Posted on November, 26 2024

The world is becoming increasingly unstable as the climate changes and nature loss accelerates, threatening our societies and economies.

The apparel and textile sector is especially susceptible to these environmental risks, since much of the industry's footprint lies in regions most vulnerable to climate impacts, such as Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Viet Nam. Many textile and apparel producing countries in the Global South have contributed minimally to the global climate crisis yet they bear a disproportionate share of its consequences.

In addition to climate change, we are concurrently grappling with a dire biodiversity and pollution crisis, which is exacerbated by the adverse effects of the textile sector. From deforestation to soils saturated with pesticides, from hazardous emissions emanating from coal-powered factories to the discharge of toxic chemicals and microfibers into our rivers, the sector’s impacts are severe. And overproduction and overconsumption are accelerating all of these negative impacts.

Yet there is hope. The fashion industry possesses remarkable power and creativity, capable of reshaping business models to benefit both society and nature, and shifting consumer mindsets towards sustainability, all of which will build value and enhance the industry’s own resilience.

It's time to change the narrative. Opportunities abound and the cost of inaction is too great. At WWF, we are focused on guiding the industry towards solutions and outcomes that will deliver a nature-positive world.

WWF's new report – Ensemble: Mobilizing the apparel and textile sector towards sustainability and collective action – outlines many of these pathways, which show that transformative action is possible. Collaboration and urgent action are critical to avoid irreparable damage being inflicted on the communities, landscapes and river basins upon which the apparel and textile sector depends.

This report is the third and final installment in a series of apparel and textile industry reports that aim to raise awareness and drive the industry to take action towards greater sustainability.

In Part I, we highlighted how water and fashion are connected. The industry has an array of impacts and dependencies on water throughout the value chain, from raw material production and extraction to the disposal of a garment, necessitating a full value-chain perspective when working on water. The report showed that water is not one issue, but a series of highly dynamic, interconnected issues that interact with climate and biodiversity. When it comes to water, the industry must recognize that local context is critical to not only understand and mitigate water risk, but also to evaluate opportunity.

In Part II, we delved into the geography of the industry’s major production clusters and their exposure to water risk. By using open data and open tools, we found that the apparel sector has a series of clusters that concentrate both risk and opportunity. Many clusters already face significant water risks and these are only likely to worsen by 2050 due to the impacts of climate change. However, by grouping clusters by shared risk profiles, we can identify opportunities to exchange knowledge on what solutions work best for a specific combination of risks. The upside to shared challenges within shared supply chains is that there are vast opportunities to take action through collaboration, from learning to identifying and investing in solutions. In fact, the nature of this work requires the collective effort of many. There is no other option but to work together with competitors, suppliers and growers, governments, NGOs, and even other sectors, to address sustainability challenges. In Report II we highlighted a tangible pathway for engaging in collective action with key stakeholders in the textile sector and beyond.

In this report, Part III, we outline WWF’s vision for the textile sector, and how we are working to mobilize others to scale solutions. We showcase how we work in partnership with apparel and textile companies, and give an overview of our scope of work within the textile value chain across the themes of Freshwater, Biodiversity and Climate and Energy. We urge the industry to adopt a comprehensive value chain approach and address all priority areas. This report also highlights specific areas where we do not provide implementation support, and instead direct companies to credible partners.

Our work with the apparel and textile industry is critical to achieve our mission, and contribute towards global commitment frameworks that will ensure a future where nature, people and business can thrive.

We hope that this report will inspire textile industry stakeholders to recognise that not only is change essential, it is possible - and the key is engaging in collective action today.