Fashion Footprint

India’s Environmental Footprint: A Story of Sustainable Development

As a developing country, India is working towards a brighter future through sustainable development. In the past few years, the Centre for Sustainable Fashion worked on a project to introduce sustainable textiles in India. Partnering with the Department for Environmental Food and Rural Affiars (Defra), the project worked to introduce ecological textiles in India, position India into the sustainable textiles market and enable India to trade eco-friendly textiles to retailers in the United Kingdom.

A second project was initiated to revamp the Indian dye houses in order to make them more eco-friendly. From 2009 through 2011, Color Connections Ltd. worked with the Indian dye houses that supply the UK market to reduce the environmental impact of the houses.

Women in a village in India pick the cotton crops. PC: CNN

These projects are examples of the progress India is making in sustainable development and agriculture. India’s production of textiles accounts for 14% of its production and 17% of the country’s exports. India exports its textiles worldwide, and according to Defra’s Sustainable Clothing Roadmap, while India’s textile export industry is an economic success story that grosses over $500 billion, the industry has a serious environmental and social footprint associated with its supply chain.

An assessment was done to find out exactly what India’s environmental impact was before it moved towards sustainable development. Researchers assessed its use of water, its greenhouse gas emissions and its chemical pollution. It was determined that Indian cotton was the worst offender of all the textiles.

Indian cotton accounts for 16% of the world’s production and provides jobs for 40 to 50 million people (Hussain, 2010). However, the cotton industry is known to use large quantities of water and chemicals during the process.

An organic cotton farmer carries a bale of cotton. PC: Greta Blue

India is now offering fair trade, organic cotton and has emerged as the second least expensive producer of organic cotton behind Tanzania. The fair trade and organic combination appeals to retailers abroad because it is good for marketing.

The Maikaal Project worked to transform the way cotton was being produced in India. It helped to lessen the agricultural impact on the environment as well as yield higher profits for the farmers by substituting synthetic fertilizers and pesticides with organic farming techniques. In 2005, Maikaal bioRe® was established in central India and the initiative set up 1500 small farms and produced 1,000 tons of cotton.

An organic farm from the Maikaal Project in central India. Photo Credit: ETH

Though there are still several issues to overcome, the future for sustainable development in India is promising. By switching to eco-friendly agriculture, the farmers are likely to yield more profit from the crops while reducing their impact on the environment.

Works Consulted:

Department for Environmental Food and Rural Affairs, (2009). Sustainable clothing roadmap: Summary of Defra commissioned projects under the sustainable clothing action plan. Retrieved from: http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/business/products/roadmaps/documents/summary-projects-sustain-clothing-ap.pdf

Hussain, A. (2010). Sustainable textiles for fashion from India. Department for Environmental Food and Rural Affairs. Retrieved from: http://sd.defra.gov.uk/2010/09/sustainable-textiles-for-fashion-from-india/

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, (2011). The impact of organic cotton cultivation on the livelihood of Indian smallholders. Research Fellowship Partnership Programme. Retrieved from: http://www.rfpp.ethz.ch/fellowships/concluded_fellowships/organiccotton

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Designer of the Week: Vivienne Westwood

Fashion mogul Vivienne Westwood has launched an ethical fashion project in Africa called Ethical Fashion Africa. Westwood has partnered with the International Trade Centre in the Ethical Fashion Programme in order to improve the lives of people by working to produce retail items.

”It gives people control over their lives. Charity doesn’t give them control—it makes them dependent,” said Westwood in the brand’s video, Made With Love In Nairobi.

The project currently supports over 7,000 women living in some of the poorest communities in the world. Westwood has set up a business model that gives these women opportunities to work and earn wages that can cover medical expenses and other basic needs.

Photo Courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar

Photo courtesy of Juergen Teller for Vivienne Westwood A/W 2011-2012 Gold Label collection

The goal of the Ethical Fashion Africa collection is to inspire the creation of enterprises in Africa. From there, workers can train future generations to become skilled laborers, which will ultimately raise the standard of living in these poverty-stricken communities.

”I love my job because it has enabled me to move on with my life, so I gain from it,” said Winfred Wangari, the production supervisor of Ethical Fashion Africa. “It has helped me a lot. I am proud of it.”

