Is this type of thinking advancing solutions or perpetuating #sustainability challenges?
The attached word cloud is a summary of the keynote at the Textile Exchange (TE) conference. TE does great work convening the #fashionindustry to establish standards and provide insights. And yet, I wonder how the “hopeism” (thanks to Maxine Bédat for the phrase) reflected in the summary of the keynote engenders progress?
Consider but a few of the arguments made to progress a #sustainable industry:
🌞”The Cost of Doing Nothing is much Higher than than the Cost of Doing Something:” No doubt, estimates of the negative consequences of climate change (e.g. up to 18% of GDP by 2050 according to Swiss Re) are far more consequential than the investment required to temper the negative consequences. This is true but unhelpful. System structure, rules and incentives at the micro (corporate) level do not incentivize necessary action. The great work of the Apparel Impact Institute and Conservation International aggregating funds to support industry decarbonization represents < 1% of the capital needed to decarbonize the industry.
🌞“Decoupling”” This is the principal selling point for fashion’s #1 most proffered solutions - #circularity. According to this line of thinking, resource reuse is the key to separating growth from extraction and resource overuse. Subsequent sessions were devoted to textile to textile recycling. This is great. But, it has not, and will not #decouple growth from resource use nor will it engender consequential industry decarbonization. This is the result of a host of factors including CAPX, cost, logistics, and the locus of carbon emissions in fashion (far more in processing than in raw materials).
🌞 “Being Courageous, Caring, Leading with Empathy:” These are all worthy leadership attributes. They are also cliches that are quashed by the mindset, rules and incentives of the system.
🌞”Setting Goals Bigger than Your Operations:” We have a surfeit of goals and a dearth of delivery of these same targets.” According to McKinsey & Company, 2/3 of public fashion companies that have made commitments to decarbonization not on path to deliver.
Instead of goals, we need different rules with associated consequences. A handful of fashion brands (e.g. Polo Ralph Lauren®, PUMA Group, H&M, Inditex, Decathlon , Reformation, Another Tomorrow, Patagonia, EILEEN FISHER, INC., ..) are trying to lead, but, absent new rules and incentives and far more aggressive support for suppliers and from countries, the industry will continue to convene, converse and not advance authentic sustainability.
Abbie Morris Ryan Gellert K. Stewart Sheppard Randi Marshall Anna Turrell Anne-Laure Descours Veronique Rochet Matt Powell Gil Friend Sarah Kent Jack Kittinger Saqib Sohail Dr. Vidhura Ralapanawe Delman Lee Michael Sadowski Greer, Linda Mads Oscar Haumann Samantha Taylor Rachel Arthur Leslie Johnston, M.Sc. Kathleen Talbot Veronica Bates Kassatly