The fashion industry is one of the largest polluting industries in the world today. Fast fashion consumption is driving prices down, and production is outsourced to developing countries such as Bangladesh and China with little concern for the people producing the products and the environmental impact this business and consumption model has.
In the US alone 80 billion pieces of clothing is consumed per year, and the average American generate 84 pounds of textile waste per year. This is not just an American consumerism issue, this is a global issue with similar behaviors and staggering statistics seen across the globe.
2013 was one of the most devastating and tragic years for the fashion industry with the factory collapse in Rana Plaza in Bangladesh. With tragedy often follows the potential for awakening and reprogramming how things are done, and many promising initiatives have already been launched following this catastrophe.
TIPPING POINT COMING UP?
We are in need of a mindset shift from fast fashion consumption to mindful consumption and purchasing behaviors across industries. Having been an advocate for business as a force for good for more than 15 years, I am thrilled to see the movement on a global scale to raise awareness regarding these issues. Here are three promising & change-making initiatives that I think is worth a little bit of your time. And please do share, like, comment, create dialogue, ask questions, inspire each other, voice your concerns - this is how each of us can participate in propelling this sentiment forward.
We are in need of a mindset shift from fast fashion consumption to mindful consumption and purchasing behaviors across industries. Having been an advocate for business as a force for good for more than 15 years, I am thrilled to see the movement on a global scale to raise awareness regarding these issues. Here are three promising & change-making initiatives that I think is worth a little bit of your time. And please do share, like, comment, create dialogue, ask questions, inspire each other, voice your concerns - this is how each of us can participate in propelling this sentiment forward.
COPENHAGEN FASHION SUMMIT is the largest sustainability solution-focused fashion symposium in the world held in Copenhagen April 24th, 2014 featuring speakers such as Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Marco Bizzarri from Bottega Veneta, Eva Kruse from Danish Fashion Institute, Livia Firth from Green Carpet Challenge, Helena Helmersson from H&M, Stefan Siegel from Not Just A Label and more.
This will be powerhouse event, and I am very excited to participate, get inspired and be part of creating the solutions. Website.
THE TRUE COST is a documentary film exploring the impact and true cost of the global clothing industry on people and the planet by Andrew Morgan with UK based Eco Age & Green Carpet Challenge founder Livia Firth as consulting producer.
THREAD is another fashion industry documentary by Michelle Vey, celebrity model Amber Valletta, ecofashion entrepreneur Summer Rayne Oaks (who is also speaking at Copenhagen Fashion Summit in a few days) and my girlfriend Marci Zaroff, Under The Canopy founder and ecofashion pinoneer among others.
The documentary is setting out to shed light on the multifaceted issues of the fashion industry today, and call out needed efforts on many fronts to implement change such as strong governmental support for sustainable agriculture, rigorous enforcement of existing environmental laws, visionary entrepreneurs investing in green technology, consumer “dollar voting” to create a sustainable mass marketplace for organic and sustainable products and lower prices to increase the pool of potential customers.
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