Stay ahead of fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter
Stay ahead of fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter
Greta Thunberg has spoken out against the fast fashion industry for “greenwashing” and calls on influencers and the media to raise awareness about the link between fashion and the climate crisis.
The Swedish environmental activist said that about 90 percent of her wardrobe is made up of clothes that came from other people, such as old clothes from her family or friends.
Thunberg made the comments in a new video for Elle UK’s “Ask Me Anything” YouTube series.
When asked by activist Aja Barber how she talks to her friends about fast fashion, Thunberg said: “Most people know [fast fashion] it’s very harmful to the environment, but I think a lot of people seem to think that there are a lot of people in the fashion industry who are trying to be better and more sustainable and so on.
“When, in fact, very often that is not the case. They’re using that to make people think they’re doing something, they’re using ‘greenwash’, which is a common misconception.”
In recent years, a multitude of fast fashion brands have made sustainability claims. Zara’s “Join Life” campaign includes pieces made from recycled wool and organic cotton, while every item in H&M’s “Conscious” collection is made from at least 20-50 percent sustainable materials.
However, research by the Changing Markets Foundation (CMF) earlier this year found evidence that some brands’ claims did not hold up.
The CMF accused Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS of greenwashing, claiming it found “no evidence” to support the shapewear brand’s self-aware claims about its packaging.
The SKIMS packaging claims it is plastic-free, but the CPM noted that the packaging includes a number 4 recycling logo. This indicates that the packaging is made of type 4 plastic, or low-density polyethylene (LDPE).
Thunberg said consumer behaviors need to change and more widespread education on the impact of the fashion industry is needed.
“We need to get away from this view of the planet and of things, we are constantly accumulating things and then throwing them away,” Thunberg said.
“As activists, we understand the link between [the oil industry] and fast fashion, but in general people don’t seem to understand all the consequences of the fashion industry.
The fashion industry accounts for about 10 percent of carbon emissions worldwide, and research by consulting firm McKinsey found that it was responsible for 2.1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2018.
Thunberg said she takes care of her own carbon footprint by refusing to buy new clothes.
“I would say that more than 90 percent of the clothes that I have been given are from other people like family, friends and classmates because I don’t buy new things,” Thunberg said.
“And also, I’m short, which means that when people run out of their old clothes, they can give them to me, which is convenient for me.”
Source: news.google.com