t Environmental and Ecological effects of the Fashion Industry
Excess or even prolonged use of pesticides and herbicides on the environment can have pronounced effects.
Prior to its ban DDT and PCB, of which PCP is a derivative is blamed for the poor formation of bone structures in vertebrates; 12,000 birds washed up on UK shores (1969) were found with higher than expected levels of PCB.
High levels of PCB’s in animals can cause infertility, at 50ppm in Whale Blubber there is a sharp cut off in levels of fertility:
- In 1991 the Ministry of Agriculture found a dead bottlenose dolphin with PCB levels of 320ppm of the coast of Wales.
- Killer whales have been found with 410ppm of PCB
- Dolphins off the coast of Europe – found with up to 833ppm PCB
All considerable distances from PCB pollution.
Excess release of fertilisers, essentially Nitrates and Phosphates in large quantities – used extensively in the cultivation of cotton and flax, into the water table can lead to eutrophication.
These provide nutrients for algae’s, which can grow at such a rate that light essential for other plant life is cut off; with such swift over production of algae free oxygen levels are left depleted, and all marine life can die.
Follow on repercussions are that whole water systems can be infected, and disease will quickly follow. Globally, up to 30 percent of all fertilisers used are for the production of textile fibres.
Any excessive cultivation will change the natural characteristics of soil, and environment. Deforestation for cattle ranching is a typical example where desertification occurs, taking many years to return.
Chemical contamination can persist for years, altering not only habitat, but also environment patterns such as rain fall.
Global Climate Change
Many of production methods in the developing nations are in-economic with regards to natural resource usage, contributing further to the release of atmospheric pollutants, namely Carbon Dioxide, Nitrous oxide and CFC’s amongst others.
C02 CH4 and N20 increases
Transport of Fashion Goods
As more production is put into developing nations, with markets further away reliance on global travel is a necessity.
With a continued reliance on air flight, a significant rise in the Earth temperature has been attributed directly to this phenomenon.
Air flight effects on climate
Ethical Fashion Trading
It must be noted that in developing nations working conditions in every aspect can be very poor. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has estimated that there are about 250 million child workers in developing nations between the ages of 5 and 14, 120 million working full time.
- Pesticide formulators, mixers, applicators, pickers, with single, short-term and very high level exposure will suffer 3 million persons exposed annually, with 220,000 deaths (annually).
- Pesticide manufacturers, formulators, mixers, applicators and pickers, with Long-term exposure there will be 735,000 people suffering from specific chronic effects of long term exposure (annually).
- All population groups with long-term low level exposure will suffer 37,000 chronic effects of long term exposure, Cancer (annually)
“For decades, the terms ‘Eco’ and ‘Luxury’ seldom intertwined in the fashion world. All too often, the environmentally aware were confined to wearing shapeless sacks of ill-woven fibres to be true to sustainable style.
Fashion thrives on marketing, and quirks sell. Does that mean with the creation of potentially ecologically sound garments and backpacks, or rather the touting of such garments that there is going to be a revolution of the textile markets? Investigating various claims afforded by designers we find that for some, the term eco-friendly is only very loosely employed. There appear to be distinct routes for something to be claimed as eco friendly, and various levels of compliance with what is recognisable as a truly ecologically sound solution, in what is essentially a self regulated industry.
- Bio Degradable
- Recycled – Recycling by definition means reusing something, how many times this can be d