Environmental impact of the fashion industry

The textile industry has in its own right issues regarding building a sustainable business. A very informative infographic found by Magali An Berthon illustrates the production chain and insights into areas where sustainable thinking makes most sense. Find the infographic and our comments re rawmaterials and fibers here

The production chain and the impact of the various processes on the environment can seem complex, and therefore the above infographic is some of the better we have encountered. From fiber to yarn to fabric to clothing for consumption: Diagram of Magali An Berthon to illustrate the exhibition SCRAPS

The chain illustrates the various focus areas that can be worked with, including the part that rests with the end users - ie. all of us… care also includes our own decisions in and around the wardrobe.

At AWIIYA, we are particularly concerned with the production of raw materials, fibers and fabrics.

The figure is therefore also suitable in relation to a number of different certificates and labeling schemes in relation to raw materials. The source of the information below is Nature and Environment, no. 1/2017.

A raw material such as cotton is e.g. by far the most sprayed crop in the world. According to the Global Organic Textile Standard (ie the organization behind the GOTS standard for organically produced textiles), the area of ​​cotton cultivation accounts for about 2.5 percent of the total cultivated area in the world, but the production uses 16 percent of the total consumption of insecticides and 10 percent of all pesticides. in the world.

At the same time, the web is filled with documentaries about financially pressured cotton farmers and child labor. The World Wide Fund for Nature WWF writes in the report ‘Cleaner, Greener Cotton’ about the path of cotton from farmer to consumer. Here it appears that the cotton as harvested fiber costs a little over five kroner per kg, while the price of the finished clothes is around 174 kroner per kg. The poor conditions of the farmers is one of the reasons why Fairtrade International introduced a standard for cotton production about 10 years ago, so that the cotton farmers get better conditions (Fairtrade Cotton).

The same applies to the ‘Better Cotton Initiative’, which is widely accepted and it is possible to come in with prices that do not differ significantly from ordinary cotton. It provides measurable and usable results with reduced pesticide consumption, reduced water consumption and better yields for farmers.