OVERCONSUMPTION IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS CAUSED DUE TO RECKLESS CONSUMPTION by

What is overconsumption?

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 03:36:49 UTC

Reflection - The meaning of the concept of overconsumption is when the rate of consumption of resources overtakes the means to regrow and regenerate these resources. The current rate of overconsumption has risen, with the global statistic being that we are "consuming the planet’s resources 1.7 times faster than they can regenerate.” Overconsumption rates are much higher in affluent, more developed countries rather than less developed countries. As overconsumption is linked to the need for natural resources our environment has been negatively impacted with air quality becoming dangerously low, damaging the ecosystem and impacting the health of workers and communities surrounding the areas of extraction.

Overconsumption in the context of the fashion industry

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 03:39:07 UTC

Reflection - This article outlines the effects the fashion industry is having on our planet. The statistic that the amount of clothes a consumer purchases on average increased 60% in the years between 2000 and 2014. The rise of consumption is linked to low prices for low quality ‘trending’ clothes made from synthetic fibres, all factors that impact the planet negatively. Polyester is a fibre commonly used in fast fashion clothing. The use of polyester in the fashion industry has prioritised the environment and human health for corporations to create profit. Due to low prices and low production time needed to create these garments it is more likely for consumers to purchase garments due to the instant gratification, but this mindset also makes the clothes purchased viewed as disposable leading to synthetic fibres being left in landfills secreting greenhouse gases into our ecosystem and toxins into the soil. Because overconsumption is a problem on a global scale individual consumers have a mindset that they solely cannot create a change. This mindset needs to be broken in order to stop detrimental effects caused due to overconsumption.

'Fast fashion' and its impact on overconsumption

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 03:49:23 UTC

Reflection - Fast fashion is the term referring to garments that are cheaply produced with low prices, with production time being so low that big clothing retailers can sell garments that are in style at that moment in time. Micro trend is the term used for when a certain type of garment is trending for a short period of time, meaning that the garments can ‘go out of style’ very quickly, leading to many garments being disposed of very quickly. Fast fashion production causes the earths amount of natural resources to dramatically decline, produces greenhouse gases and uses very large amounts of water and energy. The use synthetic materials in fast fashion garments contaminates water ways and oceans with micro plastics released through the washing process. Fast fashion also compromises workers rights and human rights. Many of the factories creating these clothes are in developing countries where the population need jobs making it easy for corporations to exploit these workers.

Fast Fashion statistics

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 03:51:01 UTC

Textile waste and the impact of garments ending up in landfills

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 03:52:49 UTC

Reflection - Textile waste is a major factor in how overconsumption impacts the ecosystem. Each year the United States population creates over 34 billion pounds of textile waste. 66% of these textiles disposed of by consumers end up in landfills in the United States. The rate of decomposition varies depending on the fibres used to create these garments, but as most fast fashion companies use synthetic fibres most garments will sit in landfills of hundreds of years. The health of people living around these landfills is negatively affected, with most landfills being located in places that minority groups live around. A large amount of the textile waste the world creates is sent to countries in the global south. Due to the cheap production of clothes, a great amount of the clothes sent abroad are damaged or too low quality to reuse meaning the clothing ends up in landfill creating detrimental environmental and social impacts in these developing countries.

Textile wastes impact on our environment

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 03:53:48 UTC

Textile waste in New Zealand's landfills

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 03:54:11 UTC

The issue of textile waste in landfills

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 03:55:01 UTC

Reflection - 92 million tonnes of textile waste is discarded in landfills each year. The synthetic materials take centuries to decompose and due to being plastic based fibres they release microfibres into the environment, causing air and plastic pollution rates to spike.

The Rana Plaza disaster and the treatment of garment workers

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 03:56:20 UTC

Reflection - On the 24th of April 2013, Rana Plaza, a eight story commercial building in Dhaka, Bangladesh that housed a garment factory collapsed killing 1,134 people with thousands more injured. This event brought to light the horrific conditions that many garment workers in developing countries have to work in. On the 23rd of April 2013 workers in the building noticed large cracks throughout the building. The other businesses in the building all closed due to the cracks but the garment workers were forced to continue by owners. Hours after the workers were made to go in the next day the building collapsed. This tragedy speaks to the treatment many garment workers receive, the demand for overconsumption allows for workers to be exploited and have their human rights compromised.

