English Version | What's Next: Green Blah Blah Blah

Sustainability has become one of the biggest buzzwords in contemporary fashion. The big brands are announcing new collections with eco-labels, fabrics made from plants, and products that promise to cause less damage to the environment. But are these solutions really effective, or are they just being used as marketing tricks to attract conscious consumers? Are the promises of an ecological future being fulfilled or are we fuelling a system that just changes packaging without really solving the fundamental problems? 

In recent years, fashion has been trying to transform itself. Organic cotton, bamboo, hemp and other natural materials have been promoted as more responsible alternatives to traditional conventional cotton, which requires the use of pesticides and large amounts of water to grow. On the other hand, synthetic fibres made from recycled plastics and other waste have also been gaining prominence, with brands replacing traditional synthetic fabrics with “more environmentally friendly” versions. But are we really evolving or just swapping one problem for another? The idea of replacing conventional fabrics with options that use natural resources is attractive, but are these solutions as green as they tell us? To begin with, intensive agriculture, even when organic, still requires large areas of land and the consumption of resources. Bamboo, for example, is often cited as a sustainable material because it grows quickly and without the need for pesticides, but its large-scale production can also generate serious environmental impacts, such as the destruction of local ecosystems and the intensive use of water. In addition, many natural materials require manufacturing processes that are not without environmental impact. 

The chemical treatment of fibres to create durable and soft fabrics can result in pollution, and their large-scale production can be just as harmful as synthetic materials. Simply using an organic material does not make a product truly sustainable. This is something that many consumers and even brands still don't understand. Another example of alternative solutions to conventional fashion are vegan materials, made from PVC and other recycled plastics. The promise of an ethical, animal cruelty-free alternative is attractive, but the reality is more complex. If, on the one hand, we are avoiding the exploitation of animals, on the other, we are investing in products that, despite being recycled, still rely on petroleum-based plastics, materials that have a significant environmental impact. The PVC and other plastics used to make these materials are not biodegradable and require energy-intensive production processes. In addition, vegan fur is less durable than natural fur, which means that, in the long term, more resources will be needed to replace damaged or worn-out products. This results in a continuous cycle of production and waste, contrary to what you would expect from a sustainable product. The ethical and ecological alternative is far from simple. Paulo Gomes, fashion art director and founder of Manifesto Moda, argues that true sustainability cannot be reduced to an exchange of materials, but rather to a transformation in production processes. “It's not just a question of choosing between synthetic or natural materials, but of rethinking the entire production chain, from origin to disposal”, he says. Biotechnology is recognised as a solution for developing new ecological materials that can become more sustainable, but true transformation requires more than just alternatives – it requires a radical change in the business and consumption model.

Another crucial point in the discussion about sustainability is the durability of products. Fashion, by its very nature, is an industry driven by obsolescence. Collections change constantly and consumers are encouraged to buy more, often without thinking about the environmental consequences of their choices. Vegan leathers, such as those made from PVC, may seem like an ecological solution at first glance, but they are less durable than natural leathers, which means they wear out more quickly and need to be replaced more often. As Paulo Gomes points out, “the longevity of a material is one of the main determinants of its sustainability”. If a product needs to be replaced constantly, this generates more waste and more consumption of resources. Fast fashion is therefore one of the biggest enemies of sustainability, and durability should be seen as a central factor when talking about truly ecological solutions. The big problem is not the choice between materials, but the culture of fast consumption that the industry continues to feed. Textile recycling is another area where many people have high hopes. The idea of reusing used clothing materials to create new products is appealing, but in practice, we are still a long way from a real solution. Textile recycling faces serious technical and economic challenges, and many of the materials used in clothing production, especially synthetic fibres, are difficult to recycle effectively. Chemical recycling is one of the alternatives that could help improve this situation by allowing materials such as polyester to be recycled more efficiently, but we are still at an early stage in terms of infrastructure and economic viability. In 2025, Portugal will implement the selective collection of used textiles, which could represent an important advance in textile waste management. However, recycling clothes on a large scale requires more than just collecting and separating materials. The industry needs to invest in technological processes, increase recycling capacity and, above all, change the consumer's mindset. Excess clothing, fast fashion and fabric waste continue to be major obstacles, even with the implementation of recycling policies. The real transformation of fashion will only be possible if the change starts at the source: in production. The revolution needs to go beyond simply consuming recycled or organic materials. “Real change needs to start at the source, at the level of extraction and production,” as Andreia Barbosa from Humana emphasises. The fashion industry will have to profoundly rethink its production methods and consumption patterns. The solutions presented to us today, however innovative they may seem, often don't solve the underlying problem: excessive consumption and waste of resources. However, change is possible. There is hope in initiatives that promote circular fashion, in business models that encourage conscious consumption and in the growing awareness of consumers. The real path to sustainable fashion involves deconstructing the current model and creating new paradigms that respect the limits of the planet. In short, the fashion industry needs more than promises of green solutions. We can no longer be seduced by the greenwashing sold to us by the big brands, without questioning the real effectiveness of their solutions. The future of fashion (and its impact on the planet) depends on a real change in production processes, in the way we consume and, above all, in our attitude towards environmental impact. Sustainability can't be a seasonal trend; it needs to be incorporated as a fundamental value to ensure that, in the future, we don't have to dress an increasingly damaged planet.

Translated from the original on "What's Next" issue, published December 2024. Full credits and stories in the print issue.