“Walking the Green Catwalk”

The Textile Institute, Roy Godden Lecture, Royal College of Art, London, 16/01/2008

Dr. Dorothy Maxwell

Lead: Defra Sustainable Clothing Roadmap

Sustainable Products & Materials

SUMMARY

• Focus on Sustainable Products & Services

• Trial with 10 Products

• Sustainable Clothing Roadmap WhatStatus

• Defra Sustainable Products & Materials

Products and services can have significant environmental impacts

Impacts across the lifecycle & globalClothing

Energy, water, chemicals

Energy, water, chemicals, plastics,

cardboard

Energy Energy, water, chemicals

Energy, land

GHGs, air emissions,

water pollution,biodiversity loss,

soil erosion

GHGs, air emissions,

water pollution, waste

GHGs, air emissions

GHGs, water pollution

GHGs, water pollution,waste, resource

depletion

End of lifelandfill,

incineration, recyclingConsumer

usewashing

Distributiontransport

Productionspinning, dyeing,

finishing, packaging

Cottongrowth, acquisition,

processing

High & growing consumption

Growingconsumer demand

Global population 2050 –

9 billion

Quickly changingconsumer preferences

Rapidtechnological development

New productscontinually coming

on stream

Short lifespan of products

Fast fashion

If everyone consumed in the way we do in the UK we would need three planets to support us

SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION & PRODUCTION (SCP)

UK Government SCP Approach

Changing Patterns: UK Government Framework for SCP (2003)

SCP incorporated in UK Sustainable Development PolicyPriority area for UK’s Sustainable Development Strategy Securing the Future (March 2005) One of the five Defra strategic priorities

VisionVision - a ‘one planet economy’

Shifts in consumption consumption patternspatterns - meeting needs, with lower environmental impacts

Cleaner, innovative, more efficient productionproductionprocesses

Improved environmental performance of products products and servicesand services

UK Government SCP Approach

10 Product RoadmapsFor rapid change in priority high-impact products and services

Approach launched to government in April 2007

SCP Evidence – R&DMeasuring Production & Consumption ImpactsProduct & Service ImpactsConsumer Behaviour

Delivery Programmes include:-Market Transformation Programme (MTP) - electronicsSustainable Procurement Task ForceDirect Gov Environment and Greener Living web guide......

DEFRA 10 Product Roadmaps

PRIORITY AREA PRODUCT OR SERVICEFood Milk

Fish

Transport Passenger cars

Energy Using Products TVs

Lighting

Motors

Buildings Window systems

WCs

Plasterboard

Clothing/Textiles Clothing

Sustainable Clothing Roadmap

Sustainable Clothing Roadmap

EVIDENCE ACTION

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

AIM• Improve sustainability performance of clothing

• Building on existing interventions in place• In conjunction with industry stakeholders

SCOPE• Garments excluding footwear, accessories, carpets and furnishing textiles

HOW:

Status

Analysed Existing Evidence on Impacts & Interventions

• Commissioned ERM To Collate Evidence• Project Report published shortly• Evidence Briefing Note

• Meetings with stakeholders

Multi - Stakeholder Events

• Chatham House 05/09/07• Report

• Next meeting 03/2008

Stakeholder Engagement

Stakeholder informed roadmap• Supply Chain• Actions• > 200

Source: Eurotex – A Vision for 2020 (Dec 2004)

Summary

• Clothing Industry Trends

• Sustainability Impacts & Interventions

• Clothing Roadmap Action Areas

Clothing & Textile Sector Trends

Global Market Value £500 billionEconomically very significant

UK Consumption 2 million tonnes £38 billion

UK GDP 0.78% of UK GDP

Employment UK 170, 000

Import 90% (1.7 million tonnes) £11 billion

Export 10% (281,000 tonnes) £3 billion

UK Production 3.3 % of UK mft. £9.5 billion

(2004-2006)

Import Export

UK clothing producers relocating to developing world

Majority of clothing consumed in UK produced overseas

China

Italy

France

GermanyIreland

Turkey

Industry Structure

Industry Structure

Complex, global supply chainSignificant sub contract market in developing worldGlobal commodities markets e.g. cottonAgents, vendors, exporters, suppliers, retailersMigrant workers

Transparency, accountability and effective supply chain management

Supporting economies and incomes in range of countries e.g.BangladeshSri LankaIndia

UK Consumption Trends

UK Clothing Consumption = £23 billion/annum (7% of retail expenditure)

Strong growth 34% (1996-2005)• Continue

• Average UK citizen spends £625 on clothes/annumPrice/unit reducing

• Sales of women’s cloths > 50% vs. mens > 75% vs. childrens• Age 30-50 highest spenders

Where do we spend?

