‘The Nature Of Fashion’ report was suggested to me by my lecturer Jules. The 2020 study reveals how our current regime of design and textile products needs to be adapted. Within the current fashion economy, every result leads to negative increased carbon emissions or landfill routes due to our inefficient methods of disposing of materials. A comment within the report that stood out to me is ” the link between decomposition and primary production is broken, meaning the nutrients that in a natural system would be “food” for primary production instead become pollution.”
Throughout my studies, I have consistently asked myself what would be the solution to mitigate fashion industry-induced pollution. Personally, I can’t see circular economies succeed unless materials are adapted. Synthetic, fossil fuel-based materials, are present in at least 60% of the textiles currently being made. Most circular economies can’t thrive due to synthetic-based competitors having smaller price points and higher rates of production all whilst being compliant with trends. What I believe is that the need for new carbon-neutral materials should be imminent for environmental success. The report comments on this and discusses the need for a shift in the mindset of the manufacturer regarding these negative techniques. This shift in mindset is consistently deferred due to corporations’ greed and profit goals.
100% compostable fibers can be produced for the fashion industry through three sources: natural fibers, cellulosic feedstocks, and fermentation products. The report shares a variety of sources where biomaterials can be used across industries and through the potential of biomaterials through further research, I find it really encouraging to see biomaterials slowly pushing into the fashion industry and being a sustainability breakthrough.