• Tweeter
  • republish

A garment factory in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, January 4, 2011. According to WWF France, clothing consumption worldwide doubled between 2000 and 2014. Getty Images / Brent Lewin

Thirty-two fashion, production and distribution companies launched Friday, August 23, ahead of the G7, the "Fashion Pact," a commitment of fashion to the environment to reduce their impact on the climate , biodiversity and oceans. Indeed, textiles is one of the most polluting industries.

Textiles contain microplastics that end up in the oceans after each wash, pesticides used to produce cotton, or chemicals in dyes. The transportation of clothing from producer to consumer generates 10% of global CO2 emissions.

For the fashion and luxury industry to reduce its environmental impact, the Élysée commissioned François Henri Pinault, CEO of the luxury giant Kering, to mobilize the sector last May.

It's done: thirty companies commit themselves to work for climate, biodiversity and oceans, but the targets are limited to a few promises, for example, 100% renewable energy by 2030 for distribute the clothes. And everything is done on a voluntary basis.

Therefore, this pact is greeted with skepticism by NGOs. To really act for the climate, the levers of action are known, they say: stop at the " fast fashion " - the incentive to renew constantly his wardrobe because the fashion evolves at full speed.

According to the NGOs, it would also be necessary to put an end to synthetic fibers and to relocate the production regularly pointed out for the disastrous working conditions. But all this is not on the agenda.

Also read: "Slow fashion": another approach to fashion to counter pollution