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A new report by Collective Fashion Justice has revealed that less than 4% of British Fashion Council member brands have emissions reduction targets.
Designers such as Victoria Beckham, JW Anderson and Richard Quinn are among those who have no climate targets. It was revealed that the Princess of Wales's go-to dress designer, Roksanda, also has no published environmental targets.
The fashion industry is responsible for up to 12 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions. The report reveals how much remains to be done, as many British fashion brands have pledged to implement actions to reach the goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
“There are key solution areas that have not yet been adequately addressed by the British fashion industry,” the report writes: “38% of the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions are linked to irresponsible production of raw materials, particularly those derived from ruminant animals and fossil fuels.”
Ignoring the cow in the room
It's no secret that luxury in fashion has long been associated with genuine leather, fur and cashmere. Animal rights activists have brought to light the horrors of using these animal-derived materials, but the environmental repercussions are often ignored.
“Animal farming, both for food and fashion, is the main source of anthropogenic methane (32%) and responsible for 16.5% of total greenhouse gas emissions,” the report states.
“Plant-based alternatives have much lower impacts; for example, MIRUM material, which functions similarly to leather, has an equivalent carbon footprint approximately 52 times lower than that of conventional cowhide leather, per kilogram.”
Decrease
The dream of many small, independent fashion brands is to grow and become global, and London Fashion Week is a great platform for budding small designers to emerge.
However, the CFJ report notes that one of the few crucial solutions to addressing climate change is “degrowth.”
“Regardless of the materials or energy sources used, fashion will not be sustainable if it continues to produce an excessive amount of products, using more than our finite planet can renew.”
“Some experts suggest the industry needs to shrink fourfold to stay within planetary boundaries,” the report writes. “The UK is the world’s third-largest market for footwear and clothing after China and the US. Reducing the scale and volume of production and consumption has to be an integral part of any climate goal worth pursuing.”
It seems that designers at London Fashion Week still have a long way to go when it comes to environmental action.
The research suggests the first step is for brands to set and publish science-based emissions reduction targets, followed by detailed plans for how to achieve them. Perhaps this report will prompt London Fashion Week to tighten its sustainability seams.
To read the full report, visit
