Planet
Everything begins and ends with the Earth. All living organisms depend on the planet for resources and raw materials to exist. Despite this, the human relationship with Earth is a textbook toxic romance. We take and take more than we give. Centuries of this asymmetrical interaction have created an imbalance that negatively impacts our planet. We are now approaching an irreversible point and need to take immediate action!
Holding the title of the 3rd largest polluting industry, fashion has a detrimental effect on soil, water, air, forests, and other organisms. The linear economic model was implemented for a long time, where products were made, used, and disposed. Due to this, the demand for garments increased thus increasing the carbon emissions. The urgency surrounding our climatic conditions requires us to adopt the circular economic model that establishes a closed production system. This regenerative system focuses on eliminating waste and pollution by reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling. Garments would be circulated for as long as their maximum value is retained, and then safely returned to the biosphere when they aren’t in use. Circularity in fashion is part of the transition towards a more sustainable future.
Our journey to a sustainable future begins with altering our perception of profit. The Triple Bottom Line theory expands our conventional criteria of profit being a numerical gain to a company’s contribution to the people, planet, and prosperity. The next step is to tackle issues related to the 17 Sustainable Developmental Goals set by the United Nations in 2015 to be complete by 2030. Clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, climate action, life on land, life on water, and responsible consumption and production are goals that support the planet pillar of the Triple Bottom Line theory.
Carmine is a popular red pigment used in lipsticks and blushes that is made by crushing female cochineal insects and harvesting the dye. Ambergris is a fixative in perfumes that is obtained from the intestines of whales. Leather is a strong flexible material made by preserving animal skin and using strong chemicals to prevent decomposing. For decades the fashion industry has sourced materials from animals unethically. The Sustainable Developmental Goals of life on land and in water help us consider the animals around us and alternative methods to obtain those materials. Many brands are now going vegan and cruelty-free to promote sustainability and ethics. While there are many problems between the fashion industry and the plant, small changes like these are the initial steps towards achieving our sustainability goals.
Bibliography
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Carlile, C. (2023). Animal products in cosmetics. Retrieved from https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/health-beauty/animal-products-cosmetics
Dissanayake, D. G. K., & Weerasinghe, D. (2021). Towards circular economy in fashion: Review of strategies, barriers and enablers. Circular Economy and Sustainability, 1-21.
Moorhouse, D., & Moorhouse, D. (2017). Sustainable design: circular economy in fashion and textiles. The Design Journal, 20(sup1), S1948-S1959.
Niinimäki, K. (2017). Fashion in a circular economy (pp. 151-169). Springer International Publishing.