From Simplistic to Systemic Sustainability in the Textile and Fashion Industry

Olli Sahimaa (), Elizabeth M. Miller (), Minna Halme (), Kirsi Niinimäki (), Hannu Tanner (), Mikko Mäkelä (), Marja Rissanen (), Anna Härri () and Michael Hummel ()
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Olli Sahimaa: Aalto University School of Business, Ekonominaukio 1
Elizabeth M. Miller: University of Western Ontario
Minna Halme: Aalto University School of Business, Ekonominaukio 1
Kirsi Niinimäki: Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture
Hannu Tanner: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.
Mikko Mäkelä: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Ltd.
Marja Rissanen: Tampere University of Applied Sciences
Anna Härri: LUT University
Michael Hummel: Aalto School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems

Circular Economy and Sustainability, 2024, vol. 4, issue 2, 1115-1131

Abstract: Abstract The fast fashion industry is notorious for wicked environmental and social problems, such as exploitative resource use, high amounts of waste, excessive pollution, below-living wages and unsafe working conditions. Addressing these problems calls for a systemic view on the industry with the goal of minimising the intake of natural resources into the system as well as the output of waste. However, thus far, most solution attempts have turned out simplistic and insufficient to nudge the industry to more sustainable practices at scale. We examine the textile and fashion system at the three different levels—the product, industry and socio-ecological system levels—and show the inadequacy of the current sustainability-driven practices in the field. As an alternative, we propose systemic solutions, geared toward long material and product lifetimes, that have the potential to trigger adaptive responses throughout different actors in the system and across all three levels. These systemic solutions operationalise a circular value retention hierarchy coupled with a sufficiency-based consumption philosophy.

Keywords: Textile and fashion industry; Fast fashion; Systemic sustainability; Sufficiency-based circular economy; Circular transition; Circular value retention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1007/s43615-023-00322-w

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