Mapping of Evidence on Sustainable Development Impacts That Occur in the Life Cycles of Clothing
A research report completed for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by Environmental Resources Management (ERM) Ltd.
http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=EV02028_7073_FRP.pdf
Authors: Madsen, Jacob; Hartlin, Bryan; Perumalpillai, Shahila; Selby, Sarah; Aumônier, Simon
Source: Environmental Resources Management (ERM) Ltd. Defra, London.
Year: 2007
Number of pages: 219
Abstract:
Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) is a key priority for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It is one of the four priority areas for United Kingdom (UK) action set out in the new Sustainable Development Strategy. SCP is about breaking the link between, or ‘de-coupling’, economic growth and environmental degradation (Ref. 72). As part of its SCP activities, Defra is developing roadmaps on ten priority products and services with significant environmental impacts, one of which is clothing. The roadmaps are aimed at improving the sustainability performance of these products. This project is designed to support the evidence base on the sustainability impacts and interventions for clothing.
Defra commissioned Environmental Resources Management Limited (ERM) to conduct a desk-based review of the existing literature to determine the environmental and social impacts that occur in the life cycle of clothing, existing interventions and further recommendations for improving sustainability performance. There is a growing volume of existing evidence (UK and international) on sustainability performance of clothing which was collated and reviewed in this project. The project findings support identification of opportunities for improving the sustainability performance of clothing within the UK and internationally across the supply chain.