On World Ocean Day 2020, how is the fashion industry acting?

While sustainability may not be a priority issue for consumers right now, some fashion and apparel brands continue to lean on their efforts to reduce ocean waste despite that fact, which is relevant today on World Valentine's Day. Oceans

The reality is: More than 8 million metric tons of plastics enter the oceans each year, in addition to the 150 million metric tons that currently circulate in marine environments.

This is a pressing issue when you consider that scientists have discovered that the plastic waste we can see and measure only represents a small percentage of the total amount of plastic entering the ocean.

Consumer demand is also causing clothing brands to shift their focus to more responsible products. According to Nielsen, the US market for sustainably produced products is projected to reach sales of $ 150 billion in 2021.

Traackr's data shows that discussions of sustainable fashion are also on the rise: mentions of sustainable fashion among influencers have increased 55% in recent years, bringing with it audience engagement.

As such, various fashion brands are taking steps to incorporate recycled materials drawn from the ocean into their production models in various ways.

Most popular in: retail

How to turn around a global jewelry brand that was once booming? Pandora was on the way, then came the coronavirus

Move over Amazon, the Big Boys play again

Can't pay, won't pay: Why June rental payments are the next big challenge facing retailers?

Brands taking steps to reduce ocean pollution

In the swimsuit vertical, this year L * Space introduced a new eco-friendly line of swimsuits that take advantage of materials like Econyl and Repreve that are made from non-virgin materials like fishnet and recycled ocean debris, which they plan to expand further.

Insights from sustainability experts

So what do experts in the sustainability space say about brands taking steps to reduce ocean waste on World Ocean Day (and year-round)?

Andrea Kennedy, an assistant professor at LIM College, says that first, it's important to understand a distinction: The plastic used in textiles is actually beach plastic (rather than ocean plastic).

Plastic that has been in salt water for long periods of time becomes very brittle and therefore more difficult to break and turn again.

"The goal, then, should be to prevent more plastic from entering our oceans and thus further degrade them, but combing the beaches and getting plastics that have been washed is a first step," he said.

"In general, it is much better to use ocean plastic to create new synthetic fibers for clothing rather than creating new synthetic fibers, as these are derived from petroleum and petroleum."

If you ask journalist Jasmin Chua, who focuses on the environmental impacts of the fashion industry, she says that using recycled ocean plastics is a good idea, but that we should also ask cryptic questions.

“Ocean plastic isn’t a perfect solution—consuming less overall is still our best way forward,” she said.

“Nothing purchased new is completely guilt-free.”