In today’s modern society, large fashion brands are receiving lots of external pressure to be more transparent with the materials they use to produce the clothing that they do. This, in turn, compels these firms to use more sustainable materials (in order to maintain public opinion of them). But what changes are actually being made? Or is this all just another clever marketing sham set up by the big businesses that we have all come to rely on?
One important fact to establish: the fashion industry pollutes A LOT! It is responsible for approximately 10% of all annual global emissions. That may not sound like much until we consider the fact that this 10% refers to almost 4 billion tons of emissions per year! The production of raw materials alone is responsible for 38% (~1.5 billion tons!) of the emissions the fashion industry produces.
But firms have been trying to improve! Adidas has vowed to stop using virgin polyester and Timberland has committed to source cotton, leather, wool and rubber from regenerative farms (a style for farming where farmers try to maintain soil health for as long as possible). There are plenty more examples of this happening throughout the globe, however there are challenges yet to be overcome still.
From textile recyclers to mycelium growers, all producers need capital upfront to actually produce the materials required by large brands and the raw materials necessary to create more eco-friendly clothing is not cheap. This causes the cost of the capital to increase, resulting in less material being provided to the brand which further results in there not being enough stock for them to sell. That situation is unacceptable for any large company, making the whole idea of switching to sustainable materials impractical.
Although the solution may sound hopeless, there are potential solutions. About 50% of fashion decision-makers said that traceability could be key to solving the problem and reduce emissions in the industry by a very large margin. And lo and behold! In comes Fibretrace, a technology platform that offers real-time verification of products as they move through the global supply chain.
FibreTrace connects the supply chain by collaborating with brands, manufacturers, farmers, and raw fibre suppliers. In March 2021, the firm debuted its first core product, FibreTrace Verified, in collaboration with fashion brand Reformation.
IToday, ten companies, including Reformation and 7 For All Mankind, as well as over 60 suppliers of cotton, recycled polyester, viscose, and, shortly, wool and leather, employ the technique. FibreTrace Verified combines digital and physical traceability by attaching non-toxic, luminous pigments to raw fibres at the source. The pigment remains indestructible throughout the production cycle and can be read and monitored using a hardware device at every level of the supply chain. Each audit is recorded on the blockchain and offers firms with AI-powered insights. And so cotton with FibreTrace marking is legal under US customs and import restrictions.
Another company doing something similar is Lenzing where they have developed a technology for fibre identification that relies on the physical identification of the fibre at different stages of the product such as the yarn, fabric and garment level. This enables the full traceability of fiber origin and protection from counterfeiting. It thus protects the brands and retailers by providing assurance that their products do not contain fibers made out of controversial sources as well as guarantees that the fibers are produced in genuine facilities that meet all required production standards.
In conclusion, despite countless firms finding themselves having to be more transparent to the general public about the materials that they use in production (and by extension having to use more sustainable resources in order to maintain public opinion), there have been attempts made to get out of the situation. Many have been futile, yes, however it is also important to acknowledge that at the very least an attempt is being made. Especially with some solutions such as Fibretrace’s and Lenzing’s, it is simply inevitable that the massive 10% that the fashion industry contributes towards annual global emissions is heavily trimmed down.
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