In the fast paced world of fashion, sustainability has emerged as a crucial focus, driven by the urgent need to address environmental concerns. Technology is at the forefront of this change, with innovations that offer eco-friendly solutions that reduce waste and promote efficiency. As the fashion and tech industries converge, new possibilities for creating sustainable fashion are becoming a reality. There are 4 main areas where fashion and technology can help each other to drive sustainability.
Sustainability at the source
Sustainability in fashion starts with the very materials we use. By opting for eco-friendly fabrics and textiles, we can significantly reduce the industry's environmental footprint. This shift addresses the severe impact that traditional fashion practices have on our planet.
Synthetic fibres are a major culprit in fashion-related pollution. These non-biodegradable materials require toxic chemicals for their production and release harmful microfibres into water systems with every wash. Polyester, for instance, is made from petrochemicals and depends on fossil fuels. This leads to methane and CO2 emissions, disrupts wildlife, and poses the risk of oil spills.
As the demand for textiles is expected to more than double globally by 2050, finding sustainable alternatives is crucial. Even natural fibres like cotton, while seemingly better, also have their drawbacks due to their high water and land usage.
Biotechnology: A Promising Alternative
1. Innovative Textiles: Biotechnology is paving the way for sustainable textiles by applying science and technology to natural fibres. Take VAUDE, a German outdoor brand, for example. They use QMILK felt, a fabric made from 20% milk and 80% wool. This felt is created by blending wool with casein, a milk protein derived from surplus milk, making it a smart and sustainable choice.
2. Lab-Grown Materials: Biotech has also given rise to lab-grown textiles made from bacteria, mycelium, and proteins. Mycelium, derived from mushroom root structures, offers a leather alternative that can be customised to various textures. It's a zero-waste, biodegradable material gaining traction in the fashion industry for its sustainability.
3. Advanced Silk Production: AMSilk is another exciting development. This company uses genetically engineered bacteria to produce spider silk protein, which is then spun into fibres. This lab-engineered silk can be tailored at the molecular level, reducing the need for petroleum, animal products, and harmful chemicals. Although mass production scaling is still a challenge, AMSilk represents a significant step forward in addressing the fashion industry's environmental concerns.
Sustainability and Transparency
Sustainability is on everyone's mind these days, and more people are asking, "Where do my clothes actually come from?" Social media has given consumers a louder voice than ever before. According to Heuritech, consumers are leading the charge in the sustainable fashion movement with hashtags like #FashionRevolution, sparking a cultural shift towards greater transparency.
The #FashionRevolution movement is pushing brands to be more open about their production processes. With hashtags like #WhoMadeMyClothes, consumers want real, detailed information about where and how their clothes are made, and they want to be able to trace the journey of their purchases.
Blockchain technology is stepping in to provide this much-needed transparency. It lets consumers follow the production cycle of their goods and track the often complex supply chains. Blockchain creates a permanent, accessible public record of each stage in a brand's supply chain. This transparency makes the information trustworthy and prevents brands from engaging in greenwashing.
A start-up named Provenance has developed a blockchain platform that brands can use to share supply-chain information with their customers. This includes insights into the working conditions where garments are made and timelines tracing the entire journey of a piece of clothing.
Sustainability at the Manufacturing Stage
Integrating advanced technologies like AI, 3D customization, and body scanning can significantly boost sustainability in the fashion industry, especially during manufacturing. Here's how these innovations help:
Artificial Intelligence
- Efficient Production: AI can analyse vast amounts of data to accurately predict trends and consumer demands. This means brands can produce only what’s needed, reducing overproduction and waste.
- Optimised Supply Chains: AI can streamline supply chain operations by predicting potential disruptions and optimising logistics. This cuts down the carbon footprint associated with transportation and warehousing.
- Sustainable Material Sourcing: AI algorithms can identify and recommend sustainable materials based on their environmental impact. This ensures that the fabrics and materials used are eco-friendly and responsibly sourced.
3D Customisation
- Reduced Waste: 3D customisation allows consumers to design their garments, ensuring a perfect fit and personal style. This reduces the likelihood of returns and waste from ill-fitting clothes.
- On-Demand Production: With 3D customisation, garments are produced on demand rather than in bulk. This minimises excess inventory and waste, leading to a more sustainable production cycle.
- Material Efficiency: 3D printing technologies can optimise material usage, reducing scraps and leftovers. This precise approach to manufacturing significantly cuts down on fabric waste.
Body Scanning
- Perfect Fit: Body scanning technology captures precise body measurements, ensuring that garments fit perfectly. This reduces the need for alterations and returns, both of which contribute to waste.
- Personalised Patterns: Body scanning data can be used to create personalised patterns that maximise fabric efficiency. By cutting patterns that fit the exact dimensions of the wearer, manufacturers can reduce fabric waste.
- Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: When customers receive garments that fit them perfectly, their satisfaction increases. This reduces the churn rate of fast fashion, encouraging a more sustainable approach to fashion consumption.
Circular Fashion
After a garment has been bought and worn, it often ends up in a landfill, where it can remain for anywhere between 1 and 50 years. To close the loop in the clothing production cycle, garments should be recycled. This approach, known as circular fashion, aims to stop fashion waste from ending up in landfills. According to stats, 73% of clothing is either incinerated or ends up in landfills.
Circular fashion encourages re-using and recycling garments. Take Evrnu, for example, a textile company that uses its NuCycl technology to create new fibres from discarded clothing. They sort through the clothing, grade it, shred it, and then dissolve it into a pulp, which is sent to fibre producers. Other companies focus on recycling specific materials like cotton and viscose. Many fashion brands are also stepping up by collecting worn garments for recycling or helping consumers resell them.
Another exciting part of circular fashion is the resale and second-hand economy. Heuritech found that hashtags like #vintage and #secondhand are trending on Instagram. The resale market is booming and is projected to reach $36 billion by 2024, according to Vogue Business. Platforms like Poshmark, DePop, and Vestiaire Collective are thriving, and some companies even handle the entire reselling process for you.
ThredUP is one such company where consumers can order clean-out kits from the ThredUP app to donate their second-hand clothing or send it to ThredUP to sell. Once the items are listed on ThredUP’s website, bidding begins. When an item sells, the consumer gets a percentage of the profit. ThredUP is also teaming up with fashion brands to use their technology and resale systems to sell unsold clothing.
For the fashion industry to become more sustainable, embracing innovative technology is key. Consumers have made it clear that they care about the environmental and social impacts of their clothing and are willing to pay more for sustainable fashion from transparent brands. The growing demand for sustainable fashion is pushing the development of new technologies. As these technologies scale up, they can create significant change, reducing the industry's environmental impact. The fashion revolution is here, and the necessary changes are no longer a question of how, but when.