Legal regulation of the sustainable fashion industry

Abstract

For over five decades, environmental responsibility has been regulated and constructed by social consultation and political agreements. Today, sustainability, as a concept and legal category, has become a pressing issue in all areas of the economy; however, regardless of its importance, the state of our environment is rapidly deteriorating. There are action plans and calendars filled with promised changes such as the diminishment in use and emission of certain pollutants, but the real results are yet to arrive. Politicians, economic leaders and members of civil organisations are seeking to collaborate in order to achieve large scale progress, when primarily, people should be looking for solutions within themselves. To quote Pope Francis, "we should be showing restraint". This is certainly true of fashion and clothing, in the sense that we should not buy unnecessarily, 'moving from consumption to sacrifice'. This principle is supported in many ways by the emerging legislation on the textile industry.