As Melbourne Fashion Week kicks off today, a new report by Monash University’s Sustainable Development Institute (MSDI) has been released calling for change. Developed by MSDI’s Circular Economy Textiles team, the ‘Textiles: A Transitions Report For Australia’ report is the culmination of four years of research in the Australian textiles and fashion space.
The findings have led MSDI to call on the Australian government and fashion industry to demonstrate global leadership in sustainable practices and reduce the industry’s impact on the planet. The report details a set of pathways toward achieving the United Nations 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.
According to the report, as a world-leading consumer of raw materials, Australia has a footprint of 47 tonnes per capita which is nearly double the OECD benchmark.
With almost three-quarters of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) impacted by the textile industry, the report recommends setting goals that are measurable and time-bound to reduce the country’s overall material footprint by reducing overall consumption of resources across the product lifecycle, banning the destruction of fashion and textile ‘finished goods’, investing in education on responsible and sustainable industry practices, accelerating government sustainable procurement, incentivizing the use of recycled, non-virgin materials, increasing and regulating textile transparency, traceability and verification, and increasing support for the development and execution of clothing extended producer responsibility (EPR).
MSDI Deputy Director (Research) Professor Rob Raven said fashion and textile industries need to become more sustainable.
“This is a hard nut to crack due to their international value chains and intimate connections to individual expression and lifestyle. We can no longer afford to ignore the social and environmental impacts and need to urgently find more comprehensive and inclusive solutions,” Raven said.
