The fashion world launched an
ecological initiative during the United Nations' COP24 climate
change summit in Katowice, Poland: the UN Charter for
Sustainable Fashion.
Forty fashion brands have adhered to the proposed charter,
whose objectives include reducing aggregated greenhouse gas
emissions by 30% by 2030, and eliminating coal-based heating and
energy production in fashion-industry factories as well as those
of direct suppliers starting in 2025.
Brands taking part in the charter include: Adidas, Burberry
(which recently also stopped using fur), Esprit, Guess, Gap,
Stella McCartney, Hugo Boss, H&M Group, Inditex, Kering Group,
Levi Strauss & Co., Puma Se, and Target; as well as textile
associations such as Business for Social Responsibility,
Sustainable Apparel Coalition, China National Textile and
Apparel Council, Outdoor Industry Association, and Textile
Exchange.
Transport giant Maersk and the World Wildlife Foundation
(WWF) are also committed to reaching the 16 objectives in the
charter and to respect the foundations upon which it is based:
"to recognise the crucial role played by fashion both in terms
of greenhouse gas emissions as well as opportunities to reduce
such emissions and in so doing contribute to more sustainable
development".
In line with the goals of the Paris accord on climate change,
the charter lists issues to address, including: the elimination
of the use of coal in the production process, the choice of
sustainable materials, low-emission transport methods, the
importance of establishing a dialogue with customers and raising
consumer awareness, and collaboration with the financial
industry and politicians aimed at finding solutions and
promoting the circular economy.
Six work groups have been formed to begin the process of
enacting the charter.
"The climate question regards all of us and our future," said
Stella McCartney, who appealed to colleagues to join the
charter.
"If we join forces, together we can make a difference".
The development and achievement of the various principles and
action steps in the charter will be coordinated by the work
groups, which will be convened by the UN at the start of 2019.
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