05 Aug Why Sustainable Fashion Matters

Sustainability is the MOST critical topic in the world at present. Now that we are already impacted by sudden climate change, water scarcity, loss of biodiversity, the wildfire in forests, and frequent floods to name a few, we are slowly realizing how crucial it is to understand, analyze and change our current choices. It is certain that our choices have long-term impacts. Unfortunately, the fashion industry is a significant contributor to environmental damage. The news might not be as unfortunate if we all stand together and fight against it. Let me share a few instances with you : 

In the year 2020 Australia faced the worst-ever bushfire season following one of its hottest years on record which had left the soils and fuels exceptionally dry.

Climate change is directly linked to higher sea temperature, this doubled the likelihood of drought in the African region. In the years 2011,2017 and 2019 Africa faced severe droughts which wiped out crops and livestock. Severe drought scenarios have left Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia in need of aid.

In June and July 2022, persistent heat waves affected parts of Europe, causing wildfires, evacuations, and heat-related deaths. The highest temperature recorded was 47 degrees celsius, on 14 th July 2022. This raises serious some concerns all around the world.

On 10th  August California witnessed 500000 acres of forest burn in California. U.N Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the report as “ code red for humanityâ€.

Now that we are witnessing the severity of climate change it’s now or never. 

This takes us to our point on “why sustainable fashion matters?â€

The textile industry is the second most polluting industry in the world. Our excessive consumerism behavior has created a huge demand in the fashion industry. This has given the sellers the scope to overproduce. Due to constant demand and fighting with low price tags, the sellers focus on quantity, not thinking about the resources they are exploiting and the environmental hazards they are causing.

 We all talk about solutions. But what is the solution?

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY :

Be it sellers or consumers we all must have knowledge about sustainability. As a seller, procurement, production, and manufacturing should be as transparent as possible, so that the consumers know about what they are putting on, how much resources it takes, and also whether the particular product is causing harm to nature in any way. This is needed for the consumer to understand the value of any piece of garment. 

This goes both ways from the consumers’ perspective one needs to understand the severity and necessity of sustainability. We all must think twice before making any purchase. Also, knowledge about sustainability is very much important. Luckily there are institutes that focus on sustainable approaches in today’s time. So that the next generation not only understands but practices sustainability.

ESEDS school of design is one such institute. It is the first sustainable fashion institute in India recognized by EFF, London in the year 2015. The institute has inculcated sustainability in its entire curriculum. ESEDS provides Sustainable Fashion Design and Management and Interior Design courses. Both the courses teaches our future generation the values of sustainability and make each one of the students practice sustainability. ESEDS changemakers are already leading the design world towards a sustainable future. If you want to become a next-gen changemaker Visit ESEDS campus and avail free counseling.

Location – 2nd floor,113 J, Matheswartala Road, Topsia, Kolkata, West Bengal,700046.

Consume sustainable fashion because resources are saved by sustainable fashion 

According to a 2015 study, only 3% of the materials used to manufacture clothing are recycled. Instead, 97% are fresh resources. The total annual resource intake comes to 98 million tons, which includes fertilizers to grow cotton, oil to make synthetic fibers, and an infinite supply of chemicals to dye and polish fabric.

Recycled fibers have emerged as a far more environmentally friendly alternative since they ease the strain on virgin resources and address the expanding waste management issue. For comparison, the manufacture of virgin nylon uses 70,000 barrels of oil and produces 57,100 tons of CO2 for every 10,000 tons. 

The global fashion business actively and significantly contributes to global warming by releasing a significant amount of greenhouse gasses each year. One of the reasons is that the vast majority of our cherished apparel, such as polyester, acrylic, and nylon, is petroleum-based and derived from fossil fuels. The energy needed to produce these materials is substantially more than that needed to produce natural or recycled fibers.

On the other hand, environmentally friendly manufacturers frequently utilize materials made from natural or recycled fibers that require little to no chemical processing, little to no water, little to no energy, and no fertilizers or pesticides to grow. The majority of organic materials, like TENCELTM (produced from sustainable wood pulp) and linen, hemp, and organic cotton, are even biodegradable.

“Sustainable development is a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.â€; Brundtland.Hope this blog will help all the readers understand the necessity of sustainability in today’s time.