One good example of how ambition to tackle climate change is growing in the fashion industry is collaborative initiative called the UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion, co-sponsored by 10 UN organizations including UN Climate Change.
Since 2000, clothing production doubled with the average consumer buying 60 percent more pieces of garment compared to 15 years ago. Yet, each clothing item is now kept half as long. The industry has truly entered the era of “fast fashion”.
The current state of the fashion industry raises serious environmental and social concerns. With greenhouse gas emissions estimated to range between 2 and 8 percent of the global total, the industry’s carbon footprint is substantial. Additionally, the textiles sector has been identified as a significant contributor to ocean plastic pollution, posing risks to the environment and human health.
Cumulatively, the fashion industry produces about 20% of global waste water. Furthermore, 85% of textiles end up in landfills or are incinerated when most of these materials could be reused.
The fashion industry is highly greenhouse gas intensive, with estimated emissions ranging between 2 and 8 percent of the global total.
The Fashion Charter
Fast fashion, characterized by rapid production cycles and low-cost garments, is particularly problematic. It often involves unsafe working conditions and the use of hazardous substances in production. Workers in the supply chain endure long hours and receive low pay due to cost-cutting measures and time pressures imposed by industry demands. These issues highlight the urgent need for more sustainable and ethical practices within the fashion industry.
The UN is committed to changing the path of fashion, reducing its negative social, economic and environmental impact and turning it into a driver for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In July 2018, 10 different UN organizations agreed to establish a UN Alliance on Sustainable Fashion – “UN Partnership on Sustainable Fashion and the SDGs”
The UN Environment hosted the Alliance during its first year, and it was formally launched in March 2019. The Alliance also aims to reach out to wider audiences, targeting the private sector, governments of UN member States, NGOs and other relevant stakeholders with a unified voice.
