Knowing the Environmental Affects of Manufacturing from Our Favorite Brands
With consumers becoming more knowledgeable about the damaging effects of fashion on the environment, companies have begun to adopt methods to reduce the carbon footprint and negative effects on the environment. Specifically companies have looked into the textile manufacturing methods and ways to innovate the processes. More consumers have been affected by the company’s environmental awareness and how they have chosen to make a change in their manufacturing.
What’s the big deal?
If you are unaware of the effects of textile manufacturing, I will give you a brief overview. Textile supply chains are very demanding from step to step. When fibers are collected, it takes high energy to extract it from the animal, plant, or crude oil and causes heavy pollution. The fibers get spun into yarn and then usually knitted or woven to become a sheet of fabric. As the process goes on, dyes become involved.
Still don’t see a problem? Let’s delve a little deeper.
According to 3D look, “the creation of one cotton shirt requires the same amount of water as one person drinks in 2.5 years” (2022). Water is a large part of textile manufacturing; the fibers need to be produced, yarn needs to be washed, and dyes may need to be applied. These are all uses of freshwater that are not replenished at the same rate. It is already a problem in the present, and may become a bigger problem in the future.
Additionally, apparel and footwear industries are responsible for 8% of greenhouse gasses emissions, with apparel being 6.7% (Shout Out UK, 2018). That converts to 3.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide a.k.a. tons of pollution which contributes to climate change issues. This is why companies must from fossil fuels to generate energy to renewable sources of energy. New alternatives have been explored and adopted by well-known companies.
Are you one of the 3 in 5 consumers?
If you are someone who shops for athletic wear, I am sure you are not unfamiliar with Nike. Nike has worked hard on becoming sustainable for its consumers by looking at the facts and making important changes to its method. Having switched from a weaving method to non-weaving method, the athletic wear company has already reduced its carbon footprint by 75% compared to their old fleeces.; this is because the non-woven fabric requires many less steps which requires less energy.
This new line, Nike Forward, incorporates several different fibers from consumer waste and industrial waste. No dyes or water are used within this process; covering almost all of the issues woven methods addressed. This new process punches recycled plastic flakes together through needling and entangles multiple thin layers together. Without the use of embellishments like zippers and buttons, the fleece is even easier to recycle.
“Athletes around the world are telling us that climate change is a barrier to sport. This launch represents our commitment to answering athletes’ calls for more sustainable options — grounded in our authenticity in sport.” said Nike
Palmieri, 2022
Nike has chosen to put their money where their mouth is and put their consumer concerns first. Of course it comes with a price for them of about $150 per sweatshirt, but it is a start to an eco-friendly process. It offers the same quality as Nike’s Therma-Fit Adv heat-regulating fabric so the consumer does not lose its comfort.
Take a look at what Nike’s leaders have to say about this innovation in the fashion industry:
According to Chelsea Alana, the company has a goal to have “0.5 million tons of GHG emissions reduced through increasing the use of environmentally preferred materials to 50 percent of all key materials including polyester, cotton, leather and rubber, and 100 percent waste diverted from landfill in its extended supply chain with at least 80 percent recycled back into Nike products and other goods” by the year 2025 (2022).
Nike has completely set the bar for other mainstream companies to reduce their carbon footprint and put their consumers first.
Looking into the Far Future
Last weekend in Paris for the Paris Womenswear Fashion Week, Bella Hadid played a magical role on the Coperni Spring/Summer 2023 runway as designers sprayed a dress onto her body in real time for the audience to watch. It was a breathtaking performance with innovations for the textile manufacturing industry.
Coperni shared the magic of the fabric: “short fibers bound together with polymers and bio polymers, and greener solvents that deliver the fabric in liquid form, then evaporate when the spray reaches a surface” (Diderich, 2022). The fibers cross-link each other so there is no weaving involved. Textures can also vary based on the application of the spray. This fabric is easily recyclable and limitless in its means of usage. There is no specific time that the spray lasts for in a fashion sense, but it is reusable for different types of fabrics, like some that are used in hospitality.
This innovation completely eliminates the fuels and energy needed in fabric production and would reduce the carbon footprint by a significant amount. This display of Coperni was not the first time spray-on fabric was used, but it has not yet become prevalent in the industry. Fabrican, the company who dressed Bella Hadid with the spray-on can, distributes new innovations of technology for the hospitality and medical field, as well as the fashion industry.
Convincing the 2 in 5 Consumers
Now, it is up to the rest of the consumer body to educate themselves on the effects of purchasing from brands that do not make environmentally friendly choices in their manufacturing. Nike has not only expressed great concern for the issue, but also put work into it so they can make a change. Fabrican has not become a norm in the fashion industry, but it shares the possibility of what the industry can become. By investing in these companies, we are doing our future a favor.
References
Diderich, J. (2022, October 02). Everything You Need to Know About the Technology Behind Bella Hadid’s Spray-on Dress. Retrieved from https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/everything-you-need-to-know-about-technology-behind-bella-hadid-spray-on-dress-1235369219/
Ganz, J. (2022, October 01). Everything you need to know about Bella Hadid’s spray-on gown. Retrieved from https://www.nydailynews.com/snyde/ny-how-spray-on-dresses-work-20221001-nfppxpr7pzf4jcitm5vqxdobxi-story.html
Granskog, A., Lee, L., Magnus, K., & Sawers, C. (2021, March 12). Survey: Consumer sentiment on sustainability in fashion. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/survey-consumer-sentiment-on-sustainability-in-fashion
Nike Launching New Fabric Innovation, Forward. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.yahoo.com/now/nike-launching-fabric-innovation-forward-140000058.html
Sustainable Fashion Technology For Eco-Friendly Production. (2022, June 30). Retrieved from https://3dlook.me/content-hub/7-sustainable-fashion-technologies/
Posts, S. O., & Shout Out UK. (2022, October 04). The Impact Of Textile Manufacturing On The Environment. Retrieved from https://www.shoutoutuk.org/2018/11/13/the-impact-of-textile-manufacturing-on-the-environment/
Gabriella Marinelli 
One thought on “Your Purchase, Your Future”