3/29/2017 We Have No Idea How Bad Fashion Actually Is for the Environment - Racked

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yjourneydowntherabbitholestartedwiththisfact:Theglobalfashionindustryis
thesecondmostpollutingindustryintheworld.Youllhearthisrepeatedatpanels,
onblogsandnewssites,andanywhereelsesustainablefashionisbeingdiscussed.

Intuitively,itsoundstrue.Wellstartwiththefactthatanestimated50milliontonsofpolyester
apetroleumproductwereproducedin2015.Growingcotton,especiallyifitinvolves
pesticides,herbicides,andoilpoweredmachinery,isalsoalargecarbonemitter(thoughnotas
largeaspolyester).Andthenthereisthejourneythemultiplecomponentsofonegarmenttake
aroundtheworldonoilgulpingshipstobespuninonecountry,thensewninanotherfactory
poweredbycoalandgenerators,thenfinishedinyetanother,buttonsandzippersfromanother
continent,packaged,andshippedtostores,brieflyworn,tossedintothelandfill(whichemitsthe
potentgreenhousegasmethane),orshippedbackaroundtheworldtosecondhandmarkets.

ButwhenIsearchedforthesource,Icouldntfindit.Nostudy,noofficialreport.Iaskedevery
sustainablefashionindustryexpertIknew.Severalsaidtheywouldgetbacktome.Acoupleof
expertspointedmetotheDanishFashionInstitute,whichinturndisavowedthefact.

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ThereportitwasassociatedwithhasbeenpulledbyitsauthorsandtheDanishFashion
Institutehasbeentryingtowalkthisbacksinceitaccidentallyuseditinapressrelease,Jason
Kibbey,CEOoftheSustainableApparelCoalition,toldmeinanemail.Itsoftenquoted,and
couldtheoreticallybetrue,butatthispoint,Idonthaveanycrediblefactstoassesswherethe
fashionindustrywouldrank.

Wedontbelievethestatementtobeaccurateeither,butweareawarethatithasbecomea
popularmisconception,theDanishFashionInstitutesaidinanemail.Wecan,however,tell
youthatfashionisoneofthemostresourceintensiveindustriesintheworld,bothintermsof
naturalresourcesandhumanresources.TheysaidtheywouldbeannouncingareportinMay
attemptingtoclarifyitsimpact.

Anotherfactfloatingaroundsaysthatfashionaccountsfor10percentofglobalemissions.That
waspulledfroma2010TextileWorldarticle,writtenbyanItaliansalesmanoftextileequipment.
Butitisactuallyreferencingtheentiretextileindustry,notjustfashion,whichcouldinclude
rugs,bedlinens,enginebelts,automotivecarpets,andallmannerofotherveryunfashionable
things.AndtheresnowaytoknowifitstruewhenTextileWorldchangedmanagement,the
factcheckingbinderswerelost,andtheauthorofthisarticledidntrespondtomymessages.

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m .
Toputthisincontext,thefashionindustrygloballygenerates$620billioninrevenue,whichis
aboutequaltothecombinedrevenuesofthetopthreeglobalautomotivemanufacturers.We
currentlyhaveamultinationalautocompanyreelingfromascandalinwhichtheyfudgedthe
numbersfortheemissionsfromthetailpipeoftheircars.Shame!Andyetwehavenosolid
numbersonemissionsinthefashionindustry.None.

Therearegapingholesinresearch,saysMaxineBdat,aformerhumanrightsattorneyandco
founderandCEOofZady,thesustainablefashionretailerwithapopularinhousebrandthatisa
favoriteofEmmaWatson.Theresenoughhardresearchouttheretoconnectthedots[tosee]
thatthisisamassivelysignificantareaofnegativeimpactthathasntbeenaddressed.

Dr.MelodyLeHew,professorofapparelandtextilesatKansasStateUniversity,hasbeen
buildingacasetoeducatorsandstudentsforwhytheyshouldcareaboutsustainabilitywitha
websitecalledAthenas.Itsbeenaslog.Youllnoticethatwedonthavealotoffactsanddataon
therebecauseitreallyishardtofindthenumberstosupportwhatweresaying,shesays.

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Inthisvacuumofresearch,thefewunprovenbutlegitimatesoundingfacts"getseizeduponby
wellmeaningadvocates,wrestedoutofcontext,andsplashedacrosstheinternet,creatinga
circularfeedbackloopofbadinformation.Journalistsandadvocatescitethatfactina
publication,andexpertsturnaroundandcitethatpublicationasabasisforthatfact,andsoon,
adinfinitum.

Ifclimatechangeistrulythemostpressingchallengehumanityfaces,thenthisisbad.

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email@example.com

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Bysigningupyouagreetoourtermsofuse.

Onereasonforthisignorancemightbethatscientistsandadvocatestendtolookdownon
fashion.

