The environmental impact of fashion weeks is deplorable

Today, it is no secret that the carbon footprint of fashion is catastrophic. The textile sector accounts for 3 to 10% of global carbon emissions, making it the second most polluting industry in the world. To provide a point of reference, global air transport is responsible for 2 to 3% of CO2 emissions worldwide. These alarming figures have raised awareness about how clothing is consumed and have, over time, fueled an anti-fast fashion movement. However, it seems that the environmental impact of fashion weeks, despite being considerable, remains out of the spotlight.

In 2020, The Carbon Trust, a UK-based consultancy, published an alarming report on the environmental consequences of fashion weeks. The firm estimates that the fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan, and Paris together emit 241,000 tonnes of CO2 each year. This is equivalent to lighting up Times Square for 58 years or illuminating the Eiffel Tower for 3,060 years... The main sources of pollution are the air travel of designers and buyers, which alone accounts for 147,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. Indeed, at each fashion week, personalities from all over the world are invited, and their travel is typically by air. Moreover, many fly business class, which is significantly more polluting than economy class. Accommodation and hotels are also major sources of pollution, with 78,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year due to the length of fashion weeks (usually one week). Lastly, fashion week attendees tend to prefer taxis over public transport to get around the city, resulting in carbon emissions of 11,000 tonnes every year.

Among the four capitals, it is New York Fashion Week that is the most polluting, followed by Paris, and finally London and Milan. A recent study by the Greenly Institute corroborates these disheartening figures, showing that a traditional fashion week in Paris, gathering just over 17,000 people over six to seven days, would generate 11,250 tonnes of CO2. This is equivalent to the annual carbon footprint of over 10,000 round trips between Paris and New York. In light of these dramatic impacts amidst an apocalyptic climate crisis, specialists suggest alternatives such as virtual fashion shows, similar to those during the pandemic, to mitigate carbon emissions. However, this proposal seems unconvincing to fashion houses, who believe that the barrier of a screen diminishes the grandeur of the shows they organize during fashion week.

The Carbon Trust proposes merging fashion weeks to reduce their number and consequently, their ecological footprint. For example, by combining men's and women's shows into a single event or consolidating the pre-season market with the main market. The institute also suggests choosing a host city each season, much like the Olympics, instead of having mini shows in various cities multiple times a year. All of these are suggestions that fundamentally shake the traditions of this 80-year-old fashion event. A relentless battle will undoubtedly be necessary to implement such changes, convincing fashion professionals, CEOs of fashion houses, host cities, and all stakeholders. Is it unrealistic? Yet, in the face of the climate crisis, the textile industry can no longer afford to sit idly by and has a duty to be more planet-conscious, as it claims to be with CSR initiatives and the rise of eco-responsible fashion.