Textiles and the environment ....What you need to know!

Key areas to be aware of…. Social considerations – thinking about the impact on society Moral considerations – the moral and ethical values Environmental awareness – how the textiles industry impacts on our environment

What do you know already? Make a list of all the things you are already aware of associated with environmental, social and ethical considerations. 5 minutes

Social considerations The awareness in this sector should ultimately focus upon the following: Gender images – how fashion and textiles addresses this Peer group pressure – how people react to the changing trends, the social implications involved of an ever changing society Fashionable celebrities – who sets trends and why are we so interested in these celebrities Brand loyalty – do we stick with brands for the look or the quality of the product – how fickle are we? And how do the companies look after us?

Moral and ethical considerations You will need to be aware of Globalisation here… Cheap labour in the developing world – what makes it right for us to exploit this, why do companies still continue to manufacture in developing countries The global market for textile fashions – how has the impact of ethical fashions influenced the way we dress, the way designers are influenced and the knowledge we now have on these countries Reactions to trends (ethical awareness) – how has the impact of consumer knowledge changed the way we shop. Are we more aware? Has this changed our own personal shopping habits.

The Environment The impact of the textiles industry and the environment: Over-manufacturing of the land – infertile land, pesticides, chemical awareness Manufacturing on a large scale (dying processes) – pollution in the atmosphere, noise pollution, visual pollution Carbon emissions (Carbon foot print) – think about transportation of goods – designers travelling across the world Growing support for recycling and reusable textiles – think about Polartec (plastic bottles) the recycling of clothing in the high street etc.

What are we doing about this now? There are many high street companies that are now stocking organic cotton or fair trade clothing to promote a sustainable textiles environment