Photo courtesy of Juergen Teller for Vivienne Westwood A/W 2011-2012 Gold Label collection

Ethical Fashion Africa not only pays fair wages and provides dignified working conditions, but also works to protect the environment.

”I am traumatized by the problem of climate change. It’s really changed my life. My outlook on the world is completely different,” said Westwood. “In fact, I think that everybody’s outlook on the world is completely different…The human race never looked out on such a future. We always kept on going thinking the world was our oyster, we could do what we wanted. Now we realize we can’t.”

Photo courtesy of Juergen Teller for Vivienne Westwood A/W 2011-2012 Gold Label collection

Ethical Fashion Africa includes an accessories line that are handmade in Kenya from recycled materials, as well as a ready-to-wear collection. The brand continues to grow and expand the project in an attempt to create a better world.

”It’s quite incredible to think that we may save the world through fashion,” said Westwood.

Photos Courtesy of Vivienne Westwood

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Reduce Your Carbon Hoofprint: Choose Alpaca Fiber

As a child, I visited an alpaca farm in upstate New York on a road trip with my family. It was one of those unplanned (and unwanted) adventures that gave my parents an opportunity to rest from the long drive and gave my brothers and I the chance to complain. In response to my whining—or perhaps as punishment for it—my parents convinced me to ride the alpaca. Cautiously, I approached the animal, as the farmhand gave me a boost onto the beast.

Photo Courtesy of Fly Over People

When I got up there, I exhaled a sigh of relief, then quickly inhaled through my mouth to avoid the strong stench of farm manure. I wasn’t enjoying myself and grew even more miserable when the animal began walking around the pen. Anxiously, I grabbed onto the fleece of its neck and tried to stabilize myself.

Two things became clear to me very quickly: first, that I wasn’t cut out for farm life, and second, that I was most certainly going to fall off. I left the ranch that day with a bump on my behind and a new pair of soft, Peruvian-patterned mittens. It was at that moment that my love affair with alpaca fleece began.

Photo Courtesy of Estates Net

Alpaca fiber is an eco-friendly fabric that has a less harmful impact on the environment than traditional wool. It is soft, lightweight and very fine. Alpaca wool also insulates extremely well; it is five times warmer than sheep’s wool.

Alpaca fiber is easier to process than sheep’s wool. Sheep’s wool contains a grease called lanolin, which is extracted by pressing the sheep’s wool through rollers. Lanolin is an allergen that can irritate human skin, and therefore requires more scouring agents. Alpaca fiber is hypoallergenic and can be cleaned without using harsh chemicals.

The fiber comes in 22 different shades of colors that can be blended together to create varying shades of yarn without the use of dyes. Alpaca fiber will take dye very well if other colors are desired, and natural dyes, such as indigo or pomegranate rind, may be used.

Photo Courtesy of Purl Alpaca Designs

Also, alpacas do not cause over-grazing like other farm animals. Alpacas have unique physical properties that lessen their impact on their surroundings. Alpacas have padded feet that do not rip up the grass like hooves do and unusual front incisor teeth that allow alpacas to graze differently than other species; alpacas eat just the tops of the grasses, leaving the roots in tact.

Finally, alpacas are raised primarily in South America and the United States. By buying alpaca products, consumers can support sustainable small farm businesses locally, domestically or abroad.

While I may not be jumping at the chance to ride an alpaca ever again, I have certainly jumped on the alpaca fiber bandwagon!

(Source: fashionfootprint)

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Bamboo: Fashion Friend or Foe?

Photo Courtesy of David via Flickr

Bamboo is is known as ―the friend of the people in China, “the wood of the poor” in India, “the brother” in Vietnam and, now, “the alternative to cotton” in the eco-friendly fashion industry (Farrelly 1984). But don’t be bamboozled by the bamboo hype: is it really a sustainable textile?

The Pros

Bamboo is a renewable resource and is one of the fastest growing plants in the world. Bamboo can grow up to four feet per day and be harvest 3 to 4 times a year. It also has the capability to capture carbon emissions.

“Bamboo can sequester carbon faster than similar fast-growing tree species such as Chinese fir and eucalyptus when properly managed,” said Coosje Hoogendoorn, director-general of International Network for Bamboo and Rattan to the Environmental News Network.

