Letters: Don’t dye me a dirty river
[Re: Fast fashion slammed over cargo plane usage, May 3]
The clamour over emissions from fast fashion brands using aircraft to ship stock into the UK is valid. However, an even bigger problem for the fashion industry, which needs urgent attention, is the punishing environmental impact of textile dyeing processes.
According to the Carbon Literacy Project, fashion has overtaken aviation and shipping to become the world’s second highest polluter after energy production. Dyeing is the most damaging part of the fashion industry – accounting for 3 per cent of all global emissions. Dyeing is also very bad for water pollution – with 20 per cent of industrial water pollution stemming from textile dyeing and treatment alone.
Governments and fashion brands need to champion widespread adoption of low energy, waterless dyeing and finishing processes, and consumers need to press for accountability from fast fashion manufacturers for sustainably produced clothing.
Fast fashion is currently in the eye of the environmental pollution storm. A committed effort to wean itself off polluting manufacturing processes will go a long way in pruning its emissions load and allow the world to eventually dress sustainably.
Dr. Alan Hudd