Achroma

In 2022, the global apparel industry was estimated to be worth $1.7 trillion and is only expected to grow. 430 million people, or 12.6% of the working population, are said to work in the fashion industry, from design to textile production. A large majority of people work without contracts or the benefits of labor laws.

10% of the world’s global carbon emissions are from the fashion industry, which is due to overproduction and the rise of “fast fashion”. Annually, 100 billion garments are produced, and up to 92 million tons of clothing end up in landfills. Only 20% of textiles are reused or recycled.

How can we make this model obsolete?

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”

- Buckminster Fuller

Altering the Model

Zero waste fashion is a type of design strategy that is used to design, produce, and consume garments that reduce textile waste and environmental impact. The traditional pattern making as well as production systems are reinvented to use every material with little to no waste left over. In this system, consumers are encouraged to purchase less often as well as make each purchase meaningful and lasting. Designers like Holly McQuillan are largely responsible for making zero waste education more widely available to designers who hope to change the model.