New ways to reduce overproduction in the fashion industry
It is hoped that cultural and creative sectors and industries (CCSI, in Swedish KKSN) can play an important role in creating a climate-resilient future and in spurring people to move towards a balanced planet as a common goal. For the fashion industry, the value chain is long and complex, and it is a major challenge for the industry to reduce its environmental impact. Among other things, the fashion industry accounts for a large share of the host's greenhouse gas emissions.
Fredrik Timour − what was the most important thing you highlighted from the scene during COP 27?
“We went pretty straight and were honest — the main issue in the fashion industry is volume. The industry has an overproduction rate of 30 to 50%, which is absolutely crazy. This is the most important thing to pick off before we start talking about new materials, electricity and production. When you talk about fashion and the environment, many people think that we have to have new materials, but that image is not entirely correct. There is nothing wrong with working with new materials but it is a major systematic change of the whole industry and new business models that are needed.
How hard is it to reduce industry overproduction?
“Technically, it's not that difficult, but it's always difficult to teach old dogs to sit. The fashion industry is a conservative industry. At the same time, much is happening in the future, in the form of, for example, legalization from the EU. With this, it becomes impossible for the industry not to change. Unfortunately, the necessary infrastructure has not yet been created and that could be tough.
How does the Fashion Innovation Center work to reduce overproduction in the industry?
− Fashion Innovation Center has been working on building platforms and building networks where we look for existing solutions from existing players. In this work, we have teamed up with large companies such as Ernst & Young and American FLEX. FLEX is a hardware manufacturer that specializes in logistics and traceability solutions used in the tech industry. These solutions could be shifted to the fashion industry.
Can you give examples of how such solutions can help the climate?
“Being able to make predictions on trends and sales is an important part that is missing in the fashion industry to reduce overproduction. This would also reduce CO2 emissions in logistics management. We need to see how we can use existing solutions and how we can get them out in the easiest way possible in the industry.
Implementing a digital traceability system across the value and supply chains can reduce the industry's overproduction by allowing fashion companies to see where different garments are selling a lot and where things are doing worse. Knowing this, you can redirect the garments to the right places. This also gives the industry a better opportunity to make predictions about which markets are suitable for new garments. Although this approach is supported and highlighted in programmes such as the EU textile industry, progress is still slow.
During the meeting Fredrik Timour also highlighted how important it is for the garment industry to connect with decision-makers and benefit from projects such as: Net Zero Cities. Net Zero Cities is a project led by EIT Climate-KIC and aims for cities to have net zero emissions by 2030. For example, Lund is involved in this project.
What are the effects of attending COP27?
− COP 27 is an important platform and we got the issue of overproduction on the agenda properly. For us, of course, it is also important that the fact that we participated gives weight to our arguments. But there is also a side to COP where many, especially young people, feel that it is all talk and that nothing happens. That's why we tried to talk about feasible things. A good thing is that we were also invited to COP 28.
Read more about and see the event COP 27