Sustainable Development Goals for Textiles and Fashion

Alka Madhukar Thakker, Danmei Sun

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Citations (Scopus)
652 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

In this paper, each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is discussed in the context of textiles and fashion. The necessity of collaborative efforts is accentuated to overcome the climate crisis and human health concerns encountered by the textiles and fashion industry. The concerns over poverty faced by cotton farmers, soil depletion, and toxicity to aquatic life due to microfibres and heavy metals are presented. The paper underlines numerous corrective practises such as the utilisation of African Organic Cotton, Better Initiative Cotton, and others that could enable curtailing poverty and hunger. The requirement for a more corporate and socially responsible textiles and fashion business that would propel SDGs is described with inspiring examples of Inditex, Culthread, Saint Basics, Flamingo's Life, etcetera. More, the greenwashing and ardent necessity of transparency across the fashion value chain is emphasised herein. The importance of reducing inequalities and working in partnership for innovation and justice is highlighted such as apple leather, algal foam, and others. Even more, the production waste and landfill disputes are reviewed. Eventually, the paper concludes with an appeal for mindful and diligent efforts from textiles and fashion consumers, designers, manufacturers, and traders to continually adapt to SDGs even after 2030 as there is no planet B. Also, abiding by the laws of nature as listed herein is found to be the key to reaching SDGs.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)101989-102009
Number of pages21
JournalEnvironmental Science and Pollution Research
Volume30
Issue number46
Early online date4 Sept 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2023

Keywords

  • Climate action
  • Sustainable Development Goals
  • Sustainable textiles
  • UNDP
  • Sustainable fashion
  • Partnership

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pollution
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
  • Environmental Chemistry

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