Numerous researches conducted on the production methods of the fashion industry tell us that it is possible to achieve energy savings. Not only possible, energy savings must be the main goal of the textile industry.
The current economic system that underpins the fashion industry is mostly based on a linear economy that invests a huge amount of raw materials: electricity, water, fuel, land.
According to the Fashion on Climate research, conducted by McKinsey & Company in collaboration with the Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), “the global fashion industry produced approximately 2.1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2018, equivalent to 4% of the global total”.
In the latest report on the fashion industry, The Pulse of the Fashion Industry 2019 (GFA), the results - although better than in previous years - are still negative: the sustainable solutions adopted by companies are still not enough to compensate for the large energy impact that is produced. According to current forecasts, global emissions will increase by 63% by 2030.
A change is therefore necessary: the linear economy must give way to a circular one that primarily includes the recycling of waste materials, the use of fibers that have less impact on the environment and works to increase biodiversity, but also the conscious use and reuse of clothing. In this way we can hope for a better performance of the materials used, having energy saving as its main goal.
How to know how much a piece of clothing costs? Calculating the Cost Per Wear
Cost per Wear (CPW) is the figure obtained by dividing the cost of a garment by the number of times it has been worn. This figure is very useful for understanding, in terms of economic and environmental costs, the waste we make every day, unknowingly, as simple buyers. The more a garment is worn, the less impact it will generate on our account and on the planet's account.
A pair of jeans that costs €15 if worn only 3 times determines a CPW of €5. The same result is obtained by a pair of jeans that costs €150 but worn 30 times. Obviously, it must be taken into account that the two jeans have very different production times and costs. A pair of jeans that costs €15 is made with poor quality materials, often by underpaid workers, in very high quantities. While a pair of jeans that costs €150 has a lower impact in terms of exploitation and a higher impact in terms of energy savings.
As buyers, we must therefore take seriously the choices we make in the fashion sector: returning to preferring quality over quantity is not only an economically advantageous action, but strictly necessary to achieve energy savings in the fashion sector.
Cotton vs Organic Cotton: Watch the Costs
Organic cotton products may cost more to shoppers, but what about the environment?
The work done by Textile Exchange shows us how the use of organic cotton has a favorable impact in terms of energy savings. Organic farming is attentive to biodiversity and soil health, uses a smaller amount of energy resources for the production of materials that are used to make clothing.
It is therefore important to choose garments that are certified according to standards in line with these principles including: Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
What are some conscious choices to make when shopping?
As consumers we are at the end of the production chain, it is for us that production is set in motion. Awareness is therefore fundamental to obtain changes. Small but important measures like these can make the difference in reaching the energy saving goal that science pushes us to obtain:
- Buy clothing only if absolutely necessary
- Prefer clothing made from biodegradable natural fibres and/or recycled synthetic fibres
- Prefer clothing items made with a single textile fibre, so as to allow for its future recycling
- Use clothing consciously: wash them if necessary after several uses and at low temperatures
- Dispose of used clothing items properly by recycling them in the separate waste collection.
Acting consciously is a fundamental choice towards achieving 100% sustainable fashion . We too are part of the fashion industry and our choices influence the economic and productive mechanisms that we often overlook. It is not just about choosing which clothes to wear, but also which values to believe in.