[Issue 107] 📢 Correction: The Truth About the Fashion Industry
In the most previous issue of the newsletter, Lora and I explored the topic of sustainability in the fashion industry. We digged into its impact on society, and in the process we unknowingly spread fake news.
We were both grateful and mortified to receive the following email from an ABL reader:
Hey Nikita and Lora, Great work on the newsletter, I usually enjoy your content and think its well researched. This one caught me a bit off guard only because the statistic on "fashion being the second most pollution industry" has been debunked, see here an excellent piece by the New York Times on the same. Hope you can correct this for your readers in the next newsletter, thanks for all your hardwork! Best,Lavanya G
First of all, I cannot express how amazing it is to have such engaged and intelligent readers like Lavanya. I'm also just struck by how kind it was for Lavanya to reach out to me directly so that I could be more informed, and thus ensure that you are also properly informed.
Second, in conducting our follow-up research, I am disheartened by how far this stat has gone and how many credible sources (like Fast Company and the Guardian) use it.
So this week, Lora and I humbly revisit the topic and focus on what IS true when it comes to sustainability in the fashion industry.
The New York Times article Lavanya shared with me is the perfect place to start: The Biggest Fake News In Fashion.
Not only is the statistic that fashion is the world’s 2nd most pollutive industry misinformed and wrong, but some have been trying to spread awareness about it and correct the statistic without much luck.
So where did this statistic come from?
Turns out, there isn't a credible source! As the author of the article puts it, finding the source of this statistic is like playing a long game of telephone.
A lot of articles used a quote from sustainable fashion designer Eileen Fisher, and when asked Fisher reported that she got the statistic from the 2015 documentary film “The True Cost.” But when the director of the documentary film, Andrew Morgan, was asked about where he got the fact, he reported that he got it from the Copenhagen Fashion Summit.
The public affairs director for a group called the Global Fashion Agenda (which grew out of the Copenhagen Fashion Summit) was asked where he believed the fact came from, he reported that it came from a report by Deloitte. The report is hard to find, and when asked, Deloitte was not sure about the identity of the report.
What this all adds up to is that this statistic has made such a lasting impact because it is catchy, easy to remember, and dramatic; however, it is impossible to find concrete evidence backing it up.
What we do know is that the industry certainly has a harmful impact on the environment. Take these stats shared in the article:
Nearly three-fifths of all clothing ends up in incinerators or landfills within a year of being produced.
More than 8 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions are produced by the apparel and footwear industries.
20 to 25 percent of globally produced chemical compounds are utilized in the textile-finishing industry.
I recommend reading the article for yourself and then digging into the resources below for more facts. We hope that you find this revelation as fascinating as we did!
Sending love to all of you who help make me—and thus this entire community—smarter and more savvy consumers.
❤️️️,
Nikita
P.S. This will be the last issue of the newsletter for 2019! Lora, Courtney and I will be shifting our energy toward building 2020 plans for ABL before taking some time off going into January. However, if you're a supporter on Patreon, I'll be providing updates over there! There's some news coming your way soon.
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Fashion Transparency Index 2019
Interested in knowing how transparent your favorite brands are? Check out this report with 200 of the biggest global fashion brands and retailers ranked according to how much they disclose about their social and environmental policies, practices and impact.
The Apparel Industry’s Environmental Impact in 6 Graphics. The National Geographic reports that it takes 2,700 liters of water to cultivate and create one cotton shirt, which translates to enough water for one person to drink for 2 ½ years. With cotton accounting for 33% of the fibers used in clothing products, it adds up to a lot of water use. Furthermore, the traditional fashion cycle of 2 seasons per year (Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter) has fallen to the wayside in fast fashion, and been replaced with 50 micro-seasons a year. This translates to the average consumer purchasing 60 percent more items of clothing than they would have in 2000, but each garment bought is also kept for less time than in 2000. // WRI
Here & Now: The Environmental Cost of Fashion. This is an 10 minute episode covers the impact of fast fashion on the environment through an interview with Carry Somers, founder of Fashion Revolution, which is the world's largest fashion activism movement. Carry Somers created the movement after the horrific Rana Plaza garment factory disaster, where unsafe and unregulated working conditions led to a factory collapse that killed 1,130 workers. Somers discusses how over 3.5 million people have engaged with Fashion Revolution’s efforts to help consumers shop for clothing in more ethical ways, as well as the movements events that are held in order to pressure brands and retailers to change their supply chain or business practices.
Somer also explains that the global fashion industry emits 1.7 billion tons of CO2 a year, which is more than international flights and shipping. This means that in order to align with the international goal of staying under 2 degrees of total warming, the industry would need to cut emissions by 80% by 2050 (currently the emissions are rising). Somer believes that reducing emissions and consuming less new fashion is the best way to help the environment through the industry. About 10.5 million tons of clothes are thrown away each year, but extending the life of clothes you already own and buying less new clothes can help this. // WBUR
How Slow Fashion Is Fast-Tracking Sustainability. This article explains what the slow fashion movement is, and how it can transform the fashion industry into something more sustainable. The premise of slow fashion is to produce sustainably-made clothing through transparent and fair work practices while also going against the pillars of fast fashion. The article breaks down slow fashion strategies like using eco-materials with less chemicals and pesticides in production (think organic cotton), protecting human rights and fair wages during apparel manufacturing, and using methods/designs that help reduce carbon emissions during distribution. // FORBES
A Beginner’s Guide To Sustainable Fashion. If you've wondered where to start when it comes to sustainable fashion, check out this piece from ReMake, a nonprofit aimed at helping consumers become more conscious of how they interact with the fashion industry. The article provides a list of recommendations to consider, from how to shop to ways to extend your the life of your wardrobe to prevent waste. // REMAKE
This week's headlines were curated by ABL's intern, Lora.
"There is no beauty without truth and there is no truth without transparency."
- Carry Somers, Founder and Global Operations Director of Fashion Revolution