The Challenges Of Sustainable Clothing

Hello, it's lovely to have you here!

I thought it would be interesting to share some clothing/ fashion sustainability challenges we currently face, as it's thought provoking and will hopefully lead to insightful discussions and knowledge exchange to promote innovation.

The report published on the 10th November 2022 by the British Fashion Council set a road map for circular fashion in the UK and pointed out the main challenges we face to achieve this goal.

When we think of sustainability, we generally think of the famous: reduce, reuse and recycle, which are the fundamentals of a circular economy, we have seen some great initiatives from brands and influencers such as buying quality clothes in order to buy less, donate unwanted and unused clothes and clothes rentals, which are imperative steps toward a greener future. So what are the suitability challenges?

An industry is like an ecosystem, there has to be a balance so neither end of the ecosystem is negatively impacted. The fashion industry has two main aspects, environmental and social:

• Too much production/ demand of clothing drains our natural resources, textiles can take up to 200 or more to decompose in landfills, which leaves a huge carbon footprint impacting the quality of life and survival of our future generations. The clothes we are wearing right now, while reading/ writing this blog if not recycled, it will impact our future loved ones, it will still be polluting the environment 100 or more after we are gone. Therefore is the answer strictly produce less?

• Producing less= negative social impact, less employment, less economic growth, less innovation and development.

So what lies beyond catastrophic environmental and social devastation?

In 2012 the British economist Kate Raworth introduced to the world the "The Doughnut Economic" model raising the challenges and opportunities climate change presents, as well as raising pressing questions such as; How do we meet the needs of humanity without exceeding the means of the planet? Degrowth? How do we address the impact of cutting production to fix environmental concerns and the negative social impacts this would lead to?

The best way to address these concerns are through collaboration, research and innovation, and it is great to see joint efforts addressing this matter, after all, textiles are the second largest polluter in the world, we need to take action now.

Further research is required on textile recycling processes for different types of fabric and the quality of fibres after a single and/or multiple processes. Clothing lines designed to be easily recycled (use of less buttons and zippers). Mapping of researches concluded and in process as well as brands and SMEs efforts towards sustainability.

The foundation of the methodology is the implementation of the Institute of Positive Fashion’s (IPF) Circular Fashion Ecosystem target state model, through the lens of Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics model is a great initiative towards a greener future. "This will enable a roadmap for change that will benefit both the planet and people, meeting the government’s Levelling Up agenda and creating thriving city-level circular fashion ecosystems throughout the UK, meeting the needs of industry." Caroline Rush CBE

Chief Executive, British Fashion Council.

On this note I am very pleased to announce that we are now being supported by Manchester University Eco I North West and Cumbria University with imperative studies to implement a closed loop, sustainable, nature integrated, human-friendly textile recycling centre in Cumbria. A huge thank you for all the support and the amazing opportunity to work with the University's talented students, I can't emphasis enough how impressed and grateful I am for the support and with the level of knowledge and will power of our County's students!

This is our last blog for 2022, this year has flown and I can't wait to see what 2023 brings.

So in advanced I wish you and your family a warm, merry, full of love, happy and as sustainable as possible Christmas and New Year!

Until 2023...

Eco regards,

Rebecca Lyall

Eco.lure Eco and Ethical Clothing