1
SUSTAINABILITY & THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY
United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs)
The SDGs were officially stated in 2015 with a target year of accomplishment for 2030. The SDG Guide provides a background perspective and full understanding of how these seventeen topics came to be. These topics highlight the current global challenges of our time, calling for a united collaboration between countries to balance the three dimensions of sustainable development — economic growth, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion.
Here's a video that provides a great visual explanation and easy-to-understand break-up of the Sustainable Development Goals.
193 countries. 15 years. 17 goals. 169 targets. Hundreds of indicators
Since their conception in 2015, the UN SDGs guide increasingly important decisions in governments and business related to the financial and structural development of large-scale operations. Three fashion brands highlighted by the Certified B-Corporation group in their efforts to align their business strategies with the UN SDGs are:
The Good Tee, who focus on SDGs 1 [No Poverty], 5 [Gender Equality], & 12 [Responsible Production & Consumption]. They partner with suppliers who share a common vision of efficiency, openness, and transparency, promote sustainable livelihoods for farmers and workers while protecting fragile ecosystems, and support Franciscan nuns and sisters' orphanages and elderly care facilities.
Dhana Inc., who focus on eight SDGs including 5 [Gender Equality], 8 [Decent Work & Economic Growth], 10 [Reduced Inequalities], 12 [Responsible Production & Consumption], & 13 [Climate Action]. They are a women owned and women led brand providing career empowerment to women from diverse backgrounds. By focusing on upcycling - the repurpose and reuse of disposed garments - and slow development, Dhana has aligned their business in accordance with the NetZero 2030 commitment and encourages their customers to be a part of the solution.
Eco Promotional Products Inc., focus on more than half of the SDGs with initiatives that touch on twelve of the seventeen, including 2 [Zero Hunger], 5 [Gender Equality], 8 [Decent Work & Economic Growth]. Their sustainability efforts extend through all of their products, not solely apparel, which facilitate a low-waste method and conscious sourcing. Michelle Sheldon, President of Eco Promotional Products, says, "Instead of adding SDGs, we are trying to be stronger and louder about the ones we already touch on. It’s a lot and there is so much work to be done."
The Circular Economy
As global nations united in solidarity under the promise to uphold the doctrine of the Sustainable Development Goals, one truth gains evidence - 'sustainable' is no longer on the flag at the end of the finish line. In fact, there no longer is a finish line. We can't keep operating business as usual, even with the adoption of responsibly sourced materials and fair working practices. The issues is our waste stream, and the answer to excavating waste production is to divert from a take-make-waste model and properly direct products and materials at the end of their viable life back into the materials mix for another spin in the life cycle.
Such is the inherent belief of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a research group commonly touted as the leading-party of the circular economy.
The Circular Economy consists of three focus areas: 1) regenerative natural systems, 2) designing out waste and pollution, 3) keeping products and materials in use longer. The following infographic serves as a visual guide of the manufacturing, assembly, distribution, use, recycle, and rerun steps within a circular economy.
Our discussion for Week 1 required us to watch a video from the Ellen MacArthur foundation in which team members discuss the circular economy in layman's terms and suggest useful ways for people to habituate circular thinking in their own lives. Below are my responses to the guided questions and links to resource pages on the Ellen MacArthur site that provide further detail on the topics.
2
THE FASHION LIFE CYCLE
The journey of a product, from the extraction of the raw fiber to the point of its intended recycle.
Cotton
From seed to shirt, Cotton travels aboard a fossil fuel pipeline, stopping at more steps along the way than most.
Irrigation. Washing. Spinning. Washing. Dyeing. Washing. Finishing. Washing ... And extra extra washing.
Pesticide showers improves cotton's powers. And leave farmland sour to regenerative growth.
Legend has it, the look of the fish caught in the local river predicts next seasons core colors and finishes.
Polyester
Petroleum extraction. Processing. Allocating. Reprocessing. Melting & Molding. Spinning. Reverse Processing.
Considerably less intensive than cotton for both the manufacturing and consumer care stages.
