250
products (Diamantopoulos et al. 2003; Zimmer et al. 1994). The fashion industry is
mostly influenced by seasonal trends linked to eco-friendly purchasing behaviour
(Kunz 2005: 4). Therefore, companies are introducing sustainability as part of their
business strategy, making green products increasingly available in the marketplace
(Fraj and Martinez, 2006; Gam 2011). However, this business strategy in isolation
is not sufficient. Scholars have documented some other setbacks facing the industry
in its journey towards sustainability. Findings show that the main issues preventing
the complete integration of sustainable principles into the fashion industry include
the lack of education regarding sustainable or “green” fashion, the perception that
green fashion lacks glamour and style, the prevalence of unsustainable production
practices across the supply chain, the short life cycle of products and the limited
corporate disclosure in the fashion industry. Notable exceptions include Bono’s
Eden, the British Stella McCartney or Stewart -Brown which are perceived as sustainable fashion brands (Cervellon and Wenerfelt 2012).
16.2.3 The Fashion Industry: Production Cycle
The fashion industries’ main contribution to the deterioration of both aquatic life
and life on land is in the form of water consumption and waste generation, with
huge amounts of pollutants released in the form of factory effluents. The completion
of a clothing item has a complex life cycle consisting of different phases including
resource production, fibre manufacturing, apparel assembly, transportation, consumer use and finally recycling or ultimate disposal. Each of these processes can
cause environmental impacts such as resource depletion, fossil fuel emission, water
wastage and solid waste, seriously compromising the sustainability of the fashion
industry in the long term. Thus, this section presents a review of the sourcing of
materials, the production cycle and several case studies showcasing sustainability
practices in the industry.
16.2.3.1 Sourcing Materials in the Fashion Industry: A Review of Fibres
Textile production in the fashion industry also involves sewing, cutting and assembling, which require a large workforce (UNECE 2019). One of the major concerns
of the fashion industry is waste production throughout the supply chain from crop
yields, yarns and textiles to pattern cutting, and the post-production stages, “about
15 percent of fabric intended for clothing ends up on the cutting room floor”
(Rosenbloom 2010). Findings also show that discarded clothes more often than not
end up as landfill. Most of the clothing that ends in landfills creates polluting gas
and heavy metal releases as well as additive discharges into soil and groundwater
causing soil degradation (Choudhury 2017).
Statistics show that 70% of the apparel fibres production is synthetic and nonbiodegradable and the other 30% of natural fibres are often mixed with synthetics in
C. Arana et al.
products (Diamantopoulos et al. 2003; Zimmer et al. 1994). The fashion industry is
mostly influenced by seasonal trends linked to eco-friendly purchasing behaviour
(Kunz 2005: 4). Therefore, companies are introducing sustainability as part of their
business strategy, making green products increasingly available in the marketplace
(Fraj and Martinez, 2006; Gam 2011). However, this business strategy in isolation
is not sufficient. Scholars have documented some other setbacks facing the industry
in its journey towards sustainability. Findings show that the main issues preventing
the complete integration of sustainable principles into the fashion industry include
the lack of education regarding sustainable or “green” fashion, the perception that
green fashion lacks glamour and style, the prevalence of unsustainable production
practices across the supply chain, the short life cycle of products and the limited
corporate disclosure in the fashion industry. Notable exceptions include Bono’s
Eden, the British Stella McCartney or Stewart -Brown which are perceived as sustainable fashion brands (Cervellon and Wenerfelt 2012).
16.2.3 The Fashion Industry: Production Cycle
The fashion industries’ main contribution to the deterioration of both aquatic life
and life on land is in the form of water consumption and waste generation, with
huge amounts of pollutants released in the form of factory effluents. The completion
of a clothing item has a complex life cycle consisting of different phases including
resource production, fibre manufacturing, apparel assembly, transportation, consumer use and finally recycling or ultimate disposal. Each of these processes can
cause environmental impacts such as resource depletion, fossil fuel emission, water
wastage and solid waste, seriously compromising the sustainability of the fashion
industry in the long term. Thus, this section presents a review of the sourcing of
materials, the production cycle and several case studies showcasing sustainability
practices in the industry.
16.2.3.1 Sourcing Materials in the Fashion Industry: A Review of Fibres
Textile production in the fashion industry also involves sewing, cutting and assembling, which require a large workforce (UNECE 2019). One of the major concerns
of the fashion industry is waste production throughout the supply chain from crop
yields, yarns and textiles to pattern cutting, and the post-production stages, “about
15 percent of fabric intended for clothing ends up on the cutting room floor”
(Rosenbloom 2010). Findings also show that discarded clothes more often than not
end up as landfill. Most of the clothing that ends in landfills creates polluting gas
and heavy metal releases as well as additive discharges into soil and groundwater
causing soil degradation (Choudhury 2017).
Statistics show that 70% of the apparel fibres production is synthetic and nonbiodegradable and the other 30% of natural fibres are often mixed with synthetics in
C. Arana et al.