12 minute read
Green or Greenwashed?
The fashion industry has finally discovered sustainability. It goes without saying that not everything that glitters green is actually green. Environmentally and socially compatible production throughout the entire value chain is a bottomless pit. This becomes apparent very quickly once one delves into the topic. style in progress asked renowned experts to put popular sustainability myths to the check and to make concrete proposals for action. Text: Petrina Engelke, Martina Müllner-Seybold, Kay Alexander Plonka, Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Interviewees
Many retailers claim that customers don’t care about sustainability. What does your market research say?
Jens Cornelsen, Managing Director of Facit Research: The significance of sustainability, especially in the context of aspects relevant to buying, has been on the rise for many years. It’s actually the third most important of ten factors now. 10 to 15 percent of all fashion buyers pay very close attention to ecological and social sustainability. And in our experience, more than half are - more or less - on their way to sustainable buying and consumption.
The number of consumers who actively research sustainability on the Internet is equally impressive. Why do so few people turn to fashion retailers for advice?
Because the topic of sustainability has simply not fully trickled down to regional retailers yet. Such local retailers still adhere to old sales rules and “kneejerk” principles. The focus is still too often on short-term sales, discount campaigns, and 40 percent price cuts. Last but not least, the staff is, generally speaking, not really “into” the subject yet. Before I, as a customer, ask a shop employee who has no idea about this topic or subjectively intervenes in favour of a certain brand, I’d rather simply ask the “neutral Internet”.
Jens Cornelsen is the Managing Director of Facit Re- search. The market research institute has published a large study on the topic of sustainable consumption.
Your sustainability index takes three factors into account. In your experience, which one is subject to the most greenwashing?
We believe that ecological sustainability is most affected by greenwashing. This aspect is currently the most important focus of customer attention and also enjoys the highest priority in public reporting. That greenwashing is the wrong strategy in times of complete transparency via the Internet is also demonstrated impressively by our study results. Two-thirds of consumers say that they would most definitely turn their backs on a company that merely pretends to be sustainable.
Can organic cotton save the world?
Professor Maike Rabe, Department of Textile and Clothing Technology, Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences: Organic cotton is a step in the right direction, but not the answer. Only one percent of the 25 million tons of cotton is farmed organically. Less than five percent of global arable land is allocated to cotton farming. The growth limit has been reached, because even artificial irrigation cannot increase yields any further. Sustainable cultivation does, at the very least, not involve pesticides or genetically modified seeds. However, the fibre alone doesn’t constitute a sustainable product!
Can organic cotton work at low prices?
The balancing act between consumption with a clear conscience and inexpensive clothing is challenging. Since organic cotton is expensive, companies save elsewhere – on wages for example. Unfortunately, even the more expensive brands don’t guarantee that the seamstress earns more. Despite the industry’s turnover remaining unchanged, the number of sold garments has doubled in 15 years! That should not be the case.
Are synthetic fibres an environmental sin?
No. The volume of cotton is not sufficient for the world’s population. Crude oil, the raw material of synthetic fibres, is finite and products don’t decompose. They are, however, interesting in terms of recycling. For example, one can transform transparent plastic bottles into fibres. The process is finite, because these fibres cannot be recycled again after use.
Are there green alternatives to crude oil?
Yes, for example sugar cane or corn starch. However, fibres based on these materials are not always biodegradable. At least there are biological and chemical approaches to fibre degradation and recycling. In any case, society’s shift towards sustainability is releasing innovative energy for finding new ways of extracting raw materials and recycling. There is a light on the horizon!
Maike Rabe, a professor at the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, is optimistic: “Society’s shift towards sustainability is releasing inno- vative energy.”
“WE NEED LAWS” Fast fashion suppliers, discounters, and sporting goods manufacturers are increasingly focusing their marketing efforts on products that are supposedly manufactured in an environmentally friendly way. What’s the catch?
Marie Nasemann and Norian Schneider, hosts of the fairknallt. de blog: The main problem is usually the negligible percentage of such products in the overall range of suppliers. At the same time, advertising for these products is disproportionately loud, which can create the impression that the entire product range has been produced sustainably. This is classic greenwashing. If the real motivation is to derive knowledge on how to make your entire production more sustainable, then sustainable collections are a good thing. However, we rarely see this in practise.
How can retailers and consumers protect themselves from greenwashing?
So-called information asymmetries, as in manufacturers knowing more about production than customers and retailers, are very difficult to overcome. Currently, independent seals are the best option. Industry associations, voluntary agreements, own certificates, and codes of conduct are, in our opinion, a sham. They don’t entail the possibility of sanctioning companies for violations. This is where politics must be held accountable. We need laws to ensure that the most basic human rights are respected.
Can we really produce fairly and sustainably on a grand scale?
There must be a fundamental rethink. The problem is the shortterm approach taken by companies, whose success is measured quarterly rather than long-term. The term sustainability must be interpreted correctly. The concept should encompass the harmony of ecological production, sound social production conditions, and economic profitability for all involved parties. It’s the so-called “three-pillar model”. The term is often equated with “environmentally friendly”, which creates the impression that economic factors are neglected, that social issues need to be mentioned separately, and that environmental issues are an additional burden for companies. Effective sustainability management will be decisive for success or failure in the future.
“THE CONSUMER IS NOT THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL” Why does so much unworn clothing end up in the trash?
Jutta Wiedemann, Professor of Clothing Design and Collection Development, Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences: Because too many interchangeable goods are being produced. Due to a strong focus on numbers in sales, the design aspect was, quite literally, trimmed down. The willingness to take risks in fashion has thus fallen by the wayside. Now people are surprised that brands no longer have an authentic profile.
What needs to change?
