It’s no surprise that climate change is a fascinating and widely debated topic in the field of sustainable fashion. However, according to McKinsey & Company, a well-known American management consulting organization, biodiversity loss is another issue that needs to be addressed, analyzed, and taken into account in order to discover practical solutions. Because it is decreasing at a quicker rate than at any other moment in human history, the tendency must be slowed before time runs out.
The garment sector contributes significantly to biodiversity loss. Soil deterioration, natural ecosystem conversion, and waterway contamination are all closely linked to the apparel supply chain.
The main causes of biodiversity loss in the apparel industry are examined in this article and how industries may strategically minimize that loss and what brands can do to boldly lead the industry’s biodiversity efforts.
Why is it important to think about “biodiversity” amid a major pandemic?
Even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, sustainability has remained one of, if not the most, talked-about problems among consumers, investors, and regulators. According to consumer sentiment, two-thirds of them are more aware of climate change and consider it to be more important than before Covid-19. However, according to McKinsey, climate change is not the only issue that has to be addressed.
“However, while much has been published about the fashion industry’s influence on climate change, the industry’s large footprint on biodiversity is less well known and well covered,” McKinsey stated. The reason it is important is that biodiversity is inextricably linked to our food, energy, maintaining the quality of our air, freshwater, and soil, and regulating climate. Unfortunately, biodiversity is dwindling at a quicker rate than it has ever been.
“One million species, between 12 percent and 20 percent of the total species, marine and terrestrial alike, are threatened with extinction,” according to McKinsey. Global biodiversity loss is currently estimated to be between 100 and 1000 times higher than the background extinction rate and expected to still grow in the upcoming years.”
Who is to blame for the misfortune?
The garment sector, according to this multinational consulting firm, has a significant impact on biodiversity loss. The firm claimed, “Apparel supply chains are closely linked to soil degradation, natural ecosystem conversion, and river contamination.” However, the industries have occasionally come up with ideas and actions for repairing the damage they have caused, which is positive.”
What is the solution?
On July 23, McKinsey published an article. They looked at the top contributors to biodiversity loss in the apparel sector, how industries may strategically manage that loss, and what brands can do to boldly lead the industry’s biodiversity initiatives in their piece.
They have identified the five main causes to biodiversity loss in the garment sector based on their research. Cotton agriculture, wood-based natural fibres/man-made cellulose fibers (MMCFs), textile dyeing and treatment, microplastics, and waste are among them.
To strategically mitigate the loss, they have suggested the brands to do the following things:
Scaling up novel materials and processes: Cotton, a seemingly harmless fiber, has a negative impact on pesticide use, water consumption, and pollution. It goes without saying that man-made cellulosics and synthetics are problematic. As a result, more sustainable and superior alternatives must be introduced. To develop more sustainable processes, greater investment and innovation are required.
Taking an aggressive attitude against pollution in waterways: Brands must also take a “aggressive posture” against pollution in waterways. Because many suppliers in developing countries lack the resources and expertise to track their chemical usage, they should at the very least adhere to the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals, Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (ZDHC MRSL), and Wastewater Guidelines, which govern hazardous chemical use and wastewater discharge.
Leading the way in consumer education and empowerment: Brands may assist consumers in better understanding their responsibility for reducing the impact of their actions on biodiversity loss. Simple changes in behavior and consumption habits can have a big impact. According to a 2012 Waste & Resources Action Programme study, wearing a piece of clothing for nine months reduces carbon emissions by 27%, water consumption by 33%, and waste by 22%.
Continually pursuing zero waste: One of the finest initiatives the apparel industry can do to safeguard biodiversity is to cease producing too many clothes. Although manufacturers recycle about 75% of pre-consumer textile waste, the remaining 25% is largely disposed of in landfills or incinerated—despite the fact that some of it may be given.
Steps leaders can take-
The general steps that apparel companies can take to assist in the transformation of the industry’s sustainability are well established. Companies must show leadership in the following areas if the sector is to achieve demonstrable, significant progress on biodiversity specifically:
Manage biodiversity in the same way that you manage value generation. Integrate biodiversity effect into financial reporting—for example, using impact-weighted accounts or environmental profit-and-loss approaches—and manage it in the same way that financial performance is managed. Invest in internal sustainability-related initiatives by committing to upcoming biodiversity science-based targets.
Change the way you think about supplier involvement. Upstream biodiversity initiatives are difficult to implement and typically come with a price tag. Collaborate with other brands to develop shared supplier standards. Suppliers will gain from reduced operational complexity and economies of scale, while brands will be able to demand more demanding specifications instead of settling for the lowest common denominator.
To accelerate and scale innovation, invest in the broader ecosystem. Collaborate with other garment firms to scale and industrialize new, low-impact technologies and non-synthetic fiber substitutes. The focus of investments should be on establishing new dominant materials and processes.
Make a push for change in industries that are adjacent to yours. The garment industry is inextricably linked to the agricultural, cattle, and chemical industries, all of which confront similar issues in addressing their respective biodiversity footprints. All participants will benefit from pushing for stronger cross-industry collaboration through working groups and roundtables.
Participate in policy discussions and applaud new regulations. Engage in meaningful biodiversity regulation as soon as possible. Existing rules, such as the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive or Extended Producer Obligation (for product disposal/recycling) schemes, have aided in making sustainability a shared responsibility.
In the coming years, McKinsey predicts that biodiversity will become a bigger issue for consumers and investors. “Rather of slowing the trend, COVID-19 has accelerated it—perhaps because people now appreciate how intertwined human and animal ecosystems are,” the firm stated. They believe it is past time for the garment sector, which has contributed significantly to biodiversity loss to clean up its act and return the world to a more humane state.
