Michelle Phong

Carbon emissions and other sustainability-related issues were placed on the agenda at this year's Prime Source Forum, held in Hong Kong early this April.

Speakers at the forum agreed on the growing importance of sustainability in the global textile and garment supply chain, following the mounting awareness among consumers.

Alice Cohen from the British Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) at the unit of EU & International Sustainable Consumption and Production told ATA Journal that the UK government launched a sustainable clothing action plan at the recent London Fashion Week early this year, involving about 30 organizations, companies and overseas partners, including Marks and Spencer, Nike and Tesco.

Sustainable clothing refers to those products that maximize its benefits while minimizing disadvantages not limited to the environment, but can also include other aspects that help a business develop sustainably (i.e. capable of developing in the long run).

Both retailers and manufacturers (particularly large garment makers with dyeing and laundering facilities) can contribute to reduction of carbon (CO2) emissions in logistics and manufacturing processes, according to Jacqui Dixon, Director of CSR Asia. She said: "Opportunities exist, but more information is needed through e.g. benefits analyses."

Dr John R Easton, at the DyStar Textiles Services (Ecology Solutions) of DyStar UK Limited, identified key drivers of sustainability clothing: laws (e.g. REACH), labels, and logos for presentation.

There are challenges, however. Dr Easton observed that the textile and garment supply chain is lengthy and complex with different languages among various communities in dyes/chemicals, finishing, and textile mills etc. He added that future approaches may lie in the areas of tracing and reporting, accountability, and benchmarking. What the industry will need include a framework, partners (in the industry) and a concerted communicative language in the supply chain for the pursuit of sustainability, he said.

He expected the industry to move from making and following restricted substances lists to the seek of eco-efficiency; for instance, how much quantity of wastes is generated in manufacturing a unit of fabrics, and how effectively can a user reduce wastes from that level through optimized resource management.

Dixon from the CSR Asia added that it is important to learn from the past experience in the implementation of social compliance where the complying efforts became a pleasing policy of some manufacturers. Instead, a partnership approach was essential.

This partnership approach between retailers and manufacturers was applauded by Woo Pat-nie, Director of Hong Kong-based Central Textiles. Woo is Chairman of Sustainable Fashion Business Consortium (SFBC), which is formed by a group of Hong Kong-invested textile and garment manufacturers.

Last but not the least comes the consideration of cost.

Although consumers in developed countries in general show a higher level of awareness and preference in sustainable clothing, it may take time for them to get ready to pay the pollution caused in manufacturing clothes they buy and wear. Dr Easton added that questions like who picks up the bill and who takes home the reward deserve more thoughts.