It's no secret that the fashion industry can have a rather negative impact on the environment, between harmful dyes and troubling conditions at local factories. A new initiative from the National Resource Defense Council called Clean by Design is looking to change that with support from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Vogue.
WWD reports that one of the man focuses of the initiative is exposing some of the especially troubling conditions at factories in China -- an issue that's been getting a lot of exposure thanks to recent reports around Apple's factories. Linda Greer, the director of NRDC's health and environment program, reportedly said: "There is increasing transparency about the problems of these operations in China, and so it’s really time to get moving and not just figure that ‘It’s halfway around the world and nobody will ever know.'"
According to WWD, A trustee of the NRDC pointed out that one ton of fabric can take up to 200 tons of water to produce, which is a pretty staggering figure considering the current global demand for clean drinking water.
Sustainable initiatives in fashion aren't necessarily new -- the luxury group PPR, for example, has made sustainability a focus across its various brands (which include eco-conscious designer Stella McCartney). What's more, the new FashionNYC2020 Report pointed out that sustainable fashion products are increasingly of interest to both designers and consumers, making it a good moment for American organizations like the CFDA to get on the bandwagon.
