Sustainable Fashion Movement

THE sustainable fashion movement, which has become more popular recently, deserves widespread support. This movement is not simply a green lifestyle trend, but also a way of criticizing the methods of production, consumption and disposal of clothing.

Sustainable fashion is not simply a matter of recycling used clothing. The movement includes all elements of the production chain—from choosing materials that are environmentally friendly and using energy efficiently, to reducing waste and fighting for fair treatment for workers.

It is important to remember that behind every cheap item of clothing we buy, there is a trail of carbon, waste and cheap labor that often remains invisible. According to the World Bank, the textile industry contributes around 10 percent of global carbon emissions, or 3.7 billion tons of CO2 per year. Meanwhile, earth.org estimates that of the 100 billion items of clothing produced every year around the world, 92 million tons are thrown away. Only one percent is properly recycled.

Things are no better in Indonesia. Data from the National Waste Management Information Data System from 2021 shows that waste from clothing totaled 2.3 million tons, but only 0.3 million tons were recycled.

What is worrying is that most clothes are made of polyester—a type of plastic that does not easily decompose and that pollutes the environment for hundreds of years. Every time these clothes are washed, they release microplastics that end up in waterways, rivers and seas. Data from the United Nations Environment Program shows that the textile industry contributes 9 percent of the microplastic pollution in the sea.

Although the dangers of the waste from clothes are real, few people have embraced sustainable fashion. Only 5 percent of the 2,007 textile companies in Indonesia have adopted sustainable principles. A 2023 survey by the Small and Medium Businesses Center of the University of Indonesia’s Economics and Business Faculty showed that only 10 percent of 66 million micro, small and medium enterprises—some of them in the fashion sector—had green certification.

The argument that usually appears is that sustainable products are expensive, and that low and medium-income consumers are unable to afford them. If the labor-intensive textile industry is forced to produce environmentally friendly products, there are concerns that there will be job losses. But this is the root of the problem: our economic system and consumer behavior are too dependent on mass production, low wages and low prices, which will exact a heavy price on the environment and future generations.

It is time to change our way of thinking and build a fashion industry system that upholds human dignity and that is environmentally friendly. Producers need to be encouraged to not only chase profits but also to show social and ecological responsibility. The government needs to provide incentives to entrepreneurs who implement sustainability principles.

And as consumers, we can start with small things: only buy sufficient clothing, choose products that will last and will not quickly go out of fashion, and look after our clothes properly so they do not become damaged. This is because fashion should not only be about appearance, but also a reflection of the values that we uphold. When choosing clothes, we can think about environmental sustainability and future generations.