Press Releases

ASW 2020 Opens The Debate On Circular Economy

17 October 2019

Moving into the second edition of Apparel Sourcing Week, there is much more on offer, and it is not only about more exhibitors or another extra day. The activities at the last edition attracted much praise and the team of ASW is working hard to give an even better experience this time. The knowledge platforms are surely going to be sharper, the networking opportunities even bigger and finally inspiration will run through the event like never before.
One of the focus topics for the upcoming ASW 2020 is the ‘Environment’ and a session is specifically planned out for this theme. The session titled The Challenges of a Circular Economy - how reuse, reduce, recycle, repair, share are creating their own challenges - has already attracted many experts of the field. The panel promises to be interactive with depth of content.
No one can deny that the buzz around the environment is getting louder by the day.
When a 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist, Greta Thunberg addressed the UN Climate Action Summit in New York in September 2019, strongly advocating for action against the harm that human beings in their race for ‘more’ had inflicted on the earth… the world stood up and took notice!
A thought that the environment is in danger which was germinated about 2 decades go at the turn of the century by a few crazy earth lovers, has finally become a movement, as the clamour around this much essential and debated topic is getting louder by the day. From everyday living to business operations, each and every sphere is being impacted.
Not only environmentalists, but also governments too have jointed the movement with serious talk on pegging responsibilities and making commitments to change and reduce use of natural resources for arresting the impact, before it is too late.
Our industry is no exception and to be honest, the textile sector is admittedly among the most polluting industries in the world. Who can forget the harrowing pictures of blue rivers in China where denim was being washed, or the sick workers where sandblasting was a practice.
The fashion retail industry, in its blind quest for mass manufacturing of cheap clothing at the fastest possible time, is contributing in pollution, more waste and negative environmental impacts. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has found that textile production emits 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases every year, while the United Nations estimates that 10 percent of total global emissions come from the fashion industry.
Significantly, Research group McKinsey claims that the average consumer in 2014 purchased 60 percent more clothing compared to 2000, but each was disposed of much sooner thus contributing to greenhouse gases, as they sit in landfills for years. And if the clothing is of synthetic fibre, which actually makes up around 60 per cent of current fashion, then the garments sit in landfills for hundreds of years, as they are non-biodegradable. As of today, only 15 percent of clothing is recycled or donated.
On the global platform, most of the big retailers and brands are willingly publishing ‘Sustainability’ reports, tracing their journey and commitment to the environment. Much still needs to be done on the manufacturing side with only few benchmarked companies in the world following a true sustainable roadmap. More and more textile and garment manufacturing companies around the world need to come out and talk about the way forward.
The importance of a circular economy and changing systems to respect the environment cannot be underplayed and the time for retrospect and action is now. ASW 2020, to be held in February in Bengaluru, is the platform to share concerns, experiences and future gameplans for proactively working to save Mother Earth!
 

About Apparel Sourcing Week 2024

Apparel Sourcing Week 2024, a two-days Sourcing Show not only provides the Asian manufacturers a platform to showcase their products & manufacturing capabilities to the Brands & Retailers from all over the world including India, but also extends them a chance to attend the multiple seminars (headed by industry experts), workshops, open-house discussions and networking opportunities organised during these three days, which would help the manufacturers get a better understanding of Indian and International Retail and evolving dynamics of sourcing in various markets and retail formats.

About the Organiser

Apparel Resources is well known for its benchmark publications – Apparel Online, StitchWorld and Resource Guide published from India, Bangladesh & Vietnam. These publications have been around in the industry for over 35 years, supporting, guiding and standing by garment exporters and the retail industry globally, providing them a platform to source better.