Planet
As a designer, this topic is essential because it is vital to work with qualitative materials and eco-friendly brands. The designers can significantly contribute to the positive changes in the fast fashion market. The fashion industry is among the industries that pollute the environment the most. Fabric dyeing and finishing are the world’s second-largest sources of freshwater pollution, after agriculture. Thus, addressing the allocated actions necessary to advance a more ecological fashion is essential.
One possible way is to use eco-friendlier materials in products such as organic natural textiles, organic cotton, and organic hemp. Another possible approach is to promote the use of regenerative fiber textiles. The researchers also offer closed-loop cellulose processing textiles to minimize cotton waste (Dou et al. 2022). This approach considers prolonging the service life of dyed cotton textile waste (Dou et al. 2022). All these practices are taken into consideration and applied during the design process.
Consumers can also positively impact the current environmental problems by choosing secondary or tertiary suppliers. There are many options for purchasing high-quality clothes. The dead-stock textile jobbers sell vintage, up-cycled, renewed, and good-looking clothes.
Following fashion trends is not an eco-friendly decision. Consumers would be more rational in choosing a particular style if they were limited to qualitative clothes. As customers, we can improve the environmental side by buying clothes from sustainable brands, recycling clothes instead of throwing them away, and trying to only buy what we need, such as clothing that we know we will use all year round.
- Seek better quality products and materials.
- Look after your clothes so they last longer.
- Self-awareness when it comes to spending money on certain clothing stores.
People
This topic is essential for me to be aware of, as it highlights possible difficulties in working with people when designing. It can help to support the fair brand. This topic is also related to the customers’ perception of fashion. It is also vital for the design process because all production is inherently customer-oriented.
Today, fast fashion has become a trend that harms the economy and leads to unfair working conditions. The production of fast fashion often violates workers’ rights to achieve a living wage, as mandated by the approved standard. The issues of inequality in production lead to significant discrimination caused by cheap labor (Assoune n.d.). It is essential to mention the vital role of communication involvement for fundraising activities and educational events.
Fashion sustainability is a problem that needs to be discussed with our friends, family, and acquaintances. The biggest problem is our lack of knowledge about this, and the fact that people think it is not important because it’s just clothes. Social media is a very powerful tool that can be used to spread awareness. As future designers, it is our job and responsibility to turn things around and work towards our environment.
- The mindful control of the working conditions for all employees.
- Teaching consumers to change their perspective towards what “organic” looks like.
- Buying clothes is an investment in the future preservation of nature.
- Sponsoring the brands that avoid utilizing cheap labor.
Economy
For the designer, it is essential to understand the economic issues that exist and how they affect the environment. It can help to create more rational working plans. The fast fashion industry is based on frequent sales of fashionable, inexpensive novelties. Thoughtful advertising, various discounts, and special offers encourage consumers to make as many spontaneous purchases as possible. At the same time, the earnings strategy of many textile concerns is aimed not at quality but at quantity.
With most of a product’s environmental impact generated during the design phase, prioritizing sustainability on the designers’ agenda can significantly benefit both the industry and the environment (Khandual and Pradhan, 2018). It is also worth noting that during the design process, there are tools available for predicting the development of projects and their components, including environmental risks and associated financial costs. One such instrument is a quality certification system used to validate environmental practices.
Businesses should focus on recycling as many materials as possible and learning how to create better products. Quality over quantity, investing in garments that would last instead of buying cheap ones over and over again, which would create more damage to the environment. Reusing materials is very important because it allows us to create something new rather than wasting resources; this will challenge designers to be more innovative. Every clothing store, even luxury brands, should make campaigns and spread awareness on recycling used clothes and what we should do with them.
Possible Actions and Steps
- Designing the campaigns to educate producers and consumers to be more eco-friendly.
- Changing the business strategies of the fashion industry towards the production of clothing that can be easily recycled.
- Educating consumers and employees to be more conscious clothing buyers.
- Direct efforts to minimize fast fashion are detrimental to the environment, including the designing plan (Khandual and Pradhan 2018).
- Promote advertising for brands using biodegradable materials.
- The global governmental policies are designed to create sustainable fashion (Khandual and Pradhan 2018).
- Governmental regulation of the use of harmful chemicals.
- Application of project development forecasting tools.
References
Assoune, Alex. n.d. “The Truth About Workers Conditions in Fast Fashion.” Panaprium.
Dou Hao, Fan Wei, Ge Shengbo, Hou Lin, Lam Su, Liu Hongxia, Miao Yapping, Shi Yang, Yu Xichen, Wang Shujuan, et al. 2022. “Closed-Loop Recycling of Colored Regenerated Cellulose Fibers from The Dyed Cotton Textile Waste.” Cellulose.
Khandual Asimananda and Pradhan Swikruti. 2019. “Fashion Brands and Consumers Approach Towards Sustainable Fashion.” In Fast Fashion, Fashion Brands and Sustainable Consumption: Textile Science and Clothing Technology, edited by Sue Muthu, 37–54. Singapore: Springer.