What’s the problem?
The fashion industry is responsible for 8-10% of global emissions (more than aviation and shipping combined). This high figure is due to its use of raw materials. For example, around 340 million barrels of oil are used per year to produce polyester. The energy needed for the production processes also contributes to the high emissions figure (and this isn’t even considering the 43 million tonnes of chemicals used per year for this). Fashion is also a big user of land; for example, cotton growing uses about 2.5% of the world’s farmland. It’s therefore safe to say that fashion has a huge problem. It may be surprising to some readers to consider sports apparel as items of fashion, but increasingly people are choosing to wear sports apparel, even if they’re not doing sports. With sponsors changing annually, and new designs released and promoted each season, sports apparel falls under the category of fast fashion. Sports clothing also consists of (mainly) virgin polyester, which has a huge negative impact on the environment, from emissions released during its production, to microplastic shedded during the washing of garments, to what happens as the end-of-life, usually ending up in landfill. There’s therefore two main issues with sports apparel: over-consumption & production; and the actual materials used in the garments.
The impact of Desert Vipers’ sportswear on the environment
Our carbon footprint for Season One was roughly 570 tonnes CO2e. Sports kit was the 2nd largest contributor to this, behind only air travel, and accounted for about 8% of our total footprint. Considering plastic, sports kit is the biggest contributor by some margin to our plastic footprint, accounting for around 85% of our plastic footprint in Season Two (our plastic footprint report is forthcoming), although our efforts to successfully eradicate single-use plastic water bottles from our team environment has slightly increased the share of plastic that sports kit contributes to. In total, our plastic footprint from sports kit in Season Two was over 3,000 kg! We are yet to calculate our water footprint or biodiversity impacts, but sports kit will be a great contributor to both, so the impact of sportswear on the environment within our own organisation’s context is significant.
Sportswear Pro Conference and Exhibition
In order to learn more about the industry and how we can play our part in fostering sustainable choices, Matt Bailey and I (Ben Hardy-Jones) recently attended the Sportswear Pro Conference and Exhibition in Amsterdam. The exhibition featured all corners in the industry, from material producers, to manufacturers of the latest machines (including those using AI technology), to print professionals, and more. It was fascinating to speak to different professionals and understand how the whole supply chain worked, and to start to piece together which places we could intervene to make our own purchases more sustainable.
The Conference itself was highly informative and thought-provoking. The day started with an interesting discussion from Samantha Taylor, Ana Kristiansson, and Lucy Maguire around sportswear trends. Personalisation was heavily emphasised, driven by influencers. Currently in the sports industry, personalisation solely consists of putting a name and number on the back of a shirt. However, it was intriguing to consider other methods of (non-material) personalisation, such as putting content like NFCs into garments, so that items can be sold or donated after the owner no longer wants them. The other trend in the sportswear industry is related to sustainability, and in Europe, is primarily being driven by upcoming EU sustainability regulation. This was explained thoroughly later in the day by Katarzyna KlaraSulisz, from the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI), who spoke about five different upcoming regulations. While Desert Vipers are not based in Europe, this regulation may affect our suppliers who are based in the EU, and when it comes to sustainability, the EU are usually leading the way with regulation, so it was important to understand this regulatory landscape.
Following the first discussion were two talks from a scientific perspective, focussing on the material properties of garments. First was from Paul Foulkes-Arellano. Paul spoke about the fascinating work being done in improving materials for sportswear, with many start-ups using agricultural waste to produce clothing. He emphasised how not all agricultural waste sources are equal in terms of sustainability; for example, potato waste is poisonous and currently only goes into landfill, so is a better option for sportswear than corn waste, which can be used for other purposes. Nicole Espey from RWTH Aachen University then highlighted some of the challenges from a scientific point of view, and talked about biomaterials.
Another theme at the conference was around circularity and the circular economy, and how this could contribute to more sustainable sports apparel. Being a student of Kate Raworth, circular economy guru, it was brilliant to hear her ideas being spoken about and practised by those in the sportswear industry. In particular, it was captivating to hear from Ana Kristiansson about 20 principles for designing for circularity, and great to hear from Serena Bonomi, Luna Aslan, and Joanna Czutkowna about how to close the loop & recycle or reuse the product at the end-of-life. Overall, it rounded off the event perfectly, and drew together multiple ideas which have given Matt and me plenty of (low-carbon) food for thought.
Solutions – For the Industry
The Sportswear Pro Conference and Exhibition has given us a few ideas about potential solutions to the environmental (and social) issues addressing the fashion industry and the world of sports apparel. Industry-wide, there are three key themes which can drive a more sustainable future:
1.Designing for circularity
Designing materials which are intended to be durable, repaired, upcycled, and recycled is a first key step.
2. Using more sustainable materials
Products using materials made from waste or recycled materials can dramatically reduce the energy required for production, lowering CO2 emissions. Sustainable materials can also reduce the harm caused by the product during the use phase and the end-of-life phase.
3. On-demand printing
Overproduction is a major component of the environmental issues caused by the fashion industry. Making materials on-demand, using the latest technologies (which allows production to occur closer to home – termed ‘near-shoring’ – which reduces the distance goods have to travel) can go a long way to addressing these issues. Personalisation can play a part in this, as long as the personalised elements are modular and so can be removed when the individual would like to sell or donate the product.
Solutions – For Desert Vipers
I think it is fair to say that Matt and I came into the conference seeking an answer to the golden question: “what is the most sustainable option for sportswear?”. We left with more questions than answers, but crucially, we left knowing what were the right questions to ask. There is no ‘one size fits all solution’, so our original question was misguided. Instead, we realised that each option has its merits and drawbacks, and it is up to the individual organisation to find the best solution for its own circumstances, and to continually improve over time, as technology, supply chains, and best practices evolve.
Our approach for kit going forwards is therefore a holistic one. We have now segregated the different areas of kit procurement and its purposes, allowing us to seek different suppliers and solutions for different needs. We’ve left understanding the industry considerably better, meaning we can suggest sensible solutions to existing suppliers and help bring them on the journey with us, so we can create a ‘just transition’. However, where new suppliers may claim to provide a better solution for a particular area of our kit, we now know the right questions to ask of them, and understand the operational implications much better, ensuring that any solution we implement is truly better for both people and the planet.
If you are a supplier of sustainable sports apparel, please get in touch with us at sustainability@thedesertvipers.com, and we would love to discuss how we can work together to bring proper, meaningful change to an industry in need of reform.
Sustainability Spotlight - Reflo
In a blog all about sustainable sportswear, what better organisation to focus on this week than Reflo, a sustainable sportswear brand who are seeking to address the problems outlined in this blog? Reflo produces excellent clothing which is made from advanced technical fabrics that are woven from recycled waste, such as single-use plastic and coffee beans. Their designs are intended to be futureproof, so they stay relevant for years to come and are durable. What’s more, is that they want to go beyond sustainability, and become a regenerative fashion brand. This means that instead of ‘doing no harm’, they want to go further and actually do good! It is so refreshing to see this approach, particularly in the sportswear industry. Reflo have also just launched their clothing at GO Sport stores in the UAE, so anyone who wants to can head there and check out the brand for themselves!
