The S Word Fashion Textiles+ Sustainability: Communicating People Profit Planet through Clothes RMIT 09 Dr Joan Farrer RCA 1 8/17/2009
Why the S word And what is it? 2
Time Line 3 3 8/17/2009
Green Wash 4 4 8/17/2009
Light green consumer products selective consumption is the new class distinction recognition of tribe through objects and brand values 5 Could ethics means Status?
6 Transparency?
EMOTIONAL WARDROBE CONSCIENCE CLOTHING MOST OF ALL FASHION COMMUNICATES 7
It is this.. 8
and this 9 Half of the worlds 6.5 billion people have no access to clean water
10 and this
11 What does she know about sustainability relative to fashion textiles + design?
Design 1978- Deryck Healy International London based design consultancy across disciplines body and space 1982- East Central Studios Ltd Owner of an International fashion textile design and colour consultancy working with all links in the production chain from fibre to yarns to fabric to garments to retail. Global clients + production chains 1993- Consultant for industrial fashion textile + home retailers, Local Government + NGO s in design and sustainability. 2004- Full time academic 12 8/17/2009
European Clients - Fibre Makers ICI Dupont Courtaulds British Mohair spinners IWS Irish linen, Monsanto Fashion collections for experimental new fibres fabrics + finishes, Including Tactel, Tencel, Teflon Applied product research + development presentations for clients and Trade fairs Premier Vision Indigo France Interstoff Germany 13 8/17/2009
Yarn + Knitted Fabric development Seasonal trends for yarn design, fabric and colour including, Grignasco, Zegna Smedley, Next PLC, BritishCrepe, IWS, Charnos, Marks+Spencer, British Home Stores, Marubeni Tex, Renown, Macy s NY, Expofil France, Pitti Filati Italy, Interstoff 14 8/17/2009
Fashion Textile Product + Concept Design Consultant UK Industrial Retailers 1993 to 2004 Head of Womens Knit Design Mens & Womens colour and fabric prediction Yarn and garment product development ( Far East EU and UK) Product and brand development for major UK clothing retailers Product and brand development for major UK food retailers clothing divisions. 15 8/17/2009
Burton Mens wear + Top Shop Mens + Womens consultant designer and forecaster, garment R+D producing prototype and 1 st sample ranges with UK + world wide suppliers 16 Burton Group best selling sweater 19,000,000 turn over in one style in one season 8/17/2009
Tesco PLC non food division all Stores World Wide clothing concept ranges-future Brand USA Spring Summer Autumn Winter Christmas Resort wear and gifts High volume clothing ranges concept development mens womens childrens wear, high value home wares and accessory lines 17 8/17/2009
Interior Concepts Lifestyle Products- Future Brand USA British Airways Club Lounge, colour, fabrics, accessories Molton Brown Luxury Body Spa product range for 5star licencee Hotels and airport franchisesconcept re-brand, colour, packaging, marketing tools 18 8/17/2009
Marks + Spencer PLC Head of Womens Knitwear design Yarn and fabric development Garment range development Autograph for M+S with Future Brand USA Autograph concept leading designers creating shops within a shop and product development 19 8/17/2009
Teaching-95 to 2005 Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design School of Fashion Central Saint Martins UAL RAE writing staff research in the school MA Fashion Course director acting.5 and visiting lecturer in MA Textile Futures MA industrial design, BA fashion + fashion journalism + promotion Students include: Galliano: McQueen McCartney: Tristan Webber WW, Petar Jensen MW, Richard Nicol MW Shelly Fox Knit, Johnathan Saunders, Mathew Williamson Print Senior Research Fellow Sustainable and Smart Fashion textiles 20 8/17/2009
2005 to 2007-Royal College of Art the worlds only post graduate university Research Leader and Strategist in the School of Fashion and Textiles School Research co-ordinator and Bid writer School staff Research Mentor RAE (PBRF) writing staff research in the school Research Council Peer Reviewer MA Fashion, MA Textiles MPhil + PhD supervision and lecturing 21 8/17/2009
Royal College of Art PhD part time 1995-2000 an ecological assessment of the lifecycle of wool from cradle to grave and beyond highlighting the social, economic, and environmental cost of production and disposal of one wool fibre. The balance of people, profit, planet = sustainability 22 8/17/2009
