ABSTRACT
There is no doubt that the textile industry – the production of clothing, fabrics, thread, fibre and related products – plays a significant part in the global economy. It also frequently operates with disregard to its environmental and social impacts. The textile industry uses large quantities of water and outputs large quantities of waste. As for social aspects, many unskilled jobs have disappeared in regions that rely heavily on these industries. Another serious and still unresolved problem is the flexibility textile industry companies claim to need. Faced with fierce international competition, they are increasingly unable to offer job security. This is without even considering the informal-sector work proliferating both in developing and developed countries. Child labour persists within this sector despite growing pressure to halt it.Fashion demands continuous consumption. In seeking to own the latest trends consumers quickly come to regard their existing garments as inferior, if not useless. "Old" items become unwanted as quickly as new ones come into demand. This tendency towards disposability results in the increased use of resources and thus the accelerated accumulation of waste. It is obvious to many that current fashion industry practices are in direct competition with sustainability objectives; yet this is frequently overlooked as a pressing concern.It is, however, becoming apparent that there are social and ecological consequences to the current operation of the fashion industry: sustainability in the sector has been gaining attention in recent years from those who believe that it should be held accountable for the pressure it places on the individual, as well as its contribution to increases in consumption and waste disposal.This book takes a wide-screen approach to the topic, covering, among other issues: sustainability and business management in textile and fashion companies; value chain management; use of materials; sustainable production processes; fashion, needs and consumption; disposal; and innovation and design.The book will be essential reading for researchers and practitioners in the global fashion business.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part I|161 pages
The systemic vision and the value chain in the textile and fashion industry
chapter 3|21 pages
From principle to practice
chapter 4|15 pages
Managing chemical risk information
chapter 6|14 pages
Sustainable colour forecasting
chapter 8|14 pages
Fashion design education for sustainability practice
chapter 10|18 pages
Creating new from that which is discarded
part II|77 pages
Marketing, brands and regulatory aspects in the textile and fashion industry
chapter 11|11 pages
Sustainable consumption and production patterns in the clothing sector
chapter 14|16 pages
Ethical fashion in Western Europe
chapter 15|21 pages
Effectiveness of standard initiatives
part III|82 pages
The practice in textiles and fashion
chapter 18|14 pages
Garments without guilt?
chapter 19|13 pages
Next one, please: Integrating sustainability criteria in the procurement of operating-room textiles
chapter 20|22 pages
Development and the garment industry
part IV|50 pages
Consumer: purchase, identity, use and care of clothing and textiles