I am Samaira Chawla, a student of BSc Fashion Management! Welcome to my blog!
Planet Pillar
The Fashion Business School framework emphasizes the necessity to unite creative expression with sustainable environmental practices. The fashion industry currently faces severe criticism because of its uncontrolled manufacturing methods and its high levels of consumer waste. The fashion industry produced double the amount of clothing between 2000 and 2014 while selling 40% of its products at discounted prices, according to Drapers (2022), which demonstrates the severity of overproduction. The planet pillar encourages future fashion leaders to develop solutions that will establish a regenerative society instead of one that depletes natural resources.
The circular economy stands as a fundamental solution to achieve equilibrium between creativity and environmental sustainability in fashion production. The circular economy operates through five core principles, which include reduction and reuse and resale and rental, and recycling. Companies that adopt these values in their operations will gain market competitiveness while reaching their sustainability targets. The circular economy operates as a system that prevents waste from entering the production cycle through its design approach. As Gwilt (2014) explains, “design decisions made at the beginning of a garment’s life can determine up to 80% of its environmental impact.”
The design stage represents the critical moment when sustainability decisions about materials and production methods, and product disposal, become essential for environmental impact reduction. The planning process should focus on creating products that last while maintaining responsible practices.
Sustainability in fashion represents a permanent change in how people think about fashion rather than a short-lived fashion trend. The supply chain transformation described by Hethorn and Ulasewicz (2015) demands a complete reevaluation of all supply chain connections from raw material acquisition through to product disposal. The fashion industry needs brands to support sustainable materials and clear supply chain operations while they adopt the expanding resale and rental market, which WGSN (2023) shows is gaining popularity among younger consumers.
The United Nations established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which they published as a single list. Goal 12 addresses the aforementioned problems. The goal promotes businesses to establish sustainable practices that involve waste prevention and reduction, and recycling programs. Stella McCartney and Patagonia demonstrate sustainable fashion practices through their closed-loop production methods and their commitment to designing products that last.
The Planet pillar teaches us that sustainable innovation stands as the essential foundation for fashion’s future development. Our position as students and future professionals enables us to create an industry that combines creative value with environmental stewardship.
References:
Drapers (2022). Collaborating for Change: Sustainability Report 2022. Drapers Online.
Gwilt, A. (2014). A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion. London: Bloomsbury.
Hethorn, J. and Ulasewicz, C. (2015.) The Fashion of Sustainability. London: Fairchild Books.
United Nations (2025) Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025. Available at: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/
WGSN (2023) Sustainability Bulletin: October 2023. Available at: https://www.wgsn.com