The Sustainable Textiles Research Project Detailed international supply chain risk assessment of pesticide and carcinogenic dye stuff use, forced labour and fair trade. Informed CSR plan (corporate, social responsibility for the company triple bottom line which is people, profit and the environment) for investment. R&D collaborations to establish a No Worry Brand 23 8/17/2009
Marks and Spencer ( 1billion turn over) risk assessment global supply production and disposal analysis for CSR= FIRST RETAILER TO ENTER THE Footsie4good DOW INDEX to attract international pension fund investment 24
EPE European Partners for the Environment Clothing + Textiles supply chain analysis- Resulted in EU Green supply chains for institutional buyers (adopted in Auckland 07) 25 30 industrial, institutional, Government +commercial research partners Pan European multi stake holder project for sustainable textiles in the Work Wear Sector www.epe.be Papers given at workshops in Brussels, Paris & Design council. Organised a London symposium World summit for Sustainable development WSSD Johannesburg Oct 2002 25 8/17/2009
Environmental map 1 1 000 000 000 000 containers containers per per year year shipped shipped into into Europe Europe Groundwater Groundwater pollution pollution decreasing decreasing quality quality of of fibres fibres Cost Cost of of energy energy has has doubled doubled in in Health Health concerns concerns the the EU EU in in the the last last 5 5 years years about about textile textile dyes dyes and and finishes finishes In In the the EU EU Consumption Consumption and and disposal disposal of of textiles textiles 5 5 million million tonnes tonnes P.A. P.A. Thousands Thousands of of Km Km travelled travelled by by road road and and sea sea all all textiles textiles Globally, Globally, 25% 25% of of all all insecticides insecticides used used for for cotton cotton High High waste waste disposal disposal costs, costs, landfill, landfill, incineration incineration or or re-export re-export Lack Lack of of water water - - problems problems of of decreasing decreasing quality quality of of fibres fibres Pesticides Pesticides detergent detergent and and animal animal welfare welfare issues issues in in wool wool production production 26 26 8/17/2009
IIED 2003-04 International institute for Environment and Development http://www.iied.org Best practice case studies 27 8/17/2009
World Summit Sustainable Development High level International dialogue to promote sustainable trade in textiles and clothing Contributions from 25 delegates, including WTO textiles, Eco-Tex Ecology Institute, Euratex, European Commission DG10 and Institute for World Economics to a policy document for the World Summit for Sustainable Development WSSD Johannesburg October 28 2002. 8/17/2009
WWF- Sustainable Trade in Textiles and Clothing Lobbying Document The end of the MFA in 2004 ensured that China became the worlds largest exporter and provider of textiles and clothing -de stabilizing global and local trade 29 8/17/2009
Ethical Fashion Forum Fashioning an Ethical Industry Co author and steering group member for a European Wide initiative to clean up the fashion industry- 30 8/17/2009
Issues People Profit Planet 31 8/17/2009
What has fashion to do with such important issues? Fashion & Textiles Designers have been leading communication of these issues to the masses for centuries People / Profit / Planet 32
33 Status Quo? Profit / Mid 1800s England / Fashion the domain of Wealthy Classes / Dictated by Social Standards & Aristocratic desires / Economic Revolution
34 Challenging the Status Quo Activism through fashion / Nudity / Fun / Sexual Freedom / Liberation / Rebellion
35 Status Quo Planet / Brave New World? / 1984 / Emergent Ecological Philosophies / Acknowledgment of Ozone layer damage / Intellectual stimuli to create change
36 Orta
Fashion + Modernity Arts + Humanities Research Board 37 8/17/2009
Did you know? Exhibition Fashion textile sustainability issues through Fibre Types 38 8/17/2009
Farrer-Sustainable FashionTextiles Berg Publishers 39 8/17/2009
New Zealand, Research & Fashion Textiles Sustainability New Challenges Different rules of engagement Research Culture? New experiences good and bad 40 8/17/2009
