THE PRICE OF FASHION: THE ENVIRONMENTAL COST OF THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY IN CHINA
THE PRICE OF FASHION: THE ENVIRONMENTAL COST OF THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY IN CHINA
Abstract: China plays a prominent role in the fashion industry as a leading exporter and importer of textiles. Recent studies reveal the extent of the environmental impacts of the fashion industry on greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants. The 2021 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported a harrowing prediction of rapidly worsening climate change, demanding immediate remedial climate action to avoid disastrous effects. China’s textile industry contributes significantly to the nation’s air and water pollution. The industry relies on unsustainable practices including improper dumping of untreated, volatile wastewater and burning coal to power textile factories, increasing hazardous methane emissions. This Note seeks to examine China’s current environmental regulations and sustainability initiatives affecting the textile industry. China’s textile industry exists within a globalized system; therefore, evaluating the current approaches of factories, nations, and brands in mitigating the industry’s sustainability practices necessitates understanding overarching international commitments. This Note advocates for several measures that the Chinese government and the fashion industry should take to address the severe environmental impacts of China’s textile industry. Chinashould strengthen its new environmental tax policy to include carbon dioxide within the scope of offending pollutants. Brands should also leverage their financial position to require supply chains to become more transparent and shift toward more environmentally friendly wastewater and dyeing practices. Finally, China’s economy must continue phasing out its coal dependency to rely more on renewable energy sources to power a more sustainable future for the textile industry.
Recommended Citation: Halley Herbst, The Price of Fashion: The Environmental Cost of the Textile Industry in China, 45 Fordham Int'l L.J. 907 (2022).