https://www.globaltextiletimes.com/trends/innovative-eco-friendly-textile-dyeing-methods-unveiled/How Might the Fashion Sector Cut Its Carbon Emissions?
Driven by its dynamic and powerful surroundings, the fashion sector is a creative dynamo fostering economic development. Emitting around 2-10% greenhouse gas (GHG), this changing sector presents a major environmental problem. This has demanded decarbonization, a quick fix for the urgent apparel sector carbon emissions problem.
What are fashion industry carbon emissions?
Fashion sector carbon emissions come from many points in the production and consumption cycle. Decarbonization is thus very essential to help to reduce the carbon emissions in the fashion business. Understanding the cause of carbon emissions in the fashion sector helps one to grasp them and how to address them by means of decarbonization.
Raw Materials Manufacturing
Fertilizers and herbicides used in cotton growing emit the strong greenhouse gas nitrous oxide. They call for a lot of water and energy. Along with energy use in animal husbandry, livestock emissions—including methane from cows and sheep—have an impact. Since polyester is sourced from petroleum, necessitating fuel extraction and processing that generates significant amounts of CO2, both manufacturing and recycling of it are resource intensive.
Packaging
Materials for packaging including paper, plastic, etc. greatly increase emissions. Recycling, landfilling, or burning for disposal also increases energy use, therefore aggravating the situation.
Distribution And Transportation
Emissions from ships, trucks, aircraft, etc. abound in both upstream transportation of raw materials from extraction sites to manufacturing facilities and downstream transportation of completed commodities from these units to retail outlets.
Retail Operations
Depending on grid power, retail establishments, office building s, and warehouses require a lot of energy for heating, cooling, lighting, and electronic gadgets which may be obtained from fossil fuels
Consumer Use
Consumers obviously have a major role in greenhouse gas emissions. The life cycle of a product depends on frequency of use and purchase as well; washing, ironing, and drying them increases the emission.
Every tiny action counts toward the emissions, even little ones like workers driving to and from their jobs and business operations like sales, marketing, and other events. Reducing carbon emissions in the fashion sector is thus very important as it also affects suppliers and partners to follow sustainable practices
Understanding Fashion Industry Carbon Emissions
Mostly, waste creation, transportation, and resource-intensive manufacturing techniques all help to explain the rise in carbon emissions of the apparel sector.
The sector has launched several commitments and labels as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), and the Fashion Pact for this, but essentially there is not much change at the ground level. Especially in Scope 3 emissions, which are most important, they are clearly off target in decarbonization.
Although H&M’s worldwide aim to decrease emissions by 56% by 2030 indicates a remarkable effort, it emphasizes the challenges ahead given only 7% of reduction goals accomplished thus far.
This results from the intricate network of worldwide supply chains, dearth of high-quality data, and financial constraints forcing businesses to choose economy above sustainability. Businesses that focus more on carbon intensity than on cuts also fail either. Crucially important are initiatives such industrial alliances, green bonds, supply chain openness programs, etc. To lower carbon emissions in the fashion sector, over $1 trillion in finance and a change in investor attitude are needed; so, more money should be invested into creative and sustainable technology.
Reducing carbon emissions in the fashion sector depends on an awareness of the creation of direct and indirect emissions.
Knowing The Effect On The surroundings
The influence of the fashion business on the surroundings takes first place. Here several problems are taken into consideration:
Wasteful Generation
Industrial waste results from manufacturing process scrap and damaged goods. Quick fashion trends of buying and throwing away more contributes to the waste. After washing synthetic clothing, releasing microfibers into rivers and seas compromises marine life.
Emissions of Greenhouse Gases
Representing 2–10% of the overall emissions, this component comes from high carbon footprint fibers derived from fossil fuels such as polyester. Furthermore contributing to the rise in emissions include the usage of fertilizers and energy-intensive agricultural methods including spinning, weaving, dying, etc. Raw material and product transportation and logistics clearly produce quite large emissions.
Use of Chemicals
Conventional cotton calls for tons of environmentally damaging herbicides and fertilizers. Along with a danger to workers and surrounding populations including respiratory difficulties, skin concerns, etc., the chemicals from textile operations including dyeing may cause pollution.
Water Contamination and
Consumption One cotton t-shirt comes from around 2,700 gallons of water. This shows how much water cotton growing depends on. Moreover, untreated wastewater dumped into aquatic bodies causes contamination of the water.
Resource Depletion
Using non-renewable resources like fossil fuels causes damage to the surroundings. Deforestation and the loss of biodiversity are two effects of the growing land use. Social Change The dangerous chemicals also greatly affect the workers, which results in bad working circumstances including low pay, horrible living conditions, and exploitation
Cutting Fashion Industry Carbon Emissions
Decarbonization is a crucial habit mainly because it seeks to preserve the ecological balance of the planet and lower carbon emissions in the fashion sector. Fashion businesses also have to follow sustainable policies in order to stay free from fines and any other damage to their name. Strict rules that have to be observed are enforced by the government and other regulating agencies. The methods should also be in line with the objectives of world climate change and help to realize them.
Obviously, lowering carbon emissions in the fashion business will also result in reduced waste and running expenses. Businesses that give sustainable practices first priority will be more suited to negotiate future rules and market developments. Reducing carbon emissions in the fashion sector also assists in developing better and healthier communities with less pollution and improved living circumstances.
