Etymology and Ethics
terms for sustainability in textiles
Dr. Belinda von Mengersen, Australian Catholic University
Ethical Fashion?
No it’s not an oxymoron…
‘Ethical Fashion? ‘The term sounds like an
oxymoron for an industry that sometimes seems to
wallow in indulgence and hedonistic nihilism’
O
Quote from an article by Matthew Drummond, The Financial Review, 22nd August
2013
Sustainability - how?
SLOW + FASHION-an Oxymoron-or a Promise for the
Future…? (Clark, 2008)
Eco-Chic: The Fashion Paradox (Black, 2011)
What is Sustainability? (Farrer, 2011)
What are Textile
Technology students’
attitudes towards
Sustainability?
Two contextual questions:
① What does sustainability mean for the
Textiles & Fashion Industry?
o To consider an industry perspective, roles
and initiatives and, then;
① What does sustainability mean for Textiles
Technology students?
o To consider textile educator’s perspectives
and initiatives.
Etymology and Ethics
There are two significant problems which
influence student and societal attitudes
towards sustainability in Textiles & Fashion:
① The diversity of Textiles as a field
etymology
① The fast-fashion phenomenon and a false
value-system for textiles  ethics
Considering students attitudes towards
‘Sustainability’ in Textiles Technology
O Engaging students with the breadth of
sustainability issues within Textiles &
Fashion
o Sub-themes or areas that can be enriched
within Textiles Technology programs
o Education initiatives (practical projects)
o Ethics (empathy)
o Domestic or lifestyle choices (owning the
problem)
What are student attitudes towards
‘Sustainability’ in Textiles?
O Sustainable Fashion Education: The Student
Perspective
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyBhU2Re
LcU#t=0m49s
Published on Sep 25, 2013
The video is a dynamic documentary that is continually changed to add new perspectives
from around the globe. The project was begun by Dr. Cosette M. Armstrong from Oklahoma
State University and Dr. Kirsi Niinimäki in the Spring of 2013. If you have students in a
textile and clothing undergraduate program who would like to contribute, please find the
contact information at the end of the video.
The first key points identified
were…
What we want to learn…
Ubiquity?
Sustainability is also a ubiquitous term in
Textiles and Fashion…
‘Green Wash’ terms…
'green wash’ terms (Fraser & Farrer, 2012)
‘Green-Wash’ terms…
‘Green wash’
Terms
Slow Fashion
Ethical
Fashion
Green
Fashion
Eco Chic
Eco Friendly
Textiles
Eco Sewing
Up Cycling
Sustainable
Design
Green
Textiles
Re Cycling
Eco Design
Organic
Textiles
'green wash’ terms (Fraser & Farrer, 2012)
Etymology
‘…any ‘shift’ in meaning must be explored’
Fraser and Farrer observe that this ambiguity
or term misappropriation has led to general
misunderstanding within the industry. They
propose that consumers are becoming tired of
“the cynical smokescreen of fair trade, ethical
production and [the proliferation of] ‘greenwash’ [terms]” (Fraser & Farrer, 2012, p. 25).
Ethics and Empathy
O “In the wake of the tragic
Rana Plaza factory collapse in
Bangladesh, there has been
an increasing desire for
Australian consumers to know
more about how our clothes
are produced and how the
workers that make them are
treated.” (The Australian
Fashion Report: the truth
behind the barcode, 2013)
O “Now, however,
economics and
environment are
being shadowed by
the new Zeitgeist of
ethics and empathy”
(Fraser & Farrer,
2012, p. 32).
Recent news reports in Australia of
unethical fashion industry practices…
O Bangladesh factory disasters ask questions of
Australian companies (7.30 Report)
O Bangladesh Clothing Disaster – What Can Be
Done? (The Wire, Independent News Radio)
http://www.2ser.com/component/k2/item/3378bangladesh-clothing-disaster-what-can-be-done
O Profits made on the back of child labour: report
(SMH)
‘Sustainability’ in Textiles & Fashion:
implications and applications
Implications
Applications
O Ecological
O Fibre Production
O Economic
O Yarn Production
O Ethical
O Fabric Production
O Fabric Finishing
O Garment
Manufacture
O The entire Textile
Supply Chain
The ‘Sustainability’ conversation in Textile &
Fashion needs to consider the ‘cradle-to-grave’
model…
Textiles &
Fashion
Waste Disposal
Design
Supply Chain
Management
Fibre, Yarn &
Fabric Production
Apparel & NonApparel
Manufacturing
Dyeing &
Finishing
Joan Farrer proposes a model of
‘Remediation’ that must consider three key
factors:
O Planet
O People
O Profit
Sustainability sub-themes for
Textiles Technology:
Theoretical
Practical
Philosophical
•Design Theory
•Conceptual Design
•Sustainable Design
•Design for Recylcing
(DFR) and disassembly
(DFD)
•Ecological
•Economic
•Industry-based
•Supply Chain
Managent
•Domestic skills
repair
•Transparent
sourcing, labelling
•Ethics
•Empathy
•Education
•Social / Political
awareness
•Value/Worth of
textiles
Waste Patterns
O 2.35 million tonnes
in the UK total
O Approx 40kg per
person per year
O = 30 kg per person
per year of textile
landfill
O Fletcher, K. (2008) in
relation to the UK.
O
New legislation in Europe in
response this excessive waste:
“most waste textiles are
considered recyclable and fall
under the European Union’s
Landfill Directive. Recently
revised targets mean that all
textiles will be banned from
landfill by 2015 and will have to
be collected separately from other
rubbish” (Fletcher, 2008, p. 99).
Waste Management Strategies
O Design for Recylcing
O Reuse, Re-cycling
(DFR) and
disassembly (DFD)
and Zero Waste
 Re-use of goods
 Repair and
reconditioning of
goods
Industry Standards
Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR)
practices, including:
O Traceability &
Transparency
O Monitoring &
Training
O Worker Rights
O Labelling
O No internationally
agreed standards
exist
O Traceability
O ‘Shades of Green’
Conclusion
Empower Textiles Technology students to make their
own decisions and apply their own knowledge:
O provide them with more detailed information and a
wider range of resources including case-studies
O integrate ethics into the discussion of these casestudies
O broaden the range and focus of projects that
address aspects of sustainability in the curriculum
O encourage them to integrate domestic measures
and lifestyle choices based on this knowledge
Resources:
O Well Dressed? The present and future
sustainability of clothing and textiles in the
United Kingdom
O The Australian Fashion Report (The Truth
Behind the Barcode)
O Evaluating Sustainability of Textiles in
Europe – Relevance to the Australian Textile
Industry
http://baptistworldaid.org.au/assets/Be-FairSection/FashionReport.pdf