Research on Sustainable Fashion

Sustainable Fashion

Katherina Er (11299)Nur Atiqah (11634)Teo Jia En (12565)Yao Qiong, Bini (11621)FMT4A CCS DE2606Susan Olij

Content

Which 3 articles

Research process

Explain qualitative and quantitative research

Literature Review X Relevant designers

Introduction

Definitions

Sustainable Fashion – Plant Sources

Sustainable Fashion – Animal Sources

Sustainable Fashion – Upcycling

Conclusion

Research Process

• “Inconvenient Truth”• Credible online & book research• Selected and read through 3 articles 1 main• Divided the article, research for supporting evidence• Discussion of research, evaluation• Conclusion

Qualitative & Quantitative Research

Qualitative research• in-depth understanding of human

behavior and the reasons that govern such behavior.

• why and how of decision making• Depth interviews or group

discussions

Quantitative research• asks a specific, narrow

question and collects numerical data from participants to answer the question.

• analyzes the data with statistics. • yield an unbiased result that can

be generalized to larger population.

Literature Review

• Sustainable Fashion by Intelligent Life Magazine, Winter 2010

• Online version of Intelligent Life, a lifestyle and culture magazine from The Economist.

• Sustainable fashion: what does green mean? - Financial Times, Feb 2010

• In Ethical Fashion, Desirability is Sustainability - Suleman Anaya, The Business of Fashion

Sustainable Fashion ?

Frida Giannini, Gucci Fashion Director

Anya Hindmarch, Designer You

Defining Sustainable Fashion

Financial Times

• ‘ “Sustainable fashion?”… “What’s that?” ‘

• ‘Lexicographical fuzziness’

Business of Fashion

• “How would you define sustainable fashion?”

• “Some emphasized a commitment to traditional techniques,

others pointed to locally sourced materials

while still others mentioned the importance of reducing carbon footpoint.”

Definitions

“Sustainability• Means using resources in way

that does not impoverish the planet for the next generation”

---

• Sustainability is the long-term maintenance of responsibility, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, the responsible management of resource use.

• Triple bottom line: Social, Environmental, Commercial

- Ethical Fashion Forum

“Fashion• Wedded to novelty and

consumption, neither of which mesh naturally with the concept of sustainability”

---

• We are defining fashion as changing styles of dress and appearance that are adopted by a group of people at any given time and place.”

- Linda Welters & Abby Lillethun

AGREE

Literature Review X Relevant Designers

“… early attempts at eco-chic were largely green window dressing.”

“Rather than asking tough questions about their materials, designers in the 1990s seemed more interested in turning out collections of dingy, natural-fibre clothing that made wearers look as if they lived in a field.”

Left to right: Martin Margiela, jacket repurposed from vintage scarves, Spring 1992; Martin Margiela, socks, partially constructed sweater, and completed sweater, early 1990s; XULY.Bët, recycled ensemble, Fall 1994 (Museum of FIT NY)

Peasant 1902

Literature Review X Relevant Designers

“Only now are questions such as how a material was produced,

how much energy will be used to take care of it, and

what happens to it at the end of its life beginning to echo through the industry. “

“Companies must do more to ensure respect for trade union rights in the quest to provide a living wage for garment workers.” - The State of Pay, LB L REPORT 2011

“About two kilograms of CO2 equivalent is emitted to air per kg output (about 0.4% of the UK total).”

• “The combined waste from clothing and textiles in the UK is about 2.35 million tonnes (0.7% of UK total B4), 13% going to material recovery (about 300 thousand tonnes), 13% to incineration and 74% (1.8 million tonnes) to landfill”. - Well dressed? The present and future sustainability of clothing and textiles in the United Kingdom. 2006.

What are natural fibers?

Natural fibers are made from plant, animal and mineral sources.

Natural fibers from plants:

• Also known as, vegetable fibers, are generally composed mainly of cellulose: examples include cotton.

Cellulose fiber from Print paper

• Cellulose fibers serve in the manufacture of paper and cloth.

Korsnäs Wave

•Made of 100% virgin cellulose fiber.

•Common applications include shopping bags, gift packs, exclusive consumer packs and substitutions for plastic.

“Cotton may be natural, but most cotton consumes large quantities of pesticides, fertilizers and water during production.”

– Intelligent Life Magazine, Winter 2010

25% of all pesticides used are for standard cotton production

Organic cotton uses Zero pesticide

The World Health Organization estimates that at least 3,000,000 people are poisoned by pesticides every year

and 20-40,000 more are killed.

Sustainable?

HELL NO!!!!

Bamboo is a Renewable Resource

•The plant thrives naturally, totally unassisted• Without the use of any pesticides or fertilizer, is totally biodegradable• Bamboo Clothing is Comfortable• Antibacterial, Hypoallergenic Bamboo Clothing

“New technology means that recycled polyester fibre, which saves energy and water, has now crossed over into general use and can even mimic fine

fabrics.”

– Intelligent Life Magazine, Winter 2010

ANIMALS / ANIMAL FIBRES

ANIMALS USED FOR CLOTHING

Leather Wool

“Leather is problematic. Some green dressers argue that most leather is just a by-product of the meat industry.”

