Fashion has a waste problem. There's pre- and post-consumer waste on one hand, and packaging waste on the other. It has taken years for the industry to even acknowledge the former, leave alone do something about it. Do you think the fashion industry is in denial about the packaging waste it creates?
Iva Jestratijevic: The fact is that many fashion companies do not report and do not account for packaging waste in their sustainability reports. According to the research I have conducted, the fashion industry’s use of packaging is responsible for 26% of the total amount of plastic produced globally. Also, industry reports indicate that fashion packaging accounts for 40% of plastic waste that is generated annually on a global level. This waste comes from every process in the fashion industry.
For example, return rates can be anywhere around 30–50%, where garments will be inspected and, if still in good condition, repacked in new plastic packaging and the old packaging discarded. These repacking operations generate a significant waste stream at distribution centres, especially those of pure e-commerce players and those with high product return rates.
So, whose responsibility is it? Is it the responsibility of the retailer/ecomm seller, or is it that of the brand/manufacturer? Then, again, a fashion product itself comes with its own packaging even before it makes it to a store or a portal. Your comments, please.
Iva Jestratijevic: The fashion industry must begin preparing its supply chains and practices for the changing times by investing in environmentally sustainable packaging designs and manufacturing models. Every entity in the supply chain has a role to play and reducing packaging and switching to improved options is everyone's responsibility.
Then again, when talks of fashion's packaging issue, it's mostly about the end product. The debate disregards any kind of packaging used earlier in the chain: from raw materials to yarn to fabrics. How do you think the entire thing can be looked at holistically? Is it even feasible?
Iva Jestratijevic: As I said, moving to sustainable solutions represents everyone's responsibility. I don’t think that solutions are immediately feasible, and it might take a decade to find the optimal ones that are less detrimental for environment but still hold the same functional and protective values which is critical for transport oversees and distribution.
However, end of the pipe solutions for ecommerce and retail are readily available. So, we can tackle and prioritise that part. For example, Tipa compostable packaging solutions are ideal for e-retail.
