Sustainability: Making the Hottest Fashion Trend Timeless
by Sonam Velani and Kathy Zhang
Window installation featuring a statement on excessive consumerism from fashion brand Vetements (Credit: Esquire)
The resource-intensive fashion industry accounts for up to 10% of global carbon emissions annually, a trend which has been fueled by fast fashion–known for its affordability, cheap materials, and short production-to-landfill lifecycle.
To help achieve the ambitious global target of net-zero emissions by 2050, UN Climate Change launched the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action in 2018–a set of voluntary commitments with over 100+ signatories, including the world’s largest fashion retailers such as Adidas, H&M, and Gap Inc.
With more and more brands rushing to slap on a sustainable label or start an eco line, what does sustainable fashion actually mean? Complemented by broader climate action and policy (e.g. The “Fashion Act” introduced in NY State Senate), some of the main industrial levers of sustainability and circularity in fashion include:
Design & materials. Techniques include zero-waste design, using recycled materials, and using sustainable materials which require less water & energy in manufacturing.
Reselling & take-back programs. More clothing companies are offering consumers ways to recycle, sell, or exchange their old clothing, from REI to Balenciaga.
Innovation & knowledge hubs. Brands from Eileen Fisher to Gucci are investing in hubs to accelerate sustainable practices via investments, mentorships, knowledge sharing and/or and industry partnerships.
Sustainability reporting. Greater transparency around supply chain and social/environmental impacts are increasingly standard via voluntary reporting (e.g. H&M Group’s Sustainability Disclosure)
NYC Clothing and Textile drop off near Morningside Park. See all drop off locations around NYC here (Credit: Kathy Zhang)
New Yorkers throw out about 200,000 tons of clothes and textiles each year, but there are a number of local initiatives to help make sustainable fashion more accessible to local designers and consumers alike:
NYC Clothing and Textile drop off. GrowNYC operates weekly clothing collections at greenmarkets throughout New York City, where residents can drop off clothing, shoes, and textiles for recycling or donation.
Thrift stores. Salvation Army, Goodwill, and Housing Works are just some of the many thrift stores around the city accepting clothing donations (more options here), though end-of-life impacts can be inconsistent.
Gem. Founded by NYC technologists, this app enables you to search dozens of second hand & vintage online stores all at once, with granular filters to find your perfect fit!
NYC Fair Trade Coalition. Grassroots organization in East Harlem hosting regular clothing swaps.
Fabscrap. Brooklyn-based non-profit helping to recycle excess materials from regional designers and brands.
ReFashion Week. NYC Sanitation’s event series showcasing upcycled fashion.
Additional resources about sustainable fashion in practice:
by Sonam Velani and Kathy Zhang