Lecture 12 Flashcards
Sustainability in the Textiles & Fashion Industry
1
Q
Lecture 12: Sustainability in the Textiles & Fashion Industry
Main Topics:
A
- Environmental Impacts of Textile Industry (GHG emissions, water use, waste)
- Fast Fashion & Global Supply Chains
- EU Sustainable Textiles Strategy
- Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) in Textiles
2
Q
What are the main sustainability challenges in the textiles and fashion industry?
A
- High GHG emissions (~10% of global emissions)
- Massive water consumption (~215 trillion liters/year)
- High waste generation (~80% of textiles end up in landfills)
- Microplastic pollution from synthetic fabrics
3
Q
What is Fast Fashion, and why is it unsustainable?
A
It promotes mass production of cheap, disposable clothing, leading to high resource consumption, unethical labor practices, and excessive waste
4
Q
How does the EU Sustainable Textiles Strategy address these issues?
A
- Sets design requirements for longer-lasting textiles
- Introduces digital product passports for transparency
- Restricts exports of textile waste
- Discourages overproduction and greenwashing
5
Q
What major tragedy led to discussions about labor sustainability in fashion?
A
The Rana Plaza disaster (2013) in Bangladesh, where over 1,000 workers died due to unsafe factory conditions
6
Q
What are examples of sustainability certifications in textiles?
A
- EU Ecolabel for textile products
- Better Cotton Initiative
- Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Products Program
- Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