- Intelligent Life, 2011

“This classy, berry-colored clutch from the British Luxury brand Asprey is farmed alligator; wild alligator would be even better, as buying it gives more support to marshland in Louisiana and Florida.”

- Intelligent Life, 2011

“Many species of crocodiles, caimans and alligators are now thriving where they were once threatened, thanks to a strictly controlled, sustainable trade.”

- Intelligent Life 2011

DUBIOUS!

SUSTAINABLE? NO!

“buying leather directly contributes to factory farms and slaughterhouses—and all the cruelty involved. Leather is also no friend of the environment, as it shares responsibility for all the environmental destruction caused by the meat industry as well as the pollution caused by the toxins used in tanning.”

- PETA.org

ANIMAL CRUELTY

“The production of leather hurts animals, the environment, and the workers who manufacture it. The only ones who benefit are people who profit from the misery and suffering of others.”

- PETA.org

“Vicuna products that are sold with a CITES certificate – like this oversize, tan-colored scarf from Esgyrn – support the animal in the wild.”

- Intelligent Life, 2011

Esgyrn

“Esgyrn is delighted to offer you this exclusive collection of the World’s finest natural fibres woven into garments of timeless style. ”

“Our luxury fibre business now offers the same attention to detail as is required to meet the exacting standards of the World’s luxury fibre mills. We apply the same

ethos by providing you with a hand picked selection of scarves, wraps, shawls and throws from the Vicuna, Guanaco, Alpaca and Llama. ”

ENDANGERED

Vicuna: The vicuña was almost hunted to extinction for its beautiful soft wool.  Now there are about 125,000 vicuñas, but they are still listed as threatened. The vicuña is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, and as endangered by the USDI.

- Blue Planet Biomes

Guanaco: The guanaco has since undergone a steep decline, particularly during the last century. Major threats to the guanaco include overhunting, for skins, meat and wool, as well as poaching, habitat degradation.

- ARKive.org

SUSTAINABLE? NO!

“ The wool industry threatens the land, air, and water. “- PETA.org

“ No amount of fluff can hide the fact that anyone who buys wool supports a cruel and bloody industry. There are plenty of durable, stylish, and warm fabrics available that aren't made from wool or animal skins. “

- PETA.org

ANIMAL CRUELTY

History of Fur

“In the richness and beauty of its splendid fur the Silver-gray Fox surpasses the beaver or sea

otter, and the skins are indeed so highly esteemed that the finest command

extraordinary prices, and are always in demand.”

—John James Audubon, quoted from The Imperial Collection of Audubon Animals, 1967

Fox

“Finding-and affording-these products is the tricky bit”

Silver fox• Rare, difficult to caught them, high

price.• Fendi• Expensive,high end, limited piece

History of the crocodile

“Roughly 65 million years ago, an asteroid came crashing to Earth and perhaps led to the extinction of

most prehistoric life on our planet.

But one dinosaur-like animal that managed to survive this mass extinction continues to live today.

Crocodilians roamed the Earth along with those ”terrible thunder lizards“ and exist today as crocodiles,

alligators, caimans and gharials (those croc-like creatures with long, narrow snouts.)”

– Vanessa Ho Animal Planet.

Crocodile Skin

“Tend to be used by the highest of high-end houses”

• Very rare. (Only the stomach skin can be used)

• It is expensive (most of people cannot afford it)

“It takes three to four crocodiles to make one of our bags so we are now breeding our own crocodiles

on our own farms, mainly in Australia,” - Hermes chief executive Patrick Thomas.

Customers put their names on a waiting list for up to two years and

pay up to $60,000 for the bags.

Up-cycling

“The process of converting waste materials or useless products into

new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value.”

- Intelligent Life Magazine, Winter 2010

Hermes – Petit H

•  to create unique accessories and toys from its discarded and excess materials from the workshops.

CONCLUSION

What is Sustainable Fashion?

Sustainable Fashion is not all about being Natural or Organic.

Its all about being:

Environmentally-Friendly

Socially-Responsible

Animal-Cruelty Free

Commercial Viable

BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF SF?

YES! (:

References

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_fiber• http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2231/how-is-paper-made• http://www.packworld.com/material-type/woodpaper/kraft-paper-bags-stretchable• http://johneen-manning.suite101.com/bamboo-eco-fashion-a50587• http://www.jujubeboutique.com/about.php• http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-clothing/leather-environmental-hazards.aspx• http://www.agmrc.org/commodities__products/aquaculture/alligator_profile.cfm• http://www.iftf.com/responsible-fur-trade/wild-fur.php• http://www.furisgreen.com/renewable.aspx• http://www.uft.org/endangered-animals-and-fur-trade• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qualitative_research• http://www.techsociety.com/cal/soc190/fssba2009/ParticipantObservation.pdf• http://www.fashionprojects.org/?p=883• http://fitnyc.edu/7885.asp• http://fashioninganethicalindustry.org/!file/Well+dressed.pdf/• http://www.zeroemissions.com/corp/web/en/news/news_archive/2011/abe_20111006.html#• http://www.ethicalfashionforum.com/the-issues/made-in-britain• http://www.carbon-label.com/take-action/what-others-are-doing