The UK government have turned their attention to the fashion industry and its complex and often destructive effect on the environment, and some would say ‘what took them so long?’ The Environmental Audit Committee aims to explore the carbon impact, resource use and water footprint of clothing throughout its life cycle and supply chain, and try to find ways to make the industry more sustainable.
Britons bin 300,000 tonnes of clothing every year and our relationship with cheap throwaway fashion is only part of the story. Throughout the supply chain fibres have to be grown or produced, spun, knitted or woven, dyed, finished, sewn and transported – each part of the process comes with its own environmental issues from the use of toxic chemicals to excessive amounts of water.
Mary Creagh MP, who is leading the investigation, said: “Fashion shouldn’t cost the Earth. But the way we design, make and discard clothes has a huge environmental impact.
“Producing clothes requires toxic chemicals and produces climate-changing emissions. Every time we put on a wash, thousands of plastic fibres wash down the drain and into the oceans. We don’t know where or how to recycle end of life clothing. Our inquiry will look at how the fashion industry can remodel itself to be both thriving and sustainable.”
As a British based manufacturer to fast-fashion brand ASOS.com, Jenny Holloway, CEO, and her team at Fashion Enter would like to shine a positive and alternative view on so called ‘fast-fashion’ production. Jenny comments: “Here at Fashion Enter we run a fully compliant, transparent and ethical factory where the workers are paid properly in a safe and happy environment, waste levels are reduced to the bare minimum and quality rules over quantity.”
So how does Fashion Enter do it?
- The Galaxius System – Galaxius is an online system that documents the whole journey of the garment – all the way from sampling to delivery, it gives real time information about the machinists. The machinists scan a code and it will say what the garment is, what they are working to, what the rate is. It has absolutely revolutionised the Fashion Enter factory and now other CMT’s are implementing the system.
- Quality Not Quantity – ASOS.com is a fast-fashion brand but not in the negative sense. They have been forward thinking in their approach to supply and demand. The turn-around on an order is nimble but the numbers are kept low so styles sell out and don’t become discounted or dead stock.
- Waste management – Fashion Enter maintain high standards in fabric waste ensuring lay plans are devised to utilise supplied fabrics effectively. Any scrap pieces of fabric are then used by Fashion Enter’s educational department as practice swatches for students. Fashion Enter also donates fabric to charities and design companies that re-use and make new items with them.
- Training the next generation – At Fashion Enter there is a Fashion Technology Academyalongside the fully operational factory, teaching real, hands-on, production skills to ensure the manufacturing workforce continues to grow and thrive.
- Made in the UK – The carbon footprint of a fashion garment today is shocking. From fibre to store one garment style can be shipped to five countries at various stages of the supply chain. This is clearly wrong and brands and retailers need to keep the miles down and production closer to home.
Want to visit and see how we do things at Fashion Enter? We regularly hold open days, factory tours and CPPD’s for educational bodies, brands and retailers. To find out when our next one is contact jenni@fashion-enter.com
Meanwhile the deadline for submissions to the government inquiry is 5pm on Monday 3rd September.