The treatment of garment workers in regards to human rights

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 03:57:33 UTC

Reflection - this article outlines the horrible conditions many garment workers have to work in. Some of the major issues garment workers are subjected to are; long work days with forced overtime, injuries with many being undiagnosed, lack of ventilation, no access to clean water, and exposure to hazardous chemicals which lead to serious health conditions. The fashion industry is liable to abusing the human rights of workers, with this being fuelled by overconsumption and fast fashion.

The role consumer stakeholders have in the issue of overconsumption in the fashion industry

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 03:58:55 UTC

Consumer mindsets in regards to consumption habits

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 03:59:12 UTC

Consumer mindsets and the change that needs to happen

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 03:59:35 UTC

Reflection

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 03:59:50 UTC

Consumers play a very big role when it comes to combating the issue of overconsumption. A technical cycle is a earth-centred regenerative model that can be followed by a consumer after production and purchase. A technical cycle model can also help to combat the issue of garments made from polyester and other synthetic fibres as this model helps to minimise the damage caused to our environment by these fibres that cannot decompose quickly. Technical cycles focus on cycling fibres and garments through a closed loop system. This system looks at reusing, repairing, remanufacturing, and recycling. Mindful consumption means that the consumer is making choices to be sustainable in both environmental and social ways when purchasing clothing. Choosing to use textiles made from natural fibres that can fit in a biological cycle is also an important choice in combatting textile waste that ends up in landfill as these fibres can biodegrade and help to regenerate the ecosystem by nourishing the soil.

It is also important for consumers to take responsibility in doing helping the environment to regenerate. Consumer stakeholders should make decisions about consumption with the past, present, and future in mind. Helping to raise awareness and share knowledge with other consumers helps to create a big difference in social and environmental sustainability caused by overconsumption in the fashion industry. As many people might not have access to knowledge around it is good to help people to understand in easy and digestible ways.

Although fashion labels and their production practices are responsible for a large percentage of the negative impact the fashion industry has had to our planet, consumers can do their part in helping to reverse some of this damage and slow down consumption to help the earth regenerate.

The slow fashion movement

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:05:17 UTC

Reflection - Slow fashion was a term first coined by Kate Fletcher in 2007, this term is used to describe a movement that promotes environmental and social sustainability in the fashion industry. Slow fashion is about encouraging conscious consumption and consumers taking awareness of the impact of a garment before purchase. Every solution that I speak on in this visual board fits into the slow fashion movement as they help to combat sustainability issues in th fashion industry.

The concept of up cycling and the certification UPMADE®

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:05:45 UTC

Reflection - Up cycling is a method that revolves around taking a already existing garment and turning it into something new, wether that new garment is for personal use or sale. This method helps to combat overconsumption as it helps to give textiles a longer use life rather than the original garment ending up in landfill. Many designers have started to use existing textiles and garments to create something new rather than using fabric bought from a store. This practice helps to lower the negative environmental impact that overconsumption causes as it fits into the technical cycle, a earth-centred regenerative model that encourages repurposing textiles to extend the amount of time used by a consumer. Reet Aus is a fashion designer and environmental activist who utilises up cycling in many of the collections their label creates. Reet has also set up a certification named UPMADE® that helps other fashion labels to apply up cycling methods to their work and receive a certification for doing so. Not only does this certification help to increase the use of up cycling to other designer, it helps consumers to recognise brands that are using methods that promote sustainability making it easier to recognise these products and shop consciously.

Clothing rental businesses

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:08:08 UTC

Repair schemes/events

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:09:09 UTC

Reflection - Repair schemes are a great way to promote the technical cycle, a earth-centred regenerative model. Repair schemes can range from community projects organised by consumers aiming to promote awareness, or clothing labels that will offer repair for products they have sold. In Wellington, New Zealand, a organisation called Sustainability Trust has set up a repair scheme that is held monthly. These events encourage consumers to bring damaged garments to the workshops, where they are then helped to fix garments and taught how to repair clothing for themselves. This initiative is a great way to create awareness around how consumers can follow a slow fashion movement as well as creating a longer use life for garments whilst keeping them out of landfill.

