“The realisation that fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world is also impacting consumer behavior. For instance, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg took a zero-emissions sailboat to New York for the UN’s climate conference this summer instead of the regular airplane. Similarly, brand H&M has launched an initiative to use only recycled or sustainably sourced material by 2030. The company plans to reduce or offset more greenhouse gas emissions than its entire production process emits by 2040.”
Fashion comes at a cost. Even though fast-fashion retailers are quickly churning out fresh, low-priced styles that attract trend-seekers into stores, they are also creating a lot of unwanted clothes that usually end up in landfills due to changing fashion trends. As the United Nations Environment Program reveals, the garments industry generates about 10 per cent of the global greenhouse gas emissions. It also consumes more energy than aviation and shipping combined as one trash truck’s worth of textiles is either burned or sent to a landfill every second. Luxury clothing brand Stefano Rucci regularly burns its unsold products. Similarly, Swedish fast-fashion giant Hennes & Mauritz, better known as H&M has around $4.3 billion of unsold inventory in hand. To dispose off this unsold inventory, the company had to offer more discounts and it couldn’t stop stocking up on new styles.
Spurt in demand for secondhand clothes
Growing concern about unsold goods has not escaped the customer’s eyes as they are now opting for more sustainable options. A Neilsen Survey revealed, last year, US shoppers bought $128.5 billion worth of sustainable versions of quick-selling goods such as groceries and toilet paper. Also around 48 per cent of Americans surveyed expressed their willingness to change their consumption habits to reduce their environmental impact. Around 53 per cent of these shoppers also expressed their willingness to give up a brand-name product in order to buy an environmentally friendly one.
Instead, these shoppers are turning to secondhand dealers like online marketplaces ThredUp and Poshmark. Both websites sell discarded clothes at lower prices which are instantly snapped up by buyers. ThredUP receives around 100,000 items of used women’s and children’s clothes a day. The company buys a few of these items and then lists them for sale on its online marketplace. Till now, it has raised over $380 million in funding through its sale of these second clothes.
Recycling gains ground
The realisation that fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world is also impacting consumer behavior. For instance, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg took a zero-emissions sailboat to New York for the UN’s climate conference this summer instead of the regular airplane. Similarly, brand H&M has launched an initiative to use only recycled or sustainably sourced material by 2030. The company plans to reduce or offset more greenhouse gas emissions than its entire production process emits by 2040.
On its part, Fast-fashion pioneer Forever 21 has launched a textile- and shoe-recycling program in stores around LA and is looking into using recycled products. Similarly, Adidas is experimenting with personalised gear to cut down on returns, increase customer satisfaction and reduce inventory. Others brands launching eco-friendly initiatives include: Ralph Lauren, which announced plans to use 100 per cent sustainably sourced key materials by 2025, and designer Tracy Reese, whose collection for bohemian-inspired retail chain Anthropologie used non-harmful dyes.
The industry is thus adopting a comprehensive, holistic approach that includes a complete overhaul of manufacturing, distribution and materials.