Fossil fuel based material requiring energy intensive processing to become a single use product incapable of decomposing.
Microplastics dislodge from yarn and shed into water streams or dispersed into the air, poisoning natural ecosystem.
Consumer wash and care behaviors are habitually energy intensive and heavily reliant on heat settings, all of which amass a large carbon footprint.
Toss it in the wash holds a heavier sentiment when careless washing practices are at play.
Typical detergents are saturated with cleaning agents containing a laundry list of toxins.
Water treatment plants struggle to purify water contaminated with chemicals and microfibers that are unknowingly released during the wash cycle.
Adverse reactions to chemical and air pollutants are common, but methods to cure and counter such reactions are not.
Suggestions for the integration of SDG 6. 9. 12. 13. 17. into the fashion life cycle.
3
MAKING FASHION CIRCULAR & B-CORPS
Circulytics
A comprehensive assessment created by The Ellen MacArthur Foundation to support a company’s transition towards the circular economy, regardless of industry, complexity, and size.
Broken into two categories: 1) Enablers & 2) Outcomes
1,250 companies have completed the Circulytics assessment, including Unilever, Ikea, and H&M.
Certified B Corporation
Businesses that balance purpose and profit. B Corps are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment.
4,167 Companies. 153 Industries. 77 Countries. 1 Goal.
As B Corporations and leaders of this emerging economy, we believe:
That we must be the change we seek in the world.
That all business ought to be conducted as if people and place mattered.
That, through their products, practices, and profits, businesses should aspire to do no harm and benefit all.
To do so requires that we act with the understanding that we are each dependent upon another and thus responsible for each other and future generations.
Patagonia
Circulytics Assessment & B Corp Case Study
4
SAFE & RENEWABLE MATERIALS
The benefits of sourcing better materials run far deeper than marketing clout - these materials lessen depletion of non-renewable materials, decrease use of fossil fuel based products, and benefit local communities and ecosystems rather than destroying them.
However, the greatest benefit of using safe and renewable materials is tied to marketing, as exposure of better practices and better materials increases transparency, which drives change, leads to impact, enhances accountability, and encourages the adoption of eco-conscious practices by other entities.
Sustainable Apparel Coalition & Higg Index
In 2009, Walmart and Patagonia joined forces to create a method for their peers in the apparel, footwear, and textile sector to measure sustainability performance. Today, that method is more commonly referred to as the Higg Index - and it is far more extensive than any performance meter created to date. The suite, hosted by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, is stocked with 5 specific tools:
Facilities Tools - Standardizing the Measurement of Social and Environmental Impacts in Facilities
Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) & Higg Facility Social & Labor Module (FSLM)
Brand & Retail Tools - Working to Protect People and the Planet
Higg Brand & Retail Module (BRM)
Product Tools - Make Better Choices at Every Stage of a Product’s Development
Higg Product Module (PM) & Higg Materials Sustainability Index (MSI) [Previously known as Nike Considered Index - donated by Nike in 2012]
Assessing & Replacing Elastane
Elastane
Elastane, commonly referred to in the US as its synonym ‘spandex’ or brand name ‘Lycra’, is the European term for this synthetic fiber. It has great tensile strength, proves high in abrasion resistance, wicks away perspiration because of its hydrophobic quality, and is relatively lightweight. Elastane is used in a variety of fabric for the same essential purpose - to provide stretch. According to this article from Chemical and Engineering News, elastane can stretch up to 600% it’s original size and recover normally. Typical garments containing elastane are skinny/stretch jeans, athletic/workout gear, swimwear, and underwear. It’s important to note that elastane is rarely, if ever, used alone; most garments with elastane have a higher percentage of other natural and synthetic fibers, like cotton and polyester. As a synthetic, elastane originates from the processing of fossil fuels and is of a polyurethane base. Although it’s used in small percentages in the clothing that contain it, when that garment is left to deteriorate, the elastane will remain long after the other fibers have faded away.
