The connection between the fashion industry and the environment is clear – depending on various standards of measurement, the global fashion industry produces anywhere from four to 10 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. As a multi-trillion-dollar sector that’s only expected to grow, brands are scrambling to become more environmentally-friendly, especially as consumer awareness increases.
But difficulties arise when retailers try to address sustainability, because fashion is not just one industry – it’s several, including the agricultural, chemical and fossil fuels. Adding to the interconnected nature of fashion is the fact that sustainability models will look different depending on the size of the business and across products and regions.
Canadian retailers are finding different ways of adopting sustainable practices that are most suited to their niche.
Examples: Take Kotn
A Toronto-based home and clothing brand that sources directly from Egypt.
Chief executive officer and co-founder Rami Helali is a strong believer that traceability is the foundation of any sustainable retailer. “You can’t tackle your material impact on climate change as an industry without understanding the entire impact of your supply chain – not just the final garment being assembled,” he says.
This means knowing where all stages of production take place, ranging from where raw materials are farmed to where the final product is put together
The issue lies with traceability of the Brands
A 2021 report on transparency in the fashion industry published by Fashion Revolution found that, among 250 of the world’s largest brands, only 47 per cent disclosed their first-tier manufacturer details, which is the final stage of production such as sewing and packaging.
The numbers beyond first-tier suppliers are much more dismal, with only 27 per cent of surveyed brands disclosing second-tier suppliers, also known as processing facilities. When it comes to the final tier of where raw materials are sourced, the number drops to 11 per cent. Notable Canadian brands on the list include Aritzia and Canada Goose, which both scored one per cent on traceability.
Brands in footwear sustainability lead the way
Footwear company Thesus, which changed its name from Alice + Whittles on Nov. 1, is also committed to reaching full traceability. Where Thesus really thrives are its designs and materials. Thesus isn’t a fast fashion company – they don’t release new products every season, or even every year. Instead, they take the time to develop a product that is sustainable.
The company is part of a growing trend in the industry to pivot away from more damaging materials such as polyester and toward more environmentally friendly materials such as hemp.
As sustainability is a spectrum. It’s not a binary, it’s not good or bad. There are so many ranges on what sustainability can look like. We can only hope that the Canadian fashion industry will realize the importance of creating circularity and start working toward that in a variety of ways.
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