Patagonia's repair scheme in New Zealand

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:09:32 UTC

Repair scheme in France

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:10:27 UTC

Remanufacturing

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:11:01 UTC

Reflection - Remanufacturing is the process of collecting discarded clothes and accessories as well as waste from the cutting process in the production phase, breaking down these fibres and using them to create a new textile to be used for an entirely new garment. This method works in a technical cycle and helps to combat textile waste ending up in landfill. The organisation EVRNU® has created a technology that converts textile waste into new fibres that can be recycled many times. This technology helps to boost environmental sustainability and combat overconsumption in the fashion industry as it allows garments to be produced without needing a large amount of natural resources which then helps increase regeneration rates in comparison to consumption rates.

Circular Fashion model

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:14:22 UTC

Artisanal practices

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:14:56 UTC

Reflection - Promoting artisanal practices is a great way to bring a improve social sustainability. An artisanal practice entails creating products made by hand or using hand tools. Many artisanal practices are created with traditional methods from cultural backgrounds. The creation of these products help to create well paid jobs for workers and creatives in developing communities. The Ethical Fashion Initiative helps to connect artisans who live remotely with brands whilst ensuring they are treated and paid fairly. Organisations such as the Ethical Fashion Initiative promote social sustainability as they make sure that garment workers who are providing a craft for fashion labels are protected from being exploited.

The International Labour Organisation's codes to protect workers in the fashion industry

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:16:15 UTC

Reflection - The International Labour Organisation has created a code to help keep garment workers safe from exploitation, whilst boosting economic and social sustainability to garment workers and the communities they are from. Organisations like this one can do great work to help minimise the negative effect overconsumption has on garment workers safety, health, and human rights in the fashion industry.

UN SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:18:50 UTC

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production relates heavily to the topic of overconsumption in the fashion industry. This goal has been set to improve environmental sustainability in regards to consumption by consumers and production by businesses that provide a product.

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:19:45 UTC

Reflection - One of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals missions is to combat textile waste in the fashion industry. The solutions that I have provided in my visual board all help to try and combat the sustainability issues caused by overconsumption. UN SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production target 12.5 is “By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.” Up cycling, repair schemes, remanufacturing fibres, and clothing rental businesses all promote and utilise methods that fit into a technical cycle. It is very imperative for consumers to be consciously making decisions about their consumption in regards to it fitting into a technical cycle as this is a great model to help combat textile waste. The UN SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production target 12.2 is to achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources, which these solutions help to do as through reusing, repairing, remanufacturing, and recycling textiles the amount of natural resources used are dramatically lowered as less textiles and garments have to be produced from fibre to product.

United Nation's SDG in regards to the fashion industry

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:21:46 UTC

UN SDG 10: Reduce Inequality Within and Among Countries

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:26:08 UTC

Relection - United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries also fits into combatting issues caused by overconsumption in the fashion industry. UN SDG 10 target 10.4 is “Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality.” The solutions I have on my visual board that help this goal to progress are promoting artisanal practices and implementing codes to ensure that garment workers will not be exploited when it comes to their wages, health and safety. The International Labour Organisation and The Ethical Fashion Initiative are two organisations that help to further UN SDG 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries effort to complete these goals and increase social sustainability.

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:31:03 UTC

Reflection

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:31:23 UTC

Whilst designing and creating my capsule collection this year, the United Nations Sustainable Development goal that I have decided to meet the targets of is goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. I am going to use natural fibres such as cotton to help combat textile waste and the negative impact landfills can create on communities and our ecosystem. Using natural fibres ensures that my garments can decompose rapidly and regenerate the environment. When natural fibres decompose they can replenish soil by providing nutrients during the decomposition process. I have made this decision whilst consciously making sure that I try to minimise the negative impact my design practice produces. I want to try and source my fabrics from reputable stores that source the fabric they offer with sustainability in mind, such as sourcing organic or fair-trade cotton. In a design practice, every step of the production process should be made with the circular fashion model in mind, which I have tried to do through my practice.

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:50:01 UTC

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:51:15 UTC

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:53:11 UTC

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:53:19 UTC

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:53:31 UTC

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:55:32 UTC

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:55:41 UTC

Garment worker health and safety concerns

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:56:54 UTC

Garment workers and poverty wages

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 04:58:38 UTC

cwar211 — 2024-10-24 05:00:54 UTC