SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability is a social goal pertaining to the ability of people to co-exist on Earth over a long time.
Specific definitions of this term are disputed and have varied with literature, context, and time.
Experts often describe sustainability as having three dimensions (or pillars):
environmental,
economic,
and social,
Many publications emphasize the environmental dimension. In everyday use, sustainability often focuses on countering major environmental problems, including
climate change,
loss of biodiversity,
loss of ecosystem services,
land degradation,
and air and water pollution.
The idea of sustainability can guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable living).
A related concept is sustainable development, and the terms are often used to mean the same thing.
UNESCO distinguishes the two like this:
"Sustainability is often thought of as a long-term goal (i.e. a more sustainable world), while sustainable development refers to the many processes and pathways to achieve it."
The Myth of Sustainable Fashion by Kenneth P. Pucker, Harvard Business review
Few industries tout their sustainability credentials more forcefully than the fashion industry. Products ranging from swimsuits to wedding dresses are marketed as carbon positive, organic, or vegan while yoga mats made from mushrooms and sneakers from sugar cane dot retail shelves. New business models including recycling, resale, rental, reuse, and repair are sold as environmental life savers.
Inside The Luxury Fashion Industry’s Big Sustainability Push BY DANA THOMAS, British VOGUE
French luxury group LVMH launched Nona Source, the first online resale platform of deadstock materials, collected from the group’s houses. Now designers can purchase remnants from the ateliers of Dior, Givenchy, Louis Vuitton and others at a fraction of the original cost. Meanwhile, studio teams are sourcing hi-tech or recycled fabrics. Prada is using Econyl, a recycled nylon made from abandoned fishing nets, throughout its collections, and plans to eliminate virgin nylon from its supply chain this year.
Fibres of the future – How is science combating fashion’s sustainability problem? by RACHAEL PELLS, upm.com
From synthetic sweaters to stretch-fit sportswear, the fossil-based components found in the clothes we wear present an ecological nightmare for the planet and for our consciences. By developing new, renewable, wood and plant-based fibres to replace the petroleum-based ones, scientists are setting a new trend for the world of fashion. Let’s take a closer look at three of these futuristic fibres.