For some, fashion is an expression of personality or culture. For others, clothes are something that ensures comfort or survival. One thing is certain: clothing is something that everyone, everywhere deals with every day. However its production has an enormous environmental footprint. Textile production requires huge quantities of water and energy and produces waste and pollution.
Our consumption decisions in terms of buying, using and discarding clothing have a huge systemic impact on the sustainability of the fashion sector. But to consume more consciously, we need transparent information about social and environmental aspects linked to the production of our clothes and their materials. Making fashion more sustainable should therefore be seen as a common effort of policymakers, industry and consumers.
Together with our interview guests Arianna Nicoletti (Circular Textiles Lead at Circular Berlin) and Mandy Hinzmann (Fellow at Ecologic Institute) we explore the concepts of circular and sustainable fashion and discuss the potential impact of the recently published European Union Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles. We also get philosophical and ask: is the constant change and quick consumption an inherent characteristic of fashion?
Links to relevant studies and resources mentioned in the podcast:
- Textiles and the environment: the role of design in Europe’s circular economy. Briefing by the European Environment Agency
- EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles
- Study on the Technical, Regulatory, Economic and Environmental Effectiveness of Textile Fibres Recycling
The podcast is available on the following streaming platforms:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Deezer | Amazon Music | YouTube
Our interview guests
Would you like to learn more?
Are you interested in environmental issues or European policy? Would you like to understand what the European Green Deal is and how will it impact our lives in the years to come? Check out other episodes of our podcast.
Webinar Series
Listening is nice, but not enough for you? You are in luck! In addition to the podcast series, we are organizing a series of eight online events, targeting young Europeans aged 18-35. Enter the dialogue with us and our invited experts. We are keen to hear your questions, suggestions and ideas and discuss them together.
