Day 66: Too few fashion brands are setting emissions targets, finds Collective Fashion Justice

8/29/2024

Day 66: Too few fashion brands are setting emissions targets, finds Collective Fashion Justice

The fashion industry, beloved by many and celebrated for its creativity, holds a darker truth: it’s a significant contributor to the climate crisis. While global conversations about sustainability in fashion have increased in recent years, a new report from Collective Fashion Justice reveals that progress is severely lacking, including among British Fashion Council (BFC) member brands.

According to the report, only 3.4% of BFC members have set public emissions targets, and even fewer — just 2.4% — have targets aligned with the Paris Agreement. These findings highlight a dangerous gap between the urgency of the climate crisis and the actions being taken by the fashion industry.

As Collective Fashion Justice stated: “Less than 4% of British Fashion Council brands have a climate target — let alone one that is science-based, ensuring emissions are reduced before it’s too late.” With fashion responsible for up to 12% of global greenhouse gas emissions, setting ambitious, science-based targets is no longer optional. Without these measures, as the report starkly warns, “the fashion industry is digging its own and our collective grave”.

A significant contributor to fashion’s climate impact lies in its raw material production, which accounts for 38% of its total emissions. Notably, the use of animal-derived materials such as leather, wool and cashmere generates substantial methane emissions, a greenhouse gas far more potent than CO2. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has stressed the importance of slashing methane emissions by one third to avoid catastrophic tipping points. Despite these warnings, the fashion industry remains reluctant to address the environmental costs associated with animal materials.

While fossil fuel-based fibres like polyester have rightfully earned criticism, Collective Fashion Justice stresses that the climate impact of animal fibres cannot be overlooked.

With climate change already driving deadly heatwaves in Asia — where many of the industry’s materials are sourced — the future of fashion is in jeopardy, says the report.

As the report concludes, “Fashion is a major contributor to the climate crisis… Without radical action, the fashion industry will not achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.” The question is, will enough brands step up before it’s too late?

Everything I wore on day 66 of the 90 days of Shein challenge: