Approaches to address the unsustainability in our textile industries

Textile mills account for 20% of the world’s water pollution, and the production of synthetic fibers is an energy-intensive process that releases tons of carbon and soot into the air, which causes cancers and respiratory diseases. Microfibers shed from synthetic fabrics collect in the ocean, poisoning ecosystems and thus the people who consume fish. It’s difficult to pin the origin of textile pollution — in permeates into our culture, and other country’s economies. Addressing the textile industry would require change in separate verticals of our lives — from culture, to manufacturing, to employment practices in developing countries. Mobilizing every country on a single agenda is difficult — after all, each country needs to prioritize their own economy, and are not all equally affected by textile pollution in the short run. However, the long term risks of deferring solutions far overshadow short term gains, so the world should unite to create global rules to eliminate inefficient piecemeal solutions.

First world and developed countries follow seasonal fashion trends, which creates a need for cheap clothing that can be easily replaced. This demand incentivizes manufacturers to cut costs as much as possible through unsustainable production methods. While the harmful chemicals and energy intensive production methods are detrimental to our environment in the long run, the manufacturers make a short term gain — and there are no taxes or regulations on long-term harmful effects. If one producer decides to phase out unsustainable practices — for example using waterless dye or renewable energy — their costs will increase and they will lose their competitive edge — showing how the tragedy of the commons ultimately depletes our environment. Because many of these developing countries rely on their textile exports, their governments don’t have the resources or power to regulate their top-producing industries — otherwise, American produced goods would outcompete foreign goods. Thus, a solution to the cyclical destruction of the globe would lie in nations uniting under a common cause. If all the countries that produce textiles can agree to sustainable manufacturing, there will be fewer losses for individual producers. For example, if every competitor agreed to restrict usage of water dyes, every producer’s cost to produce would rise — thus the costs of implementing this sustainable practice are mitigated, and water pollution in the form of chemical dyes can be eliminated. By getting nations to unite under a common agenda, the mission to eliminate textile pollution is streamlined, meaning less energy is wasted on efforts that are too minute to make a difference. It is up to the rest of the world to agree upon alternatives so that developing countries are not hurt by sustainability. An example of this is the United Nations Alliance on Sustainable Fashion, which brings together organizations across the globe to rally against unsustainable manufacturing practices. However, global solutions have shortcomings — otherwise the United Nations would have already eliminated textile pollution.

Global coalitions often have trouble enforcing policy — or even finding the right policy, since no one can be an expert on the nuances of policy in multiple nations. The national approach would be to let countries decide their own policies of restricting fast fashion, or whether they would even restrict trade. Most developing countries have no incentive to protect the environment, especially since it would hurt their own national economy. Yet still, individual countries have better control and knowledge of their own situations, making them more qualified to make policy for their own citizens. It would be unfair to a country’s people if foreigners who don’t understand the national customs and common people forced policy upon these citizens. Local policymakers are best at implementing policy that is agreeable for local citizens. For example, one of the ministers in France was able to crack down on unsustainable fashion practices in France. For example, she pushed for standards in washing machine filters to catch microfibers on synthetic clothing before they leech into water streams. This policy is unique to the French lifestyle and economy, and successfully targeted an issue in water pollution. It would be difficult to have global leaders research a specific country’s lifestyle for policymaking — instead, national implementation often leads to more success.

Body 3; Most intuitively, fast fashion is cheap and has high demand, but at a cost to the environment.

Both the global and national approaches to decreasing pollution from fast fashion have pros and cons. If the global approach worked, then the UN should have solved textile pollution by now. If the national approach was effective, then fast fashion should not even be accessible, or incentivized, in any country. Neither of these are the case, because there is no clear path for finding a balance between national political autonomy and united global progress. Every country has wants and needs, and their economies benefit indirectly from environmental depletion. Thus, an integrated policy would take more work, but in the long run preserve the planet for future generations. For example, if we want to crack down on microplastic pollution, we can see how this type of pollution manifests itself in different countries. First world countries often contribute with bad laundering techniques, so there can be new regulations in washing machines that require a microplastic filter to prevent drainage to the ocean — similar to the French policy. Developing countries don’t have as much access to washing machines, but they do contribute to air pollution in the process of turning crude oil into polyester. Implementing pollution credits and tariffs would incentivize innovation in manufacturing and the implementation of new, environmentally friendly manufacturing techniques. These two policy areas combined would reduce the waste and pollution created by synthetic fabrics, and also increase the price of unsustainably manufactured clothing. Demand for fast fashion would fall, putting a stop to the cycle of cheap manufacturing and unsustainable purchasing.

The textile industry is a complex one, so there are no simple black and white solutions to its consequences. Even after establishing an integrated framework to phasing out the pollution caused by it, there’s still plenty of research that needs to be done for creating new manufacturing techniques. There will also still be pushback, because the status quo is always easier to maintain until there’s irreversible damage. Creating global goals, however, and still allowing countries to keep their autonomy, is a starting point for addressing the pressing issue of textile pollution.