Why Decarbonization Has Become Fashion’s Latest Buzzword This Week? What to Know

As decarbonization becomes more critical for a sustainable future, the fashion sector is reducing its carbon footprint, with worldwide brands and organizations leading the way.

The textile and garment industry has earned a bad image regarding environmental impact. The whole supply chain of the industry, from raw material production through manufacturing, shipping, and disposal, is inextricably related to processes that release significant levels of carbon. According to earth.org data, this has resulted in an alarming estimate that worldwide emissions from the fashion industry will increase by 50% by 2030.

Long chastised for its unsustainable methods and carbon impact, the industry is pressured to decarbonize to turn the tide.

The non-profit Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) launched the Manufacturer Climate Action Programme (MCAP) at the 2023 SAC Annual Meeting in collaboration with industry leaders NIKE and Target Corp to address the pressing need for a reduction in CO2 emissions in the textile and apparel sectors, while also providing manufacturers with a path towards sustainability and decarbonization.

Some retailers and businesses are working to reduce textile waste, according to the Fashion Transparency Index 2023, which states that mitigating fashion waste remains the elephant in the room, with a 3% increase in fashion brands not disclosing their annual production volumes (88% in 2023 compared to 85% in 2022).

For example, a new paper from resale platform provider Trove and software company Worldly discussed how resale could help decarbonize fashion. It was also discovered that increasing control over resale programs and used product revenue yields the most significant greenhouse gas accounting benefits.