“Without science-based targets to reduce absolute emissions, the fashion industry is digging its own and our collective grave,” the CFJ research report noted.
Research by Collective Fashion Justice showed 3.39 per cent of British Fashion Council member brands have any emissions reduction target, and just 2.4 per cent of brands have a science-based target aligned with the Paris Agreement.
The fashion industry is less willing to acknowledge a key contributor to its climate crisis: the use of animal-derived materials.
“This finding is an embarrassment for an industry that considers itself one of the most creative and innovative in the world. This industry has failed to invest in climate action meaningfully, and government policy has failed to necessitate that investment,” it said.
With 38 per cent of fashion’s climate impact tied to irresponsible raw material production, particularly those derived from ruminant animals and fossil fuels, it is essential that work to reduce the use of the most climate impactful materials is prioritised as these targets are worked towards.
Though fossil fuel fibres are not climate-friendly, the fashion industry is less willing to acknowledge a key contributor to its climate crisis: the use of animal-derived materials, particularly from ruminants. Leather, wool and cashmere have major methane footprints, said the report.
CFJ urged BFC and its brands to quickly set science-based emissions reduction targets, and to ensure they are met with an improved material sourcing strategy. Animal-derived materials must be reduced and replaced through a just transition towards bio-based, plant and recycled materials.
BFC received millions of pounds from government departments such as the Greater London Authority’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund to engage with designers and fashion businesses to support sustainability progress, and while this is positive, clearly more work needs to be done, the CFJ report said.
There are key solution areas that are yet to be adequately addressed by the British fashion industry.
The use of fossil fuels to power manufacturing facilities, and a lack of attention on the need for fashion to use circularity to support degrowth in line with planetary boundaries are all critical to address, said the report.
Animal-derived materials must not continue to be green-washed and ignored, but reduced as science necessitates, responsibly replaced with bio-innovation.
Decarbonisation is also essential, the report noted. Fashion and textile manufacturing is energy-intensive and relies heavily on fossil fuels, especially at factories where coal and other fuels are burned to dye and process fabrics.
Two of the key steps to achieving the scale of decarbonisation required include ensuring full transparency of the environmental impact of supply chains, which can in turn support a phase out of fossil fuel energy and a transition to wind, solar and other renewable energy, it said.
Some experts suggest that the industry must reduce in size by a fourth to stay within planetary boundaries, the report said.
The United Kingdom is the third largest footwear and apparel market in the world after China and the United States. Downsizing the scale and volume of production and consumption has to be an integral part of any climate targets worth pursuing, the report added.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)