Role 3: Environmentalist - Background
The production and manufacture of textiles, clothing and footwear have high environmental demands: water and energy, waste disposal and pollution. The long-term impact on the environment is not always costed effectively. The development and implementation of codes of practice for sustainable production and protection of the environment are an important aspect in the expansion of the TCF industry.
Design ethically sourced fashion with only minimal impact on the environment.
The production, manufacturing, transportation and use of textiles for fashion and interior furnishing applications uses dyes, solvents, yarns (both natural and synthetic fibres), paper patterns and machinery. The main impacts arise from material selection and use, manufacturing processes, the dyes used to print fabrics and the ethical issues around the human labour used to create garments. The impacts are outlined on this website.
M&S among companies under fire over pollution claims:
Some of the biggest international clothing brands and retailers have been criticized by a group of Chinese NGOs because of the pollution caused by textile producers that are claimed to be suppliers.
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Adidas Group - Sustainability Innovation:
The guiding principle of Adi Dassler, the founder of adidas, is simple: to make athletes better. That is why, at the adidas Group, innovation is at the core of all our products. The choice of materials and how they are manufactured are the two main ways by which our innovation teams can influence the environmental footprint of our products. To mention some examples: Avoiding oil-based plastic helps reduce carbon emissions. Thinner or lighter materials mean less waste and less embedded carbon. Dry-dyeing clothes saves water, chemicals and energy. Approaching the innovation challenge from an environmental perspective helps us make products that are better for consumers and better for the planet too.
USAgain presents an informative presentation on the environmental impact of the textile industry. Watch and listen as we discuss the environmental cost of producing just one T-shirt and polyester jacket.
Clean by Design is an innovative program to use the buying power of multinational corporations as a lever to reduce the environmental impacts of their suppliers abroad. Clean by Design focuses on improving process efficiency to reduce waste and emissions and improve the environment.
Nike Aims to Minimize Our Environmental Footprint
"We have worked for over a decade to understand, track and reduce environmental impacts across our value chain. We work to reimagine the role of waste and renewable energy, disrupt how we think about our water footprint, and rethink chemistry. We’re creating a new generation of products that achieve maximum athletic performance with minimal environmental impact. "
4 heaviest environmental impact areas of the fashion and apparel industry:
International Federation of Social Workers - Globalisation and the environment:
The International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) is a global organization striving for social justice, human rights and social development through the promotion of social work, best practice models and the facilitation of international cooperation.