New York City is a magnet for America's fashion designers, but fashion hasn't been a feature in the sober halls of United Nations headquarters. That changed this week as the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development held its annual meeting there.
A fashion exhibit at the Delegates Entrance and in the Secratariat Lobby of the UN building showcases the work of many designers, all inspired to use forest-derived materials for their creations.
In an attempt to steer the global fashion industry onto a more sustainable path, 10 different UN organizations got together at the Forum and agreed to establish a UN Alliance on Sustainable Fashion.
The side event was hosted by the UN Economic Commission for Europe, UNECE.
The fashion industry has seen a spectacular growth in the early 21st century. UNECE data shows it is now valued at more than US$2.5 trillion and employs over 75 million people worldwide.
Between 2000 and 2014, global clothing production doubled. The average consumer now buys 60 percent more individual garments compared to 15 years ago, says UNECE. Yet, each clothing item is now kept half as long. The industry has entered the era of what the UN agency calls "fast fashion."
Despite an increase in jobs, this development comes at a price. The current state of the fashion industry can be described as an environmental and social emergency.
Nearly 20 percent of global waste water is produced by the fashion industry, which also emits about 10 percent of global carbon emissions.
The textiles industry has been identified as a major contributor to plastic entering the ocean, which is a growing concern with negative environmental and health implications.
Fast fashion also is linked to dangerous working conditions due to unsafe processes and hazardous substances used in production.
Malaysian-born film star and UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Michelle Yeoh, a sustainable fashion champion, opened the Forum's Ministerial Segment on Monday, and launched her new video "Made in Forests," a sustainable fashion story.
"The connection between our clothes and our impact on the environment doesn't immediately come to mind," said Yeoh. "If a jacket or a skirt or a dress looks good, and we can afford it, we buy it. But the environment pays the price."
In her video, Yeoh sets out to find out "…what sustainable fashion could look like, without compromising the beauty of our clothes."
One answer: high-fashion produced with certified sustainable new generation forest-based fabrics.
The video takes us to Italy's Cittadellarte Fashion B.E.S.T. – an art foundation that promotes sustainable fashion design through art and education.
Here young design talent Tiziano Guardini creates a beautiful dress for her entirely made of certified sustainable wood-based fibres. Michelle wore the dress in New York today at the launch of the movie.
Generally, the Earth's forests are doing better these days, according to the UN Secretary-General's most recent report.
"The net loss of forest continues to slow and forest biomass stock per hectare is stable," reports Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "More forests are being protected and areas under long-term management plans and voluntary certification have increased. From 2010 to 2015, the annual net loss of forest area globally was less than half that of the 1990s."
Still, the UN is committed to changing the path of fashion, reducing its negative social, economic and environmental impact and turning it into a driver for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
UN Environment will host the UN Alliance on Sustainable Fashion during its first year, and will formally launch it at their next Environment Assembly in March 2019.