Alternate Fibers
There are very few fibers on the market that serve as “better” substitutes for elastane. The fiber is exceedingly specific in the qualities it possesses, making it difficult to be equated by a more sustainably sourced fiber. Many brands are putting money into R&D for bio-based elastane fibers. In theory, these fibers are better because they’re derived from a natural and regenerative source, but they also require processing with heavy, harmful chemicals to become a viable product. Also, using food waste products can be equally detrimental for the environment because an increase in demand leads to more intensive farming and sourcing practices.
Sorona, a bio-based polymer, is on the market as an elastane alternative. It is a subclass of the technical polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT or Triexta) fiber category. Although Sorona wasn’t in the Higg index, PTT is so I chose to compare the two. I found that PTT is only better than elastane regarding water scarcity and eutrophication, but it scores worse in global warming, resource depletion/fossil fuels, and chemistry. Sorona is a bio-based fabric made from the fermentation and processing of glucose. According to the Sorona brand site, it takes the combination of terephthalic acid to bond into a usable fiber, which depletes its benefit of being a naturally sourced material.
Another alternative to elastane is nylon. It is in no way better than elastane, proven by considerably worse scores in every category. But, improvements in fiber technology have increased the sourcing of recycled nylon, which is a better option than sourcing virgin material. One such fiber is ECONYL® regenerate nylon - made from waste and designed to be recycled again and again. Unfortunately, even recycled fibers and fabrics can inflict a strong energy and environmental impact because of the methods used to separate, shred, and reprocess post-consumer materials into new fibers. Most of the technology to do so is in it’s beta-phase experimentation, yet the effort to generate more conscious fabrics is commendable.
Common Objective posted an updated list of sustainable stretch fabrics in lieu of elastane. They quote the environmental impact of elastane as found in the Higg Index, mentioning its similarities to polyester relating to construction and environmental impact.
As mentioned, bio-based and recycled stretch fabrics are a step in the right direction away from virgin, polymer based fibers, but they’re still not the cream of the crop. Take for example LYCRA® EcoMade. Said to be made with one intention in mind - waste reduction - this fiber consists of only 20% recycled content combined with a virgin polymer to retain strength. Another fiber mentioned in the article is Sheiflex’s Spanflex recycled elastane made from production waste. Giving a second life to material already in the fashion life cycle is important, but recycling and reusing the same synthetic materials fails to negate the imposing issue of toxicity from the chance disposal of an oil-based fiber.
5
MODELS TO INCREASE CLOTHING UTILIZATION
According to findings by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, over $500 billion in product value is lost every year because of the carelessness around clothing. The main catalysts for such a blow are under-utilized items, lack of proper recycling, and lack of total recyclability.
A finding out of the Pulse of the Fashion Industry 2017, published by Global Fashion Agenda, states that 92 million tons of solid textile waste is dumped in landfills each year.
That number, while shockingly large, is minuscule compared to the 100 billion apparel items produced in 2014 alone (McKinsey).
A Recommendation to My Company
I recommend this company lead with the message that our products are of a high quality, both in materials and construction methods, which equates their value and responsibility to be well treated. Beyond product-focused dialogue, provide validated, traceable information to back up claims in a way that provides honest clarity to our customer. It is our responsibility to increase access to proper end-of-life streams for our customers, which starts with designing our products for circularity and consciously explaining the importance of the customers role in maintaining the longevity of the items they buy. The methods to encourage clothing utilization at the brand level are varied, but because of the many viable options that promote themselves to consumers directly, we face growing demand to integrate these systems into our own. Fashion trends are no longer dictated by the brands and publications, they’re driven by customers' stubbornness on the actions of the brands they support. Fashion consumers are more keen on how they’d like to help the industry improve, making it our decision to not sit back and give lip service about all they should be doing at an individual level, but rather provide them with our accountability and promise to provide them beautiful garments designed with consciousness.
