Fashion waste has become a tremendous trouble and there is no denying the dangerous impacts these mountains of dead clothes are causing on the environment. The fashion industry has gone into the black hole of fast fashion and without even taking a breather it’s been on rapid production of billions of garments annually. More than 80% of clothes are discarded in landfills if not sold.Global warming continues to impact every life and living on the earth but very few countries have been capable enough to acknowledge the current crisis and take razor-sharp steps towards the forthcoming challenges. The climate emergency is giving signals, that what we witness around the world with natural calamities and chemical damage to human life is very evident. Climate catastrophes are getting louder as human tendencies remain unrefined of the fact that the planet is under red alert. It’s no longer a distant vision, as crises are here and only gonna get nastier soon if strong precautions are not taken by the authorities.
France is the capital of fashion, art and cultural heritage. The consequences of global warming are overwhelming the French government. As per the France Climate Resilience Policy Indicator, France has developed several policies and tools to support climate change adaptation in various sectors. It established the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in 2006 to enhance public health and safety, address social inequalities caused by climate risks, limit climate costs and preserve the country’s natural heritage. To implement the strategy, France released the PNACC 1 (2011-2015) in 2011. To add another initiative towards a sustainable culture, the French government started a new scheme on “Repair Bonus” for nationals who can fetch their garments in for repair will be awarded €6 to €25 contingent on their fabric and restoration complexity. The French government will reward all bonuses from its €154m sustainability fund over the next five years, hoping to continue the movements over the coming decades. The scheme persists in cutting clothing waste by motivating shoppers to purchase high-quality apparel that will be classic style and last for a lifetime if it’s washed and presented reasonably. This project will increase employment opportunities for tailors and leather goods repair people allowing all stores to apply for it free of charge.
It’s time for the fashion industry and government to take radical actions on a mass scale just like the French government. It’s time for the ‘buying more new’ notion to be put to rest for some time and the fashion system to change. It’s time to change the way we think and act towards retail therapy and invest in sustainability like never before. It is crucial to transform the idea of bringing change on a bigger scale by following the ideology of repairing, repeating and recycling the existing clothing. The 2023 Global Fashion Transparency Index shows us that the gap between what brands are saying and doing is widening, with more brands telling us about their policies and commitments than the outcome or progress of the targets. This year 72% of major brands publish measurable, time-bound and long-term targets towards improving environmental impacts yet only 61% disclose their progress towards achieving them. We see a similar trend with human rights, with 47% of brands publishing targets to improve their practices but 40% disclosing progress towards reaching these goals. Putting a pause on buying new goods and focusing on repair will be impactful actions towards green washing.
France is the capital of fashion, art and cultural heritage. The consequences of global warming are overwhelming the French government. As per the France Climate Resilience Policy Indicator, France has developed several policies and tools to support climate change adaptation in various sectors. It established the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in 2006 to enhance public health and safety, address social inequalities caused by climate risks, limit climate costs and preserve the country’s natural heritage. To implement the strategy, France released the PNACC 1 (2011-2015) in 2011. To add another initiative towards a sustainable culture, the French government started a new scheme on “Repair Bonus” for nationals who can fetch their garments in for repair will be awarded €6 to €25 contingent on their fabric and restoration complexity. The French government will reward all bonuses from its €154m sustainability fund over the next five years, hoping to continue the movements over the coming decades. The scheme persists in cutting clothing waste by motivating shoppers to purchase high-quality apparel that will be classic style and last for a lifetime if it’s washed and presented reasonably. This project will increase employment opportunities for tailors and leather goods repair people allowing all stores to apply for it free of charge.
It’s time for the fashion industry and government to take radical actions on a mass scale just like the French government. It’s time for the ‘buying more new’ notion to be put to rest for some time and the fashion system to change. It’s time to change the way we think and act towards retail therapy and invest in sustainability like never before. It is crucial to transform the idea of bringing change on a bigger scale by following the ideology of repairing, repeating and recycling the existing clothing. The 2023 Global Fashion Transparency Index shows us that the gap between what brands are saying and doing is widening, with more brands telling us about their policies and commitments than the outcome or progress of the targets. This year 72% of major brands publish measurable, time-bound and long-term targets towards improving environmental impacts yet only 61% disclose their progress towards achieving them. We see a similar trend with human rights, with 47% of brands publishing targets to improve their practices but 40% disclosing progress towards reaching these goals. Putting a pause on buying new goods and focusing on repair will be impactful actions towards green washing.
