Abstract
The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) commissioned a team from Institute of Sustainable Futures (IST) at University of Technology Sidney (UTS), Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) and Lund University to develop the concept of a 'Wellbeing Wardrobe' – a fashion and textiles industry that is oriented towards a Wellbeing Economy.
The fashion and textile industry faces persistent issues of unsustainability due to environmental impacts from production and disposal, low wages and poor labour conditions. These issues have been further compounded by the advent of fast fashion, which has driven overproduction and overconsumption of textiles and garments.
In recent years, a range of sustainability strategies have been employed by the industry, including new certification and labelling systems, substitution for recycled or innovative fibres and circular economy practices (including recycling, repair and reuse). While arguably leading to some sustainability innovations and efficiency gains, many of these strategies fail to address the fundamental issues of overproduction and overconsumption at the core of the industry's sustainability crisis.
This project investigates the concept of a 'wellbeing economy' and how this can be used to guide the transformation of a fashion and textiles system that operates within planetary boundaries and provides social living standards to the many millions of people who depend on the sector for their livelihoods.
The fashion and textile industry faces persistent issues of unsustainability due to environmental impacts from production and disposal, low wages and poor labour conditions. These issues have been further compounded by the advent of fast fashion, which has driven overproduction and overconsumption of textiles and garments.
In recent years, a range of sustainability strategies have been employed by the industry, including new certification and labelling systems, substitution for recycled or innovative fibres and circular economy practices (including recycling, repair and reuse). While arguably leading to some sustainability innovations and efficiency gains, many of these strategies fail to address the fundamental issues of overproduction and overconsumption at the core of the industry's sustainability crisis.
This project investigates the concept of a 'wellbeing economy' and how this can be used to guide the transformation of a fashion and textiles system that operates within planetary boundaries and provides social living standards to the many millions of people who depend on the sector for their livelihoods.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 58 |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 2022 |
Research programs
- ESHCC A&CS