Theyseeitjustasencouragingpeopletoconsumemoreandmore,saysLucyShea,CEOof
Futerra,asustainabilityconsultancythathasworkedwithfashionbrandslikeH&MandKering.
Itsupportsandrewardspeopleforbeingoutsidedirectedratherthanbeingfocusedoninner
values,sothereislessactivityandfocusaroundit.WhichIthinkisatotaldisaster.

Andtheprettyworldoffashionbeingadirtypolluterisnotasobviousaconnectionas,say,anoil
slickspreadingacrosswater.Whenpolicyexpertsthinkaboutclimatechange,whattheyhavein
mindisabigcoalfiredpowerplantorcarswedriveorthefreightthatmovesourAmazon
purchasesaround,saysAbigailDillen,vicepresidentoflitigationforclimateandenergyat
environmentallawnonprofitEarthjustice.AndIthinkthatobscuresthehugerolethatfashion
andother[consumeristactivity]playsintheclimateproblem.

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WhenLeHewdecidedtobringacademicclimateandenvironmentalscientiststothetabletotalk
aboutapparelandtextiles,shewasstruckbytheirignorance.Theywereconfusedaboutwhywe
evenwantedtotalkaboutclimatechange,shesays.Andthenwhenstartedtalkingaboutthe
supplychain,theylookedatuslikeOh,yeah.Ithadntevenreallyoccurredtothemandthey
getupandputtheirclothingon,toothatitisamajorcontributortogreenhousegas
emissions.

Itsnotthatactivistshavebeenignoringfashionitsjustthattheyvebeenpressuringbrandson
othermorevisibleissues,suchaschemicalsanddyesthatturnriversinChinathetrendycolorof
theseason.TheZeroDischargeofHazardousChemicalsprogram(ZDHC),whichchallenges
fashionbrandstoreducetheamountofchemicalsdischargeduntreatedfromfactoriesinto
waterwaysdowntozero,wasbornoutoftheGreenpeacesDetoxcampaign.And,ofcourse,
sweatshopsareabigthing.

LaborrightsandwastearesomuchmoretangibleandvisibleIthinktheydrawthelionsshare
oftheattention,saysFreyaWilliams,CEOofFuterraNorthAmerica.Itfeelsmoreurgentto
dealwithlaborrightsandworkerrightswhenyouhaveRanaPlaza,whereas,asweallknow,
climateisamoreexistentialandlongtermproblem.

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Thatsreallythenextfrontier,Bdatsays.Ithinkithadtostartwiththefoodindustryfirst
becauseitsamuchmorestraightforwardsupplychain.Butnowitscleartomethatapparelis
next,becauseithassuchamassiveimpact,anditsalsoanareawhoseoutcomeweasconsumers
totallycontrol.Itsripeforadvocacy.

Fashionstrueenvironmentalscopeisastounding.Ittouchesagriculture(cotton,flax,hemp),
animalagriculture(leather,fur,wool,cashmere),petroleum(polyesterandothersynthetics),
forestry(rayon),mining(metalandstones),construction(retailstores),shipping,and,ofcourse,
manufacturing.Andthiscomplexandmultilayeredsupplychainprovidesbothachallengeand
anopportunityforclimateadvocates.

Typically,acompanywillquantifytheemissionsithasdirectcontrolover(Scope1),suchasthe
gasusedbydeliverytrucks,plustheemissionsassociatedwiththetypeofenergyusedtopower
itsstoresandcorporateheadquarters(Scope2).Buttherealbulkofemissionsforfashion
companiescomesfromtheScope3emissionsassociatedwithitssupplychainandconsumeruse.
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Accordingtoa2009reportbyBusinessforSocialResponsibility,18percentofcarbonemissions
inatypicalgarmentcomesfromfiberproduction,16percentfromyarnproduction,and39
percentfromconsumeruse,whichincludeswashinganddryinganddisposing.

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Forobviousreasons,theseemissionsaredifficulttoquantify.TheSustainableApparelCoalition
teamedupwiththeEuropeanCommissiononapilotthatattemptedtoquantifyagiven
garmentsfootprint,butitwasanexpensiveandlongprocessthatcantbescaledacrossthe
industry.TheSACwilltryagainlaterthisyearwithasimplifiedversionthatincorporatespublic
datasetsandcalculators.

Butlookedatfromanotherangle,fashionpresentsanidealwaytoaddressclimatechangeona
grand,beautifulscale.Ifwetriedtocleanupeverystageofthatprocesswedbetotally
transformingalotofourmostentrenchedenvironmentalproblems,Dillensays.

Kibbeyagrees.Ifthefashionindustrycandemonstrateitcanreduceemissions,itwillbea
powerfulmessagetoallindustrieswithoutsourcedsupplychains,hesays,showingreductions
arepossibleeveninoneofthemostdisaggregatedindustriesontheplanet.

