UN launches initiative to control environmental impact of 'fast fashion'

Concerned over the growing environmental damage caused by the clothing industry, the United Nations (UN) launched an Alliance for Sustainable Fashion in Nairobi, Kenya on Monday. 

Global textile production doubled between 2000 and 2014, leading to massive emissions, water use, and soil contamination. The clothing sector has emerged as the second biggest consumer of water, consuming nearly 93 billion cubic meters every year. 

Experts pointed out, manufacturing a pair of jeans consumes around 7,500 liters of water, the amount of water an average person drinks over seven years.

Such a massive use of vital natural resources results in textile manufacturing units generating 20 percent of the world's wastewater annually. Moreover, this wastewater contains half a million tons of synthetic microfibers that eventually ends up in the ocean harming marine life.

Since the recycling facilities for the waste remains extremely low, it results in one truck of textile waste ending up either at a landfill or burned, every second. 

The heat-trapping greenhouse gas release --responsible for global warming -- from textile manufacturing units has surpassed combined emissions from international flights and maritime shipping combined, a recent study estimated.

The Alliance is aiming to improve collaboration among UN agencies by analyzing their efforts in making Fashion sustainable, identifying solutions and gaps in their actions, and presenting these findings to governments to trigger policy changes, the UN officials said.

Experts also pointed out that the clothing sector is also responsible for 24 percent of insecticides, and 11 percent of global pesticides used for growing cotton, which increases the toxicity in soil. 

Experts blamed the prevailing "fast Fashion" business model responsible for creating such a large amount of textile waste. “Many people succumb to buying seasonal trends that then get thrown away within a couple of months, and it's just not sustainable,” said Nadya Hutagalung, a renowned Indonesian-Australian model and actress. 

The Alliance, comprising of leading Fashion brands and famous personalities, like Chinese pop star Karry Wang, launched a series of campaigns at various social media platforms for promoting sustainable Fashion.   

The campaign focuses on improving recycling facilities, enhance concept of sustainable clothing, and reducing demand. "It is crucially important to ensure that clothes are produced as ethically and sustainably as possible," a UN statement maintained. 

Fashion industry valued at around 2.4 trillion U.S. dollars, employs over 75 million people worldwide, making it environment friendly without harming revenue and job losses has become a significant challenge, in both developing and developed economies. 

“The UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion doesn't perceive sustainability as a limitation to Fashion, but rather a trigger for bringing real creativity and passion into the industry,” He Siim Kiisler, President of the UN Environment Assembly said. 

(CGTN)