VICE: Why do you feel fashion should think about sustainability?
Miroslava Duma: Fashion is the second-highest polluter in the world, only behind oil. Clothing production is up more than 400 percent from just 20 years ago, with no signs of slowing down. Consider that it takes 7,000 liters of water just to produce a single pair of jeans, and up to 3,500 chemical substances are used to turn raw materials into textiles. Ten percent of these chemicals are hazardous to humans and the environment. Chemicals are disposed in our waterways, and more than half of all clothes produced end up in the landfill and take decades to decompose. Continuing with the way garments are currently made is not sustainable; our planet has finite resources.
Miroslava Duma: Fashion is the second-highest polluter in the world, only behind oil. Clothing production is up more than 400 percent from just 20 years ago, with no signs of slowing down. Consider that it takes 7,000 liters of water just to produce a single pair of jeans, and up to 3,500 chemical substances are used to turn raw materials into textiles. Ten percent of these chemicals are hazardous to humans and the environment. Chemicals are disposed in our waterways, and more than half of all clothes produced end up in the landfill and take decades to decompose. Continuing with the way garments are currently made is not sustainable; our planet has finite resources.
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In your opinion, how can the fashion industry become more sustainable?
It needs to focus on the entire supply chain.Seventy-five percent of the environmental impact from a piece of clothing comes from the choices a designer has made. We need to increase our reliance on the most sustainable fabrics —organically grown, sustainable, or made with recycled content.We have to force the factories we choose to be compliant and accountable —ask them to make information on their emissions available to the public and to certify the chemicals they use are approved by organizations such as Cradle to Cradle. Processing needs to be done using the least amount of toxic chemicals possible.We need to think about transportation options. Transportation by air has ten times the impact on the environment; we should use rail networks or shipping instead.Dry cleaning has become the default label for care instructions. We need to increase the promotion of handwashing on our garments when possible.If sustainability were set as a KPI for all key decision makers in our industry, we would begin to see more rapid change.Do you think our actions as consumers —consuming less, pushing for positive change—can lead to two-way change in the industry as well?
Absolutely! People united in the objective to make beautiful fashion more sustainable is already having a huge impact. Look at Greenpeace's "Detox My Fashion" campaign. After four years of campaigning, 18 companies that make 10 percent of the global retail industry, including Valentino, Burberry, and H&M, have all started eliminating chemicals from their supply chains. This is having a ripple effect across the global supply chain. Public scrutiny is pushing huge brands to pressure those same polutting factories to be accountable and make information publicly available. Once it's public, it's open to action against anyone not doing the right thing.
It needs to focus on the entire supply chain.Seventy-five percent of the environmental impact from a piece of clothing comes from the choices a designer has made. We need to increase our reliance on the most sustainable fabrics —organically grown, sustainable, or made with recycled content.We have to force the factories we choose to be compliant and accountable —ask them to make information on their emissions available to the public and to certify the chemicals they use are approved by organizations such as Cradle to Cradle. Processing needs to be done using the least amount of toxic chemicals possible.We need to think about transportation options. Transportation by air has ten times the impact on the environment; we should use rail networks or shipping instead.Dry cleaning has become the default label for care instructions. We need to increase the promotion of handwashing on our garments when possible.If sustainability were set as a KPI for all key decision makers in our industry, we would begin to see more rapid change.Do you think our actions as consumers —consuming less, pushing for positive change—can lead to two-way change in the industry as well?
Absolutely! People united in the objective to make beautiful fashion more sustainable is already having a huge impact. Look at Greenpeace's "Detox My Fashion" campaign. After four years of campaigning, 18 companies that make 10 percent of the global retail industry, including Valentino, Burberry, and H&M, have all started eliminating chemicals from their supply chains. This is having a ripple effect across the global supply chain. Public scrutiny is pushing huge brands to pressure those same polutting factories to be accountable and make information publicly available. Once it's public, it's open to action against anyone not doing the right thing.
