Sustainability Where to begin

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In FocusIssue: December , 2012

Sustainability: where to begin?

Abrar A Apu, MSc

www.abrarapu.com

Let me start with the story of 'the blind men and an elephant' originated in Indian subcontinent from where it has widely diffused

to other literatures. It is used to illustrate a range of truths and fallacies. The story can be explained in the following way: six

blind men gathered to examine an elephant. All six touched and felt the elephant. A wise man asked each of them to express

their feelings about the elephant. They variously asserted that the elephant is like a serpent (trunk), a great wall (body), a tree

trunk (leg), a leathery bird with huge wings (ears), a rope (tail) or a brush (tip of the tail). Knowing only the parts, and blind to

the whole, the men come to blow over their very different and inaccurate conclusions about the animal. Sustainability can be

compared with the elephant and what many have described, are parts of it, few could capture it completely. And in the right way,sustainability in textiles is as multi-dimensional as the highly fragmented structure of textile value or manufacturing chain.

Sustainability, in general, is the ability to be sustained, supported, upheld, or confirmed. Since the 1980s sustainability has been

used as a concept of long lasting environmental quality for natural and social quality for human beings. In sustainability journey,

in the early 1990's natural and recycled products dominated production, trade shows and industry. In the mid of 2000's organic

and fair trade led market. Ethical and clean production have been playing important role in textile sustainability. Sustainability or

human sustainability is based on 'three pillars' of sustainability- environmental sustainability (e.g., to take care finite soil, water,

air and other resources), social sustainability (e.g., to satisfy personal, family and community needs for health, safety, food and

happiness) and economic sustainability (e.g., to remain profitable). I understand sustainability as efficient use, recycle and reuse

of natural resources that ensure better living and better environment for our generation to come. Sustainable manufacturing can

only produce sustainable T&C products. Sustainable manufacturing is defined as the creation of manufactured products that use

processes that are non- polluting, conserve energy and natural resources, and are economically sound and safe for employees,

communities, and consumers (U.S. Department of Commerce). Important metrics of sustainability are: grey water footprint,

water consumption, carbon footprint, land use and cost. Sustainable textile indicates those textile and clothing (T&C) products

that are reusable, non-toxic, biodegradable and compostable. I am a Textile Engineer and my focus is on textile sustainability.

T&C is the fundamental need of human beings and therefore without T&C, it is difficult for them to survive. T&C is manufactured

and its raw materials are cultivated (natural textile fibers) or derived from different sources (man made fibers). Processing

materials for T&C, like dyes, chemicals, auxiliaries, accessories and other necessary materials are manufactured. If a product is

produced or manufactured, it must affect environment negatively and so do the T&C manufacturing processes. Among several

sub processes, dyeing and printing, are considered as the deadliest process for the environment degradation and the biggest

threat to our survival or sustainability in the planet. On the other hand because immense resource usage or environmental

degradation done because of cares during consumption of the T&C articles, sustainable end use and disposal is another big

challenge for sustainability. T&C supply chain is one of the largest and complex chains in the industrial sector. Therefore, a long

list of supply chain players (from farmers to consumers) in this sector has to perform own sustainability responsibilities to shape

textile sustainability. Generally textile sustainability starts from agriculture fields (e.g., cotton growing) and ends with responsible

uses, reuses, recycles of the T&C articles by consumers and others.

Different methods, policies, standards and compliance rules have been formed in respect to sustainability of textile sector.

Several tools have also been developed to measure sustainability in the textile sector (e.g., textile EcoMetrics) and some tools

and methods are in developing stages and some new may come in futures. It does indicate sustainability turning into complex

stages with so may standards, tools and methods. It also indicates that the symptom of the so-called non-sustainability has not

been properly diagnosed, yet.

Let me try to find out the symptom of non-sustainability activities. Few facts are important to mention those are; world

population is increasing faster and in 2050, it would be 10 billion as well as people are graduating from poor to rich, and rich

become richer in term of wealth. T&C articles are 'fast fashion' and are becoming cheap to cheaper. Around 1900, human beings

needed about 2 kg of T&C per head, whereas by 2010 humans needed about 10 kg of T&C per head in a year.

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Issue: December , 2012

Sustainability: where to begin? http://www.textiletoday.com.bd/magazine/print/547

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It may be concluded from the mentioned facts that the days to come when more population, more rich people in term of wealth,

more consumption of T&C materials is obvious. As a result, there will be higher environmental pollution. Frequency and effects of

natural disasters is the best parameter of measuring environmental pollution globally.

Does the world will sustain and therefore textile? Growing population, idle wealth generation and illiteracy of the population are

main symptoms and reasons behind the non-sustainability of the planet.

Prof. Thuppil Venkatesh (St. John's Medical College, India.) in his article 'Human Physiology for self-sustainability' mentioned the

four stages of human development as the 'development of brain', 'development of mind', 'personality development' and the 'self

development'. Sustainable development of our environment is ultimately related to the self-development, the final stage of

human development. Thus, sustainability of surroundings/environment has to be integrated in various stages of

self-development.

Sustainable developments/sustainability is not cultural, national or religion specific slogan of any nation. It is a global slogan,

because every citizen of the world wants to ensure better living environment for himself/herself and for the generation to come.

Sustainable concept and implementation in full length is not possible only through writing journals and literatures and discussions

among only literate people. This concept and its implementation have to include in every stream of life such as in culture,

religion, politics and other aspects of life that have intense effect on human life. To be more specific, the introduction and its

basic features of sustainability have to include in primary level education, religion, and politics. Human brain is the only and the

most important house of decisions making and the brain takes decisions based on its cumulative results coming from its different

pillars of decision making like culture, religion, believe, needs and lesions from different sources.

Rabindranath Tagore had written (in Bangla, which have the meaning like):

'Went to see the mountain ranges, saw the Sindhu river

But never got to look with my open eyes

Just two steps from my door where lies

A dew drop on the sheaf of paddy thither'

I would like to replicate the meaning of this poem in sustainability point of view, the experts should concentrate on the

techniques and methods that we had and have since our earlier existence rather than finding new innovations.

We, the educated and conscious society, are negligible part of the world population. Every one in this world directly contributes

environment degradation. Thus, without the active participation of every citizen, it is not possible to sustain our world. At what


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extent the new technologies or methods contribute truly in maintaining sustainability of the world. But we, general people can

contribute by reducing consumption of T&C from 10 kg to what we need in true sense and by controlling population rate. Better

or higher price of the textile articles may also contribute in sustainability in some extent. Better price means better payments to

its people (social sustainability), better profitability (economic sustainability) and investment for environment (environmental

sustainability). Renowned author on Eco-socialism well said 'revising the scale of living will solve at root many of society's

theoretical and practical problems'.


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Sustainability Where to begin

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