On 27 April 1945, in the midst of the turmoil of the last days of the war, history was made in Vienna: With the proclamation of the Second Republic of... Mehr lesen
Awareness
International Zero Waste Day
This year’s International Zero Waste Day focuses on fashion and textiles. The earth is a victim of fashion. Thousands of chemicals are often used in the production of textiles, many of which are harmful to people and the environment. Textile production devours resources such as land and water. It also emits large quantities of greenhouse gases, exacerbating the climate crisis. Nevertheless, garments are being produced at a breathtaking rate. Enormous quantities of textiles are also wasted:
- Every second, the equivalent of a rubbish truck full of clothes is burned or dumped in a landfill.
- 10% of global Co2 emissions come from the fashion industry. That’s more than all flights and ship journeys worldwide combined.
- A single jean consumes 3,781 litres of fresh water in production, while the textile industry produces up to 20 percent of industrial wastewater worldwide – mainly due to dyeing processes.
There is hope.
Consumers are increasingly focussing on sustainability. Important initiatives are bringing together companies, industry organisations, civil society and other stakeholders to drive sustainability across the sector.These include the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action convened by the United Nations and the Fashion Pact launched by the French government.
The United Nations Advisory Council on Zero Waste brings together partners to end waste – including textiles – and achieve sustainability goals.
On this International Zero Waste Day, let’s all commit to ensuring that fashion is equally sustainable for people and the planet.
