1 Sustainability within the European Union Textile and Clothing Sector

Abstract The European Unions textile and clothing industry is a leading sector of global economic activity in world trade and exemplifies initiative for social and environmental reform within the clothing and textile industry. By evaluating ways to incorporate sustainable practice in to areas of corresponding industrial processes, enterprises and market structures, they are changing long existing standards of clothing production and consumption. Three sustainable objectives are highlighted; sustainable cotton farming, eco-labeling and reducing textile waste.

The European Unions Textile and Clothing Industry The European Unions textile and clothing industry represents one of the most significant sectors of global economic activity in world trade. It is an industry operating though a large group of varied corresponding industrial processes, enterprises and market structures. In 2012, the EU Textile & Clothing industry represented 179 billion euro and investments of 5 billion euro annually. The EU textile and clothing industry comprises 146,000 companies and employs over 1,8 million workers (Textiles and Clothing, 2013). The largest producers are the five most populated European countries of the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy, which account for roughly three quarters production of textiles and clothing. The southern countries such as Italy, Greece and Portugal, Romania and Poland and, to a lesser extent, Spain and France contribute more to total clothing production, while northern countries such as the UK, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria and Sweden contribute more to textile production (Textiles and Clothing, 2013).

2 Sustainability to Increase Global Competition Euratex, the European clothing and textiles trade association, has a strong relationship with EU environmental policy makers and is fully engaged in advocacy towards environmentalism within the EUs clothing and textile sector. Their mission is to address the industrys response and further action towards the use of more sustainable raw materials, chemical usage, fossil fuel usage, emissions, and water processing and wastage (Cooper, 2009). Adil Elmassi, lead environmental worker at Euratex, was quoted as saying, There is a minimum standard, stemming from all the legislation you have, and Europe is much higher than anywhere in the world. Not even in the US do they have such a high level of environmental and consumer safety policy. Our main action is to negotiate policies in a way that we maintain sustainable development (Cooper, 2009, p. 2). This statement highlights the benefit of the EUs shift towards environmental practices in the clothing industry as a strategy towards global competitiveness. EUs legislation towards sustainability within the clothing sector has been focused on the production phase, which comprises the majority of the industry, but as textile manufacturing moves into countries with less stringent environmental restrictions and cheaper manufacturing outside of the EU, legislation is in turn changing to address that shift. When textile products are imported, supply policy reform becomes limited so the trajectory for sustainable supply legislation is at the forefront of the EUs platform. Alterations to the production phase focusing on consumer relationship to the products are also being made. The EUs competitive advantage within its textile and clothing sector lies in its superior product quality and design, its innovation and technological advancement, as well as its adaptability towards reform within areas of the industry that pose economical and environmental threats to the global community (Sonigo, 2012). Companies within the EU have increased their competitiveness by reducing or eliminating mass-produced fast fashion production and realigning themselves with higher quality

3 products with more inherent value. By responding to organizations and associations within the EU that call for action towards environmentalism, the EUs textile and clothing sector is modeling the strategic ability assert a global competitive edge by integrating sustainable modernization into their industry mold. Sustainability in Cotton Production In a report published by the European Commission, policy objectives towards sustainability within the textile and clothing industry were outlined. Cotton production can cause severe environmental degradation during cultivation and consumes large quantities of water. Its environmental impact is amplified if widespread pesticides are used and have negative effects on local ecosystems, put strain on freshwater resources for surrounding communities, and cause biodiversity loss from contamination. Cotton cultivation in the EU covers a 370,000 hectare area in Greece, Portugal, Spain and Bulgaria and amounts to 340,00 tons of cotton per year. There is a cotton trade surplus in that they export more than they import and currently have a 2.8% global market share. Cotton exports from the EU go to Turkey, Egypt and China (koba, 2013). Currently there are motions being put forth by the European Parliament towards policy change in favor of more environmentally sound and sustainable cotton production. The motion will urge the improvement of sustainable labor

standards in the global cotton value change by eliminating child and other forms of unethical labor, environmental degradation though excessive water use and pesticides, price hikes and exportation restrictions. These objectives will be achieved through transparency, Lastly the motion puts

accountability and traceability within the EUs cotton sector.

emphasis on smaller cotton producers in developing countries achieving access to main value chain that serve the EU textile and clothing industry. Currently in the EU the FairTrade Certification Mark for Cotton indicates ethical labor practices in cotton production and notifies consumers of products made ethically and sustainably (Sonigo, 2012).

4 Eco Labeling The promotion of products made with reduced environmental impact requires raising consumer awareness of manufacturing practices. Disseminating information about sustainable and environmentally friendly products is maneuverable through labeling. By increasing consumer awareness of sustainable cotton farming, short-term costs associated with the shift to organic cotton farming could be compensated (koba, 2013). The European Ecolabel is a standardized label that makes known to the consumer that a products entire lifecycle from raw material to shelf has met the environmentally sound standards (EU Ecolabel for Consumers, 2011). It is a campaign to achieve more consistent labeling for companies participating in this type of sustainable production (Sonigo, 2012). The EU has also been raising consumer awareness of these goods with the German Blue Angel label that was created to indicate products and services made in both ecologically and socially responsible ways. The Blue Angel is awarded to products and services that were procured or made in a more environmentally sound way than products and services of the same genre, thus creating a drive for competition. The EU clothing sector is exemplifying using labeling

as a market incentive. Another example of a label that creates consumer awareness of sound production is The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) that serves as a global label for sustainable clothing. GOTS certified products have to contain a minimum of 70% organic fiber and are held to rigorous environmental criteria throughout the production process supply chain. The products must meet several social compliances as well (Sonigo, 2012). Textile Waste Reduction Organizations like the Nordic Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) are actively fighting for the EUs governments to decrease their textile industrys environmental impact. They are focusing on the lifecycle of textile production in Denmark, Sweden and Finland to

5 identify what governmental action must take place to prevent textile waste and mass consumption of water, energy and chemicals in these three countries. The agency has reported that, it takes 7,000 gallons of water just to produce one cotton t-shirt, while the production of 1 kg of textiles generates 15 kg of greenhouse gases (Leung, 2012, p. 1). The NEPA is looking at four areas within the supply chain to reduce textile waste; improving product design, creating effective waste collection systems, enhancing reuse and recycling of textile products, and finding environmentally friendly treatment of textile waste (Leung, 2012). The NEPA has exemplified France for implementing legal responsibility to producers, distributors and importers of clothing and shoes, for providing recycling management for their products once they have reach the end of their use. There is the developing creation of a recycling infrastructure within the EU that is holding the industry accountable for their production. Call To Action The EU must continue campaigning to further disseminating information to the consumer concerning products made in ecologically and socially responsible ways. The strict requirements used by the German Blue Angel, the European Eco-label, and the GOTS certification can serve as an example of the effect products held to more rigorous criteria can have on consumer purchasing. Both textiles and shoes should be safe for human health as well as produced in an environmentally and ethically sound manner. The EU should raise awareness for social and labor conditions amongst consumers through the promotion of fair trade cotton and the inclusion of social standards. Subsides could be given by the government to business that practice sustainable farming methods to product textiles like cotton and receive the labeling listed above.