41 Who s Research?
What is Sustainable Development? It is Dry information Gro Harlem Brundland 1992 Rio conference, Ex Présidente de la Commission des Nations Unies Equity Participation SOCIAL Cultural Preservation Empowerment Social Mobility The idea of sustainability was defined in detail by the Brundland Commission for the Environment and Development in 1987 and is the basis of Agenda 21, which was drawn up by the United Nation's Conference for the Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Sustainability is now a key aspect of advanced environmental policy and politics in general. Sustainability is a form of economic management in which the venture lives off the earnings from the capital base (in this example, nature) and not from the capital base itself. If ventures were to operate constantly beyond their means, their economic ruin would be predestined. Such ventures operate with costs that will have to be covered in the future, in other word at the cost of future generations. The backbone of these activities should be the three apexes of the sustainability triangle: social justice, ecological harmlessness and economic efficiency. ENVIRONMENT ECONOMIC Clean Air Services Biodiversity Household Needs Natural Resources Industrial Growth Carrying Capacity Agricultural Growth Ecosystem integrity Efficient Use of Labour 42 8/17/2009
Examples of Fashion driving political change Hamnett pershing Westwood / Mclaren sex pistols 43
S word = people Banksy = Hoodie Savage = Bling Trailer Trash = Heroine Chic 44
identity religion ethnicity Employment What is it to be an Australian? 45
Social Exclusion jobs skills place age economics gender 46
Hillenaar- Traid + Make Refugee Partnerships 47 8/17/2009
Profit 48 8/17/2009
Employment how many/what quality/what skills? 49 foreign workers vs home women at the bottom of the pile self employment and social entrepreneurialism
Primark UK child labour 50
It was in Mauritius that the first Knitwear company was established less than three decades ago in 1971 which, was the catalyst for dramatic economic change. This newly industrialised country (NIC) replaced a sugarcane economy on the back of the knitwear industry 51 Fashion industry as catalyst for dramatic economic change
Evans- Wool seamless knitting 52 8/17/2009
Full scale prototype Toile cut in Merino stretch knit and joined on an industrial flatbed lockstitch machine Excess fabric absorbed by tucks Finn- Fashion design and sustainable production Side Pocket Opening Figure 1 (Left): A POC illustrates how garments are cut from the one piece of cloth by the customer. Producing garments using this method reduces their manufacturing costs and minimises fabric wastage. 53 8/17/2009
R+D collaborative research Research as an industry 1. EPSRC Designing for the 21Century THE EMOTIONAL WARDROBE Status: Co-Author/investigator with CSM From 01/05 to 12/05 Value 50K 2. EPSRC SMART TEXTILES FOR INTELLIGENT CONSUMER PRODUCTS NETWORK Status: Steering Group member hosted by CSM, From 04 to 07 Value 50K www.smartextiles.co.uk 3. DTI Sustainable Technologies Initiative GARMENT PASSPORT Status: Bid written, industrial partners in place project through the first and second rounds and into the last 15, problem with budget. Suggested re visit and submit to EPSRC again. (Prof Stephen Scrivener CSM has offered to help re write if CSM can be involved) 3 year project Value 240K 4. DFID THE BUSINESS CASE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE UK FASHION AND TEXTILE INDUSTRY Status: Bid written and industrial/ngo/ research institute partners in place 5. WRAP/DEFRA Textile recycling project TAKE BACK TEXTILES Status: Bid being written with industrial, Leeds University and Charity partners in place. www.oakdenehollins.co.uk 54 54 8/17/2009
55 S word = planet
Globalisation population urbanisation migration energy crisis 56
57 Fashion industry contributing to environmental damage
Fraser- Clothing Transform 58 8/17/2009
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Jones- Rainwear textile + garment technology 60 8/17/2009
Phase 4? Sustainability What Next? 61 8/17/2009
choice fatigue Consumers customisation personalisation 62 Do Hit Droog Design Do we need any more stuff?
