Beyond the Clothing Fabrics

Challenges in the Fashion Sector

Photo by Nicola Styles on Unsplash

New environmental, social, and governance regulations, both domestically and internationally, pose a significant challenge for companies in the fashion sector, which will inevitably have to adapt at the very least and transform at the most.

REGENERATION

In addition to assuming responsibility and adhering to the regulatory framework, companies must go beyond and transcend the corporate to join the common purpose of ceasing to be the second most polluting sector, only surpassed by the petroleum industry.

CIRCULARITY

How? By betting on circularity, addressing not only the reduction of unwanted effects or compensation but contributing to a true and proactive social and environmental regeneration, transforming internally and throughout their supply chain, reviewing protocols and processes to eliminate any ethically questionable aspects that violate human and environmental rights, and communicating and informing with absolute transparency to connect with the consumer.

A consumer who shows some concern for the sustainability of materials and the carbon footprint but is primarily concerned about their budget. Study presented by Sara Quintero on June 12, 2024, in Madrid.

We need a more informed, conscious, coherent, and responsible citizenry in their purchasing decisions and daily habits, and big brands can leverage their power to raise awareness and accelerate the path towards a more mature society in terms of social and environmental awareness and justice.

SUSTAINABILITY

“Nature is the best technology,”

Said Gema Gómez at the “Beyond the Fabrics” event organized by U4IMPACT, mentioning the example of sheep's wool, a 100% ecological material that is currently being discarded (why!!!!).

TECHNOLOGY

Meanwhile, AI, in its full boom and pending regulation and best practice use (beware), can also help optimize processes, for example, by predicting to produce more closely to demand, achieving more durable materials, creating modular and parametric designs that reduce stock and waste, and improving both user experience and brand profitability.

Nature and technology can be combined by making the best of each 🤝

SYSTEMIC APPROACH

Promoting regulation, informing and training, educating and raising awareness, from the inside out (or from the outside in?) is key for the whole supply chain and all the actors involved and society as a whole to participate decisively in the new paradigm we need, looking at the long term, decreasing in order to grow better, collaborating to add up and consolidating a change of behaviour at a systemic level, for the common good.

Map of Actors in the Fashion Sector. Raquel López Vázquez

DESIRABLE FUTURES

Undoubtedly, interesting future scenarios are opening up that will have to be explored in order to embrace the desirable changes that the planet and people deserve.