By means of decarbonization, creative ideas find a place in corporate operations, therefore lowering carbon emissions in the fashion sector
Especially Scope 3, rules like the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) by the European Union (EU) have also been implemented for businesses to lower and disclose their carbon emissions. Software systems such as Carbon Trail help businesses to measure emissions transparently, using carbon accounting, etc. in line with the CSRD criteria
Direct emissions are greenhouse gas emissions from sources the firm owns or controls, including those from manufacturing operations and corporate cars. Conversely, indirect emissions—such as those resulting from the company’s operations but occurring at sources owned or under control of another entity—such as supply chain emissions and bought power. See Scope 1, 2, and 3 Emissions for a thorough examination of this.
Approaches to Lower Fashion Industry Carbon Emissions
Given their significant carbon footprint, the fashion sector has to have strong strategies to reduce carbon emissions by exploring caron fibers.
Natural Energy Sources
Installing solar panels or wind turbines at industrial facilities will enable a shift towards non-renewable energy, hence lowering reliance on fossil fuels. Offices and retail outlets have to have smart building technology, LED lighting, and energy-saving HVAC systems. Companies like Burberry, Levi Strauss & Co., Gucci, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, etc. have switched out renewable sources for power.
Transportation-related emissions
To cut transportation, manufacturing facilities and material procurement have to be arranged close to the point of sale. Simplifying logistics helps to reduce distance and boost effectiveness by means of minimum distance. Business activities should combine hybrid and electric cars. Apart from this, businesses may also cooperate with shipping firms providing low-emission or carbon-neutral transportation choices.
Ecological Materials
Substitute sustainable procurement of eco-friendly materials include organic cotton, bamboo, recycled polyester and nylon, mushroom leather, algae-based textiles, and bio-fibers with less environmental impact and reduced usage of synthetic fertilizers for raw materials.
Methods of the Circular Economy
Companies should, as much as they can, promote reusing and recycling items by means of new ideas, take-back programs, and customer involvement campaigns. Reusing and recycling items helped H&M’s clothing collection program, Levi’s Second Hand program, Nike’s Reuse A Shoe campaign, etc. lower carbon emissions in the fashion sector.
To prolong the life cycle of the items, they should also be premium and durable with readily replaceable or repairable components. Prominent companies like Stella McCartney and Patagonia have used sustainable business methods like waste reduction and material recycling to achieve decarbonization.
Manufacturing with Energy Efficiency
Another approach to maximize the process is the simplification of production techniques and the use of energy-efficient machinery for spinning and weaving
Working With Partners and Suppliers
Working with suppliers helps to guarantee that environmentally friendly methods are followed using fewer chemicals and water. Participating in certification initiatives like Fair Trade, Global Organic Trade Standard, etc. also helps to guarantee ethical and responsible source of these products. Companies such Nike, Puma, H&M, etc. work with their suppliers on projects, technical help, financial backing, etc.
Alternative Techniques
Other ways the fashion sector may lower carbon emissions include carbon offsetting programs, virtual fashion shows, digital sampling, 3D printing and customizing, renting, and subscription models.
Nike: Study on Decarbonization
Among the most well-known athletic companies, Nike has been a rising leader in decarbonization. Of which they have now attained 96% for their worldwide operations, they want to have 100% renewable energy by 2025. From an FY20 baseline, they effectively achieved a 69% and 93% decrease in Scope 1 and 2 emissions correspondingly in FY23. Furthermore down by 19% are Scope 3 emissions from industry and transportation.
From 0.9% to 1% in FY22, the proportion of goods delivered by air freight likewise dropped. Total outgoing emissions have also dropped to 21%. Emphasizing sustainable energy, Nike has made investments in building wind turbines at world distribution hubs such Australia, Belgium, China, Etc. Furthermore, LEED ( Leader in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation has been obtained by around 46 businesses.
Nike openly exposes its sustainability improvement via systems like the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Their design approach emphasizes the items’ longevity and resistance, therefore promoting a circular economy. Nike wants to cut Scope 1 and 2 by 65% and Scope 3 by 30% from a 2015 baseline by 2030, hence significantly lowering their carbon footprints.
Nike’s FY23 sustainability initiative overview
Obstacles And Possibilities To Cut Fashion Industry Carbon Emissions
The lack of supply chain openness is one of the main obstacles in the way the fashion sector can lower carbon emissions. Companies struggle to get reliable data from their suppliers, which makes it difficult for them to lower these emissions—especially Scope 3. Our blog extensively addresses Scope 3 emissions, stressing their effects on the carbon footprint of the fashion sector.
Setting science-based objectives is very essential if we are to strive to reduce carbon emissions in the fashion sector. Supported by the most recent climate science, SBTs are greenhouse gas reduction goals wherein businesses are obliged to contain global warming to well below 2°C over pre-industrial levels. Businesses with SBTs exhibit industry leadership and establish respectful relationships with suppliers, investors, and consumers.
While making technological investments, businesses might do lifecycle studies and demand vendors to provide missions information.
Wrapping Up
Reducing carbon emissions in the fashion sector, one of the main causes of them, has become very essential. Companies in the fashion business must implement circular economy, supply chain transparency, material innovation, and energy efficiency if they want to effectively lower these carbon emissions. These will assist to lower environmental harm, save resources, and lessen dependency on fossil fuels.
Bringing systematic change, via strengthening relationships, and industry-wide best practices sharing, depends on working with governments, NGOs, etc. In a market always changing, this will improve resilience and competitiveness. Reducing carbon emissions in the fashion sector and reaching net zero requires for ongoing innovation and tenacity and dedication.
Examining creative brands and current projects reveals that a long-term commitment to lower carbon emissions in the fashion sector is very essential in order to propel good change and guarantee a sustainable future for next generations.
