For the fashion industry, sustainable development is a system engineering, not only from the upstream materials innovation, but also contained in the product manufacturing process and how to practice low carbon emissions in the supply chain, set up various indicators of social responsibility, and build a professional team. Of course, it is not enough to only have a professional team. Sustainable development should also be established and practiced in terms of the company’s strategic business philosophy, including the company’s values for future development, including the employees and partners to jointly establish consensus and gradually implement in cooperation.
Since sustainability cannot be practiced by a single enterprise, a single person or a small group, any product manufactured by the fashion industry will involve long-term problems in the supply chain, so enterprises need a systematic and full-link way of thinking in practice. It’s not just independent designers who are taking steps towards sustainability. Even companies like H&M has made sustainability a core tenet of its brand as a fast-fashion giant on a global scale. So, what’s behind this shift?
Consumer attitudes and trends.
Consumers are used to buying what they want with very little consideration into the wider implications that purchase might have.They are used to the fast fashion model, which has been further driven by the rise of social media. Fashion influencers and the churning out of trends promotes the buying of more clothes than ever before. Is this supply to meet the demand or supply creating the demand?
There was a huge gap between what consumers want to buy and what they really buy, with consumers saying they will buy sustainable products (99 percent) versus what they actually buy (15-20 percent). Sustainability is seen as a trivial aspect of branding that is certainly not worth promoting before.
But the gap appears to be narrowing. As consumers become more aware that the planet is becoming more polluted, the fashion industry is having to face changes. With the transformation of large retail and e-commerce， the consumers are pushing the change, it’s crucial for brands like H&M to stay one step ahead. It’s hard to say the revolution changes consumption habits, or the consumption habits promotes the industrial transformation.
Climate forcing the change.
The reality is that it has now become harder to ignore the effects of climate change.
For the fashion revolution, it is this sense of urgency that trumps any push for sustainability. It’s about survival, and if fashion brands don’t start working to mitigate their negative impact on the environment, radically change the way they use natural resources, and build sustainability into their business models, then they will decline in the near future.
Meanwhile, Fashion Revolution’s “Fashion Transparency Index” illustrates the lack of supply chain Transparency of Fashion companies: Among the world’s 250 largest fashion and retail brands in past 2021, 47% have published the list of tier 1 suppliers, 27% have published the list of tier 2 suppliers and tier 3 suppliers, while only 11% have published the list of raw material suppliers.
The road to sustainability is not smooth. Fashion still has a long way to go to achieve sustainability, from finding the right suppliers and sustainable fabrics, accessories, and the like, to keeping prices consistent.
Will the brand truly achieve sustainable development?
The answer is yes, as seen, brands can embrace sustainability on a large scale, but for this change to happen, large brands will have to go beyond simply adjusting their production practices. Full transparency is rather important for big brands.
The future of fashion sustainable development is related to global climate change. But a combination of increased awareness, consumer and activist pressure on brands, and legislative change has produced a series of actions. Those have conspired to put brands under unprecedented pressure. This is not an easy process, but it is one that the industry can no longer ignore.
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Post time: Jul-28-2022
