ABSTRACT
Materials selection is today, the most powerful tool the fashion industry has that is under its direct control to decarbonise its products. Although energy sourcing and consumption restrictions are ultimately more powerful levers, they are not under the industry’s direct control. In this chapter, the differences in energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions between the main materials used in fashion products are explored in detail. The chapter includes an assessment of the capabilities of emerging technologies to reduce emissions, including the emerging recycling technologies, which may be able to address some of the GHG emissions from raw materials.
The issue of high and rapidly increasing polyester consumption is addressed and the dominant role of this material in the fashion industry is identified as a significant obstacle to Net Zero alignment. The conclusion that there are no good options, only least worst options is also a call to fashion brands to accelerate investments in new materials technologies, raw material extraction technologies and cultivation techniques. One of the key conclusions from the chapter is that increasing the use of best-practice cultivated cotton could have a major beneficial impact if used to replace polyester in many garment applications where it has emerged as a preferred material for fast fashion.
