Driving into a Sustainable Future
Fashion and automotive companies have made increasing attempts to curb their heavy carbon and material waste footprint, resulting in outrage among consumers. This has allowed for innovations like Elon Musk's Tesla, to carve out a place in the industry. Fashion designers like Stella McCartney have begun sourcing recycled, synthetic materials for their collections. More recently; however, there has been a shift in social awareness which has led to a greater demand for social brands taking social responsibility. This is emphasized by the fact that those within the Generation Y and Z have a different type of consumer mentality and behavior than those of the older generations. Instead today, brand loyalty is led by consumers’ ability to resonate with the values of the company, in addition to product quality.
A sustainable designer Andreea Badala has recently purchased a fully electric car by Mercedes-Benz called the EQC. Badala told the Mercedes-Benz Magazine, "the EQC genuinely motivated me to take a stand in advocating sustainability that also brings people joy."
Mercedes-Benz has continued to release fully electric running cars like the EQC over the past years. Even though electronic cars create many pollutants during battery manufacturing, Forbes states that "EVs produce the bulk of their emissions through their manufacturing process and the sourcing of their energy, giving them an advantage over petrol and diesel-powered cars." This allows consumers to believe they are making a more positive impact on the environment.
According to the State of Fashion’s report, by McKinsey & Company, consumers are interested in where businesses stand on social and environmental issues. “Younger consumers are seriously concerned with social and environmental causes, which many regards as being the defining issues of our time. They increasingly back their beliefs with their shopping habits, favoring brands that are aligned with their values and avoiding those that don't.”
Changes in shopping habits are leading the future of both cars and clothing. This advancement was just seen between January 7th and January 10th. This is when the luxury car brand Mercedes Benz showcased their concept car at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The vehicle named Vision AVTR was inspired by James Cameron’s 2009 Academy Award-winning film, Avatar.
The interior of the car contains flooring made from a new raw material found in Indonesia is called Karuun, as well as vegan textiles for seating. This textile choice is both innovative and sustainable because it replaces plastics and other non-biodegradable materials.
Tong Novak an employee of Yanfeng Automotive Interiors told Peacock Plume, "For the longest time automotive OEMs and clothing manufacturers focused on minimizing the initial cost of their products. We have all witnessed the damages that they have done to the environment." Tong Novak expresses her ideas on the future of both industries. "Corporations (small or big) will need to rethink their strategy and understand that being environmentally friendly and sustainable is tied to their future company success."
At the Paris Men’s Fashion Week, creative director Simon Porte de Jacquemus presented his 2020/21 sustainable collection at Paris Fashion Week.
Although the show took place during Paris Men’s Fashion Week, the Jacquemus line featured sustainable fashion for both men and women. The collection consisted of recycled and natural fibers such as linen without the overuse of harmful dyes. Not only did they incorporate sustainability through their line, but they also refused to print physical invitations for their guests to cut down on paper waste. Instead, they opted for digital invitations.
In the upcoming years, consumers and industry professionals will have more diversity to choose from in sustainably conscious brands. Arguably, there will also be a shift in technology and textiles that will infiltrate both apparel and vehicle manufacturers. For more information on sustainability within the fashion and automotive industries, visit both the Automotive Industry Action Group and the UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion.