Bamboo also grows organically, without the need for irrigation, pesticides or chemical fertilizers. This is due to its anti-microbial properties, known as “bamboo kun”. The bamboo reeds are naturally hollow, which creates gaps in the fiber; these gaps can “absorb and evaporate human skin moisture just as the bamboo plant absorbs and evaporates moisture in the ecosystem” (INBAR 2004). Bamboo’s anti-microbial properties, along with its silky hand, ultra-violet protection, ability to drape and anti-static nature, makes the fabric ideal for casual clothing and fitness apparel.

Although bamboo possesses properties that are favorable and eco-friendly, it has its drawbacks.

The Cons

Although bamboo does not require chemicals or fertilizers to grow, it does require chemicals to be processed from its raw state into a textile. Heavy-duty chemical solvents, such as sodium hydroxide, carbon disulfide and chlorine are used to process bamboo into fabrics. These toxic chemicals are released, polluting the air, and even waterways or landfills. Also, it is important to note that while bamboo will grow without fertilizers or pesticides, some farmers may use them nonetheless. It is important to make sure that the company is organic certified.

The anti-microbial and silky properties of bamboo fabrics are currently being disputed. The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, stated in a consumer alert that “the soft ‘bamboo’ fabrics on the market today are rayon. They are made using toxic chemicals in a process that releases pollutants into the air. Extracting bamboo fibers is expensive and time-consuming, and textiles made just from bamboo fiber don’t feel silky smooth.”

Finally, the ability of bamboo to capture carbon emissions is counteracted by the deforestation that is taking place in China. Farmers are clearing lots of land in order to grow large bamboo forests for a profit. The deforestation threatens rare animal species, such as the pandas and mountain gorillas, and increase CO2 emissions.

The eco-friendliness of bamboo fabric is still a contentious topic. Bamboo is a renewable resource that has favorable properties for clothing, however, companies are currently misleading consumers about the origins and production processes of the textiles. Perhaps advancements in the future will allow the industry to produce bamboo fabric that is truly eco-friendly.

Works Cited:

Farrelly, D. (1984). The Book of Bamboo: A comprehensive guide to this remarkable

plant, its uses, and its history. London, Thames and Hudson.

INBAR. (2004). Bamboo—A brief introduction: a unique resource for livelihoods

development. INBAR Development Pages. Retrieved from:

http://www.inbar.int/livelihood/doc/Bamboo%20Introduction%20Devpage.pdf

(Source: fashionfootprint)

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Designer of the Week: ORGANIC by John Patrick

Photo Courtesy of The New York Times

“Certain things can make you really happy — a good vanilla cupcake is one. A fun pair of jeans rolled up to the knee is another,” John Patrick says.

Here at Fashion Footprint, we agree. A great pair of jeans can instantly lift your mood (and your butt), especially when those jeans are made completely out of recycled or sustainable cotton.

For close to a decade Patrick has been challenging the idea that eco-fashion means boring, beige t-shirts with his line, ORGANIC by John Patrick. The brand’s deep appreciation for style and nature fuels its desire to respect the environment and give back to the community.

Photo Courtesy of ORGANIC by John Patrick

While most designers can be found working in skyscrapers in the garment districts of major metropolitan cities, Patrick resides in the Hudson Valley, where he finds himself inspired by the farmers, locally-grown produce and poets of the past.

”The Hudson Valley has great farmers and great produce…” Patrick told MindBodyGreen. “I enjoy and cherish my trees and the great artists who chose to live here before me, like Thomas Cole and Frederic Edwin Church. They are my heroes and my mentors. I walk in the footsteps of people who were pioneers and were not afraid to be original.”

The fact that ORGANIC uses eco-friendly materials and ethical practices is only one reason to love the line. ORGANIC is cool, contemporary workwear that focuses on detail, silhouette and durability. ORGANIC offers the modern woman clothing that is transparent. Patrick believes consumers have the right to know where the clothing they buy is sourced from.

Photo Courtesy of ORGANIC by John Patrick

“Our entire business is run on a very small scale so that it itself is the sustainable anchor,” Patrick told Exposed Zippers. “I have pioneered many initiatives such as source maps, transparency, advocacy for farmers and seed-saving campaigns all over the world.”

From his use of botanical dyes, locally-sourced and recycled fabric and eco-friendly production processes to his commitment to exploring innovative techniques, Patrick has emerged as a pioneer in the eco-fashion industry.

(Source: fashionfootprint)

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