What Sustainability means at Scarlet Destiny
Sustainability is a word thrown around a lot lately, and sometimes it's hard to know what it even means in certain contexts.
When looking at fashion, the word sustainability holds heavy meaning, seeing as the fashion industry has detrimental effects on the earth, ranging from its carbon footprint, to its waste management.
“While the figures are debated, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has calculated the fashion industry produces 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions every year, while it is estimated to use around 1.5 trillion litres of water annually. Meanwhile, concerns have been rising about pollution, from chemical waste to microplastics.” (The Guardian, 2020).
As social media can spread news as fast as wildfire, gaining knowledge on fashion's impact on the climate can be a difficult route to navigate. We can follow countless accounts that expose the fashion industry's dirty laundry, however the industry itself is notoriously ambiguous when it comes to sharing information on their biggest operations behind the scenes. Which brings me to our first buzzword, transparency.
Transparency is hard to come by in the fashion industry, and it is not always as clear black and white, infact, sometimes it's green. Yes, greenwashing can blur the lines between true transparency and unverified, self reported progress from fashion houses, making it exhausting for the public to make informed decisions about who they buy from.
The Business of Fashion has released an extensive index, diving into the fashion industry's progress towards urgent environmental and social issues.
“The inaugural BoF Sustainability Index tracks fashion’s progress towards ambitious sustainability targets for the coming decade. It examines public disclosures to rigorously benchmark performance and enable like-for-like comparisons at 15 of fashion’s largest companies. While fashion companies are speaking about sustainability more than ever before, BoF’s comprehensive analysis found actions are lagging public commitments, even among the industry’s largest and most highly resourced businesses.
The average overall score of the companies assessed was just 36 out of a possible 100, with significant disparities between engagement and action. Overall, progress skews towards target setting, with data often self-reported and unverified, pointing to a wider accountability challenge.
The global economy has 10 years to avoid catastrophic climate change and an urgent duty to improve the welfare of the workers who make it tick. Fashion has a prominent role to play in solving these dual challenges, both because of its global scale and its cultural influence. While fashion brands have stepped up their commitments to operate more responsibly, measuring progress in a comparable, standardised way is a monumental task.
Like-for-like comparisons between companies are distorted by varying degrees of disclosures. Opaque working practices and fuzzy definitions of what constitutes “good” progress complicate matters further, creating a woolly picture of where the industry is at and what steps are required for it to clean up its act.
The BoF Sustainability Index aims to offer a transparent and trusted benchmark to track clearly defined, measurable progress. It employs a proprietary methodology to examine 15 of fashion’s largest companies as a proxy to measure overall industry headway. While the months-long research and analysis found pockets of innovation and action, the average overall score of the companies assessed was just 36 out of a possible 100 and substantial challenges still remain.” (Business of Fashion, 2021)
To find out more, here is podcast that gives a perfect overview and crash course of this index: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-umuxn-ff8adf
At Scarlet Destiny, it’s important to us to stay transparent in a meaningful way. Currently, our small workforce is working in safe conditions at home, being paid a fair wage and treated with respect. We are a close-knit team, looking to inspire individuals sustainable journeys, through considered fashion accessories. Our timeless pieces are designed for disassembly, to create a circular life for our products.
We hope to share helpful information, to motivate and spark your personal journey with sustainable living. Stay tuned for more!
SD x