Why Regulations aren’t Solving the Fashion Industry’s Environmental Problem

and how marketing will…

The fashion industry is the second-largest polluting industry in the world (second only to the oil industry). There are a ton of agencies, collectives, and initiatives that have taken on the task of setting standards for regulation of the fashion industry, but how are they enforced?

Thankfully, people are beginning to pay more and more attention to the environment; where reusable bags were once “hippie” or “weird,” using plastic is becoming the weird thing to do; celebrities sponsor beach and environmental cleanups, straws are banned left and right, and so much more. We’re finding an increased awareness of microplastics, the importance of healthy, livable working conditions, and the importance of shifting toward better standards for ourselves, our planet, and the future.

Sounds nice, right?

At first glance, absolutely. But we have to remove our rose (or rather, green)-colored glasses and really understand if these standards are actually being enforced. Once you start to sift through the greenwashing, it’s pretty clear that the fashion industry is arguably more marketing than fashion — corporations love to slap an “eco-friendly” label on their products, but who is really checking?