Fashion and Climate Change

Fashion is one of the world’s most important creative industries and touches the lives of most people in the world, helping us to construct and communicate our identity as well as providing a livelihood for millions of people. However, its environmentally polluting supply chain operations contribute to the climate crisis, all the more so due to the growth of fast fashion which relies on cheap manufacturing, frequent consumption and short-lived garment use before disposal.

Whilst an industry-wide shift to a slower and smaller fashion system is needed to mitigate the impacts of climate change, there are trade-offs between meeting environmental goals and social responsibilities toward millions of people worldwide whose livelihoods are dependent on global fashion supply chains.

Fashion and Climate Change brings together diverse international and multicultural perspectives on challenges and opportunities in materials and design, production and consumption that address the climate agenda to inspire solutions in fashion education, industry practice and consumer behaviour.