Biodiversity is what maintains the stability of our ecosystems.
We rely on biodiversity for food and energy, and we depend on its indispensable role in sustaining air quality, providing fresh water and soil, and regulating climate. Yet, according to a 2019 Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services report:
Biodiversity is declining at a faster rate than ever before in human history.
We are in a biodiversity crisis. It is estimated that one million of the planet’s eight million known species are now threatened with extinction. Despite how vital healthy and diverse ecosystems are to our existence, the fast fashion industry continues to contribute to rapid biodiversity loss through damaging, near-sighted practices.
What is biodiversity?
The United Nations Environment Programme defines biodiversity as, “The variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms. The biodiversity we see today is the result of 4.5 billion years of evolution and, increasingly, of human influence as well. It forms the web of life, of which we are an integral part and upon which we so fully depend.”
This diversity is essential for sustaining healthy natural ecosystems. We rely on thriving, balanced, healthy ecosystems to sustain life on Earth.
Each element of this web of life is interconnected and contributes to the prosperity of the whole ecosystem. So, when one element is at threat, it has knock-on effects for the entire ecosystem too.
Why should we care?
The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report affirms that the effects of this climate crisis are already being felt across the globe, from unprecedented heat waves to deadly flash floods and rising sea levels to biodiversity loss.
Natural ecosystems sustain our planet and human life through various roles, such as water purification, nutrient recycling, maintaining healthy soils, reducing pollution, absorbing carbon, regulating floods and diseases, and much more.
Biodiversity underpins these ecosystems. So if it is lost, we run the risk of also losing these natural processes that sustain us.
What does fashion have to do with biodiversity?
Fashion is dependent on nature from soil, farms and forests to water sources.
Through innovation and manipulation of species fashion has access to materials: cotton, linen, bast fibres, regenerated cellulosics, silk, lotus fibre, leather, fur, animal skins, wool, cashmere, mohair, angora, feathers, muka, tapa cloth, indigo, madder, bark dye, bio-plastics, and orange fibre, among many others.
The irony is that, despite this dependence on nature and biodiversity, the industry continues to degrade natural ecosystems. As is the case with many of fashion’s challenges, overproduction, overconsumption, and an over-reliance on fossil fuels are at the core of the biodiversity crisis. And, fashion supply chains are directly linked to soil degradation, conversion of natural ecosystems, and waterway pollution.
A recent report from McKinsey & Company determines that most of the negative impact comes from three stages in the value chain: raw-material production, material preparation and processing, and end of life.
How Fashion impacts biodiversity
Fashion destabilises our natural ecosystems through extractive practices that lead to biodiversity loss. Here are some of the ways:
High-impact materials
Raw material sourcing has a heavy impact on biodiversity. If not responsibly sourced and manufactured, these are some of the materials that are directly linked to biodiversity loss:
- Viscose, if not responsibly sourced and manufactured, is a significant contributor to deforestation, with 150 million trees logged annually to produce the fibre.
- Some leather tanneries have links to deforestation and chromium-contaminated wastewater dumping practiced
- Cashmere can lead to overgrazing, soil degradation, and habitat loss.
- Conventional cotton is grown using industrial agriculture. Cotton is the most common natural fibre used in clothing. Globally, this crop covers 2.4% of the world’s cultivated land but uses 4.7% of the world’s pesticides (and 10% of insecticides), according to Pesticide Action Network. It is also a very water-intensive crop.
Industrial agriculture
Soil is one of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems. Yet, industrial agricultural practices that use toxic pesticides and insecticides, monoculture cropping, and excessive tilling are putting the health of our soil at risk – not to mention the large swathes of biodiverse land that are being converted into farmland.
Waste and pollution
Waste from garment production includes chemical runoff from dyeing and finishing processes, microplastic pollution, and the mass of garments that are dumped in landfills or onto communities in the Global South. These forms of waste pollute waterways, air, and land, poison aquatic life, contribute to habitat loss, and present enormous challenges in marine environments.
So, what can we do?
The good news is that biodiversity is on the radar of many brands. Textile Exchange’s 2021 Biodiversity Insights Report uses data submitted through the Textile Exchange Biodiversity Benchmark to provide a baseline that tracks the level of engagement and effort that companies are putting into understanding and addressing their impact on the natural world.
As the report reads, “The call to action is loud and clear: we must all move to a new model based on restoration and regeneration that works with nature.”
To protect biodiversity, we need to shift to a more holistic, regenerative farming approach that allows the soil to remain healthy and supports the biodiversity of the area. In South Africa, we have regenerative wool farmers who are working to conserve biodiversity through their holistic farming practices.
Tackling the biodiversity crisis, through fashion, will require a system-wide approach. Here are a few things to consider.
For designers and brands:
- Prioritise circular design. Look to utilise circular design strategies and techniques to eliminate waste and pollution, encourage longer product use, and consider the end of life. This means using zero-waste design practices, designing for durability, and repairability, and thinking carefully about end-of-life solutions.
- Practice responsible sourcing. Take the time to look into where your raw materials come from and ensure that they are ethical, sustainable, and not contributing to the biodiversity crisis. And, practice transparency by communicating this with your market.
- Seek out low-impact fibres. This includes hemp, organic or regeneratively farmed cotton and wool, and linen. Also, recycled materials that use less water, chemicals, energy, or land than conventional choices.
- Support regenerative agriculture. Where possible, support fibre producers who practice regenerative agriculture and actively restoring soil systems.
- Where possible, opt for low-impact dye techniques. This could include waterless dyeing, botanical and natural dyes.
For citizen consumers:
- Ask brands if they have a biodiversity strategy and demand transparency. Asking brands about their sourcing and supply chain puts these topics on their radar and lets them know that they are topics that consumers care about.
- If you can, opt for low-impact materials.
- Slow down your consumption and make your loved clothes last. Keeping clothes, and the materials they are made from, in use can displace the need for excessive new production, and therefore reduce the negative impacts on biodiversity associated with virgin fibre production, processing, and disposal.
- Support brands using low-impact fibres, championing responsible sourcing, and encouraging regenerative farming. In a fast fashion world, championing regenerative practices isn’t easy. So, support the brands that are giving it a go in any way you can!
