It is no news that the fashion industry is one of the largest polluters, and in the midst of the sustainability shift, this industry has been particularly exposed to criticism in recent years. From production, waste, harmful materials, to encouraging excessive purchasing… these are just some of the reasons why even the biggest fans of the most well-known creative industry keep fashion under scrutiny.
However, it is clear to us that the production part is just a small part of fashion where ‘money is made’. Show, display, presentation, elite, the most famous faces, ‘mine is better than yours’… all of this is part of fashion ‘parades’, or events, which are an important segment of the industry. But aside from bringing profit to the industry and entertainment to the audience, have you ever wondered how much they contribute to pollution?
Criticism of the Fashion Industry
Simply put, all criticisms of this industry become clearer when the numbers are put on paper showing that through its activities, the fashion industry is responsible for eight to ten percent of created carbon emissions, according to the UN, that 85 percent of textiles end up in landfills every year, washing certain types of clothing sends a significant amount of microplastics into the ocean…
Fast fashion, which has become the pattern for almost all brands, has only worsened the problem. Global clothing production doubled between 2000 and 2015 (and continues to grow), according to data from the non-profit organization Wrap, while the average number of times clothing is worn has decreased by 36 percent. Major brands launch hundreds of collections each year, and the emergence of cheap online stores has normalized almost daily clothing purchases for ten euros or less, leading many to treat clothing as disposable.
Low prices have thus been prioritized over the ecological damage that occurs.
Fashion ‘Parades’ as Ecological Disasters
However, it is interesting how even in discussing the problems caused by the fashion industry, the ‘hidden carbon footprint’ of the fashion industry created by major fashion events and everything surrounding them is forgotten. After the recent Paris Fashion Week, it is worth mentioning that besides the largest fashion events in the ‘big four’ (London, Milan, Paris, and New York), there are a number of smaller shows, fairs, and collection presentations – all of which leave a ‘mark’. Additionally, both women’s and men’s clothing is presented through multiple collections and inter-collections annually.
A study conducted by Carbon Trust & ORDRE consolidated data on emissions generated solely by the business travel of designers and buyers attending fashion weeks, fairs, and other collection presentations throughout the year. Researchers found that in 12 months, starting from the spring/summer 2018 season, a total of 241,000 tons of carbon emissions were created from air travel, accommodation, intercity travel, and transportation of collections by approximately 11,000 individual retail buyers and 5,000 designers. This amount of created carbon footprint is equivalent to that which will be generated by lighting Times Square in New York for the next 58 years, according to Statista.
