For millennia, people have sustainably sourced from their environment to make clothes that not only serve a functional purpose, but also serve as beautiful representations of identity, culture and self-expression, Amaliah writes.
The roots of 'sustainable fashion' are not, as is claimed, found in the hippie and punk culture of the mid-60s and early-70s. The counterculture movement that challenged mass production and sought to return to natural and handmade products began in the 60s and created a slow awakening in the West about the impact of the global garment industry on people and the planet. However, as always, history did not begin with the 'enlightenment' and industrial revolution.
As Muslims, we might describe sustainable fashion as an expression of Taqwa (God-consciousness). It is mindfulness and accountability for the good and the bad that results from how our clothes are made, treated and passed on.
When considering the sustainability of our clothes, it's important to understand the complex and devastating effects of the global fashion industry on both people and the planet. Less than 2% of the 75 million people working in garment factories around the world make a living wage, working up to 16 hours a day, 7 days a week, risking their personal health and safety amid rampant abuse and exploitation. Child labor is common, with 51 countries reported to be using child labor in the garment industry, and slave labor is shockingly suspected as being used in the production of $147.9 billion worth of garments and $12.7 billion worth of textiles imported by G20 countries annually.
The overproduction and overconsumption of fashion is creating devastating environmental impacts. A McKinsey and Company study found that by 2030, it is estimated the fashion industry will consume resources equivalent to two Earths, with the demand for clothing forecast to increase by 63%. The fashion industry is responsible for 8-10% of global carbon emissions, 20% of global waste water, and an unprecedented microplastic and chemical pollution crisis that is affecting not just our water systems but also our food chain.