Sustainable Consumption and Production in Fashion
The world we see may look to have plenty of resources for every human being, but these resources are not endless. Mankind has used these resources for a long time, and there seem to be some constraints and limits to growth and development due to the large disparity in the distribution of these resources.
In a chapter from Textile Science and Clothing Technology book series: "The UN Sustainable Development Goals for the Textile and Fashion Industry", which we’ve excerpted here, we will analyze the role of sustainable design development, the awareness of slow fashion and change in mindset of the consumer to attain the 12th goal (Responsible Consumption and Production) of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Predictions on Fashion for the Near Future:
⎆ Transformation of Mass Market ⎆ People will become tired of mass-made similar-looking styles and will seek new opportunities which will bring back the concept of custom made and clothing
⎆ Circular Fashion Popularity ⎆ Circular fashion is popular among fashion-conscious people. This movement is crossing all borders worldwide from America and Europe to Africa and Southeast Asia
⎆ Compassionate Fashion Trend ⎆ The socially responsible aspect of the fashion movement is to respect, workers, animals, and the natural environment. The current change is the shift in attitude
Fashion and Consumer Psychology:
⎆ Consumer Needs ⎆ Sociological and demographic factors like family, peers, neighbors, culture, social class, informal, and non-commercial sources influence consumers’ choice of clothing
⎆ Adoption of Fashion ⎆ A special mention should be made on mass media for the contribution and control they have in shaping the minds of the consumers and for creating sustainability awareness
⎆ Changing Mindset ⎆ What the consumers need to do is purchase fewer, meaningful durable garments made from eco-friendly materials and extend longevity fueled by repair and restoration
Sustainable Production Patterns:
⎆ Clean Energy ⎆ Diesel power used by factories will be replaced with clean energy, and the savings from this venture will be diverted to the factory workers
⎆ Circular Economy ⎆ Reuse of fibers, living wages, organic cotton, and regenerative agriculture will be essential, and people will buy these products for longevity and sustainable consumption
⎆ Ethical Clothing ⎆ The main criteria will be a zero use of toxic chemicals, lower use of land and water, adopting measures to recycle materials through new production technologies
Sustainable Design Strategies:
⎆ Life Span ⎆ A fashion product that aims for long life and deep satisfaction can be termed as slow fashion product characterized by high quality, ethical values, and classic colors produced
⎆ Mass Customization ⎆ This system integrates technologies like computerization, modularization, and lean production and creates an environment where customer can have a product of choice
⎆ Extensive Utilization ⎆ Intensive use of products is achieved by renting or leasing, replacement of goods, shared use of goods, online garment exchange stocks, nonprofit networks for sharing
Conclusion
The "take-make-waste" policy has to vanish and the apparel industries must produce less to implement slow fashion which requires a lot of reorientation and renovation of policies and practices. Only those business models that innovate and redesign with environmental concerns will be able to fit into the future markets.
To learn more about Sustainable Textile and Fashion Industry, feel free to check the book: "The UN Sustainable Development Goals for the Textile and Fashion Industry"
Additional Product Details
⎆ Provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
⎆ Uses a case study from the apparel industry to discuss the integration of the UN Sustainability Goals
⎆ Includes contributions from both Industry and Academia
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