Planet
The £2.5 trillion fashion industry is responsible for 20% of global water waste annually (Bailey, 2022), which only represents a portion of the fashion industry’s environmental impact. Planet, as a fundamental aspect of the triple bottom line, mainly represents the interconnection between business and the natural environment and its ecosystems. It aims to redefine sustainability by incentivising enterprises to adopt ‘Re’ strategies, consequently closing the loop on finite resources. This leads to a more efficient allocation of resources, thus moving closer to the goal of sustainable development in the long term.
Sustainability is commonly discussed in three dimensions: ecological, social, and economic. The ecological dimension pertains to our planet. Fashion firms have a significant part to play in safeguarding our shared environment, from energy usage and refuse disposal to biodiversity conservation. By implementing eco-friendly practices in their operations, corporations can aid in mitigating the impact of climate change. Fashion companies can comply with regulations, effectively manage biodiversity, diminish emissions, and responsibly utilise and discharge raw materials. For the utilisation of materials, fashion companies have the potential to adopt a circular economic model by transitioning from linear activities such as extract, produce and dispose-of, to circular actions that prioritise the reduction, reuse and recycling of resources.
The circular economy is an economic system that replaces the concept of ‘end-of-life’ with the reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery of materials within production, distribution and consumption processes. (Kirchherr, 2017) The aim is to eradicate waste and pollution, establish a circular system for products and materials, and promote the renewal of nature.
The circular economy aims to eliminate waste and pollution while maintaining product and material usage and regenerating living systems. The circular economy’s success depends on design, which advocates for the creation of durable, reusable, re-manufacturable, and recyclable products to maintain material circulation for as long as possible. This economy promotes varied uses for materials, rather than simply consuming them. This new approach to manufacturing and consumption can ensure sustainability and the preservation of our planet’s health. Furthermore, by streamlining their product offerings to align with the preferences of potential buyers, fashion brands can effectively curtail waste within their supply chain and reduce the likelihood of stock shortages or overproduction. （Kraaijenbrink, 2019)
Furthermore, the United Nations has implemented the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a benchmark to direct the growth of every industry. One of the SDGs closely related to the fashion industry is Water and Sanitation. Fashion brands often subject garments to numerous finishing processes involving harmful chemicals such as bleaching, softening, or the production of waterproof or wrinkle-free features. Following the usage of these chemicals, garments are then washed, thereby releasing tens of thousands of tonnes of microfibres into waterways annually.
Reference list:
Bailey, K., Basu, A. and Sharma, S. (2022) The environmental impacts of fast fashion on water quality: A systematic review, MDPI. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/7/1073 (Accessed: 08 October 2023).
Kirchherr, J. (2017) Conceptualizing the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions, Resources, Conservation and Recycling. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921344917302835#sec0065 (Accessed: 08 October 2023).
Kraaijenbrink, J. (2023) What the 3PS of the triple bottom line really mean, Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeroenkraaijenbrink/2019/12/10/what-the-3ps-of-the-triple-bottom-line-really-mean/?sh=3475cae35143 (Accessed: 08 October 2023).