How companies can reduce their carbon footprint

As the end of the month approaches, we must start to wrap up the topic of sustainability, even though it is a topic that we, at Faslet, never stop talking about and are committed to resolving. This blog will be divided into two parts. How can you, as a company and as an individual, reduce your carbon footprint? 

It is no secret that the fashion industry is a significant contributor to climate change. And because it is a problem that needs to be addressed urgently, we want to share with you a few tips in this blog on how you, as a fashion retailer, can reduce your carbon footprint and mitigate the effects of climate change. 

In 2018, McKinsey, an international management consulting firm, conducted a study that shows how the fashion industry is responsible for 2.1 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. For those wondering how much this is, it’s 4% of the global total. To make it even more clear, this is as much as the entire economy of France, Germany and the United Kingdom combined. I know, mind blowing.
(Full report: Mckinsey & Company, Global Fashion Agenda, 2020)

Here are some ways in which you, as a clothing company, can commit to doing business in a more sustainable way:

1) Reduce emissions from upstream activities

Before fabrics and materials reach the clothing manufacturer, they must first pass through the fiber producer. They can reduce their emissions by making production, processing and waste low-carbon or even carbon-free. By 2030, we could reduce half of carbon emissions if all clothing companies worked with renewable sources, fossil fuels and energy efficiency. 

2) Reducing your own emissions

In the example above, we mainly talked about how third parties can reduce emissions, making your products sustainable from the ground up. After this, it is up to you to make your contribution. For example, use sustainable transport, recycled packaging, reducing returns using, not to toot our own horn, our Faslet tailor-made solution, reducing overproduction, etc. There are countless ways. 

3) Encourage sustainable consumer behavior

Fashion brands are very quick to advertise how sustainable they are. Often, the marketers and ecologists they work with to demonstrate their sustainability, use terms that may be unintelligible to you and me.Therefore, use understandable jargon. Words that will really excite your customers. 

Not only customers, but also people active in business, in this case the fashion industry and the sustainability sector, are often confused, while we are talking about the same thing. With unnecessarily difficult jargon, you give people the intimidating feeling that they have to start from scratch. 

This is one of the many steps you can take as a brand owner to create awareness among your customers. But the customers themselves can also do a lot from their side to live more sustainably. In last week’s blog, you read about a number of alternatives for sustainable and inexpensive shopping. Next week, we will elaborate on how you can take more sustainable steps in your daily life. 

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