(2004)

Supermarkets – 19% 2005Online clothing sales – 3 % of market

Increased 460% (2001-2006)

What clothing do we buy?

Fast Fashion - discount fashion / value clothing sector1/5 of marketfastest growth (doubling 1999 – 2006)garment lifetime shorter

Drivers: Fast Supply Chainscollections change every 2-3 weekslarge global retailers Localisation

– European mft – close access to market

What clothing does UK produce, import and export?

Fibres, yarns and fabrics

Synthetic (e.g. polyester)60%Demand doubled (1992 - 2006)

Non Synthetic29%cotton (15%)wool (8%)) Static demand (1992- 2006)

Unspecified 11%

Environment & Social Impacts of Clothing

Impacts occur across the lifecycle / supply chain

Key Environmental Impacts for Clothing Lifecycle

Cotton Growing

H2O

Polyester Processing

Energy(Irrigation & Chemicals)

Fossil Fuels Energy

H2O ChemicalsEnergy

Chemicals(Detergent / Solvents)

Raw Materials growth, acquisition, processing Production & Distribution Use End of Life

Chemicals

(Dyes)PlasticsCardboardMetals

Energy

Significance of Global Impacts

Example: Aral Sea, Central Asia

Split in two Result of irrigation for cotton production since 1961Increased dust stormsContamination of agricultural landCommunity health……

Social & Ethical Impacts

Range of social & ethical issues e.g. Health & safetyExploitation e.g.

– child labour,– sweatshop conditions

Trade inequitiesAnimal welfare

Increasingly prominentGlobalisation, Increased sub-contract market in developing world

Existing Sustainable Clothing Interventions

“Green”/ Ethical Clothing & Sustainable Design

Raw materials/ fibres with lower impacts

Fibres & fabricsOrganic cotton, hemp…. Alternative innovative materials (Lycocell® (wood), Ingeo ®(corn) )Sustainability impacts & business feasibility

End of Life Waste14% collected for reuse & recyclingImprovements: infrastructure & reduce barriers Fibres enabling remanufacture/recycling (closing the loop)biodegradeable / compostable textilesProducer Responsibility ?

Uniforms / Corporate Clothing OpportunityLease & take backProcurement

Interventions – Energy Use and Chemicals

Clothes CleaningWash at 30º C , awareness campaigns, labels, energy efficiency

– Energy use from Drying – Consumer Behaviour

Technology Innovations– Waterless cleaning– Finishing and coating preparations for longevity, strengthening or stain removal

limit end of life waste recovery options– Consumer Behaviour barrier

Dyes, Effluent, ChemicalsTextile colouration technologies & dye standardsNon solvent dry cleaning technologySolvents Regs., REACH Pesticides & herbicides

Interventions – Trade & Ethics

Fair Trade

Ethical / Green supply chain managementCSRStandards & COP e.g. SA 8000Transparency & Accountability

– Country of Origin Capacity building, networksEnforcement

Animal Welfare

Fashion & Consumer Awareness, Media, Education

“Ethical fashion” – “Ethics become fashionable”

Key Messages

Clothing • Economically Important Business Sector Globally• Business case for sustainability increasing

Roadmap• Improve sustainability performance • Working collaboratively stakeholders• Practical, action orientated way

Subsequent meetings• Next planned for March 2008• Agree actions in key intervention areas with stakeholders

LINKS

Sustainable Clothing Roadmap Websitehttp://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/consumerprod/products/clothing.htm

Defra SCP activitieshttp://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/business/scp/index.htm

Market Transformation Programmehttp://www.mtprog.com/

Sustainable Procurement Task Forcehttp://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/government/task-forces/procurement/index.htm

Direct Gov Environment and Greener Living http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/index.htm

CONTACT DETAILS

Dorothy Maxwell BSc(Hons), MSc, DIC, PhD

Expert Consultant: SCP / Sustainable Products & Services Environment, Business and Consumers Division, Defra123 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DE, UKEmail dorothy.maxwell@DEFRA.GSI.GOV.UKTel. + 44 (0)2070823837

Director: Global View Sustainability Services Ltd. (GVSS Ltd.)dorothymaxwell@gv-ss.comwww.gv-ss.comwww.sustainableproductsandservices.com