MA Design for the Developing World? 63 63
Reilly- City Centered Cycling Fig 1. pocket for circuit board and button box. Oct 07 Fig 2. Internal cabling of Red 3 Jacket Oct 07 R e f 64 Fig 3. Fit & movement testing of Red 3 Jacket. Oct 07 Fig 4. Fit & movement testing of Red 3 Jacket. Oct 07
Grow your own house 65 65
Fur & Leather Human exploitation 66
Wellbeing 67 Green Walls Kew gardens night flowering plants absorb CO2 emit oxygen by day 67
EMOTIONAL WARDROBE CONSCIENCE CLOTHING FASHION SOLVES 68
Loughborough UK what is 'design for behavioural change'? 'Design for Behavioural Change' explores how design (in the broadest sense) can influence user behaviour to reduce the social and environmental impacts of products during use. This is an emerging field of enquiry in design practice and research 69
Farrer Sustainable + Smart R+D HEALTH Smart inks reacting to bacterial and viral infection for medical uniforms Early warning systems Prevention in the spread of disease 70
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PROTECTION Scrap the Cap Project A collaborative project between AUT University, local industry and The NZ Cancer Society Rudi Gernreich Sun visors 1965 74 Newsletter of the Cancer Society of New Zealand Auckland Division Inc
Farrer- fashion textiles and sustainability -Conscience Clothing- Emmotional Wardrobe- Talking Tags- New Dynamics of Ageing Intelligent textile applications + wearable electronics 75 8/17/2009
What is the S word about? 76 76
this 77 77
and this. 78 About 80% of the crop is grown under irrigation mainly along the Darling River and its tributaries in northern New South Wales and Queensland.
IMPORTANTLY IT IS THIS The amount of household waste generated in NZ per annum is North enough to carpet the & South Island in a layer of rubbish 40cm Deep 79 79
BUT MOST SIGNIFICANTLY IT IS THIS New Zealand s population of 4 million has 4 th largest carbon footprint in the developed world 80 80
81 What are the others doing?
Materials - bio plastic Australia Ultra-lightweight, solar-powered plastic car I The lean, green Globetrotter car will be the future of transportation. Winning him the coveted Young Designer of the Year Award, Ravi s car design for 2017 is independent of fossil fuels, packed with eco-friendly technologies, and cuts back the weight and bulk of today s gas guzzlers. His design employs a carbon-neutral, bioplastic body that is 12% petroleum-based and 88% cornbased, which cuts manufacturing energy by 30%. And there s more: a zinc-air fuel cell, a nano-paper battery, airless tires, nanopaints to absorb solar energy while parked to charge its batteries, and woven seat material. The Globetrotter is, indeed, the ultimate tread lightly automobile for the environmentally-savvy consumer 82 82
RMIT and Sustainability Leapfrog using what has been done in other countries as a launch pad the tools exist to incorporate and enhance the curriculum 83
A420- Sustainable Management Consultants Issues Mapping Social Issues 84
Farrer s Research What is in it for me? Communicating cradle to cradle issues for change/information is power Design towards problem solving not problem creation New Tran disciplinary collaborations for one of the oldest industries Empowerment for all customers Sustainable Innovation 85
EU RESEARCH NETWORKS The New Dynamics of Aging http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/ NZ Cancer Society www.cancernz.org.nz DFID/EU Labour behind the Label Netherlands Fashioning an Ethical future www.labourbehindthelabel.org SUSTAINABLE DESIGN NETWORK www.sustainabledesignnet.org PRODUCT LIFESPAN NETWORK www.productlifespannet.org LONDON TECHNOLOGY NETWORK www.ltnetwork.org EMOTIONAL WARDROBE D421C www.emotionalwardrobe.co EPSRC SMART TEXTILES FOR INTELLIGENT CONSUMER PRODUCTS NETWORK www.smartextiles.co.uk Materials KTN Institute of Materials DTI Smart. Mat 86 www.materialsktn.org 8/17/2009