Editorial: The potential of the fashion industry for combating climate change

Editorial: The potential of the fashion industry for combating climate change

Lockdowns imposed by governments in the fight to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic have led many to reflect on wider issues affecting society and the planet—not least the need to address climate change. The fibre, textile and clothing industries are major contributors to climate change, and the throwaway nature of fashion has also been highlighted as a significant environmental problem. Indeed, if present trends continue, the fashion industry is on a trajectory which will miss the 1.5°C pathway to mitigating climate change by a considerable margin. The Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) and McKinsey & Company have collaborated to analyse the contribution of the textile and clothing industries to climate change, and have identified three priority action areas for the industry to help minimise its environmental impact. In this report, Robin Anson discusses the three priority action areas, namely: the reduction of emissions from upstream operations; the reduction of emissions from the operations of brands; and encouraging sustainable behaviour among consumers.