieces of clothing or the returns by destroying them. Termination of this negative trend is one of the issues that need to be addressed in the industry.
In order to achieve these assumptions, it is necessary to cooperate at all stages responsible for the creation of a product - from the cotton field or the primary resource to the post-use phase of the product. The companies with labels on the clothes we wear have a big role to play, but they are not one link.
The recipients of end products, similarly to companies, have an impact on the direction and speed of the industry transformation. In order to make informed decisions, consumers need complete information about the product, where it is made and its impact on the environment. Therefore, the creation of transparent value chains is one of the conditions for the development of sustainable textiles. The first seeds of the secondary market are already visible, and the clothing brands themselves decide to sell recycled clothes alongside the new collections. Second-hand stores are back in fashion, and consumers, using the opportunities offered by technology, use circular fashion solutions through sales platforms. Extending the life cycle also ensures the possibility of repairing clothes and the return of professions such as tailor or shoemaker, which in the deluge of fast fashion has been forgotten a bit. For the development of such a market, good quality materials are needed, the repair of which will be profitable.
Recycling is the system supporting the implementation of the strategy. On the one hand, this means extended producer responsibility for the sold product and the possibility of its recovery; on the other hand, the need to create a common waste collection system so that it does not end up in mixed waste. In such a case scenario, not only business and consumers, but also public institutions will play their part.
There is a lot to be done by customers, but they must have the conditions created for the socially responsible and environmentally friendly behaviour to become an ordinary activity, and not an exceptional activity, as pro-environmental choices are still perceived.
The image of fast fashion in the 21st century is not the best and it seems that this model of business is running out. Sustainable and circular fashion created with the environment and respect for human rights in mind constitutes an alternative. However, for this to be possible, we need 8 years of increased organisational, technological and financial effort.
Source: dr Agata Rudnicka, Faculty of Management, University of Lodz