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Do you believe that small businesses can bring new approaches to sustainability? How are they changing the situation?
Very much so. In fact, they can lead the way. They are in the unique position of being able to lead with sustainability goals as part of their culture and their entire existence. They don't need to change the way they work, change their short-term profit goals, or get approval from investors. They are agile and can innovate quickly, not being slowed down by ancient internal processes or red tape. They don't have the marketing budgets of large corporates, but with social media, online petitions, and campaigns, their voices are being heard, and large companies will have to follow.Small business is changing the way garments are made, making them last longer and producing less. They focus on collections that can be worn all year round, using recycled fibers and less cotton, which has so many environmental impacts. They are making their garments close to their stores, reducing the pollution impacts of transportation.However, we need a united industry approach to change the current mind-set of fast, convenient, and cheap.What kind of change do you hope to be a part of through your life and work in the industry?
In a small way, I hope I can provide a voice for companies that are pushing sustainable methods through our media platform Buro 247. Working with the leading luxury brands, we are continuing to push this conversation and understand what they are doing to drive positive change. Giving them a platform to discuss sustainable change with their customers makes them more accountable to drive long-term improvements rather than short-term campaigns that function as just "green" marketing to tick a box for their informed customers.
Very much so. In fact, they can lead the way. They are in the unique position of being able to lead with sustainability goals as part of their culture and their entire existence. They don't need to change the way they work, change their short-term profit goals, or get approval from investors. They are agile and can innovate quickly, not being slowed down by ancient internal processes or red tape. They don't have the marketing budgets of large corporates, but with social media, online petitions, and campaigns, their voices are being heard, and large companies will have to follow.Small business is changing the way garments are made, making them last longer and producing less. They focus on collections that can be worn all year round, using recycled fibers and less cotton, which has so many environmental impacts. They are making their garments close to their stores, reducing the pollution impacts of transportation.However, we need a united industry approach to change the current mind-set of fast, convenient, and cheap.What kind of change do you hope to be a part of through your life and work in the industry?
In a small way, I hope I can provide a voice for companies that are pushing sustainable methods through our media platform Buro 247. Working with the leading luxury brands, we are continuing to push this conversation and understand what they are doing to drive positive change. Giving them a platform to discuss sustainable change with their customers makes them more accountable to drive long-term improvements rather than short-term campaigns that function as just "green" marketing to tick a box for their informed customers.
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In addition to this, I use my investment fund to financially contribute to companies that have sustainability as part of their DNA.An example I'm very proud of is a company called Reformation, whose mantra is making killer clothes that don't kill the environment. They created America's first sustainable apparel factory in LA. Their secret weapon is sourcing: They make their pieces from super sustainable materials like Tencel, rescued deadstock fabrics, and repurposed vintage clothing. They make clothes in their own factories in LA, ensuring that quality, sustainability, and ethics are upheld, as well as decreasing the emissions of transportation from factories overseas.Under one roof, they design, manufacture, photograph, and fulfill orders. Their factory uses the most eco-friendly technologies they can find. They invest in green building infrastructure to minimize waste and energy footprints.They are powered by renewable energy and have a sustainable garden that functions on recycled greywater from the factory.Everything down to cleaning supplies or coffee must meet their environmental purchasing standards.In the past year, Reformation saved 250 million gallons of water! And next year, they are forecasting 1 billion. They also have a range of customer tools and dashboards that allow them to see the impact they are making on the environment by buying sustainable.I also recently co-founded the Tot, an e-commerce platform for babies, mothers, and mothers-to-be. We are committed to sourcing and selling products that are sustainable, long-lasting, and eco-friendly. We test every product on our children before making it available for sale. Where possible, the products are free of toxins, harmful chemicals, sustainable, cruelty-free, and consciously crafted. It is still possible to have beautiful products that don't take a toll on the environment or your body.This article was paid for by Copenhagen Fashion Summit and was created independently from VICE's editorial staff.