SUSTAINABLY SPEAKING

From his new book, which focuses on simplifying climate change and sustainability, environment activist and author Aakash Ranison shares a chapter that delves into details about the cycles of the textile industry and garment production

Producing 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions (CO2e) per year, the textile and apparel industry generates more emissions than international flights and maritime shipping.

With new trends hitting the market multiple times every year, and the advent of the age of social media and e-commerce, the demand for fashion has increased exponentially over the last decade. With increased demand comes the need for increased manufacturing.

As with most other industries, when manufacturing must be upscaled to meet a time-bound demand, corners must be cut and shortcuts must be taken.

Unfortunately, these shortcuts typically mean that someone along the supply chain must lose so the industry can win.

In the case of the fashion industry, that someone is all of us - we just don't know it yet.

Not only does this accelerated cycle of demand and supply put monumental stress on our natural resources, but it also adds to energy costs and results in harmful chemicals being introduced into our air, land, lakes, rivers and oceans due to a lack of proper waste management.

This also means that the clothes that you buy with your hard-earned money are made with cheap, nondurable material, prioritising efficiency over quality.

But let's take this one step at a time and analyse the gaps in sustainability across the textile manufacturing supply chain - beginning with the fabrics themselves.

WOOL OVER OUR EYES: MANUFACTURING FABRICS

As is the case with most industries in our capitalistic society, consumers are led to believe that we are responsible for how the industry behaves. As such, the average person is made to think that all the industry's problems, as well as their solutions, lie in their hands.