Sustainability In The Fashion Industry

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Abstract In recent years, both researchers and practitioners have devoted attention to environmental sustainability issues in the fashion industry, but, despite the topic's relevance, a structured analysis of the problem is missing. The research aimed at identifying: the drivers that push companies to adopt “green” practices, the different practices that can be used to improve environmental sustainability, and the environmental KPIs measured by fashion companies. The degree of sustainability is largely determined during the beginning of life (BOL) stage of the product lifecycle, in which the product is designed and developed. At this stage, decisions about materials and processes required to create the product can have a significant impact…show more content…
“Sustainability” has many definitions, with the three most common being an activity that can be continued indefinitely without causing harm; doing unto others as you would have them do unto you; and meeting a current generation’s needs without compromising those of future generations. Seidman (2007: 58) notes, “Sustainability is about much more than our relationship with the environment; it’s about our relationship with ourselves, our communities, and our…show more content…
Langenwater (2009: 11) lists some essential principles of a sustainable policy for companies: “Respect for people (at all levels of the organization), the community, and its supply chain; respect for the planet, recognizing that resources are finite; and generating profits that arise from adhering to these principles.” Organizations are embedded in society, and reflect the value they offer society, which raises profound issues. As Beard (2008: 448) states, “The difficulty (in the fashion industry) is to see how all the suppliers of the individual components can be ethically secured and accounted for, together with the labor used to manufacture the garment, its transport from factory to retail outlet, and ultimately the garment’s aftercare and disposal.” With a global reach, the fashion industry supply chain is highly fragmented and inherently complex; as a result, fashion manufacturing is even less transparent than

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