Picture this: 7,500 litres of water used to make a pair of jeans is the equivalent of one person's drinking water for approximately seven years.
At the same time, an estimated half a million tonnes of microfibre used in clothing, which equates to 3 million barrels of oil, is dumped in oceans each year, and up to 87 per cent of materials used in the manufacture of clothing find their way into landfills.
These statistics point to the state of the global fashion industry and its devastating effects on the environment, biodiversity, and people’s health.
The fashion industry is the second-most polluting industry in the world after oil and gas. As the population grows, the demand for clothing has had a meteoric rise, estimated to have doubled in the last two decades.
As a result, the average customer buys 60 per cent more clothing items now than they did 15 years ago and keeps them only half as long.
The result has been mountains of dumped clothes that have become an environmental eyesore and a fashion industry hungry to sate the appetite of a versatile consumer base.
Manufacturing clothes is an elaborate process spanning resource extraction, manufacturing, logistics, transport, and waste management. This process consumes much energy and water and emits harmful gases, ultimately fanning global warming. As a result, the fashion industry’s carbon emissions outpace those of all international flights and maritime shipping combined.
Chief among the fashion trends exacerbating the destructive practices is fast fashion, which involves rapid clothes design and manufacturing, sold at relatively low prices and often eventually dumped.
Alive to the negative impacts of industry practices on people and the planet, some global fashion brands have decided to take action and embrace sustainability.
Clothing brand H&M, for example, has a garment collection initiative that promotes recycling, while jeans manufacturer Guess has rolled out a wardrobe recycling programme.
Africa has traditionally been the dumping site for disposable and second-hand clothing by global fashion brands; its fashion designers are changing the narrative by embracing ethical fashion practices while preserving their cultural heritage.
With the continent boasting rich resources such as natural fibres, silk, and organic cotton, designers are tapping into them to promote eco-friendly textile production. Initiatives such as Cotton Made in Africa work with farmers to enhance sustainable farming practices while ensuring the quality of cotton is guaranteed, translating into eco-friendly textile production.
Fashion events such as South Africa Fashion Week and Lagos Fashion Week have showcased the creative ingenuity of African fashion designers and brought players in the sector to promote sustainability.
The Zero-to-Waste fashion technique, which is common among African designers, allows them to use pattern-making processes that ensure little to no material is wasted during the production process.
But the industry has only scratched the surface. While some countries have attempted to introduce legislation to tackle fast fashion, more emphasis should be placed on reducing textile waste and promoting the recycling and reuse model to promote a circular economy. Such policies and legislation should be implemented at the national, regional, and global levels.
Consumers have a duty to pressure fashion brands by demanding accountability and transparency of their operations across the supply chain. These are pivotal steps in the journey towards sustainable fashion and ethical practices.