Product managers will have to take more risks in the future. Multimedia information has made the modern consumer increasingly unpredictable. This is an opportunity for design, provided that product managers really let designers do their job! Even some of the newer, more sustainable brands, such as Armedangels for example, have surprising assortment sizes. Does the consumer really need a choice of four dark cotton t-shirts without imprints and with round necklines? Compressing the assortment is also sustainable – with the task of developing products in line with the brand identity that the consumer perceives. This would extend the life cycle of the product and tie the customer more closely to the brand, as well as its philosophy.
Doesn’t the consumer want a wide range of products?
It’s a myth that the consumer is the root of all evil. Why do entire collections end up on rubbish tips or in furnaces due to brand protection motives? If companies would focus on the uniqueness of their products, the consumer would perceive the brand more authentically and there would be fewer discount battles. This fashionable and brand-strategic reflection is completely lacking.
Jutta Wiedemann wishes fashion less interchangeable clothing. That would be an important step towards more sustainability, says the professor at the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences.
“NO REASONABLY PRODUCED JEANS UNDER 30 EUROS” Sustainable jeans for 13.99 Euros – is that even possible?
Mostafiz Uddin, Owner of Denimexpert (a sustainable denim manufacturer in Bangladesh) and initiator of various sustainability conferences in Bangladesh: In this context, I would like to quote a recent study by ABN-Amro, which concluded that there are additional costs in the production of jeans that should make such a price impossible. These are the additional environmental costs and damages caused by the consumption of already scarce water resources, as well as the pollution of water. In addition, there are the social costs resulting from the exploitation of workers and wage dumping. If these costs are added to the retail price of a pair of jeans, the price would have to be significantly higher. A price that low mostly suggests cotton cultivation in India and jeans production in Bangladesh. The study also states that jeans that are manufactured reasonably should cost about 30 Euros. A change in consumer behaviour could help towards closing this gap by buying more responsibly.
It’s not easy to navigate the jungle of certificates and standards. There are both national and international standards. What is your advice for consumers and sourcing employees? What can one really rely on? As we all know, prices don’t reflect whether workers have been treated well or whether environmental requirements have been met.
We’re all aware that there are cost implications in adopting a more sustainable approach to production. That’s why it’s all the more important to make the environmental, social, and ethical standards of a product transparent. This allows the end consumer to make a more informed purchase. They can decide whether they are ready to pay a little more for a pair of jeans that has been manufactured in line with standards. Introducing a “Green Tag”, which I believe doesn’t exist currently, wouldn’t be a bad idea. It must be easy for customers to recognise what is green and what isn’t.
Mostafiz Uddin is an international champion of Bangladesh’s repu- tation as a production location. His own denim production is regarded as a model in social and ecological matters.
Photo: Tony Muzzatti
“REDUCTION IS THE TOP PRIORITY” The fashion industry relies on resources ranging from cotton to oil. What does this mean for business?
Taking the planet to its limits does not only affect consumers. Companies are also at risk. The climate crisis is affecting their supply chains and operations. Anyone who takes the issue seriously will soon notice that sustainability is not merely an answer to image risks, but also safeguards a company’s viability.
What is the discussion within the fashion industry lacking?
Fashion needs a holistic, systematic approach to recycling, as well as an honest perspective on production and consumption habits. The discussion lacks the SDG 12 question. How can the industry meet demands in a new way that isn’t based on the mantra “sell more people more stuff more often”? No single sustainability measure is the right answer for the industry as a whole. There is no way around a systematic, holistic approach.
Speaking of mantras. There is “reduce, reuse, recycle”…
When we say “reduce, reuse, recycle”, we don’t see them as three different options. The terms are ranked. Reduction is the top priority. Then there’s “reuse”, which keeps an item in circulation. Finally, there’s recycling. The latter is not as clean as people think. It’s not the solution. Recycling fashion is really difficult, as far as blended fabrics and different melting points of synthetic materials are concerned.
Which business models are feasible?
There are many options, such as repair services, rental, redesign, and re-commerce (remarketing via the internet). One should consider how to keep clothes in circulation longer by focusing on quality, relevance, and recyclability of fabrics. It’s important to bear this in mind as early as the design phase. That will help the industry survive.
If a store owner wants to curate a sustainable product range, what should he or she ask of brands?
A few simple questions would be a good start. What are your supply chains? Who is involved? Where do you get your material from? Are you familiar with the cotton farm? Which factories produce the fabrics? Are there any subcontractors? If so, is the relationship within the legal framework? Does the material contain harmful substances? What about the production sites? Just ask honest questions about the brand and its supply chain. If it can answer them, progress has been made. If not, the brand must first find out where its raw materials come from and how its clothes are manufactured.
In the economic department of the World Resources Institute, Deborah Drew explores the role of companies in environmental protection. For a study titled “Elephant in the Boardroom: Why Unchecked Con- sumption Is Not an Option in To- morrow’s Market” she looked into the fashion industry.
“LIVING WAGE?“ Many fashion brands openly acknowledge that they pay their factory workers in emerging markets the statutory minimum wage. Can consumers buy their clothing with a clear conscience?
Christiane Schnura, Coordinator of Clean Clothes Campaign Germany: “No, that’s a fallacy. The minimum wage is usually based on the legal minimum wage in the respective country. In Bangladesh, for example, the minimum wage is approx. 50 Euros, but that barely covers a fifth of what people need to live. Our goal is a living wage that covers more than basic needs, but most companies are light years away from that. In their Codes of Conduct, almost all businesses have voluntarily committed to observing fundamental labour rights. But who monitors them? It is important to include local employee representatives in the monitoring process. Schöffel, Jack Wolfskin, Hess Natur, and the discounter Takko already do this. We are working to ensure that the number increases.”
Christiane Schnura is the coordinator of the Clean Clothes Campaign in Ger- many. She fights for better working conditions.