Transforming the Fashion Industry: Case Study
Ways to increase clothing utilization:
Rental keeps garments in the use stage. An item flows in and out of different closets, sourced for a perfect occasion or one of other rented items testing their fit to join the ranks of a curated sustainable wardrobe. As purchased garments are worn less and less, a behavior favored by the ‘wear it once’ trend, providing an opportunity for an item to be worn once by multiple people extends its life. Brands that propel the rental model keep a close eye on the impact of each piece, tracking it between wearers and properly cleaning and mending it before it’s sent off to be worn again.
Resale is similar to the rental model in that a garment is passed between hands, but the time it spends with each owner, how well it’s taken care of, and where the piece goes when it’s no longer wanted by the new owner are less obvious. In some cases, the piece is devalued - stuffed in a bag with other unwanteds and sent to a donation store, where it’s thrown on a rack in a wrinkled mess and sold for a fraction of market value. Other resale items are more valuable, like vintage garments or high-end luxury pieces, those whose expense and scarcity can cause resale price to surpass retail.
Repair is a different take on prolonging the utilization of clothing. Those with the skill to mend and hem garments can restore the quality of an item after multiple wears, be that people repairing their clothing at home or taking pieces to a specialist, like a tailor. Regarding the latter option, brands can participate in the circularity of repair by employing tailors at their stores. The investment of sourcing a specialist is returned by the encouragement of customers coming back to the store to maintain their favorite pieces. Brick-and-mortar touch points provide opportunities to engage customers and make them feel like an integral part of the larger brand ecosystem.
Responsibility to increase clothing utilization:
The responsibility to increase and improve methods for clothing utilization belongs to the industry. The people and businesses that supply the product are those who’ve changed the clothing narrative from one of artisan craft to inflated novelty and degraded quality. These entities are better supplied, financially provided, and further connected to integrated systems and developing research that foster the development of high quality items designed for proper recyclability. As such, it is their business strategy that must adopt new methods to make good from their oblivious wastefulness.
As customers are bombarded with information about the pollutive nature of the fashion industry and use their purchasing power to dictate brands into providing transparency of their policies and procurements, they’ll also need to recognize and align to their role in the circular model. Understanding they crave convenience when they buy, use, and dispose, and how very few are stocked with the skills to repair or redesign their clothing, apparel brands can capitalize on the versatility of a circular model to support the various preferences of their customer base.
While the signs all point towards improved systems, brands remain reluctant. Therefore, policy must support industry. There’s a vast disconnect between customers’ want to support the changing system and brands’ care to reconfigure their systems while the current model remains profitably accommodating. As the necessity for change increases, a system's upheaval and government mandates regulating materials and labor practices will be the only way to spur timely action.
Encouraging the customer to participate:
The first step is informing the customer of the issue and the importance of change. Many would point to the fact that customers are overinformed, or rather overwhelmed, with shocking statistics and gruesome graphics of the horrors the current system imposes. But it’s important that they understand what has happened, why these are the issues that have come from past choices, and how to change it, so they can better support systems made to both treat the problem and drive longlasting, high quality impact.
Beyond industry history, we must also inform them of proper consumption and use practices. This includes providing validated lists and sources of materials, chemicals, manufacturing, labor rights and end of life streams so they can make informed purchase and disposal decisions. Additionally, teaching proper wash and care techniques at home is helpful to maintain the quality and longevity of their clothing. More importantly, as synthetic microfiber buildup in oceans and ecosystems continues, garment care in wash will be a vital step on the individual impact front. Lastly, we need to bring the circular economy into the mainstream and away from the lofty conversations it touts in sustainability and economics conferences. By advancing circular systems so they’re accessible to the masses, repair, rental, and resale will extend beyond the fashion industry and become normal operations models for the economy as a whole.
6
GIVING FASHION A LONGER LIFE
A Solution: Run in Circles
In order to curb the effects our wastefulness will inevitably reap its vengeance through, we must begin by designing out waste. Where we've habituated a cradle-to-grave model (take --> make --> use --> waste), the future depends on a cradle-to-cradle model (take --> make --> use --> recycle --> remake --> reuse). This method supports the circular economy, in which products at the end of their usable life stage are circulated back into the lifecycle through proper recycling practices.
