TIME
WELL SPENT49
FORTUNE.COM// JA N.1 .19THE ENDURING APPEAL OF FASHION is that it can be whatever
consumers want it to be—a means of self-expression,
a celebration of originality and fine craftsmanship, or a
temporary pleasure. But today, there’s no escaping that
it comes with the burden of knowing it’s among the
world’s most polluting and wasteful industries.
According to recent reports by the Ellen MacArthur
Foundation, global textile production has more than dou-
bled in the past 15 years, while the average shopper holds
on to clothing for half that long. Over 85% of discarded
clothing in the U.S. ends up in landfills, and this cycle
of make/use/waste comes at a considerable cost—theLUXURY
BEAUTIFUL AND
SUSTAINABLE
Big players in one of the planet’s most
polluting industries are finally getting serious
about their environmental responsibilities.
By Lindsey TramutaProduction of
Veja sneakers
at a factory
in southern
Brazil; all
Veja factories
follow Inter-
national Labor
Organization
rules.CO
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