Forexample,RickRidgeway,Patagoniasvicepresidentofenvironmentalprogramsand
communication,speakswithexcitementaboutresearchthecompanyisdoingonregenerative
agriculturetechniques:howriceandbisoncanactuallysequestercarbon,drawingitoutofthe
atmosphereandbackintoground.AndwereworkingwithsheepranchersintheUSaround
thosekindsofmanagementprogramsrightnow,hesays.Perhapssomedayyoucouldhavea
woolsweateroracottonTshirtthatactuallytookcarbonoutoftheatmosphere.

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Fashionissoentangledinsomanyotherindustries,saysMaggieKervickoftheFairFashion
CenteratGlasgowCaledonianUniversitysNewYorkcampus,whichquietlyworkstoget
designersandfashionbrandsonboardwiththesustainabilityconversation.[Considering]
fashionsscale,itsculturalinfluence,andthefactthatweareunlikeanyindustryinthatweare
comfortablewithchangeandconstantlyreinventingourselves,itisastoundingthatweare
largelyleftoutofconversations.Fashionactuallyisnotonlyperfectlypositionedtotakeon
climatechange,buteagerandinterested.

Fashionisaconversationleader.IfitcanmakeMcDonaldsfrenchfriestrendy,whatstosayit
cantdothesameforhempblendnaturaltextiles?Thefashionindustryhasaterrificroletoplay
inraisingconsciousnessaboutclimatechangeaswellasleadinginvestmentinsolutionsthatare
nowfinallyavailable,Dillensays.

Behindthescenes,theresgoodworkbeingdone.TheInstituteofPublicandEnvironmental
Affairs(IPE),aChineseNGOinBeijing,monitorsthewaterandairpollutionoffactoriesin
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China,makesthatinformationavailableforconsumers,andpressuresbrandstocleanuptheir
supplychain.ItalsopartneredwiththeNationalResourcesDefenseCouncil(NRDC)forthe
thirdtimelastyeartorankmultinationalcorporationsaccordingtotheirenvironmentalimpact.
(AdidasandLeviStrausswererankedbestintermsofminimizingtheirimpact.)

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TheNRDCalsohasCleanbyDesign,aprogramthatfocusesonreducingwasteandemissions
fromfabricdyeingandfinishing.Theprogram,whichhaspartneredwithTarget,Gap,Levi,
H&M,andStellaMcCartney/Kering,claimedin2015tohavesaved61thousandtonsofcoaland
anaverageof4percentofenergyinthehundredsofmillsthatwentthroughtheprogram.

TheNRDCwillbequeaththeCleanbyDesignprogramtotheSustainableApparelCoalition,the
fashionindustrysbannercoalition.Itsamultistakeholderinitiativeinvolvinguniversities,the
UnitedStatesEPA,manufacturers,retailers,andnonprofits.TheSACsambitiousschemeto
overhaulthefashionindustryincludestheHiggIndex,astandardizedselfassessmenttoolthat
manufacturersandbrandscanusetomeasuretheirenvironmentalimpact.

PlusyoullfindfashioncompaniesinBusinessforInnovativeClimateandEnergyPolicy(BICEP)
andWeMeanBusiness,twobusinesscoalitionsthatsupportedtheParisClimateAgreementand
advocateforatransitiontoalowcarboneconomy.Youllnotice,though,thatthesamebrands
tendtoappearinallthesecoalitionsandinitiatives:Patagonia,Nike,LeviStrauss,H&M,Adidas,
Target,GStar,KeringandStellaMcCartney,EileenFisher,andMarks&Spencer.Therearestill
onlyarelativelysmallnumberofclothingandfashioncompaniesthathavemadecommitments
tosciencebasedtargetsforemissionsreductions,Kibbeysays.Thesecommitments,
memberships,andmeasurementsareallcompletelyvoluntary,basedonlongterm,altruistic
thinkingthatmuchofthefashionindustrywontengagein.

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ThehopeisthatasgovernmentsmovetohitthetargetsdelineatedintheParisaccord,those
policydecisionwillforceallfashioncompaniestoreckonwiththeirimpact.Implementationof
theParisAgreementgoalswillbecomethelawofthelandforallofthesignatorycountries,so
companieswillhavetoaligntheircorporategoalsandpolicieswiththeParisgoalstobe
compliantnearlywherevertheyoperate,Kibbeysays.

Patagonia,forone,isabigsupporterofcapandtradeoracarbontax,whichwouldencourage
energyefficiencyinfactoriesandmakerecycledpolyester,whichhasamuchlowercarbon
footprintbutismoreexpensivethanvirginpolyester,thedefaultchoice.

BdatwouldliketoseetheMadeinlabelreplacedbyadetailedconsumerlabelspeakingto
water,climate,andsocialimpact,soconsumerscouldeasilymakesmarterdecisionswithout
havingtospendalltheirtimeresearchingtheseissues.

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Itmighttakeallthree:governmentregulation,aforwardthinkingbusinesscommunity,and
consumerdemand.Thatswhereitschallenging,LeHewsays.Howdoyougetallthree
workinginharmony,movingusinthedirectionwewanttogo?

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