Veja is a sneaker company with a dedicated mission to alter the standard manner through which sneakers are made - starting first with designing for sustainability and circularity and ensuring their production methods meet the toughening standards of the times. They have multiple landing site spreads of their website dedicated to their materials, which include information about certifications and farming practices. In a section entitled transparency, Veja provides an easy and immediate downloadable zip file to PDF copies of five contracts they have with organic cotton farmers and a link to their organic labeling certifications. They also provide proof of their FLO-CERT certification documents and chemical test runs for 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2021. Additionally, Veja is B-Corp certified, which indicates their answers to the 300 questions associated with B-Corp certification were transparent and transformative enough to merit their listing.
I’ve seen Veja sneakers around for a long time and from any owner I’ve spoken to, their mission to make cool sneakers in an ethical way is top of mind for both the sustainably savvy and not. This was the first time I really dug into their site, and I’m floored by how user friendly, comprehendible, and digestibly informative the layout is. As a large scale company with multiple stakeholder ties and growing production stream, it is clear that Veja prioritizes their honest and open communication with the customer about the importance of their work. Whether the reader is a curious mind who’d like to know what kind of materials the shoes actually consist of, or a sustainability sleuth looking to find tangible proof of their practices, the website and supporting pages provide clear information for any interest level.
My opinion is that Veja is a leader in the sustainability communications space. The conversation around marketing sustainability rides a fine line between aloof green washing and dense technicalities, but the way Veja uses graphics, PDF links, modern terminology, and personal stories asserts their dedication to transparency and knowledge sharing.
I almost solely shop second hand, and during those searches I look for well made pieces from established ethical brands and buy with the intent to keep the pieces in my closet for a handful of years. Aside from shoes, it’s been well over a year since I’ve purchased directly from a retailer, and even then I’ve made the choice to only support brands who are openly transparent and active with their sustainability and social responsibility policies. I used to go through an almost weekly cycle of buy-from-goodwill, donate-back-to-goodwill, but in the past year I’ve tried to cut back on my purchasing, opting to make new outfit combinations with the large amount of clothing already in my closet. Aside from my roommate and I openly sharing our closet, every couple of months I put together a small clothing swap with my friends. Early in 2020 I was looking to organize a larger community clothing swap for that April, but … ya know. There’s also a growing pile of clothing in my storage closet that I don’t have interest in wearing as-is anymore, so after school ends I’m going to redesign / upcycle most of them them into new looks to freshen up my closet, and hopefully start selling some pieces and freelance my tailoring and design skills to do the same thing for other people’s love-lost clothing.
Last time I bought a bathing suit it was from Natasha Tonic - she makes her pieces from organic materials like hemp, designs/cuts/sews directly in LA, and uses biodegradable packaging.
Like I mentioned, I’ll shop directly from retailers for shoes. I’m a big Chuck Taylor’s fan, and Converse Renew is their line made from recycled and sustainably sourced materials.
As I’ve learned more about the circular economy, I realized that donating clothing to second hand stores is one of the worst ways to ensure that it ends up being reused in the proper way. Last time I donated, I dropped my stuff off at Midnight Mission in downtown LA. Public services that accept donations usually use the items for better reasons, like giving clothing to unhoused individuals and securely selling valuables as a revenue stream for their organizations’ mission.
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As for the future of sustainable fashion, well, like any future we look toward, the digital world is taking hold.
In Conclusion,
And as with the circularity of life, I end my time at FIDM with this class - one that promotes the ideals that paved way for my acceptance to the institution. The following attachments are two projects that at their point of conception were based on passion and principle, but their creation laid the foundation for my entrance into the industry.
My essay submission to the FIDM 2020 National Scholarship Competition - Business Challenge, of which I was one of six finalists awarded a scholarship for enrollment:
My Undergraduate Honors Thesis, written and defended through Arizona State University - Barrett, the Honors College: