Introduction
The world is continually changing and threatens the survival of species in the days to come. One might be reclined to think that this situation affects economic sectors as well as climatic implications and might bury their heads in the sand and chose to ignore other sectors, such as fashion. What one might not realize is that fashion, just like other sectors, might be affected greatly if climatic changes are anything to go by.
Fashion might a preserve of a few; however, the bigger picture disagrees with this view. Fabric is vital in the creation of fashion pieces and is obtained directly from sources such as farms. Therefore, if a climatic change such as erratic rainfall might affect a cotton-growing area, the supply of this product will be drastically affected thereby having an overall effect on the entire industry (Gwilt 2014).
Therefore, there is a need to look for alternative means to make fashion sustainable. In view of this discovery, various fashion houses have made sustainability part and parcel of their entire processes, from design to the final product (Payton 2013). For instance, Levi Strauss, a fashion house popular for its denim creations, has endeavored to take part in the sustainable fashion trend by embracing recycled raw materials for use as well as undertaking several projects to ensure steady supply of raw materials.
One begs the question, how will the fashion industry be in 2030? In the coming years, the world is imagined to be extremely developed, with the addition of car lanes as more people will purchase cars for their commute and industries will also increase in number and size as the demand for products will warrant this increase. Following the example described above, it is clear that issues in supply and demand are eminent, as well as environmental factors, which play a huge part in the fashion industry. This line of thought is also shared by Fletcher, (2013) who indicates that following the changes expected come the year 2030, the fashion industry will take a huge hit and should opt for strategies that will deal with any situation that will be present in the coming years.
There are four likely future scenarios of the fashion industry (Seeling, 2000). One is the techno-chic scenario that incorporates technology to facilitate speedy delivery that is accessible by everybody. Secondly, the slow is beautiful scenario relies on global collaboration on the global front to facilitate slow and sustainable fashion trends. Thirdly, community couture on the other hand looks at fashion at a community level, cutoff from the global front as a result of issues of resource crises. Lastly, the patchwork planet scenario incorporates a mixture of global cultures into fashion. From these scenarios, the most likely one to take place in the coming years is the patchwork planet scenario. This thought is given precedence from advancements in technology that have seen the world become a global village with the blending of different cultures seen as an inspiration for some fashion pieces. For instance, earlier this year, New York welcomed African fashion for the annual African Fashion Week New York (AFWNY) that showcased African fashion on a global platform. This scenario is further advocated by the predicted social and economic scenarios presented. De Brito et. al (2008) agrees with this situation and indicates that globalization as well as capitalism are forces that will ultimately affect sustainability. She indicates that fashion as an industry has embraced this eventuality and gone further to introduce fashion trends that propagate for sustainability. Furthermore, economic situations will strengthen this collaboration as global trade is estimated to rise following the need to fill resource deficits expected in the coming years.
Following the resource deficits expected, the fashion wardrobe will be more sustainable and seek alternative means to fill resource gaps. Sustainability in this case refers to approaches meant to uses resources that are not detrimental to the environment and which are easily available and cannot be exhausted. For instance, as mentioned above, the cotton industry is almost the lifeline of the fashion industry. In view of this, more cotton is being grown to meet the growing demand by the world market. As a result, a lot of pesticides are being used to ensure a healthy harvest, one that will bring additional income to the farmer. These pesticides often contain chemical components such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that are detrimental to the earth’s ozone layer. Some of the sustainable measures that have been embraced by the industry are recycling. This trend has already started, as discussed by Hethorn and Ulasewicz (2008), citing the changing environmental conditions. In the past, fashion has not been synonymous with sustainability as textiles used are non-renewable. However, with time, this situation has changed, with fashion industries being on the front line towards the push for embracing ethics and organic and renewable materials
In addition, the fashion industry is embracing alternative fabric that is adopted in their designs. For example, organic fabrics such as bamboo and hemp are sustainable in nature and have been involved in a number of designs. Furthermore, fashion companies have overhauled their policies and incorporated company ethical pledges that aim to cultivate ethical practices in their manufacturing lines in order to create sustainable fashion pieces that are safe for the environment.
The wardrobe of the future will most likely be made from organic materials and natural fibers that are sustainable in nature. Courtesy of these changes, it is probable that there will be limited washes before the wearing off the garment in question. As a result, fewer pieces will be manufactured hence reducing the expanding rubbish, thereby protecting the earth’s environment.
A sustainable wardrobe is not only a preserve of fashion companies, but also embraced by individuals. As a result, those buying and wearing clothes are encouraged to take care of them. This approach calls for the clothes to be washed in cold water, to reduce the wear and tear of garments as well as drying them out, instead of the dryer. This strategy is meant to reduce energy consumption and use already available natural resources, the sun and the wind to dry the clothes. This approach encourages good practices to ensure clothes are kept in good condition, hence increasing the number of days that one can wear the clothes.
Conclusion
The world is continually changing, and there is no stopping what is ahead. The damage to the environment is already done and has called for sustainable measures that seek to improve the state of the environment. Gwilt and Rissanen (2012) indicate that fashion houses should adopt sustainable fashion in terms of sourcing their supply as well as pitching alternative approaches to their customers to encourage green initiatives such as recycling. This strategy calls for the reuse of already made products, such as that described in the Lease a Jeans approach. This strategy will indeed improve the lifeline of the fashion industry.
Dresses made from recycled materials
References
Hethorn, J. and Ulasewicz, C. (2008). Sustainable fashion- Why now?: A conversation about issues, practices, and Possibilities. New York: Fairchild
Fletcher, K. (2013). Sustainable fashion and textiles: Design wardrobe. New York, Routledge Publishers
Seeling, C. (2000). Fashion: The century pf the designer. New York, McGraw-Hill Publishers
Payton, J. (2013). A sustainable model for fashion. The Guardian. Retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/sustainable-model-for-fashion
De Brito, M., Carbone, V. and Blanquart, C. (2008). Towards a sustainable fashion retail supply chain in Europe: Organization and Performance. International Journal of Production Economics
Gwilt, A. and Rissanen, T. (2012). Shaping sustainable fashion: Changing the way we make and use clothes. London, Routledge Publishing.
Gwilt, (2014). A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion. New York, Bloomsbury
